Since the transition into virtual learning, our district has decided to switch from A-day and B-day scheduling to every day classes but in a single term. In other words, students and teachers now have one semester to teach and learn a year’s worth of content; however, instead of having class every other day, students have class every day. Because of this novel concept brought to us by the COVID-19 pandemic, I just got a brand new class of students and had to experience my first goodbyes as a student teacher.
Honestly, I did not expect to connect so well with these kids in just two short works, let alone via Zoom, but you would be surprised how much students will open up over Zoom with an almost complete stranger. With this Term 1 group of students, I found students who shared a love for music, laughter, and learning. Whenever we as humans deal with the loss of a loved one or simply the loss of a relationship, our go-to phrase is that “we didn’t have enough time”. I definitely wish I got more time with my Term 1 students because the relationships that flourished in just two short weeks could have blossomed even more over the course of the year, but sometimes we are only a part of other people’s lives for a brief season. These kids, our kids, got to experience a home away from home and forget about whatever was going on at home, all while sitting in their actual residences. I say residences because not every child has a home within their house and feels like it is a safe place; that is a sad reality that comes with the territory of teaching. My last week with these kids was so incredible because I had the opportunity to teach them their SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) lessons all week, which my university refers to as morning meetings. I taught my kids how to inspire others by showing them you care, active listening first (setting the example and listening first if you want to be listened to), encouraging others, and sharing our gifts and talents with others. My kids communicated to me through my “Getting to Know You” Google Form that they wanted to learn valuable life lessons, and I feel like this was a special way to accomplish this and end our time together. By the end of each class on Friday, I felt like I could cry if I truly let myself, but I felt at peace knowing that my kids gained these life skills that they could take beyond the classroom. Maybe one day I will run into them at their jobs, and I will get to see the fruits of my labor. Even if I do not have that opportunity, I know this last week made my students think about their actions and helped them realize that teachers struggle too through my shared experiences. We are all human, and my job is to step alongside my students and push us to become better humans together.
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AuthorKelsey Hayes is a student teacher finishing up her Senior year at Regent University. Through this blog, Kelsey Hayes will share the raw, honest truth about teaching and how both its joys and challenges motivate her to continue pursuing teaching. Archives
April 2021
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