Items

• 2021-02-18

  #WhenIAmVaccinated

  I have been vaccinated. I got both of my shots, waited the requisite two-week waiting period, which mysteriously dropped from 30 days to 14, and so as of yesterday, I am as fully vaccinated as I can be. And I am still not traveling. I will continue to wear a mask. In fact, I will be double masking when students return to the high school I work at following spring break. There is still a pandemic. Not enough people are vaccinated. I don’t truly know how effective the vaccine is, no one does. And most of all, I want to make a statement. That masks are important. That masks are important. That social distancing is important. That I might still catch COVID, be asymptomatic, and pass it on. Herd immunity is essential. A lot of life I want to get back to, but I know that so many things should not go back to the days of 2019 and early 2020. We cannot forget. We cannot become complacent. Okay – sometimes I want to keep wearing the mask so hide my sneers so no one can see. ;)
• 2021-02-17

  Living Like An Immunocompromised Person

  I have been living in fear of getting others sick rather than what will happen if I were to be the one to get sick. My brother is immunocompromised, so I have spent most of 2020 in my house. I have not been scared of coming back positive because I have had cousins who have been sick but have had no real issues. The reason I have lived a full year with fear and anxiety is the idea of giving the disease to my Diabetic brother. Part of the reason I came back to campus when the semester started was to get away from my brother and the fear that I could be the one to kill him. Coronavirus has made this past year one full of fear, but the main character of my fear, meaning my brother, has talked me into feeling comfortable enough to return to college. I knew people who had impaired immune systems had to watch what they did even before Covid-19 came into the picture. These days, immunocompromised individuals can barely leave their houses so I have followed the actions of my brother. If he has felt comfortable enough to return to teaching for middle schoolers and working at a camp with young children who were just learning to wear masks during the summer then I can go live on campus. I actually have a close friend in my dorm family unit who keeps me in check. My brother and my friend do a great job but sometimes, I think I stay home and away from people more than some individuals I know with compromised immune systems or pre-existing conditions that put them at risk of dying from the disease. That thought will not dissuade me from continuing with my partially-quarantined lifestyle. I am confused and hurt by those who have not even tried to protect others or change anything in their daily life. With the numbers that are currently being released in the United States and at my college, I will keep living in a way that will not increase my anxiety or the chance of my fears coming true. If my college continues to see rising positive cases, I hope we get put into a full campus lockdown or I have a little warning of being sent home so I can be tested and have a place to quarantine away from my brother. Everyone has Covid-fatigue but I will push through and stay as safe as I can. This year has taught me that when this pandemic is over, I need to live my life protecting immunocompromised people even if I do not know them. If I get a cold, I will wear a mask. I never want to be the one to blame for someone else falling sick or dying.
• 

  Anxiety during the Pandemic

  Since I can remember, I have always been a very nervous and anxious person. On my first day of second grade, I couldn’t even bring myself to leave my mom, and usually kids grow out of that stage when they go off to kindergarten. Throughout all of grade school, and my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I was always insecure, self-conscience, and very sad. It finally got better my junior year of high school and the only reason it got better is because I was on medicine. I went to a therapist and took my medicine on the regular, but I still was very anxious. I guess anxiety is just a part of who I am, and it is not something I can grow out of. After giving explaining my background with me being a very anxious person, you can probably see where this story is going. Obviously moving away for college was a very scary and anxiety increasing time. I could not sleep, eat, or smile the two weeks leading up to leaving for college. The sad thing is is that I was finally getting better, but then college came. Believe it or not though, I moved to Pittsburgh for college, and my anxiety got better. I was not as insecure and really learned to not let things get to me that used to get to me. It was March 14, 2020 where my life, and my anxiety started to go back to how it used to be in grade school and the beginning of high school. This pandemic has not been easy for anyone, and everyone can attest to that, but having anxiety and then having a world pandemic hit was horrible. I remember getting the email that told us we had to go home, and I had an anxiety attack. Because of my anxiety, I am a big planner and having to leave campus and not knowing when we will return put me in a state that I hope I never go back to. My mom picked me up on Sunday, March 15th, and that day I did not sleep, eat, or talk for about fourteen hours. I did not like how I did not have a scheduled day to go back to school, which made me so anxious because like I said before, I am a planner. We never got to go back to school and let me tell you online classes made me so anxious. I felt so behind, because going from all in person classes to all online classes is not an easy transition for anyone. Being a person with anxiety, I felt as though I was put into a world, I was not meant to be in. It felt so rushed, confusing, and honestly, I was at my lowest in the middle and end of March. I remember crying to my parents about how I didn’t want to do school because it was miserable and going out in public was so scary to me. This pandemic was publicized everywhere, and I thought in my brain, if I go into the grocery store, I will get COVID, and I know that is not true, but that is how my anxiety works. I did not go anywhere for about four months, and if I did, it would be for a drive in my car. I did not see anyone for about five months because I was worried about where they have been, and if they have the virus. This whole virus really made my anxiety worse and put me at my lowest point in my life. I felt like I did not have any friends, and I also felt very dumb because I thought I knew nothing that was going on in my classes. I started seeing a therapist again and it really helped. The fact of being scared to go into the grocery store or mall or even seeing friends seems silly. I wasn’t scared, it was just my anxiety because I wanted to make sure I did not get the virus. I hope this virus comes to an end, because I know how much it took over my mental health, and I believe I am not the only one.
• 2021-01-20T12:22:00

  Too close to home

  I was in class on a Wednesday and my phone kept going off like crazy.it was being so distracting so I just decided to check why it was going off and then turn it off for good. I picked up my phone and there were thousands of text messages saying "you need to get tested", "go get a test". At this point I was completely confused, so I asked them what was going on and they said that one of my friends had tested positive for Covid and that I need to get tested because I'm hanged out with them on that Monday. Once I read this I completely froze, I didn't know how to handle this information. I was scared for my life, and for hers, I wasn't sure if she'd be okay. If I was going to be okay. I wasn't paying attention to class at all and everything my teacher was saying was going completely over my head. School got out and all I could think about was how am I going to tell my parents that I came home possibly with Covid. The thought of just having to tell them the news and how they could possibly react to it scared the life out of me. I didn't think that I could tell them because I was afraid they would be too disappointed in me and to scared. I finally got the courage to tell my mom and she surprisingly took the news well. My parents weren't happy but they definitely weren't angry so that's good. They told me that I had to wash everything that I have touched in the past 2 days. I was so glad to tell my parents because holding that secret in was tearing me apart inside. I checked in with me friend everyday to make sure she was ok. It's scary to see it on the news and to hear it on the radio but once it hits too close to home, it can really change your entire life.
• 
  2021-01-03

  Teachers Not Heard

  Parents of the high school I worked at for twenty-five years and where my husband and many friends are still working purchased this billboard to display the message of discontent for one month about how unhappy they are that their students are being subjected to online schooling. The school district named on the billboard has chosen to keep kids physically out of the district's high schools after the winter break due to the immense surge of Covid cases in Arizona. The billboard is disturbing to see since it implies that online learning and the teachers' efforts instructing the students online are not working, and students are failing. A few parents think that the teachers are not doing enough to teach their children and that their children are better off being physically in a classroom environment regardless of the exposure risks to Covid. The parents who posted the billboard do not realize that the teachers teaching online want to be back in their classrooms as much as students but that they want to be safe from unnecessary and potential exposure to Covid. Many teachers have health issues that could become fatal if they were to contract Covid; many teachers live in blended households where they take care of older family members at high risk of exposure to Covid. Many teachers and school employees have children at home learning online while they are teaching, and those teachers have to juggle being a professional and parent at the same time. All of the school district teachers are doing the best job that they can teaching online, juggling family issues for those with their own families sequestered at home. The teachers remain silent towards the public outbursts, such as the one posted on the billboard. Teachers are trying their best to be professional online and personally during this pandemic and refrain from lashing out at the cruelty of those who appear to be a privileged minority posting discontentment on a public billboard.
• 
  2021-02-07

  Supporting Children with ADHD During A Pandemic

  ADHD is thankfully not as new of a topic to talk about, but I cannot deny that the stigma against mental health still exists today. While thinking about how so many children are now spending a year and an uncertain future indoors, learning from home, and some unable to grasp why, I thought about those with ADHD. A person’s home is supposed to be associated with comfort and otherwise relaxation from a day at out in the world – at school and work for guardians. Associations can be very powerful, and it can be rather disruptive for children with this big of a change. Half a child’s day is typically dedicated to academics and social connections and is especially important for children in their formative years. Due to the pandemic, they have been pulled from that environment they have already associated with learning, friends, and routine. The links provide some assistance for guardians who may be struggling with their child(ren), especially those diagnosed with ADHD. Concentration and routine seem to be the biggest obstacles, so I do hope the strategies provided may be of help to guardians and their dependents. https://childmind.org/article/giving-kids-with-adhd-support-and-structure-during-the-coronavirus-crisis/ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/ADHD-and-Learning-During-COVID-19.aspx https://chadd.org/adhd-and-covid-19/
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  2021-02-03

  Victoria teachers applaud new B.C. school mask mandate

  Victoria, B.C teachers appreciate the new mask mandate for middle and high students to wear masks in the classroom. Some teachers note that they wish they had also included elementary school students as well. Students will be allowed to remove their masks at their desks when there is a barrier present. British Columbia provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that they are continually reviewing the guidelines.
• 2021-02-07

  Spreading Happiness

  As a way to help my students stay social and emotionally well I have started to do a spread happiness wall where they have to leave at least one nice note to either a classmate or to me as a way to spread joy. To me, this will brighten their day and show them that someone cares for them and may help get some of them out of a funk of sadness and encourage more social interaction with one another. To me, this is very important because students are having a tuff time during the pandemic along with adults. Overall, all people need to know that they are cared for.
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  2021-02-07

  Plan A Reopening Schools and Rights

  This document from North Carolina Association of Educators is explaining the legal facts that educators have in my state when it comes to opening schools fully under Plan A. This document shows what legal protections we have and don't have as a state employee and how COVID-19 is viewed as a public health issue. It is important to note that as of right now most school districts in my state are not on Plan A which is 100% open but instead are either on Plan B or Plan C. Plan B is partially open/ online and Plan C is strictly online. Our governor is encouraging our schools to reopen and is opening more vaccine sites as teachers are next in line for the vaccine. This is important to document because every state is doing so many different things and people's rights vary from state to state.
• 2021-02-07

  New Routines in Education

  The face of education has changed is an understatement. It is not even recognizable as it once was a year ago. We spend more time on hygiene than we have ever before. Most students in my school district have opted to stay online while the handful comes in small cohorts. We are required to keep the socially distanced, masks on, no circulation around the room, teaching them from the Zoom screen even if they are live in class. This has caused me as a teacher to be sad as I thrive on being able to teach my students face to face and interact with them however, I understand. This pandemic I feel has changed K-12 education forever and not for the best in some ways. The new way of teaching has caused many teachers to leave, change their attitudes, and have made us focus on just the basics of student's needs in many cases.
• 2021-02-05

  Keena Covid Vaccine Booster

  I got my vaccine booster on Friday, February 5th, at 4 pm. I was very excited to return to the local hospital for this vaccine appointment. On February 1st, tier 2 had opened, and vaccines were now being offered to anyone over 65. The hospital had really stepped up their game and was administering about 20 vaccines every 4 minutes (I asked), and they were so efficient! I got my second dose and then sat waiting in the lobby for 15 minutes. While I was waiting, there was a woman behind me (older than 65) who had just gotten her first dose. She was scheduling her appointment for her booster and struck up a conversation. She told me that she was so sad that so many people were dying, and she was excited to get the vaccine. She also mentioned that since her husband had died and she was no longer able to drive, she took a cab for the 45-minute drive to the hospital. She didn't care what the cost was - she wanted the vaccine. It was really quite sweet. After my shot at, 4 pm my husband and I went to our friend's home for our usual Friday night take out dinner. Around 10 pm, while we were still at our friend's home my ankles, knees, and hips began to get unusually sore. We left shortly after, and I was uncomfortable the entire car ride home. When we finally got home, I went straight to bed. At 6 am, I woke up with a splitting headache, body aches, and chills. I got myself out of bed to go to the bathroom (about 3 steps away) and immediately felt nauseous. I returned to bed, woke up my husband, and asked for water, Tylenol, and a heating pad. After taking Tylenol, I fell asleep for about 1 1/2 hours. Again, I woke up with a splitting headache and body aches but couldn't take any more pain relievers. I just laid in bed trying to get some rest and ordered Chick Fil A breakfast; I'm not sure why but that's what I was craving. I got out of bed to eat breakfast and promptly returned to bed. I took more Tylenol at 10 am and fell asleep for another hour and a half. When I woke up shortly before noon, I took a bath to calm down my body aches. My wrists and my shoulders/armpits hurt the worst. I stayed in the bath for about 30 minutes, which is a lot for me because I honestly cannot remember the last time I took a bath - I think they're gross. After that, I moved out to the couch, took more Tylenol, and watched a movie. When the movie ended, I went back to bed. I slept from about 3 pm to 5 pm. When I woke up, I took more Tylenol, moved to the couch, and watched another movie while my husband made dinner. I had some dinner and stayed on the couch until 10 pm. While the Tylenol helped with the body aches for about an hour, nothing seemed to touch my headache. I was using a heating pad on my neck and doing some yoga to try and stretch it. I went to bed with my usual nighttime routine and fell asleep around 10:30 pm. I didn't wake up at all overnight. I woke up on Sunday at 8 AM feeling AMAZING. It was like I had never reacted at all. My arm is not sore; I have no body aches and no headache. My husband is a third-year med student and spent most of Saturday looking at me like a science experiment because my body was reacting to the vaccine exactly like it was supposed to. Through all of the pain on Saturday, I was silently cheering on my body for doing its job because I knew that meant it was working. Through the entire pandemic, I was able to remain Covid free (as far as I know), and I would certainly take 1 day of vaccine induced pain over 7 days of Covid.
• 2020-05-15

  "PCSing in the time of COVID-19: Four families share their stories"

  This story follows four military families as they prepare for Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. The process is further complicated due to COVID-19 restrictions. Each family shares how they had to adjust routine travel plans; taking into account state-by-state orders as well as trying to navigate schooling for children. While PCS orders are a reality of all military members, during 2020 there were significant changes delivered by the Department of Defense.
• 
  2020-11-13

  At least we can cheer...

  Fall high school sports in Arizona were delayed and in some cases canceled completely. My daughter, an 11th grader at Cactus Shadows High School, is on the cheer team and was disappointed not to have her usual, very full cheer season. Football games finally were allowed to happen, and four home games were put on the schedule. They ended up only playing 3 due to quarantines with both our own team and opponents, and they were allowed to attend one away game. Our school is also known for a very rowdy and fun student section, so it was sad to be at the game without students in the stands, and only four spectators per athlete. At least they got to cheer- even in masks- and got some semblance of a football season.
• 
  2021-02-02

  The Unexpected Digital Benefits of Distance Learning

  When I first saw our Distance Learning schedule, I was actually relieved. When we were still thinking of re-opening back in August, the Hybrid schedule they proposed was atrocious. I would be able to synchronously (live instruction) teach a student for only 2 hours a week, the other three hours would be asynchronous. The powers that be told us “you have to just deal with the fact that you won’t be able to teach everything you usually do.” Of course, these are the same powers that be who expect the kids to pass their AP tests, and tell us that state testing (which is still happening regardless of the opening status) is “high stakes.” Contradictions, much? So, the Distance Learning schedule, which allows me to see a student three times a week, for 3 hours and 20 minutes of live instruction, was a vast improvement. Still, block scheduling? The very idea of block scheduling sent chills down my spine. Even in college, I opted for M, W, F classes because I do not sit still long enough for the 1.5-hour classes that were on T/Th. And how would I digitize an entire course? I was lucky to have already “flipped” my classroom about five years ago, when I recorded all my lectures and assigned them to watch on YouTube, freeing up class time for discussions and document analysis. But how would I do gallery walks, document analysis, Socratic Seminars, etc. digitally? Could I? Now with a semester of Distance Learning under my belt, there have been some huge advantages to being forced into this completely digitized world. First, digitized documents are amazing. So much of my course is document analysis. With digital documents, the copies aren’t blurry, the kids can zoom in if the font is small, and thanks to Google, they love to highlight and annotate the heck out of them. And Jamboards have been a godsend for collaborative analysis. I am debating whether I will ever go back to paper document analysis. Online tests have also been a game changer. I always steered away from online tests, due to fears over test security. Test days were big affairs in my class. The kids would put all their items, including phones, on the counter. I would go by each table and make them turn out their pockets to ensure no phones. I liked to joke that test days were more serious in my class than going through TSA. Because the students sat in tables of four, there were four forms of the multiple choice test and 20 versions (4 versions per period, for five periods) of the short answer portion of the test. The end of test day left me with 180 Scantrons, 180 short answer questions to grade, all with different forms, plus their notebooks, which they turned in on test day. I had to let that kind of control go this year and jump headfirst into online testing. And I am so glad this happened. It was the push I needed. The world of online testing has improved remarkably since the ten years ago that teachers at my school began to move toward it. It is SO EASY to grade and to make different forms with the click of a button. The multiple choice grades automatically and the short answer, I click the points and it pushes to the gradebook. A task that took me four hours now takes me 30 minutes. I know while the kids are at home, there is nothing to stop them from having notes on the side or on another device, but honestly, with tests that are based on historical reasoning skills, I don’t really care if they are looking up the name of an act, event, or person. I am more interested in if they can effectively use that information to support their argument. When we’re back in person, I can ensure they don’t have their phones and that Go Guardian is on to keep them from opening other windows. Without Distance Learning, I would have never made this change. Writing has also dramatically improved due to technology. I always made my students write essays by hand because the AP exam makes them write them by hand. However, with the AP exam going digital, I can now, too. It is incredible to see how the quality of writing has improved through typing. It is terrible to think that students in previous years may have been less successful on the AP exam simply because they did not formulate ideas as well with pen and pencil as they would on a computer. Block scheduling, too, has been surprisingly smooth. It is so refreshing to have time to analyze documents and follow it up with writing and peer editing - all in one period! Of course, I will be fine to return to our 55 minutes classes someday. I still don’t sit still well. Will I keep the course entirely digital when we are (hopefully) back to a normal year? Probably not everything. I miss the kids having a notebook that we build throughout the year, and will probably return to our traditional notebook for in class activities. BUT I am happy to never run a Scantron again!
• 
  2021-02-03

  They Make This All Worth It

  It is weird to teach high school online. I usually get to know my kids by wandering around the room and making small talk. By inviting them to go running with me during 6th period (the athletic period). By running into them walking to Starbucks before an after-school review session. By leaving my room open at lunch as an alternative cafeteria. These things are not an option this year. When you teach, the jokes you make, are the kids laughing? The topics you’re really excited about sharing - are the kids excited? Are they REALLY listening when they nod at you, or are they texting their best friends out of the view of the camera, or playing a video game on a separate device? The silence is the weirdest part. Do the kids pick up on the little one liner remarks I drop in? Honestly, I get SO EXCITED when the Zoom chat lights up. It is truly my favorite part of any period because it’s like being back in class, having a real conversation, instead of me calling on students to answer and visiting them in break out rooms. They don’t like to unmute themselves to comment. Even in break out rooms they are still a bit anxious when I appear. They’re always willing to share when I call on them, so I know they’re learning the content. But I do sit up at night while I grade and wonder if the kids are actually enjoying class. I love teaching so much, and I love my kids so much, it hurts to think that this year’s kids just aren’t getting the same experience. And I am 100% in favor of staying on Distance Learning until our case rates decline, so I don’t have an agenda to re-open here. And this is why these letters I received in November are so meaningful to me. Our school ASB put out a “thank a teacher” post on Instagram, telling kids they should email a teacher and thank them. Honestly, our school has very little school spirit - ASB activities and assemblies are attended by very few students. Therefore, I didn’t think much of their social media challenge to “thank your teachers.” But then, I checked my inbox. And I became teary eyed. Honestly, I expected letters from the seniors. I was very, very close to last year’s kids. We had a great year before quarantine, and then when quarantine hit, it was like I had 180 best friends who would DM me at all hours because they were lonely, mad, sad, scared, and frustrated. And I didn’t mind because I love my kids. It’s not like I had anything else to do at 2 am the world had turned upside down. But this year’s kids have never met me in person. We don’t have the same relationship as I had with last year’s kids. So, I was so, so surprised by the number of current students, some of whose emails I have submitted (with all identifying information and names redacted) who wrote to thank me. I was hesitant to submit this at first, because I’ve never been one for public bragging, which is sort of what sharing thank you letters seems like to me. I know there are teachers who post every message a kid sends them, but I am not that person. A thank you from a kid is personal, and is something you keep but do not need to share. However, these emails are a really important part of my pandemic experience. They demonstrate to me that I have not totally failed this year. These kids who have never met me face to face, sharing such kind words, and excitement for learning history is probably the biggest personal win of this entire pandemic year. These kids will never know how much these words meant to me, and how much they motivate me to give 100%, even when we are all just within our tiny Zoom boxes. I hope with all that is within me that I can get vaccinated in time to be able to teach them in person before this year ends. They have shown over and over again this year how amazing they are, and I want to be able to be able to tell them that and thank them for that in person before the end of their junior year.
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  2021-02-01

  Decorating the “classroom”

  I LOVE setting up my classroom for the new school year. I take great pride in making my classroom environment welcoming and comfortable. I’ve always felt that having an organized and decorated classroom helps the kids immediately know that you’re committed to them. However, with distance learning, my classroom is the corner of my bedroom. My husband has been working in the office next door since March. My kids have their distance learning set up downstairs, so that left our bedroom or the kids’ rooms. Though at first it seemed really, really strange to teach in the corner of my bedroom, I don’t even think about it anymore. The blank wall behind me though, it was really going to be a problem. I know most people have great success with Zoom backgrounds, but I have a really hard time sitting still, and I learned over the spring that I end up making my arms and head disappear because I fidget and get up and move around too much, so the virtual background just doesn’t work for me. At the very end of July, I went to my classroom for the first (and what would be the only time until November) when it was becoming clear that we might not re-open for in person instruction. When I went to my room to get the materials I needed to plan and digitize my lessons, I grabbed a few of the collage frames that hang in the front of my classroom. I ended up decorating my bedroom wall to emulate what the wall behind my desk at school looks like. It gave some normalcy to an abnormal start. In November, when it sounded like we would be re-opening, I took the pictures back to my classroom and got my room into shape. (That was a stressful day - two masks, a face shield, standing in a room I did not feel safe in and wondering how re-opening could be safe for my kids, and having a huge pit in my stomach knowing that I would not be there if we did re-open, as I had already turned in my paperwork to take a temporary leave if we re-opened). Then the county went into the Purple Tier, and re-opening was postponed. I was relieved, sad, frustrated, excited, a whole mix of contradictory emotions, because the situation was bleak but I was also able to keep teaching. Over Veteran’s Day, since my wall was now blank, I decorated my wall for the holidays. My students even sent me drawings of ornaments they make, sort of a glimmer of when we’re in person and have homeroom door decoration competitions. Winter break came and went and we remained in the Purple Tier, so I decided to redecorate my wall for January with snowflakes that my daughter and I made out of recycled materials. (A LOT of crafting has gone on these last 10 months!) This past weekend, I was startled to realize that this Monday would be the start of February. In a normal year, I make each kid a Valentine. It’s one of those things that is really dorky, but the kids actually love it. I leave a personalized one with a piece of candy on each of their seats. Many of them joke I’m their first or only Valentine. Another little bit of fun lost this year. But I like to stay positive, so I decorated my wall with hearts with their names. It may not be the personalized Valentine I usually make, but it adds some festive fun to our Zoom. I know my days of Distance Learning are coming to an end soon. The good news is our local case rates are declining, but I am anxious. My district is one of the only in the county to opt into the governor’s plan to re-open schools, lured by the promise of money and fearful of declining enrollment. Our neighboring districts have made statements that it is still unsafe and are holding out for teachers to be vaccinated. I am holding out for the same, and am dreading the repercussions that will come with taking a leave. As much as I’d love to cover the wall with shamrocks at the end of this month, I am predicting our schools will re-open by March. If I have my vaccination, I will be there for sure. However, the vaccinations are not rolling out well here, and I fear I will not have access before schools re-open. I think March is going to see me at home, without my students, staring at a blank wall, desperately trying to get a vaccine. But for now, I will find some happiness in the fact that I have already gotten dms and chats from my students joking with me that I am their first Valentine. At least some things can stay the same.
• 
  2021-02-03

  Masks mandatory inside middle and high schools in B.C.

  Masks are now mandatory inside middle and high schools in British Columbia, Canada. Elementary students are currently not required to. Schools are also asking for more money in order to help with improving safety for returning staff. While much of the population is currently wearing masks, the government has been relatively laissez-faire compared to the United States on compliance.
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  2021-01-31

  Trying New Things With Teaching

  I currently teach sixth grade Social Studies and due to the pandemic, I have been in and out of face to face teaching for about a year. The pandemic has caused me to try new things educational software-wise in my virtual classes. Before the pandemic, I would have considered myself a pretty tech-savvy teacher but now I have fully integrated many new educational programs into my toolbox. I am now using new programs like News ELA and Flocabulary to increase student engagement in my virtual classes. NewsELA lets me choose articles about current events or subjects we are currently learning about. The students then can discuss these topics in class together which has caused many of them to come out of their shells. Flocabulary brings various Social Studies topics alive by turning them into animated rap videos which my students love. I even see myself sometimes bopping along to the songs. Overall, these two programs have increased my student's engagement and interaction with one another in class.
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  2021-01-31

  Change in Teaching

  As a teacher for thirteen years of Social Studies this pandemic has greatly impacted me when it comes to my job as an educator. As teachers, we do lesson plans, grade assignments, implement IEPS/504s, hold parent/ teacher conferences, motivate students, listen to students, increase student growth, and so much more. However, due to COVID-19, the role of the educator has changed even more from not just educating the student, we have to now clean the desks and surfaces when we are in person or even virtual when reporting to the building. I have to wear face masks when in common areas, teaching online all day even if we are face to face because there are still students at-home learning. This shift from being able to sit next to a student and walk around the room to now being away from them all together has caused a shift for the students and for me as the teacher. It has made me very sad due to the fact that I am a teacher who enjoys helping my students and sitting next to them and interacting with them.
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  2021-01-30

  High School Reflections on a Semester of Online Learning

  This is the assignment given to my high school juniors at GGHS in Southern California to reflect on their semester of quarantine. Assignments with the #gghsapush and #GGHS hashtags should be related to this assignment. GGHS serves approximately 2400 students, and has an approximate demographic breakdown of: 50% Latino, 39% Asian, 7% White, and 4% other. 66% of the student body is identified as socio-economically disadvantaged, and 23% are identified as English Learners. The school has been on Distance Learning since March 16, 2020.
• 
  2021-01-30

  Mood Boards!

  Being a teacher in the K-12 arena I am always having to do lesson plans, grades, parent contacts, and more. Then here comes COVID-19 adding an extra layer which also adds its extra challenge to the problem. This includes thinking more about the student Social Emotional Learning (SEL) which mean doing more check-ins on how they are doing emotionally. So, I included one example I have done with my students which was dealing with emojis and which one they felt like that day and why. I received various answers and reasons which helped me see how my students felt physically and emotionally. I enjoyed this activity and so did my students. They love hearing which one I am and why as well.
• 
  2021-01-29

  Virtual School in the Pandemic

  This drawing shows my mostly normal morning during the pandemic.
• 
  2021-01-27

  School in the Pandemic

  This pandemic has been hard for all of us, and I thought that it would be nice to share my own experience as a 6th grader during quarantine.
• 
  2021-01-29

  A summery of the beginning of Covid- 19

  A lot happened in the first weeks of quarantine. We adjusted to a new way of life at home. We developed countless memes, and binged many hours of Netflix. We were in a dark hour, and so many of us teamed up to pull through. We dusted off the old tambourine to celebrate the healthcare workers on the front lines, risking their lives for us. We started organizations to feed the hungry, and made masks from everything short of the computers we used to stay connected. And connected we were in a way we have never seen before. We had virtual reunions, lessons, and dinner parties. There were ups and downs, and swerves off the beaten path. We marched for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and all the other black lives that were being ended every day. We fought to overcome the stigma that surrounded the Chinese, for being dealt the hand of the virus first. There have been so many Instagram posts, Tik Toks, and Tweets. We ran out of toilet paper. We developed vaccines, with others on the way, and we are distributing more and more every day. Although COVID- 19 has taken so many lives, eventually, with hard work we will beat it.
• 
  2021-01-27

  2020 pandemic playlist

  I made this for a school assignment about the pandemic. I really like music especially musicals even though I couldn't add that many. The descriptions are about how the songs connect to the pandemic and my experience of the pandemic.
• 
  2021-01-29

  Dear Future Generations

  This story tells about the experience of one young person during the pandemic, and their perspective on the future. I wanted to include this to highlight the perspective of young people, and especially to highlight how I am not satisfied with just going back to normal.
• 2021-01-28

  Remote Learning

  During covid, we started remote learning. Each day i wake up, get on my computer, and join class. Remote learning was fun at first but doing the same routine everyday gets repetitive and boring. There are still some perks to doing school remotely though. It is nice to have the freedom of being able to do something fun between classes like playing games or hanging out with family. I also get to sleep in a little later which is crucial. There are also some obsticles with remote learning too. For example, some kids are going back to may school and we are using cameras over head and it is hard to hear and see things. It is also hard to focus when you are at home so the education is probably not as good. Overall, I would like to go back to school but as soon as i go back, I am sure i will want to be online again so i will make the most out of this time.
• 2021-01-28

  Statistics

  There are 2.16M people who. Died from covid world wide out of 100M cases. Almost everyone knows someone who got it. They got a vaccine now which is good to stop covid. In my state alone there are 38,927 deaths. I hope that the end of covid is near although covid is spiking right now but they say it is just because of the holidays. And it is slowly going down. If the vasine works we should be back to normal after sumer. I am not very scared of getting it because mostly only old or unhealthy people die from it.
• 2021-01-28

  rules and procedures

  Back when covid started in spring we really didn’t need to do anything but when it entered the US people started saying that wearing a mask will slow the spread but others said it didn’t work. Then they proved it worked and then everyone needed to wear them they also said staying 6 feet will protect you. Then the closed schools and some work. As covid climed they said large gatherings had to stop and told people to stay at home. They closed restreants for a while and then made it pick up only. The only rules that effected me was the stay at home orders because I couldn’t see my friends although I just quarinteaned in my naborhood and hung with everyone there. The mask effected me only when I left my naborhood. It was very wired with all these rules but it slowed the spread.
• 2021-01-28

  remote learning

  Learning virtual was ok. There were good things about it and bad things. a good thing was I didn’t need to drive to school which gave me an extra 25min. also after school a didn’t need to drive home so I could just run out and surf with the kids in my naborhood. A problem withit though it after stairing at the screen all day my head always felt bad. A normal day of online school was I wake up at 7:00 unlike when I used to wake up at 6:00. I didn’t need to pack up my stuff for online school I could get ready faster. Then I would have a bowl of cearea. And then take a shower and hop on zome on zoom I sometimes had a little more food while in class. After class I didn’t usally have home work which was good because I didn’t need to be on the computer any longer. I am glad we are back at school
• 2021-01-23

  Friends and Family Dealing with Covid

  Many of my friends contracted the virus and were perfectly fine, no symptoms or even pains. My siblings got it and even I got it. We felt sick for a tiny bit but it eventually wore off. We had to quarantine in our rooms for a week or so but nothing too extreme.
• 20201-01-20

  Covid Rules

  During Covid-19 we had many rules and regulations. We couldn't go out to eat or shop anywhere! Nobody was allowed to stay open which affected their businesses. Places slowly adapted and stated opening up outside. To go anywhere it was mandatory to wear a mask at all times unless eating or drinking at a table. We were forced to stay home and school was online. Now school is open and we're wearing masks. The rules seems pretty dramatic since the virus isn't as bad as they say it is. Elderly people are affected by it the most since they usually have pre-existing diseases or just problems.
• 
  2021-01

  How I broke my arm and why I sculpted the cast.

  I broke my arm again yayy!
• 
  2021-01-28

  pandemic life (group, santi, aj)

  you will see inside of it.
• 
  2021-01-28

  Hobbies and Scrapbooks of Quarantine

  This was made for a group project that a group of 6th graders did when they interviewed the middle school.
• 2020-01-28

  Forced Quarantine

  Earlier this year, during my winter break, my brother was sent home two days before his high school finals. Someone in his class that he sat next/near to had contracted COVID, so as a precaution, he was sent home to quarantine. My brother was less worried about possibly having COVID himself, and more angry about having to make up his finals the next quarter (speaks a lot about our education system). I asked him who was the person that got COVID, and he said it was probably the girl behind him, but she said she didn't have it, and her friend that sat next to her backed it up. We drew out the seating chart and concluded that it HAD to be that girl, because everyone who was sent to quarantine was sitting around her. I told him that she probably just lied about not having COVID, because people would probably get mad at her. I personally would get angry myself if I was prevented from taking my finals, but I understand the girl's reasoning. No want wants to be bullied for getting sick, or called "COVID-girl," or whatever.
• 2021-01-26

  Statistics of Covid-19

  Worldwide there is 100M cases and about 25% of those cases are from the US. Of the 25.4M cases in the US 3.2M are from California and about 66,000 of those cases comes from Ventura County. In the world right now there are about 2.15M deaths. In the US there are 423K deaths. In California there are 37,500 deaths, and in Ventura County there are about 500. I have been affected by these statistics because my cousin got the virus a couple of months ago and he was pretty sick. He and his entire school had to quarantine for two weeks and someone had to go to the hospital because the school forgot to feed them for two weeks. My final thoughts on Covid-19 are that the virus has changed are daily live for probably forever. It is a terrible virus and I cannot wait for it to finally be gone.
• 2021-01-26

  COVID

  Luckily i have not been affected as much from COVID such as deaths. The only really bad thing that has happened to me was my uncle getting Corona and that was it. He only had mild symptoms for a couple of days and that was it. Now he's immune from COVID for a couple more months and then he has to start distancing again. Living through this pandemic really sucked though. I couldn't see any friends, I couldn't really go outside and everyone was panicking about the toilet paper and started buying toilet paper in bulk. It caused anxiety in many people and doing school online was just about the longest worst thing I've ever had to go through. Other than online school and staying inside, it was fine. I mean I got to play video games, sleep, and I did some workouts at home to figure out my record for Olympic type weights. Covid really affected my life and more so bad than good though.
• 2021-01-25

  Covid-19 story

  From March 2020 to January 2021 I have known 28 people who got the virus. Them getting the virus did not affect me very much other than the fact that it did make me get a little more frightened when people I know got sick. Me and me family have not gotten Covid-19 yet, but I have had to quarantine a few times. Living through this pandemic has been the worst year in my life. I could not see anyone I know and love, I could not go to school, I could not go on vacations of any kind, I had to wear an extremely uncomfortable mask, and there was nothing to do when I was stuck at home. Living through all of this for so long has made me really sad. I am basically just trying to get through one day at a time just waiting for this nightmare to end.
• 2021-01-25

  COVID 19: Statistic's Influence and Final Thoughts

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, the statistics have played a major role in my family's decisions. For instance, if the numbers are increasing dramatically, we will try to stay far away from large groups of people and social gatherings. A good example of this was during December 2020, when the cases skyrocketed. Normally, my family travels to either Texas or New York to visit relatives during the holidays, but this year was one of the few times that we weren't able to follow that tradition. Instead, we hung out in our house and played board games the entire holiday. My final thoughts on Covid 19 are "disappointed" and "sad". I feel a deep sadness for all of the people who have lost friends, family, and loved ones during this pandemic, but I am sure my words cannot compare to their sorrow and feeling of loss. I am also disappointed and angry that some people refuse to follow the guidelines put into place by the experts on this sickness, and instead spread the disease to other people, causing unneeded problems and sadness. Final log -O.Y.
• 2021-01-25

  Statistics and Final Thoughts

  The statistics of Covid-19 is that there are 99.4 million cases worldwide and there are 2.13 million deaths worldwide. In the United States, there are 25.2 million cases and there are 240 thousand deaths. I have been affected by someone represented in these statistics because two of my teachers have or have gotten Covid and they have to be online now since they have to quarantine. My final thoughts of Covid-19 is that it is a unique experience and we just have to learn to adapt to it. My experience living through this pandemic is that it is pretty repetitive but very unique.
• 2021-01-25

  Covid-19 Research and Thoughts

  I did a bit of research about the current statistics about Covid 19 in California. So far there have been about 3.9M cases of Covid-19, and 37,118 deaths so far. As of the 24th of January there have been 21,680 reported cases of it. I have a few final thoughts about living through this pandemic. It has been insane, schools have been closed, major events have been cancelled, everyone has to wear some sort of face mask to prevent spreading the disease to others. It affected everyone socially quite a bit, you couldn't see your friends as often as you used to be able to, and you couldn't go out and do anything with others because of shops closing down or being temporarily out of service.
• 2021-01-25

  Covid-19 Statistics and Final Thoughts

  Well, Covid-19 has effected us ALL and as a country too. In the U.S, 25.2 million people have tested positive for Covid-19. Also, unfortunately 420 thousand Americans have died. In the world, many people have tested positive for Covid-19 and also have died form this foreign virus. The exact number of the cases and deaths in the world from Covid-19 is extremely high and very discouraging. My History teacher actually tested positive for Covid-19 not too long ago, and at first, I was shocked. My school told me that I had to stay home and quarantine for 14 days. I was scared that someone so close to me contracted Covid-19. I was scared for my family, my friends, and myself. I am very glad the my history teacher and his family have fully recovered. Covid-19 has made 2020 and 2021 very rough. I has been very difficult learning online and having no social life. I am saddened by how many cases and deaths have appeared over 2020 and 2021. Living through this pandemic and learning online was very frustrating and annoying. I just pray for all those families who lost their loved ones. Overall, 2020 and 2021 has been a roller coaster ride for me. I just wish the best for everyone else.
• 
  2021-01-24

  Surge of Student Suicides Pushes Las Vegas Schools to Reopen

  This is my worst fear for my students. All of us are on high alert for our students right now. The feeling of hopelessness is overwhelming our children. The next town over a child ended their life a few months ago. At the school board meetings, the children are saying that they feel desperate. I had a student who would put on a 72 hour hold for attempting to take her life before Christmas. I worry about my own pre-teen who is the most adaptive child I know, but he is missing his friends and his whole world has changed. I know my district is worried for the wellbeing of our kids. They want to open now, even if the numbers are high and even if we are not vaccinated yet. Anything to get these kids back into the classroom. The thing is suicide and depression are nothing new with kids. We know this. But now, I do not greet them at the door every morning, I do not see if they fall asleep in class every day, I can't stop them on their way out and ask if they are ok because I noticed a change in their body language. That ability saved kids before and now teachers cannot use that superpower to catch the kids when they fall. I worry that I will receive an e-mail telling me that one of our students did not make it through. That is my biggest fear right now.
• 2021-01-25

  Covid-19 Statistics

  Covid-19 has killed and infected so many people. It has stopped life around the world. Even though the number of deaths to the number of cases is a huge difference a lot of people have died. Most people who die are older or have underlying conditions but lots of other people have died. Covid has been a whole year of quarantine and masks.
• 2021-01-25

  Statistics and Final Thoughts

  According to the crooked New York Times, there are 3.19 million cases of coronavirus in the United States. To add to that stat, the United States has 37,203 deaths from covid. With this data, about 1.2% of people who got corona in the United States died. Globally there are around 99.4 million cases and 54.9M of the people recovered from it. 2.13 million people died around the world from covid. My final thoughts about covid are that we should continue life as normal, we have never done these ridiculous protocols and suppressive acts for cold and flu season so why should we do it with a virus that is not as deadly as the flu. Covid has become more than a virus, why would people start riots and destroy people's personal property in the name of social justice? People cannot be told to shut down life and stop what they have been doing for thousands of years. Maybe if the government didn't lock down people there wouldn't be as many riots and evil things done. Covid has become more psychological than a physical virus.
• 2021-01-25

  Some Final Thoughts

  Well this is it. Over all there are about 25.5 million cases right now. Just some final thoughts I hope that lockdown ends soon and that this NEVER has to happen again. Ugh it is so bad living in this pandemic, mask wearing, lockdown. So bad and so annoying. You can never do anything fun without a mask. Well I guess this is a time in my life I will never forget...EVER. It is bad but it is not the worst, I am just grateful that we at least get to go to school in person. Well it was wonderful writing these journals.
• 2021-01-25

  Covid final thoughts

  as of current, there are 25,374,301 cases and 423,611 deaths from over the past year. I think that covid-19 is pretty scary at points, but for a good portion of people, they don't care at all for the self-health.
• 2020

  Statistics on COVID-19

  The United States has the highest number of people with COVID-19. I know many people who have gotten the virus and I also know many people who are afraid to leave there houses because they cant get the virus for health reasons. But something that made me the most sad was when I found out my babysitter had died from COVID. It was very hard on my family and made everyone really upset. I feel bad for people like her who cant get the virus but they have to go grocery shopping and go to work. I just wished people would take COVID more seriously and not go see friends or go out with only a mask because those are the people who get it and spread it to people who will die from it.
• 2021-05-01T12:30

  Covid statistics

  In the world there are currently 99.4 million cases and 2.13 million deaths. It's insane that in a little under a year so much damage has been done. The ratio of cases to death doesn't seem too bad if you think of it as numbers. But each number is a person, a person with friends and family who lost their life. In California there are 3.19 million cases, cities like LA with dense population are hotspots for cases. Living in California and very close to LA comes with lots of rules that others states have eased up on. It's hard to grasp the fact that so suddenly we are living through a pandemic. A lot of people have taken this time to improve their life and self but it has also messed up so many peoples lively hoods and metal health. Everyone's adapted to Covid after all this time and things are slowly going back to the original way. Before the first shutdown it was terrifying to think of what the future holds but now its become normal. Its going to feel strange going back. At the end of the day everyone is just trying to keep themselves safe and okay.