As teachers closed their classroom doors because of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, the connections they have built during the last six months have been interrupted. If I’m being completely honest, I spent the better part of last week trying my best to wrap my head around the ramifications of this pandemic and pacing around my house, paralyzed by sadness, fear, anger, frustration, and every feeling in between. All of this is so confusing as an adult, that I can only imagine how difficult it is for our little learners to process.
You see… our students are our kids. We love them like our own. We worry about them.
We miss their sweet smiles and tight-waisted hugs when they come to school in the morning. We miss tying their shoes and zipping their coats. We miss when they crowd around our feet during story time. We miss their handwritten notes and handmade gifts. We miss reading with them during small group instruction. We miss center time, as they sit throughout the room eagerly working on their activities. We miss as they confidently raise their hand to solve a math problem. We miss when they console a friend in need. We miss those light bulb moments when they are learning a new skill or concept. We miss brain breaks and dance parties. We miss singing together. We miss their hugs and goodbyes when they head home for the day.
We miss our typical day-to-day school routine, but, most of all, we miss “our kids” like crazy. We want so badly to resume school and to celebrate the end-of-the-year with our students.
Our job as a teacher has shifted from that of an educator to that of a nurturer. It’s important that “our kids” know how much we miss them, that they feel safe, that they feel loved, and most importantly that they know everything is going to be okay. Our students’ emotional health should be our number one priority as we face this pandemic.
While some teachers are able to reach out to their students via video-conferencing, some teachers may not be able to schedule a meeting to provide reassurance and comfort because all students may not have access to the necessary technology. We need to keep that connection alive, even if it might only be a tiny spark at the moment.
In an effort to help all teachers stay connected and let their kiddos know they are missed, I created a set of free miss you cards! I am certain our kiddos will love some good ol’ fashioned snail mail! Simply subscribe to download all 8 miss you cards for kids!
Take care, fellow teachers! You are traveling these uncharted waters with the utmost of grace! I applaud you!
Don’t Forget It… Pin It!
Leave a Reply