Dear Students- March 2020
March 15, 2020
Dear Students,
With an unprecedented number of schools closing, parents’ stress levels ramping up, and the news sharing scary statistics of pandemic and infectious disease, you must be feeling a little (or a lot) confused and frightened. As an adult, my feelings have ping-ponged among fear, worry, hope, humor, anxiety, optimism, doubt, excitement, and even gratitude. Everyone seems to be looking for a beacon of light to guide us through the unknown. 💫
And there’s the concern about what and how you’ll learn over these unprecedented days off. Many teachers were asked to get as many assignments together as they could in an attempt to keep your education going. Here’s the thing. It’s really difficult to mandate and monitor your learning while you’re home. It’s even tougher to give you feedback and encouragement, especially when you may not have internet access or even your own computer.
As I consider my hopes for you during this time away from school, I realize that while I certainly appreciate you learning more math, reading, and other content-area skills, I realize there are so many other unexpected learning opportunities that I’d like for you to pursue.
First of all, with all the scariness on the news, I’ve found that a great way to turn around fear is to be authentically grateful. You can start by viewing these days off as a gift of time. Maybe you catch up on sleep, read, spend time outdoors, chat with family, cuddle an animal, or ride your bike. You have time to sing, dance, tell jokes, practice an instrument, create, and even daydream. Gratitude restores hope. Try it out. Notice what happens when you find 100 things that you are truly grateful for.
You know what else? You are the only kids in modern history who have experienced these far reaching, lengthy school closings. You are helping to write our history. What if you recorded your experiences in a journal? Your journal ✍will become a piece of history. Here are some questions to get you started:
- What emotions are you experiencing?
- How do you spend your time?
- What really worries you?
- How do you stay hopeful?
- How are you brightening someone else’s day?
- What kind of adult do you want to become?
- What’s the best thing about these days off?
- What are you learning about yourself?
- What does the world need more of?
- How will this experience help you grow?
- What have you had time to think about?
- What are you noticing about the world around you?
- What do you want to accomplish over the next few weeks?
Next up, read. Read voraciously. Reading will keep your skills fresh, will introduce you to new vocabulary, and will help you learn more about yourself. Read everything! Read what interests you, read magazines, newspapers, old classics, and even texts that share new perspectives. What can you learn from the characters and authors?
Look out the window (or better yet, go outside). Write about everything you see, hear, feel, and smell. What’s the smallest thing you notice? What surprises you?
Spend time outdoors. Walk, bike, sit, listen, run, play, build, climb, breathe in the fresh air, soak up the sun, just be.
But there’s something else. While you’re out of school for the next few weeks, be on the lookout for goodness, for compassion, for calm in the midst of chaos, for examples of generosity and selflessness- because they exist, even in unpredictable, historic moments. 💗
The best way to learn about the world is to truly experience it. Be gentle with yourself and with others around you as we all try to make sense of what’s happening.
Can I offer some guidance around screen time? Screen time takes us (kids and adults!) away from experiencing the world. It prevents us from interacting with people, from finding creative ways to overcome boredom, from pursuing a hobby, and from appreciating stillness.
So, enjoy these moments of quiet. Be curious about your world. Ask questions. Think. Imagine. Wonder. Explore the outdoors. 🌤Find goodness. Learn about you.
I can’t wait to see you! To see how you’ve grown, how you were creative with your time, how you learned about the world, and how you navigated this historic moment.
Drink plenty of water, eat your veggies, and of course, wash your hands 🙌. 😊
With Hope,
Mrs. Molitor
**Educators, feel free to make a copy, edit, and share. We’re in this together. **
Jen Molitor, Ohio Educator