The COVID burnout is real...
"Comment on other people's blogs" they asked.
And what do I do?
I write installment #2.
I swear I'm not normally a rule breaker and I also promise to comment after this. Because I appreciate the comments on my first installment.
Tangent time: I used to write Yelp reviews. I used to LOVE writing Yelp reviews. I love to try new restaurants and write witty (but helpful) reviews. I wrote 300 reviews in one year once. And then they kicked me out of the Yelp Elite club and I retaliated by stopping cold turkey (writing reviews that is, not eating good food). Apparently I miss writing reviews because here we are, installment #2.
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I am a little bit freaking out. (read: little bit, think: mondo ).
The time FLIES by. At super warp speed. Captain Kirk needs to to chill because warp speed would have tragic consequences.
The week passes and I haven't made any progress in my project. Then the next week flies by and pretty soon we are in another month. Luckily as fate has it, my cohort meetings and my mentor meets are scheduled on different weeks so every week I have a meeting that reminds me to MOVE IT.
But here's the scarier part: teachers are burnt out. They are not just burnt out, they are COVID burnt out. Like trying to set ashes on fire.
Like trying to feed a large family with a dented can of tuna.
Like trying to keep kids separated and properly masked when all they want to do is breath and love each other. IMPOSSIBLE.
How can I possibly ask them to ADD to their plate that piled high? (That was add as in opposite of subtraction, not A.D.D for clarification)
How can I possibly suggest they do MORE when there's no more to give?
On the other hand, everyone has ALWAYS said, 'there's no way we can move to online learning', 'it's too complicated to get everyone a device and wifi.' and then March 2020 happened and 'no way' and 'too complicated' turned into 'way' and 'it's done."
If we got every school on this earth into distance learning in a matter of weeks, the impossible is possible.
I need to get over this hump because I've made dinner with "nothing" in the fridge before. A dented can of tuna can become a great meal.
Denalee, I have three thoughts. 1. I have never met anyone who either wrote 300 Yelp! reviews and/or got kicked out of Yelp! Congrats, I think. :) 2. I too have made dinner with nothing in the fridge. My wife rolls her eyes and complains that we are eating "leftovers," but I was raised on leftovers and eventually she always says, That was tasty. 3. You wrote: "If we got every school on this earth into distance learning in a matter of weeks, the impossible is possible." This is going to be my quote of 2021. Thank you. We support you, we salute you, we appreciate you.
ReplyDeleteDenalee, I loved reading your blog! You infused humor, wit, and reality, and I got to see another side of your personality. I know educators are overwhelmed and asking you all to do one more thing can seem cruel, but I hope you realize that it doesn’t have to be painful. I hope you feel better after getting your thoughts down in writing. And yes, 300 Yelp reviews in a year is unbelievable! 😊👍
ReplyDeleteImpossible is possible. Never thought about how impossible it was to get internet into every home was. A device for every child was a challenge. But you are right, ensuring internet in every home was an impossible hump to get over.
ReplyDeleteAnd what was equally remarkable to me, Ken, was the way folks in every sector of our Hawaiʻi community - business, non profit, orgs, private citizens - all pulled together to try to gain internet access for our kids and their families. These stories of education first responders need to be told.
DeleteGreat themes and yes, humor. All things are possible, given enough time, tenacity, resources and most of all, need or desire for making the impossible come to life. I'm sure you will get there in your project, and I'm curious about how much support you have beyond Ruth? Do you have thought partners helping you and/or perhaps the ideas of other stakeholders?
ReplyDelete"Like trying to keep kids separated and properly masked when all they want to do is breath and love each other. IMPOSSIBLE."
ReplyDeleteYEP, YEP, YEP.
This is absolutely true at Kamaile and it's heartbreaking to continually break up the joy that does exist across campus. Because your main point is also incredibly true: the teachers are burnt out. We are burnt out. The last year and a half have unquestionably been the hardest of my career (I told a first year teacher yesterday that I thought she was a hero for making it through her first quarter) and I have to imagine the rest of this year will likely feel the same.
But you're right for a third time: you can make dinner with a dented can of tuna. It's completely possible to pull something out of nothing. And I think that recognizing that you have no clue what's for dinner and may need some help sorting it out is a great place to be. Find your helpers in unexpected places. For my project, I had to think pretty small. I wanted to do something across my whole cluster but realized that neither I, nor all of my teachers, had the capacity to take on something new. So I started asking the kids and found that one grade level was really into giving me feedback on how to make school "fun" despite the distancing and masks and constant reminders to wash hands. Now they're the drivers of my project, helping me help their teachers make classes more engaging (and minimize formal assessments--we know they're low right now! cut the tests for a bit!). Just a thought--maybe your high schoolers can give you a few pointers to get you going.
Wow, Jillian, what you wrote makes my day. Great instinct on your part: "So I started asking the kids and found that one grade level was really into giving me feedback on how to make school 'fun' despite the distancing and masks and constant reminders to wash hands. Now they're the drivers of my project..."
DeleteI absolutely loved your post! I could feel you and sympathized every step of the way. What I do know is that we may fall behind from time to time and that is "okay". We learn to pick ourselves up and make the impossible, possible, for those that need us most. That is just what we do! This is a really tough time and when we see everyone around us falling apart, we still put a smile on our face and keep moving on. Donʻt forget to take care of yourself from time to time. I had to be reminded of this myself recently.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ami! Yes! #selfcare
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