The Year to Forget

 I recall the announcement to school staff with instructions to "pack up everything you'll need from school for the next 2-3 weeks" all too well. For the past few weeks we watched nightly news reports detailing the spread of covid19 across the United States, much less the rest of the world. Initial forecasts created the impression that it would be just a short period of time until school returned to normal, and students seemed thrilled with their newfound freedom from the daily grind of having to do schoolwork. As the virus took an ever-increasing number of victims with preexisting health conditions, many families isolated themselves. 

Suddenly church congregations no longer worshiped as one, movie theaters closed, and small businesses shut their doors. Meanwhile large retailers such as Walmart and Menards achieved record sales. In April 2020 our school attempted to instigate remote learning, but lack of public wifi and connectivity frustrated student and parents alike. It was about this time when I sensed upperclassmen taking on full-time jobs, replacing older workers who quit for fear of getting covid19. Why go to school when you could pull down $500+/week? Grades and plans for secondary educations became second-thought.

I might only imagine the concerns which were likely voiced by administrators in off-the-record closed door meetings. The state of public education was quickly falling into disarray without a time-proven plan to navigate to safety. Teachers, many of who never pondered the concept of online learning, were now instructed to pick up from where they left off from in-person learning, a next to impossible task in itself under normal circumstances, Covid19 was anything but normal.

For myself, the transition was easier than most...having completed my Masters Degree in Online Learning four years earlier. I was able to apply many of the methods I learned, but Marian University never mentioned the topic of lack of engagement and social disconnect on the part of students. To this day the issue has yet to be addressed by any school district, and that day of reckoning will need to take place before we regain any sense of "normalcy" once again. For the time being I have doubts as to whether a viable solution can really address all those students who truly need it. And for the sake of clarity, I'm referring to students of all ages throughout our entire country. Unfortunately, in this case, the cure was worse than the disease

2020* - The Year with the Asterisk

The day was Tuesday, March 17 when I said goodbye to my classroom and fellow teachers. What followed was 100 days of lock-down learning at home for students, a challenging task for families and teachers alike.  It was a hell of a way to end my eighth year of "traditional" teaching in an all-to-nontraditional way. Students were offered the option of grade-as-is or pass-fail, many of who chose the latter, and who would blame them? Just do the minimum required and you pass to the next level without any consequences. Apparently it worked as graduation rates hit an all-time high, but from my personal point of view a new knowledge gap was created which will impact this generation for many years to come. Too many of our young people sat on their duff, although it was in the safe environment that so many felt was necessary.

When the first day of a new school year rolled around on September 1, it marked a period of 168 days when students went without being in a traditional classroom with direct instruction. Unfortunately there is a segment averaging approximately 20% which has chosen to remain virtual, some fearing for their personal health and others fearing the accountability of having to attend school, much less wanting to complete any assignments. Those who do attend are restricted to a well-intended plan called the "hybrid system" of two days in class, three away. This provides teachers (myself included) with only one class period per student each week, diminishing most chances to build relationships which are so valuable today in education.

My greatest fear is the learning gap that will scar American society (and notably so many young people) for many years into the future and diminish our standing in the world. Be it soft skills or hard skills, look at the damage covid19 is inflicting on us all. What are the chances that we will be able to pick up the pieces to a shattered economy and societal norms in the immediate future? As much of an optimist I see myself being, the logical answer is "no much".....or at least it feels that way more and more each day. 

A Turning Point in History

Watching the world unfold over the past several weeks with the growing threat of covid19 has been uncomfortable to say the least. At this point in time our economy on a local, state, and national level, along with the economies of so many other countries has been trashed. As businesses shut down unemployment claims skyrocketed to record numbers. Watching grocery shoppers panic-buy their everyday needs was unsettling to say the least. I never expected to see local supermarket shelves cleared of everyday items such as toilet paper, canned soup, and frozen foods. Two weeks ago I was unable to even find a whole chicken, be it fresh or frozen, among the half-dozen stores I walked into. People suddenly resorted to the practice of hoarding as they feared the worse, much like they were acting out a real-life zombie apocalypse. Here within the United States, a country with countless riches in human and physical resources, the supply channels are awash with chaos as people have reacted by purchasing ten times their everyday needs. Food stores, regardless of size, don't have the ability, either with people or logistics, to adequately respond in typical fashion, and it's disheartening to see societal norms break down so quickly. Has civility been lost altogether?

Throughout this process, I am saddened when I see how dependent people have let themselves be on government for basic needs of survival. While I firmly believe it's important to care for those in need, I sense we're moving closer than ever to nanny state mentality among the masses. At one point in time most citizens embraced the concept of rugged individualism and being able to overcome great odds. Now, in a matter of a few weeks, newscasts show lines of cars waiting for boxes of food. I question not the need of people to eat, but ways which leaders within our government and the media have trashed individual rights in quest of absolute power. Everything that generations of patriotic Americans have worked so hard to protect is in harm of being overwritten and accepted by the public-at-large. It's not that I distrust science, only that I strongly sense it being misused at this time and place in history.

For now life has been altered in ways that we may never fully understand, accelerating trends in technology and biology which will also change life as we know it. But something else is at work here, and I feel it appears to have the making of something very sinister. Only time will tell.

The Autumn of My Life

I always enjoy the days of fall as a time of reflection, looking back on the past six months of our growing season to ponder possible changes for next spring. While the air is crisp and cold, there's also a sense of finality knowing that winter is fast approaching. Trees shed their leaves, birds begin to flock, animals hibernate, and I spend time putting away outdoor furniture, dumping the compost tumbler, and moving the woodpile closer to the house. Although retirement is still 4-1/2 years away, at 66 years of age I find myself contemplating how many autumn seasons I have left on this earth. Without sounding morbid and pessimistic in my approach to life, I have a sense of realism of what life holds for me in those golden years to come.

The cycle of life is genuine and relentless in the way it demonstrates consistency and fortitude. Whether I live to 100 years of age or die tomorrow, I have a sense of fulfillment in all that I experience. I often think of those ancestors 400+ years ago who rarely traveled more than a few miles from home. No doubt there will come a time in the near future when my descendants journey into the far reaches of the solar system without giving any thought of my rather simple lifestyle. However, we all have an imagination to build our realities on.

The end of the day and the accompanying sounds of wildlife are treasured more than ever. My senses of sight, smell, taste and hearing are amplified in ways I never imagined. While those sands in my hourglass slip away, they represent unique memories of people I've met and interacted with. I'm excited about the journey ahead as never before.

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

One of the realities of life is that death is inevitable. It's the ultimate statistic that proves 100% of all individuals will at some point die. How we deal with it is another matter altogether. Some have a difficult time accepting it for what it is, others face it head-on. While others might consider 66 years of age "old", I often feel more invigorated than the time I was at 26. Life today is good!

I met Lewy when he was a 16-year old kid busing tables at the supper club I worked at back in 1974. He was scrappy, quiet, and always got the job done. As we came to know each other better, we'd joke around and make the most of working together. When additional help was needed due to someone being sick or shorthanded, he was the first to step in. He never complained. Over the next four years Lewy matured and took on important roles with tending bar and spring cleanups at the resort. As manager I could not have grown our resort business without his grit and determination. It was fun working with someone who always put forth 100% effort. He also played an important role as one of the initial members of the Silver Lakers, a softball team put together in 1976. When Linda and I married in 1978, we were proud to include Lewy in our wedding party. It was nonstop fun from start to finish.

Lewy and me

After those days of softball camaraderie, our friendship never waned...despite not seeing each other on a regular basis. When our paths crossed, we always spent a few minutes reminiscing about earlier times in our life. Only recently did I learn of Lewy's struggle with various cancers that had invaded his body. When I returned home for the summer, we finally connected with one another again. We recalled playing ball, winning championships, celebrating afterward, and how we lived life in the fast lane. He shared the fact that he knew his time was limited. He chose to ignore the early warning signs of failing health and doctor pleas to get treatment underway before it was too late. Rather than finding fault with his ailments, he accepted guilt as few as able to to do.

Upon receiving word from his family that Lewy's body was shutting down, I knew that it was important for me to see him one more time. Today was the day I needed to go. I realize this is not something that everyone is capable of doing with strength and fortitude; for me it was about respect for our longtime friendship. Sitting by someone's dying bedside and holding their hand might seem morbid and dark to some, but it is anything but that for me. I was there for Lewy, providing assurance that his pain and suffering would soon pass. Despite bring unable to speak and falling in and out of semi-conscious-state sleep, I felt him squeezing my hand when I recalled happier times at the ballpark. After awhile it was not a moment for saying 'goodbye'....only "until we see each other again one day." I am thankful to have called him my friend.

The Student Teaching Experience

It was a time just seven years ago when I had the unique opportunity to be a student teacher at Weyauwega High School under the supervision of Mr. Pat Fee. It was a 4-1/2 month experience which I will forever relish and reflect back on in a positive way. I discovered much about the classroom environment, and it served as a springboard for my eventual landing at BDHS in the fall of 2012. I made a personal commitment to one-day open my classroom for future teachers so that I could serve as their role-model and mentor.

At the end of January I welcomed what I hope will be the first in a series of student teachers into Mr. D's classroom, and after six weeks it stirs my passion for good teaching- not only in providing a laboratory for a prospective teacher, but to invigorate my desire to seek excellence in my teaching skills. Almost two months into the process it has proved to be everything I sought and more, especially when it comes to demonstrating good classroom management, but the entire process is not as easy as one might think. It's more than just allowing a college student to observe and teach a few lessons, rather identifying what will be a series of transitions which impacts learning and classroom chemistry.

The first stage required me to model assorted teaching styles and communicate expectations to students in ways that were easily understood by the ST (student teacher). I've always felt consistency in my message, lesson planning, and approach with classroom management were key ingredients for being successful with students, They are the first to recognize inconsistency, and will call you out either publicly or in private if they sense wrong doing. They will make or break you!

ST is quickly learning the ropes, sometimes discovering this insight on his own, sometimes pointed out by yours truly, and occasionally revealed when students see indifference. Together we've tried some new things, which is what classrooms should be for. Every once in awhile we discover something wonderful....be it knowledge, technical in nature, or new insight on managing the classroom. This is just one reason as to WHY I love teaching!

I should also note that sometimes it's not easy stepping away from something I love to do. When I "teach" I discover that I also learn in the process. I consider it a win-win-win situation. This is a great time to explore and update my lesson plans, reflecting on what works and what could be improved (win for ME). It provides my students with a fresh perspective on our curriculum by inserting a new voice (win for STUDENTS). And it gives a future teacher the opportunity to discover what 21st century teaching is all about (win for ST). Life is good.

Where Did They Go?

When I graduated from Stevens Point in May 2012, I found myself nestled within a group of younger educators who I felt confident would impact classrooms for many years to come.  For five semesters I interacted with many of them as we journeyed through the class offerings of UW-SP's School of Education. It was my pleasure to have gotten to know them personally, learning their reasons for wanting to teach. At that specific time in my life I would have given my right toe find a way to bring the entire group into a school setting, if only to see their strengths for collaboration and rigor come to fruition in a place where we, as educators, would thrive off one another. Of course it was just a dream and represented a false reality of life.

One by one fellow classmates found placements throughout the state, and I was excited for their prospects of making a true difference in education. Due to my circumstances with age and the area of the state where I resided, I was likely one of the final placements within the group of my comrades. In fact, I recall that time in July 2012 when I voiced my impatience with the process within a blog post which stirred an inner fire in my attempt to one-day reach the classroom. When the opportunity presented itself, I became a kid again, knowing that a life-long dream would become reality at last.

Despite the physical distance between each of us, I made a concerted effort to track the whereabouts of many of my Pointer alumni, anticipating news of ways they were impacting the younger generation. But rather than learning about excitement, I discovered just the opposite occurring. One by one they stepped away from the classroom, moving in other professional directions altogether. One into insurance, another to factory work, one to law enforcement, and others scattering into the traditional workplace. It's a trend I've  witnessed personally of late too many times at BDHS as good, young teachers choose to leave their classroom in lieu of better opportunities. These are well-grounded individuals who I considered to be excellent educators, suddenly doing an about-face in their young careers.

What is happening to our stock of young adults who are leaving classrooms? At the same time, what is driving so many good, experienced teachers to an early retirement? No doubt there is a unique set of circumstances which drive the decision making of teachers as both individuals and a collective. Some problems are unique, while others have a common theme.I recognize that everyone isn't cut for the demands put on today's teachers. There are issues of classroom management and student drama, social media, paperwork, standards testing, communicating with parents, in addition to lack of direction and poor support provided by administrators. In many ways education is truly at a crossroad right now, a quagmire at best, whereby the talent pool is being depleted at an alarming rate.

I have opinionated thoughts about ways to improve the system so a new generation of teachers feel valued in what they do, but these actions take time to institute. In the meantime I cherish the time I spend with my students, watching them grow with both curiosity and intellect.