Keep Calm and Carry on Teaching

My favorite time period to bring to life has always been the Great Depression through World War II because people took action and they did what had to be done.

Now facing down COVID-19 and the resulting three week closure of my school, as well as Governor Tony Evers statement about the indefinite closing of schools, I understand what those times of action felt like. It reminds me of being caught in a giant wave while swimming in the Pacific Ocean. If you can ride it out your fine. But if you hesitate and try to stop to catch your breath, to understand all that is happening, you will lose your footing, lose your breath and feel like you might drown.

I didn't know on Friday, March 13, that there was a chance I might not see my students again but I chose to stop the curriculum and calm their fears using history. It's what I know how to do. We compared the Flu Epidemic of 1919 to the Novel Corona virus pandemic. I told them that history does not repeat itself as people so often say. No, events unfold in a similar way but people always have choices to make and we can always make the choice to respond differently if we learn from the past. 

I'm using this same approach as the focus of our digital learning. Simply by chance I asked students on Wednesday what was one topic or activity they didn't want to miss in our final eight weeks together. Many chose World War II. I let that idea stew and I found inspiration in the most unexpected place - the Home Depot paint counter.

I was choosing paint samples and the kind man working the paint counter seemed to disappear. He looked to be in his late 70s and when he returned he had his lunch box and was wearing a hat and jacket proclaiming his veteran status. He'd been working since 8 am. It was now 4 pm and three people in a row had not shown up for work. He'd done his job. He'd carried on. 

Mathematically speaking, he was certainly not a WWII veteran, but his attitude got me thinking about the Greatest Generation and all they went through. We've lost so many, but if they could give my students advice on surviving and thriving in these surreal and challenging times, what would they say?

Do what you can to support each other.
Keep your head up and keep going.
Make sacrifices for the greater good.

My students will learn about propaganda this week and WWII next week. Then they'll apply their understanding to create a WWII propaganda poster that will change behavior to promote social distancing, staying home, hand washing, helping out neighbors, trying your best to learn outside the classroom and more.

As my principal reminded the staff when we started trying to put order to this new reality, we KNOW our kids. These kids, my eighth graders, are like that generation long ago. They believe in helping community. Long before corona virus, they knew they weren't inheriting an easy job as global citizens.
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They want to end racism and heal the planet.
They want to end homelessness and stand up for the rights of those who cannot speak. 

I'm so excited to see how they channel that desire to be change agents into their self-directed digital learning.
(Photo by Oliver Sjöström from Pexels)

history does not repeat itself as people so often say. No, events unfold in a similar way but people always have choices to make and we can always make the choice to respond differently if we learn from the past.