As I was thinking about my last blog post for the school year, I received the perfect email from PBLworks.orgĀ , and while I didn’t do this with a whole group of teachers, the questions provided helped me frame my reflection on this wild year. I reflected on how the pandemic changed my teaching, what I want to keep with me moving into next year and lingering questions I still have.
The pandemic changed how I use technology. I have been able to connect my classroom to experts across the nation in ways I never would have imagined before this pandemic. When I began hosting experts in my classroom in early October, I never thought we would move beyond people in our community but since then we have interviewed a copy editor in Los Angeles, US park rangers in Alaska and Florida, local bakers and even learned to bake from a great group of sisters located in New Jersey!
Pandemic teaching helped me narrow my focus and remind me what I hold close to my heart in my classroom. I will always, always build a strong community with my students. As I reflect on this year, I think about how important it was to me to establish connections with not only students but also, their families. I hope to enter next year with goal setting and collaboration with families, even if I will not be coming into their rooms virtually every day.
Teaching in a pandemic gave me some freedom to experiment with things that I never thought I would see happen in my classroom when I started my education career. When I started our little bread project to give us community and ownership in our classroom I never, ever thought we would end the year with our own bread website, baking 300 breads and teaching others how to bake too. This “little” project taught me things about student autonomy, authentic learning experiences and much more.
As I reflect on this school year, I think about how much it took out of me and how much rest I need this summer to be ready for next year. I am not sure what that looks like but I know that it is necessary. As I think about challenges I face, I think about how I can continue to rest and recharge this summer to be ready to create great opportunities for deep learning and community for my next group.
I would love it if you shared with me, what went well for you this year? What are you hoping to bring with you next year? How will you reset and rest this summer?
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