What a year, what a week, what a day...

Nap Time GIF - Nap Time Tired GIFs

November 10, 2021

As I write this date, it doesn't seem possible. I have two thoughts.

1.) How is it ALREADY November 10th?

2.) How is it ONLY November 10th?

This year seems to not allow enough time for all of the things that need to get done in both of my schools that I work in this year but it also seems to be dragging by as it feels like there is no end in sight. It's a hard hard year. I've been teaching since 2006 and this is by far the hardest. I have asked around how others are feeling. Was last year harder? Is this year the hardest? I have not found one person, not one in the dozens I've asked that said last year was worse. So what is it? What is making this so difficult for everyone? The answer: EXHAUSTION.

We are mentally and emotionally exhausted. The worries we carry everyday around the health and well being of our families and our colleagues are impossible. The stress and workloads we have with ever-changing policies and procedures to manage this pandemic. Contact tracing and keeping track of who is with who for how long and where.

On top of that all our principal announced very suddenly last week that she was taking a leave of absence that would start immediately. This was after a "reporter" called the school to ask if we were pushing a transgender agenda on first grade students with the library books we were sending home.

And then a tragedy. The amazing woman that basically ran our school passed away very unexpectedly. The school community is absolutely devastated and everyone is feeling her absence whole heartedly. I just keep asking myself when will relief come? When can we breathe again?

But, silver lining...I have the BEST job in the school! I truly believe that. And I am making a difference with students every single day. I know I just have to keep trucking along but this is hard. Really hard.

~Ashley

Comments

Mavens, Connectors, Salesman, Oh my!

Happy Sunday! I am thankful to my growing PLN and have seen many examples of mavens, connectors, and salesmen. In my newest learning network, Jaime Donally has been all three for me. Not only have I been reading her e-book to participate in a "slow chat" but I have engaged in some of her live chats on Wednesday nights around AR/VR/MR resources. She has a way of connecting with her audience and is persuasive in her mission to use technology in innovative ways. Donally has clearly gathered a lot of information on this topic and is spreading the word using online tools (thank you Twitter, such an efficient way to hear the message!) The infographic below explains how information can spread so quickly using Twitter and my new passion for using this resource to grow my PLN. At St. Albans City School, I find myself playing the role of a maven and connector often. This year I am not the literacy leader (I have been in the past) yet I find myself sharing ...

September 5, 2021

I have three schools in my life this school year! I am the library media and ed tech specialist at Fairfield Center School and the librarian at St. Albans City School. I am finishing up my first week of my second library media specialist class at the University of Vermont and my third week in this split role in elementary education. Both of these schools vary greatly in size but both serve grades PreK-8. And still I am attending the University of Vermont! 💚💛 This gif is what I feel like my husband, family, friends & the registrar staff at the UVM must be saying about my school career there. 😂 I have been going to UVM since 2002. 19 years. And I think everyone is still waiting for me to be finished with my learning there. What maybe they don't realize and most educators do though is that our learning is NEVER done. My journey has been formative and truly exciting. For the first 14 years of my career I was a classroom teacher...

Bright Spot

February 5, 2020 Happy Wednesday, "Shouldn’t our mindset and work be rooted in creativity and innovation and not just in best practices?" ~Raymond J. McNulty This quote is the optimism that I seek. The question is, do you have the freedom to create and redesign lessons & curriculum using the "new practices"? I am lucky, I do. This time to collaborate and innovate meaningful learning experiences for our students is a must. As a nation, we must do better in the world of education. To do this, we must relook at how we are running things and change, adapt, and grow. As educators, we cannot resist change but encourage big moves to be made. We need to prepare the next generation in our country so that they can have the knowledge and skills to be positive citizens of the world. We need to be innovative. We need to enlist coaches and teachers that inspire connection, reflection, and support change. Katie Novak, Chip Heath, and To...

Mrs. Levine Teach

Search This Blog