We're Going to Be Friends!

Here we are, no one else

We walked to school all by ourselves

There's dirt on our uniforms

From chasing all the ants and worms

We clean up and now it's time to learn

Numbers, letters, learn to spell

Nouns, and books, and show and tell

Playtime we will throw the ball

Back to class, through the hall


-Jack White


These song lyrics fit our typical back to school narrative. We typically get new clothes, new books, new bags, new pencils, along with a new teacher and grade assignment. Many of us also walk to school or get on the big, yellow bus that stops outside our house at an hour that is all too early for our brains to comprehend. We have our classes and our recess, we see our friends, we hug, high-5, or just yell across the lower field when we see someone we missed.


2020 has decided that this is NOT our story this year.


We are still getting new teachers and new grade assignments, but along with those 'normal' beginning of school events, we are going to be sitting in front of our computer screens. This is not what anyone had planned nor do we know what is going to happen in the future, so we will just go with whatever comes our way. I think this is a great time for us to be risk-takers. We definitely will have to step outside our comfort zone when it comes to communication and relationships.


Honestly, I am more nervous than I have ever been, and you may be feeling that way too! I can tell you a couple of things to help with the nerves. This teacher has been working to figure this all out for several weeks and I think I've got a plan. It's not a perfect plan and we will have to learn to work together. There will be changes and there will be things that don't work. We all have to lean into the idea of being open-minded now more than ever.


I have a couple of things that I want you to do over the next 6 days. Think about who you are, think about what you want to accomplish this year, and think about all the reasons this will be the best year ever. We will be creating our digital classroom together just like we would when we are at school, so our class will become what we want it to be. If there are things you want to accomplish, we can do it. I have lots of confidence in my new class and believe that we are in for the best year ever. I am excited to meet a new crew of 5th graders this week and start working next week.


Also, make sure you read the card I snuck into your supply bag when you pick it up on Wednesday. The card might just be the answer to a trivia question next week.


PS - The beginning of the year is my favorite time of year because I get to set a new reading goal! Last year my class challenged me to read 60 books (and I read more than 70). How many books do you want me to read this year and do you think I can do it?

I WIll Remember You

Dear Room 327, 

Winnie the Pooh, my favorite bear, often said ‘how lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard’.

Well, I feel that way about the class community we built in room 327 this year.

This is supposed to be a thank you speech that gets into all of the amazing work you did to prepare for

Exhibition and the end of 5th grade, but this year it’s different. 

We entered the class together on August 1st and are leaving some kind of virtual classroom setting on

May 22. There are no words to express how much it stings that we didn’t get to say a real goodbye YET. 

This year has been a wild and crazy ride. We laughed A LOT! I made you create 100s of charts in your notebook.

We listened to my music every morning and you couldn’t make me change it no matter how hard you tried.

We learned how to work together as we created tin foil boats, paper airplanes, and index card houses.

There were lots of conversations about why “fair” isn’t always what we want out of life.

Sure, we studied history, math, reading, and science. I hope all of you feel like you are better writers.

But the most important thing of all is that we now know the value of a hug and a high 5.

We feel it when we can’t be in the same space as our friends, and we are all waiting for the real GOODBYE to 5th grade. 

You guys went to Tybee Island and learned to pick up the trash at the beach. (Which may or may not end up back on the beach).

I often misspelled certain names on my reading and math charts and I really don’t know why I couldn’t get it through my head that

Jack and John are not the same names. I apologize to Luch, Jacbo, and John-Henry for all of my flubs! Oops, I did it again. 

From our book tasting to “Fun Fridays” to the Night of Expressions, each of you will forever have a special place in my heart.

I will never forget the tears that I shed when my dad got hurt and passed away, but I am also forever grateful for

a group of kids that wrote cards to someone they didn’t know in hopes of lifting his spirit.

I can’t say that there are any classes that have never seen me cry, I’m a super-sensitive person after all,

but you guys definitely have seen me cry and helped me through some big sadness. 

You are animators, actors, sports stars. You have amazing creativity, even if it is sometimes used for

creating recess games that involve hunting pigs to turn them into bacon. When we walked out of class on March 12,

I never thought that would be how we had to say goodbye to fifth grade. Without hugs or high 5,

yearbook signings, or field day, how can school actually be over?

I know I’m not the only one who wants to have a huge party when this is all over and

I’m expecting all of you guys to show up for the hugs, high fives, and maybe some chart drawing. 

As we come to the end of this super chaotic year, remember that how you treat others matters.

Whether it’s your teachers or your friends continue to be the kindness and justice fighters in this crazy world. 

Never forget that you are loved and make sure that you come to the end of COVID-19 party once it happens!

Love, Mrs. Prophet

Tears in Heaven

I must be strong and carry on

'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven

I’ve done this twice. Gone back to work after saying goodbye to a family member. 

The first time it was my brother, Bryan. I was 23 years old and it was my first year of teaching. To say that was a struggle is an understatement, but I survived and grew as a teacher. 

The second time it was my dad. I was 40 years old and spent 6 months traveling back and forth to NY after my dad had a significant injury from a freak trip and fall accident. The last time I went to NY, I knew when I left that I was saying goodbye and I would not see dad again. My prayer as I left was for healing whether that came to him here on earth or in heaven. I knew he needed to heal. I came home on Sunday night and went to work on Monday morning. I called my mom during my planning period to check-in and she told me he was gone. I walked back into the classroom in tears to tell my co-teacher that I needed to go home. I cried on my way to tell my principal and received hugs from more people than I even remember. 

Sitting at home the next day after all the phone calls were made and no more tears would come, I debated whether I should go back to school for the rest of the week. It was one of my favorite weeks of the year. The week before our holiday break in December. We had special events planned and I always looked forward to giving the kids my handwritten thank you notes for the first semester. 

I made the decision to go back to work for the last 3 days of the term. It was precisely what I needed. The kids had letters and notes to me to lift me up and show that they are there. They showed wisdom well beyond their years. The level of empathy that they displayed at 10/11 years old gives me hope for our world. 

And now I have to let them go without a proper goodbye. School has just been canceled for the rest of the year because of a global health crisis. I don’t question the decision to close the school, but I’m beyond sad. In a year of loss, this one hurts more than just saying goodbye at the end of the year. 

Every year a new group of kids enters my classroom and I work tirelessly to build the kind of place where everyone is included. It's difficult and doesn't always work out as planned, but there is always at least a little bit of success. The kids make friends in my classroom that they keep for a long time (I know this because I Facebook stalk their parents' photos 😝). 

In the end, I am safe at home and everyone in my house is healthy, but that doesn't make it any less painful. I'm still grieving my dad and now I'm adding to that grief the loss of the class that got me through it. I know we are still 'e-learning' and I still get to see their faces and talk to them, but it is not the same. 

So I grieve - 

Their big hugs.

Laughs at my misspelling of names.

Losing my phone AGAIN.

Their drawings and animations.

The one who wouldn't stop reading during my lessons. 

The timekeeper. 

Poems.

Group read aloud after recess.

Recess conversations with the hilarious student that came up with a new theory behind global warming. 

Stories of Brad Pitt's evil plots.
Long hair is for boys and girls. 
That's gay is not an insult. 

Book talks.

Crew Meetings.

Laughing at bad puns.

Donut chairs popping.

Grandma's Underwear.

Alibi.

Field Day. 

Exhibition.

5th Grade Finale.

Room 327

How are you doing today?

All Fall Down

Whenever your world starts crashing down

That's when you find me...

As we are parenting during a pandemic it seems like I have taken a step back into

the playbook of my childhood. The unhealthy snacks are back, the days of unlimited

television have returned, and there is nothing that can’t be fixed by going outside to play.

When we head to the store the only things left are Lunchables and pizza rolls,

so I guess we have to be ok with that. And honestly, I’m good with it.

What we will remember from the pandemic is what we remember.

If that’s a bunch of junk food, so be it! Unfortunately, it was a whole lot easier

to eat these foods when I was a kid. Something doesn’t sit right now as an adult,

but I guess that’s the real reason why we needed so much toilet paper isn’t it?

We are also baking again (not me, because it's not my jam). Lots and lots of baked goods.

My students are learning to cook and bake at alarming rates. I can’t believe that they are

spending so much time on culinary skills. What about math and reading?!?

Oh, wait....we might just be helping the next generation find a new passion or a new career path!

It seems that we have also lost our competitive nature, the helicopters and lawnmowers are disappearing

and we are parenting and loving the best that we can. The questions on social media are changing.

The ‘How do I do to make my kid do all the assigned work and keep them busy with academic pursuits?’

has morphed into.....'what will the consequences be for my kid if we do baking, cleaning, mowing,

and putting things together instead of that test prep software?'

Who cares?!?!? Not all of us have made that leap,

but I predict that it will happen sooner rather than later.

Screen time has been the biggest debate of the last 10 years, but it seems in this pandemic we are all losing that focus.

I know that we have definitely had some strange conversations about screens in our house over the last month.

You want to have a double feature? Sure, we can watch 2 movies back to back. It’s not like we have anywhere else to go.

Purchasing a new game system has also crossed my mind a few hundred times. However, I don't want to pay pandemic

prices which I think is also out of my mom's parenting playbook.

Kids are finding out how to build things. We spent 5 hours assembling a basketball hoop outside on Saturday

and my kid now can use a wrench, socket wrench, screwdriver, and a rubber mallet with the best of them.

Our next task is going to have to be related to fixing the fence that we have destroyed with all of our outside time.

I'm really hoping that the fence survives all of the balls that have been kicked against it.

Anyone who has ever seen my son play soccer knows that is no small feat.

Opt outside has been a motto for many years for a well-known outdoor outfitter, but how many of us have

actually been trying to get outside every day? With all of the indoor play places and playgrounds closed, we have

rediscovered our backyard. We have learned to play ladder-ball, horse, and search for spiders.

We found a ‘skull spider’. I have no idea if that’s what it is called but my son said he has a skull on his back

so that has to be its name. We sat on the porch and watched the rain. We have spent hours reading and drawing outside.

And honestly, my need for the sun and the warmth of the spring breeze has trumped almost everything else in treating

my anxiety and worry about the pandemic.

We have always enjoyed watching the different birds in our yard and this morning I was reminded,

by my sister, how fun it is to watch an Animal Planet show unfold in your front yard.

Whether it's watching the birds build a nest or a cat catch a squirrel, it's amazing to notice the things

that have been happening every day when we are too busy to notice.

So as we continue to navigate unknown situations in this crazy pandemic,

don’t forget to smile and enjoy the little things that are happening around you.

After all, it’s not like we can do anything about it.  If there is one thing that I will take with me from this pandemic for the rest of my life it would be to look at the world through the eyes of a child again. I think about how frightening yet exciting this must be for a child and I'm in awe in how they are all handling it. Maybe that means we are doing a good job as adults, I don't know. Whatever it might be, this is quite the experience. Whether that child is a teenager, who doesn't want to write a stupid journal because it's stupid or an 8-year-old who believes that he is a teenager, I think that my perspective has certainly been changed for good.

On a side note, when this is over I also really need to do something nice for my neighbor

who has been retrieving all of our rogue athletic equipment.

Any advice on what would make a suitable thank you gift?

How Soon is Now?

How can you say I go about things the wrong way? I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does. 

Isn't that what it's all really about anyway?

The last 2 weeks have felt like I'm a teacher in a dystopian novel with Morrissey playing on repeat in the background. I wonder if I wait long enough if David Bowie will show-up at my front door in a space ship. 

It's surreal to be sitting on my front porch talking with 25 kids that are isolated in 25 different homes, but I did it with cat ears on.

Today our class was able to do a virtual class meeting for the first time and it wasn't perfect, not even close. Kids were talking over each other, everyone wanted to show us their pets and the toys in their rooms, but it was the best feeling I've had since the pandemic schooling has started. I think that comes from the fact that it was a perfectly normal, abnormal situation. The kids were smiling and excited to be on screen. It made me smile, laugh, beam with pride, and when we were done it made me cry. I miss all those quirky and silly 10/11-year-old kids with my whole heart and I know that anyone who truly loves teaching like I do has the same feeling. 

My co-teacher and I also held individual video check-ins with kids and really got to see that all they were looking for was love and assurance that we were going to continue to check-in. One asked if she had to worry about GMAS and MAP, I told her that the only things we need to focus on right now are staying healthy and enjoying this new adventure as it unfolds. Another kid asked if we will still be giving them tests, I answered honestly and said - I don't know. 

Do I need to know how the kids are performing in their academic areas during a global pandemic? The short answer is - not really. I already know how well most of my kids grasp and understand the material that is being presented and I can ask them to show me on a video call through a conversation. A test, or as some like to say summative, is the last thing these kids need and I think that the cancellation of all the standardized tests should tell us that. 

So teachers, my biggest fear about this whole situation is that we will go right back to the status quo. This is our chance to really effect change in a big way. Do you want to give a test? Do it, but can you do it in a different way? 

All I know is that my day felt a whole lot more productive when I got to talk to kids and see how they are really doing with the work that I'm assigning. 

Now whether my duties as a pandemic school at home mom were successful......You tell me? 

In the End....

it doesn't even matter.

I've been in my house for many days and at this point, it's hard to remember the last time everyone showered, let alone who did what on their E-Learning assignments, and it doesn't even matter.

I've been watching social media craziness happen and some people really need to chill out. We are all in the same boat. Our kids will learn those standards or they won't, but it's not going to be the end of the world unless we fall apart and attack each other.

I've also noticed that there is no winning in this situation. Some people want more to do, some want less, some kids are working, and some are not. Everyone is learning on the fly and some of us are better than others, but that doesn't mean that people are willfully trying to deprive students of materials or stress parents out. One thing I have realized while working with my own kid, he is REALLY good at pretending like he has never used Google Classroom or any other platform his teacher has been using ALL year. Come on kid....it's not going to work for you, but I'm also not going to fight with you about it.

My biggest concern for the kids that I can't see every day at this point is that they are healthy and happy. It's killing me to not see those faces every day, and I hope that each of them knows how much. I miss Room 327 and all 25 kids that make that community possible, but we are doing what we can. Please have grace with teachers and parents. We need each other after this is over to rebuild what has been broken down by something that we cannot control. In the end, if we don't have each other when this is over we will have NOTHING!

As we sit at home on what feels like day 999 of 'social distancing', lots of things are coming into focus and some are still really blurry. Parents are schooling at home, teachers are E-instructors and kids.......it doesn't even matter!

What will they remember when this is all over? That depends on us.

The adults have all the power in this situation.

I hope my kid is going to remember:

😀No Screen Time Limits.

😀 Multiple family game nights.

😀Party pizzas for dinner more than once in a week.

😀Taking care of the neighbor's cat.

😀Bedtime didn't really exist.

😀Mom made him read.......A LOT!

😀Checking on our family and friends who are alone and vulnerable.

😀2 Words - Movie Marathons

😀Jokes about toilet paper

😀He is loved more than anything in this world.

If I can accomplish that list then this situation has been a blessing. I know it is awful to have to be stuck at home when people are so used to being busy, but in the end, does it really matter if you had to stay home because you were trying to save someone else's life?

Who have you checked on today?

Ironic?!?!

Isn't it ironic how spring is popping up all around us and we should be excited to be out and about, but yet we are stuck inside (or we should be)?

It seems like the weather is finally giving us some super nice days and yet we can't go to the park to enjoy that weather with friends. We are struggling to make sense of the world and all that is happening with COVID-19.

It has gotten to the point at our house that we were talking about deleting the useless sports apps on our phones because it is too sad to see them without any new scores. The only updates we get are related to Tom Brady and who really cares about that?

There are some things that haven't changed. I still need my caffeine fix. Diet Coke has been working really well for me, so I'll stick with that. However, I definitely have a lot more places to lose my drink in the house and not nearly as many eyes to look for it. I am missing my kiddos like crazy!

Today has been an interesting day around here. I've had a few discussions with my introverted friends who are all feeling like a little human contact would be great and conversely, I've spoken with several extroverted friends that are thriving and enjoying the slowdown, time at home with family. The world seems to be upside down.

I know it is definitely upside down at my house. Pandemic teaching entered Day 4 today and we finally got into a rhythm. Or at least I didn't feel as stressed out.

I learned from one of my students that Brad Pitt is the cause of the Coronavirus pandemic and that Donald Trump looks stupid when he talks about the virus. These are all important 'facts' to remember when dealing with the pandemic. Yes, the students say these are well-known facts.

The day started off with me filing a hostile work environment claim with my supervisor. My coworker would do nothing but shoot nerf guns and watch YouTube. Luckily, Mr. Prophet was here to deal with my coworker's failure to follow company protocols.

Once we got down to the business of learning, we inquired into gravity as well as force and motion, also known as stacking up bottles and cans to hit them as hard as we can with a stick. I called it science. You may call it destruction. Whatever it's called, we worked on it for a long time.

We also spent some time learning how to sweep off the back porch. I thought this task would be easy and not require much instruction. Clearly, I was wrong.

I tried working outside, but the pollen and the trees felt like I needed to be pollinated so that only lasted a few minutes.

We finally decided to work on some art and games. This was the most peaceful part of my day.

Thankfully, this is a period of trial and error and that everyone is having a similar adventure. No matter what happens, we are all doing our best. Our kids are going to be ok because we took the warnings seriously. No one is failing any kids unless we choose to ignore them in this crisis. Talk with the little people in your life. They will make you laugh and they will keep you sane (even if the school at home makes you crazy).

Now, where did I put my Diet Coke?

Nothing Breaks Like a Heart

I was working during my office hours today and the following lyrics really hit me like a ton of bricks! - "This world can hurt you, it cuts you deep, and leaves a scar."

I am heartbroken that we didn't really get to say goodbye to the kids as they walked out of the classroom last Thursday. We all said - see you tomorrow, like we always do, but that isn't really accurate at all. I sent a little survey out to my kids and they are all sad and feel disconnected. It's amazing in this time of digital connections and social media that we still feel cut off from each other when we can't physically be together. That says a lot about the need for humans to interact!

I'm also heartbroken for all those kids who aren't getting to do that lasts and firsts. So many kids that don't get to have graduation ceremonies, proms, birthday parties, moving up celebrations, it's all too much. Again, human interaction and celebrations are being eliminated to protect us from a virus that we still don't understand.

I'm heartbroken that I can't get to my mom! She is stuck alone at home in the house that she and dad shared for many years. The good thing is that dad was always a planner and she has plenty of toilet paper.

I'm heartbroken that my honeymoon with school at home is OVER!

The quote for today was "I'm not doing any of that stupid work!" So, that took all of one day.

Is it normal to need a brain break after every 2 minutes of work? Pretty sure that's a no!

Our nature walk consisted of trying to figure out if this is a wig or a dead animal. What do you think?

The soccer ball has gone over the fence in all directions at least 4 times in the last 2 days.

And we debated the decrease in gas prices. That counts as math, right?

I'm heartbroken that I can't get any of my needed alone time. As I've said before, sitting at home and reading a book is one of my favorite activities, but not everyone is introverted like me and being in the house together for 6 days is really hard. The space is not big enough to find a place for all of us to get that necessary alone time. At least I can still go for a walk!

I may as well call this blog New Adventures in Pandemic Schooling!

Time is on My Side

Yes, it is!

We are officially about an hour into our school at home adventure. (I say that it is a school at home for a variety of reasons that I'll post about some other time).

Anyway, we have learned a couple of things today. The biggest one is that time doesn't really matter. We have a 'schedule', however, it's not as important as it is when dealing with a big group of kids.

My 3rd grader woke up late and we forgot to schedule a time to go feed the neighbor's cats, and it doesn't matter!! I could get used to this. I'm not saying that we are tossing the schedule out the window, but I think it is important to have grace with yourself and your child in this crazy time.

We are so used to being overscheduled and overstimulated that it is hard to know what to do when that isn't happening in your life. I am really all for the embracing of this new period of E-Learning and the knowledge that can come from it. As a teacher, I've always been a learner and for me, this is just an opportunity to learn more about myself, my family, and my class.

I hope that everyone takes this time to embrace the fact that our world is hurting and we need to support and love each other now more than ever. One way we are doing this at my house is by writing letters and emails to people who are alone during this time. We have found that many people have zero contact with their families because they are living in nursing homes, at the hospital, or just live alone. This is an easy way to help keep people connected and not to forget about all of our neighbors.

Love to everyone!

It's the End of the World as We Know It

and I feel fine...

Well, maybe or maybe not. I'm not sick or feeling sick, but it is tough to have 2 working parents at home who are attempting to do E-School.

We have officially been in the house together as a family for 4 full days and so far we have spent many hours watching "Don't Make Me Laugh" on YouTube and "How to Solve a 2 by 2 Rubik Cube" (also, YouTube). While these activities may be fun for the 8-year old, the parents are so OVER the YouTube videos. This is also a time to mention that we only have one TV in our house, so if YouTube videos are on, nothing else can be watched.

We are a huge sports family so not having sports to watch has really been tough on all of us.

So what do we do now?

Well, we tried to go to the basketball court hoping that no one would be there, but apparently, social distancing is a concept we don't really understand because there were probably 20-30 kids there.

So, home we go.

We set up an obstacle course in the backyard, and then it started raining.

We went for a walk around the neighborhood, but again, it started raining. Good thing we aren't made of sugar.

We pulled out some games. That was fun until the wrong person won and in our house, that's usually the dad.

So, I'm back to YouTube or jumping into E-Learning, even though it's a 'teacher work-day'.

All joking aside, it's been a great experience today for me to see how my kiddo does while engaged on a computer. He did a great job on computer-based practice and we did lots of reading.

The key to all of this is to be flexible. When working with a kid one-on-one, some of them need a specific schedule and some can be more flexible. We will be starting our official schedule tomorrow because Mama and Daddy have to work!