We have all said it, heard it, know it. The past year has been a wild ride. Nothing is normal; everything has shifted. While I have navigated the crazy with my students, I find I am beginning to feel increasingly unsettled by this season rather than adapting to it. Things that have been important to me over the years as an educator and in my own personal growth have had to be put aside. There just is not enough time or energy remaining at the end of the day to push my own personal boundaries, to look for new opportunities and inspiration, to network with other educators who share my passions, and to grow myself professionally according to my pedagogical convictions. The limitations of pandemic protocols have made it more difficult to meet with fellow educators, to be energized through collaboration, and to simply be encouraged swapping stories of the day in the lunchroom. I expected it at the beginning of the pandemic last spring, but I did not anticipate it would last this long. We have figured out how to push through, to continue turning the cogs of the wheels of learning in our classrooms, whether in-person, hybrid, or
Tag: covid19teaching
Picturing the Pandemic
During this unprecedented time in our history of school closures and stay-at-home orders, students have the opportunity to create their very own primary source documents. Photo journaling integrates technology into our writing standards while encouraging creativity and critical thinking. Students must determine what photographs would capture the essence of this historical event and then incorporate their narrative or expository writing skills to incorporate appropriate captions and tell the rest of the story that the photographs leave out. “Photo journaling integrates technology into our writing standards while encouraging creativity and critical thinking.” We are teaching a range of students right now. Issues of equity are at the forefront of many of our minds. We aim to meet the academic needs of our students equitably, but many of our students and parents are looking for more. This idea can easily be incorporated into our digital classrooms as an optional enrichment activity or as an engaging alternative to traditional writing assignments. Using one of the many online journal apps or digital scrapbooks, Office365 apps, or Google apps, your students can creatively engage their minds while noting the significance of this moment in their lives. Read more to see the lesson plan.
