Saturday, October 10, 2020

A New Adventure

 


So, Tuesday morning I will begin my Professional Development for teaching full year at the Virtual Academy.  I have labored over this decision since school begin for us in early September.  I feel like I am abandoning "my" students that I have worked with for multiple years.  I have been in one of my schools since 2005 and the other since 2010.  It feels like a loss in so many ways.  It came down to the feeling that I really didn't have a choice to make.  I am 65 years old, have a husband with health issues on disability and a daughter who is pregnant with our first grandchild.  I've felt committed, then anxious, then undecided and unsure every step of the way to this point.  Ultimately, with no guarantees, I felt I needed to chose working virtually from home.  I know I can do this and I know I will give 100% to the endeavor.  My plan is to rock it with success!  


The down size, supplies not being available to students and limiting how I can present lessons.  I will miss having hands that are caked with clay and watching as my students gleefully create and explore with a lump of clay.  I will miss students that I adore and admire for their creative energies and enthusiasm.  Maybe, next August, I will be able to walk back into my spaces and greet them in person.  I can hope for that reality.  Until then, I will work to build new relationships with new talented kids who bring me pride, laughter and smiles and rest assured, I will feel just as torn at the end of the year knowing they will be going back to a new normal and I might not be able to tag along.