It’s been a hot minute since I got out my stepladder & climbed up on my soapbox, but today my friends, is the day…
THE STORY
…As always, when I’m posting something that may be viewed as controversial or polarizing, I start with this disclaimer…you might not agree with me & that’s okay. What’s not okay is negativity, snarky comments or general bitchiness. If you are unable to contribute to the discussion in a civilized manner then feel free to move along…
Do you all remember that glorious millisecond sometime in April when classroom teachers became veritable gods walking the earth? Parents and (some) government officials were singing our praises in the news, in the streets & where it really matters…on Twitter; finally admitting that what teachers accomplish on the daily is nothing short of incredible? After just days of homeschooling they finally got us. They said they now understood what it takes to wrangle & educate young humans. They said they would have our backs for eternity. They said that they would never take us for granted or bad mouth us ever again.
Ya, that lasted as long as it took for a new school year to roll around.
Now public school teachers are the devil incarnate. How dare we be concerned for our own health & safety as well as the health & safety of our at risk family members? How dare we question why our thoughts, ideas & feelings were not part of the public discourse in regard to how to safely reopen schools? How dare we voice our fears for our own safety when we returned to the classroom? How dare we???
My friends, the bullshit needs to stop. Stop the negativity & nastiness on social media. Try behaving like a mature adult. Stop comparing us to nurses, grocery store workers & first responders. That’s like comparing apples to elephants. Stop telling us if we don’t want to do our job then quit. Trivializing our desire to stay safe & to keep our students safe is demeaning to us & does nothing more than put your ignorance on public display. This has nothing to do with not wanting to do our job.
Stop making yourself look uneducated by saying “Well, I bet you went grocery shopping during the quarantine, so quit your whining & get back in the classroom, it’s no different.” Have you even seen the inside of a public school classroom any time in this decade?? In the vast majority of schools, classrooms are overcrowded, there’s no semblance of safe ventilation & social distancing is a laughable goal. Stop telling us that we’re lazy & just want to stay home & teach from our computers. I worked harder from this past March until June than I have since I was a new teacher. I absolutely love my kids & want nothing more than to be with them in the classroom, but not if it compromises the safety of all.
By now most public school teachers across the country (with the exception of the many who quit or took early retirement) are back to work in some form or another. We had no say in any of it, nor did we have a choice. Some school systems have chosen to not return to in person learning at all, but many, like the school district where I teach, have chosen to go with a hybrid model. With that being said, allow me to give you a little glimpse into the daily life of a classroom teacher in the age of Covid…
- From 8:30-1:30 we teach the in-person students. Every class period is approximately 20 minutes shorter than normal so we’re scrambling to get the material covered every single period.
- Kids can no longer eat breakfast in the cafeteria. They can pick up a to-go bag & eat it in their first period class.
- The requirements in our state include “social distancing when feasible”. Let me tell you straight up, the way the majority of public school buildings are designed, social distancing in the classroom is not possible.
- Every classroom has a sign posted at the door telling students to clean their hands each time they enter with a giant (teacher purchased) vat of hand sanitizer sitting on a table by the door.
- Masks must be worn by teachers and students all day at all times. We have to supply our own masks.
- The kids are not allowed to share any materials. I bought individual pencil boxes filled with glue sticks, colored pencils, scissors, a calculator & other supplies necessary so that every student had their own.
- I can’t have my kids come up to the white board to solve problems or play games because I’m the only one who can touch it.
- No group work at all. Everything must be done individually.
- Between each class period teachers are responsible for sanitizing all high touch surfaces. We have to supply our own gloves.
- Kids who buy lunch eat in the cafeteria, packers eat in the gym. That is the one time of day social distancing is possible.
- The kids are dismissed at 1:30, and at 1:40 we start all over again teaching our distance learners via Google Meet & Google Classroom. I’ve had to purchase, with my own money, a ton of materials that integrate with Google products so that I can effectively teach my distance learners.
Every one of my coworkers and I think it’s safe to say, the majority of public school teachers across the country, are busting our asses (and our bank accounts) to not only get the job done, but to get it done safely & well.
Unless you have walked in our shoes, you have absolutely zero understanding of what goes on in our classrooms, in our heads or in our hearts. We are making the impossible possible every single day.
“We are currently navigating a path that no one has ever traveled before, so don’t act like you have the map.”
We are not lambs to be sacrificed on the altar of politics. We are not the villains in the tragic & surreal reality show that this country has become. We are not the enemy.
So…before you share that nasty anti-teacher Facebook post, before you pass judgement & publicly badmouth your child’s teacher, before you jump on the teacher hater bandwagon…remember this…
We are human beings with hopes & dreams, fears & families. Just like you.
We are figuring this all out as we go along. Just like you.
We love your kids & want what is best for them… Just. Like. You.
THE OUTFIT
I have a little secret to share with you. Walmart is killin’ it in the men’s department right now. I could go broke snatching up button down shirts, so many fun prints & plaids…there’s definitely something for everyone. That is where I discovered this super cool snake print men’s button down shirt.
This particular outfit, a graphic tank with distressed jeans & Birks, is nothing particularly exciting on it’s own. But throw the snake print button down over top…and now we’ve got a lewk. Sure, had I added my black block heel sandals this would have been a whole lot fancier, but since Birk season is rapidly fading I’m getting in all the wears that I can.
If you’re thinking about braving the men’s department to get some button down goodness for yourself, here are a few of my favorites:
THE TIP
Don’t make the mistake of only sticking to the women’s department when shopping. Get creative, open your mind to other possibilities. Check out the men’s section, juniors & for those of us who are petite, even the girl’s department. These often forgotten spots often have hidden gems that will make the perfect addition to your closet.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Shirt: Walmart; Jeans: American Eagle; Tank Top: Undercover Hippie; Sandals: Birkenstock
