Our middle-schooler grandboy in New Jersey is back to bricks and mortar this Monday. The township is calling all kids back to the physical classroom for the rest of the year, which as my daughter pointed out, has only about a month left.
For the umpteenth time, this is one more reason I’m glad my own kids are all grown up and dealing with this instead of me. Maybe every generation says this, but being a parent is so much more complicated now than it was when my kids were kids.
So it’s great that the students will finally have some kind of normalcy again after a year of academic chaos. I know it’s sometimes been hard on our own grandkids to adjust to learning on line. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see their friends again in person. I know my daughter will be happy not to be popping into the dining room to see if our buddy’s paying attention, or for that matter, in his chair.
I’m also glad for the umpteenth time that I’m no longer teaching. It’s an even harder job these days. Fine, the kids are back in the classroom. Except teachers will still have to adapt lessons for those at home, since as the message to parents says :
“If your child has ANY illness symptom, if there is any illness in your home, if anyone in your home is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, if your child travels outside the 5-state region of NJ, NY, CT, PA, and DE, please keep your child at home and communicate as soon as possible with your school nurse. By keeping your child at home, you are greatly reducing the likelihood that your child's classmates and teachers will be negatively impacted.”
On another note, can you imagine the logistical effort to get all the gears grinding again? The food to bring in for lunches, the busses to put back on the road, the crossing guards to bring out of semi-retirement?
One thought gives me pause – currently the age in NJ for Covid vaccinations only goes as low as 16.
Our schools shut down just a month ago,and I'm pretty certain they will remain closed until September. As to the rest, I agree that it seems to get more and more complicated. At least in some respects.
ReplyDeleteThere are two sides to the coin as you say. I know, for a fact, that most kids would rather be in school and it's better for their learning, and for them socially. As a recent teacher who taught both online and in school this last year, I much prefer in school. The other side of the coin is that it will be a bit of a nightmare getting everything in place for just one more month of school. They likely won't resume all the regular things, however. For example, our school stopped things like pizza day and milk because that would have meant other bodies in the school. I hope he does o.k., and it will be a nice break for his mom. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteWe've been back in school since February, and fortunately England's case numbers have stayed way down. Glad your grandkids are getting back to "normal" too.
ReplyDeleteAaargh.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are an essential service. And so rarely (here) get the recognition or the pay to reflect it.
And, as a side note, Calvin always makes me smile. Wincing.
That's a great cartoon. I love Calvin & Hobbes. And it's got to be hard, to be a teacher, a parent, or a kid these days. I do hope this will be over before we get back to another September.
ReplyDeleteHere, Toronto, Ontario is under lockdown. All 18 plus can get vaccine at pop-up clinics. Kids will have only online learning this year. I am glad that I don't have to deal with small kids anymore.
ReplyDeleteHere's another retired teacher who is very glad that he's not in the classroom. I really feel for the kids this year when they've been in and out of school.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad none of my four was a "Calvin" although one boy had his moments.
ReplyDeleteI'm also concerned that children don't get vaccinated, here as well as there and everywhere else.
I would not like to be a parent in this situation. However, my daughter weathered it well. Her children, however, are in high school.
ReplyDeleteditto. so glad my kids are grown and glad for my daughter that hers are too.
ReplyDelete