Teachers, Are You Missing Your Students?

So many teachers are feeling the isolation of being away from their students and you are missing your students. Online connections with our students are what we are dealing with right now, and it’s not good enough!

I don’t want to sound whiny, but I follow so many teacher groups online and the posts I read break my heart. Teachers are among the most caring people in the world and their hearts are hurting right now!

Of course they realize that their plight is minimal compared to healthcare workers, but still the effects are often overwhelming.

Missing Your Students And Other Things

The greatest thing, by far, that I hear over and over from teachers is how much they miss their students. Some are able to see a portion of them on ZOOM sessions (or other online video conferencing forums). But there are always the missing ones that haunt you.

I wrote a recent article geared toward parents helping their new “at home” children during this crazy time. You can take a look at it here, and if you find it useful, feel free to pass it on to your students’ parents.

COVID-19; 10 Tips for Temporary Home Schooling

We Love Our Students (well most of the time)

These are the things you worry over – and, thus why you are missing your students.

• How are they dealing with this new reality?
• Who is with them at home?
• Are they getting enough to eat?
• Where are the ones who haven’t shown up online yet?
• Am I giving too much work?
• How will I be able to grade their work?
• Will I be able to say good-bye to them in May/June?
• Are they practicing their reading?
• Will they fall behind?
• Are they scared, worried, anxious, abused?

Of course, the list could go on and on. I have seen on social media that some staffs have had a “drive-by caravan” through the neighborhoods near their school to wave at their students.

Others have made packets that are stored in crates near the office door for parents to pick up for their child.

BUT NONE OF THIS IS GOOD ENOUGH!

NOTHING CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF BEING IN CLASS WITH OUR STUDENTS.

Missing your students hurts your heart, there’s just no other way to describe it.

And we also miss our co-workers

Being isolated is hard. We miss our co-workers too. Those of you that are at home with your own children are keeping very busy with them AND trying to be online for your students.

But for the single teachers who live alone, this is extremely lonely and difficult. A few teachers I know are older and their own children are grown and out of the home. And while many have a spouse around, they are still missing their work colleagues and their students.

Your work colleagues often become like family to you. You see then as much, if not more, than your spouse (during normal times). So we miss them. Some teacher teams are so cohesive that they go out to restaurants together and their children are friends. WE MISS THEM TOO!

In case you are using part of this at-home time to get yourself more organized, here is a FREE downloadable list of classroom routines. You might want to see if you have all these routines structured for when you return to your classroom. Just complete this form and I will zip if right over to your email.

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Many of You Are Still Waiting for District Guidance

Is your school district providing you with enough guidance? I am hearing a huge range of stories from hugely supportive to hearing crickets – nothing.

Are You Getting Encouragement and Praise from your Principal?

I have been both an Assistant Principal and a Principal so, believe me, I know how SUPER BUSY they are right now also.

But, in my opinion, many of them are missing the most important thing here – and that is to support your teachers.

In my humble opinion, I would (if I were still a principal) call each of my teachers on the old fashioned telephone and ask them how they are doing? How I could support them? What do they need to make their job easier? Is there anything I can do or get you that would help out?

And what about Technology Issues?

The greatest challenge, by far, for most teachers has been their technology. Most don’t have an issue with access, but rather having to learn new programs and apps in such a short amount of time without “tech” folks available to “pop in” to help them.

But I have to give HUGE KUDOS to teachers for being willing to jump right in there and figure it all out. Teachers have been calling their colleagues or trying to get district help. Or they have been going to YouTube to find instructional videos on how to do what they need to do.

A fellow education blogger, Linda Kardemis on her website Teach 4 the Heart has a great article about connecting with students via technology. Her article is called

“4 Easy Ways to Connect with Your Class During Covid Closures.” You can read it by clicking on the title.

Technology is Difficult for Me!

Technology is kind-of difficult for me; I did not grow up a digital native. I tell my children that in regards to music I have gone through the phonograph, radio, the reel-to-reel tape players, eight-track players, cassettes, MP3 Players including the iPod, and finally music downloads. For computers I was an adult from the time the PC was available for the average person.

While I have used Microsoft products extensively for the past twenty years I am not good at new apps and software. I can get it with patient help since I learn best by being shown how to do it a couple of times. I only mention this since there are many teachers at this same level of comfort with technology.

Millennials and Gen-Z teachers are MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE with tech items, tech issues and new products. I have learned how to text, use Instagram, and Facebook from teacher friends who were of these generations.

On an even crazier note, my 13-year-old granddaughter taught me how to set up and use my I-watch (and she doesn’t even have one).

Anyway, back to you – teachers! Let me tell you that you are awesome! I am so proud of all that you are doing for your students. And for how much you care for each and every one of them (yes, even your “challenges”).

KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

WE WILL ALL GET THROUGH THIS SOON!

Until Next Time,