A Teacher’s Thoughts — Guest post from my amazing wife, Nancy Chiabotti-Martinez

Posted on April 5, 2020

Sorry for the long post but after reading one more comment about how upset some parents are with their child’s teacher,

I had to share. Most parents I’ve spoken to get it. They understand that teachers were not trained to teach like this and we, like them, were thrown into this awful situation. People can call it “distance learning” all they want. But please realize that this is not really what distance learning is. We are actually in “crisis education” with everyone doing the best that they can.

Please remember when you are interacting with your child’s reacher that we all come with a different skill set regarding technology. Some teachers hit the ground running, some were competent but are still learning, and yet others have never really used technology in the classroom before. While I can’t speak for ALL teachers, I can speak for me. While I would love to be back in the classroom, physically teaching my 34 fifth graders, the reality is, I am not. Am I trying to reach them and do the best I can? Absolutely.

Here are my stats out of my 34 students: 17 students “attend” live lessons regularly, 8 students are hit and miss with lessons, 4 have checked in ONE TIME, and sadly, I have not heard anything from FIVE. Not for lack of trying on my part.

Let’s be real. There is no new curriculum being learned. We are reviewing what we already know in order to keep their skills up. WE ARE LEARNING THOUGH! We are learning how to show we care by being present in the moment. We are learning by listening to others. We are learning how to be patient and kind to each other. We are learning that just being there is something we all need. We are learning that technology is great, but there is a huge learning curve. We are learning that teachers don’t know everything. We are learning that we miss each other.

Just remember, this is CRISIS education, not distance learning. But you know what? Our kids will be ok. Education right now is not what anybody wants. Not the parents, not the teachers, not the administrators, and most definitely NOT the students. Make no mistake though, our kids ARE learning. They ARE learning valuable LIFE skills. They are learning how to be good human beings who care deeply about each other and the world we live in. They are learning how to problem solve and be adaptable.

Be kind. Wash your hands. Stay home so we can all get back to a new normal.

Th above was originally shared by Nancy Chiabotti-Martinez on Facebook, and with her permission I have shared it here. As I have shared, these unprecedented times call for us all to provide each other with patience and grace in unprecedented levels as we each work to mitigate the impacts of this horrible virus on each of us. Our world is responding, and out children need us more than ever, and they need us to come together in so many ways to care for them, not turn on each other!