One year later and I am still in awe of the beautiful fall colours. We have been blessed with an extended summer. Yesterday was a sunny 26 degrees! We watched conference, helped a new family move into the ward, had the missionaries for dinner and enjoyed a long time on the new deck at the firebowl. I am grateful for these COVID days that we have spent together. Next week, all of my children will be home for Thanksgiving. H and C have invited their special people. M is still looking for hers...
School is so different with covid restrictions. Students have been great and many choose to wear masks even if they are not required to in my grade. We have learned to wash our hands repeatedly before snack and lunch and after recess and gym. Hand san before going outside and after coming in... We are only allowed to be with our cohort group. For me that means the grade 4 class and mine. M is in a different school cohort. We barely see other colleagues and I, along with others, are feeling lonely. We are not able to collaborate during the day, we can't see faces as we must wear a mask all day, and we are so busy figuring another new technology out, that we don't have time to visit. Stress levels are high and there have been heated 'discussions' over simple differences of opinion or understanding. Communication has been a challenge from the top down and that is so frustrating.
Online teaching was hard. First we had to put together a web page in 4 days, and then teach our students online even though any did not have enough technology in their homes for each kid. I had to make videos of me teaching a concept and post it for students to watch and then hopefully they would do the work asked of them. Families did their best! Some did absolutely everything I asked them to, others did nothing. We also did paper packs for families to pick up. So really, I was doing twice the work that I normally did. I worked at the school so that I could help my colleagues who were at home with their small children. I tried my best to do whatever I could do to relieve some of their stress. They had such a tough job in looking after their kids, helping their kids do their school work from home and teaching from home all at the same time. I wanted to help, so I went in to school each day. I really didn't mind after everything calmed down... it kept me in a routine and I think that was good for my mental health. Our K-3 school team really supported each other and helped each other through a really challenging time. I couldn't have managed without them!
One thing I was proud of during the covid school closure was that I went to visit each of my students at their house. We sat distanced on their porch with a parent (usually), and visited. I took them a bag filled with some fun things and we chatted! They couldn't believe I was at their house! I was so happy to see them! Sadly, my principal found out these visits were happening and managed to be sure they were 'not allowed.' Needless to say, she was/is not my favourite person... for this and MANY other reasons. Whatever... I just try to do my job and help others.
At home, we have learned to make cinnamon buns and bread. We have made many masks and when covid shut down happened in March, we did many puzzles together.
Together. We have been together everyday since March 15, when school was closed and the economy was shut down. We did not see my parents in their home for a couple of months. We had porch visits... they stood on their balcony, we stood on the ground outside. We had short visits. Papa Tom kept saying "@!88^. Just come up" Grandma Pat understood we were trying to keep them safe. So many germs working from school as both Devon and I were. M was too until she was laid off. Then she worked for her students' parents as a home EA. We did not know enough about COVID-19 to be sure we could protect them. So many people throughout the world were dying. Then it hit the USA and Canada.
Summer was different. We did go to Lethbridge, but barely saw anyone. Uncles and Aunts were self isolating. We hiked in Waterton on July 1 with M and H. Then we went to Writing on Stone. We went to Waterton again on July 4 and H's friend L came too. We did see Gilsons. So glad to see them in Magrath. Southern Alberta did not have any cases and so many people were lax in their behaviour, especially in Raymond, where we stopped on the first. Everyone was too close together, too much hugging, and too many people in one place.
We did go to the lake for a few weeks. We were careful and distanced ourselves as best as we could. We also spent more weeks at home than we usually do. It was nice to enjoy our new deck and our yard. It was a nice summer and we rode our bikes, hiked, played and had many document adventures. (See facebook)
Fall is here. School is back in and we are surviving the new routines. Masks, hand sanitizer, hand washing, lining up, waiting, more hand washing etc. every. single.day. My class has desks. Yuck. But, those are the rules. My class has 21 students. Most of them are great. 5 new to the school students. 3 of those are behaviours. Yuck. Thankfully, I have an amazing EA. She is so great with all the students. I am lucky. I haven't taught a class like this for a long time. Most are super low... which is understandable since they were out f school for 6 months since the closure. But the thing about them is that they cannot sit still. always moving and making noise and talking and wiggling. always. moving. I am doing all I can to support them- special stools, cushions, elastic on desks for their feet, lots of movement breaks... still need more support! But we will survive. I will survive!
The weather today is cooler, but still beautiful. Sadly, the wind likes to pick up when the leaves change colour and so they blow off, making our colourful fall a short season. We will make the best of it!
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