“Albuquerque 2016” by lito is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
This week has been historical. And emotional. And incredibly challenging. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic most of our daily routines have been disrupted, many of our securities erased, and some of our worst fears are being realized. The financial situation for many has, or will soon, become crippling. And the health concerns, whether they be for ourselves or our loved ones, can be overwhelming. Amid this crisis many ‘regular’ citizens have become heroes, such as nurses, doctors, grocery clerks, pharmacy workers, custodians, food producers, and warehouse workers. Teachers have not been asked to join the countless others that have had to dug their heels in and alter their ways of thinking and working. Yet. We are half way through spring break now, and it is my hope that when it is time to return to work that teachers might be able to create a sense of normalcy amid the chaos and uncertainty of this pandemic.
Many teachers enter the profession because they had a positive experience during their own education. Maybe it was a creative and engaging teacher, or a supportive counselor, or an inspirational administrator. During this unique and difficult time we have a chance to connect in new and meaningful ways with our students. We can strengthen a sense of community, exercise our compassion and creativity, and be the calm and caring leaders that our students need in these uncertain times.
It will not be easy. The learning curve for teachers and students will be steep. But if we do not let fear of failure or the challenge of the unknown stop us from trying we have the opportunity to provide an invaluable service to students, parents and the community at large. By simplifying our lessons, sharing resources, being creative and flexible, and focusing on personal connections we stand to have a very significant and positive impact on society.
It will require leadership. I believe our provincial leaders are doing a remarkable job uniting Canada during this pandemic. They are modelling how important it is to work together, in spite of any differences, for the benefit of all citizens. Our school districts and our administrative staff will need to come together to envision a new way for our education system to move forward and serve our students. They will also need to focus on supporting and encouraging their staff, and nurturing the personal relationships and connections they have with their staff so that we can work as a united community.
It will require that we take care of ourselves and each other. It can be a challenging task to take care of ourselves and our families during these trying times. That will look different for every individual, and may be different for each individual every day. I am grateful that I have had this first week of spring break to take care of myself and my family, to process the situation we are in and to be thoughtful and deliberate in how I want to proceed. My goal for this next week is to reach out and start building the strong community that will be necessary if we, as a community of educators and public servants, are going to have the tools, resources and support we will need in our new reality.
I believe we can join the growing community of everyday heroes. This is an opportunity for teachers to be far more than educators, and to have the positive impact on our students and community that initially drew us to this profession.
