Invitations

This post will not be eloquent or highly academic. It will not offer wonderful new possibilities for at-home learning or unique ways to reach our students. It will just be what’s really on my mind right now.

For the time being, I have given up the word expectation. I have NO expectations for students. Zero. Zip. Zilch. There are just too many unknowns...

I don’t know what their homes are like in this space. Do their parents still have jobs? Is there someone available to help them? Are their parents fighting? Is money low? Is someone sick? Are they watching siblings?

I don’t know what their emotional status is right now- and if they’re anything like me, they may be all over the place. Are they worried about getting sick? Are they missing their friends? Are they struggling with the loss of a predictable schedule ? Are they stir crazy? Are they sad for no tangible reason? I am all of those things.

I don’t know if the work feels accessible or hard. Are my lessons making sense? Do they have books to read? Do they have access to a computer? Are they frustrated? Are they able to focus?

I don’t know a lot. But what I do know is that I don’t want to add any stress to an already traumatic experience. Instead, I want to offer an escape to those who can take it. So rather than coming to students with expectations, I come with invitations in their place.

I invite children to find any book they’ll love and get lost in a better world for a while.

I invite children to imagine adventures that they wish they could go on as they write.

I invite children to reflect and spill their emotions onto the pages of a notebook.

I invite children to have conversations with me where they feel seen, and heard, and loved.

I am done with expectations. All I can offer now are invitations and hopes that better days will follow.