slisk250
Straight Flush
Those that know me are aware I’m a career educator for 30 years working the last 15 overseas in international schools. It’s never an easy job and if you haven’t been a teacher you have no idea what it’s like regardless of how many years you ever sat in a desk as a student. You have pressures from students, parents, administrators and the combined challenges of those can be overwhelming for most. Only the strong survive. The difference between my job and a public school teacher is mostly compensation but this post isn’t about the realities of being an impoverished United States public school educator, I fled that scene long ago and have a nice living.
The panic that is forcing school closures around the globe will have a negative impact on your children as they are isolated from their classmates and teachers. The workload involved in creating viable authentic engaging lessons including both live and recorded content will push the workforce to their limits. Parents will be forced to solve daycare issues this creates as well. Everyone suffers. Some of my colleagues can’t get their kids here due to travel restrictions and it is heart breaking. We contacted 16 school from the Far East to develop our plan then 48 hours of prep for tomorrow’s hard start.
Educators from the states know our value. We understand the general public does not as evidenced by stateside salaries and anti education politicians they support.
Tomorrow we officially start our forced distance learning program over here. It’s never happened before in the 75 year history of this school...not for Desert Storm, SARS, MERS, or a 2005 terrorist attack when 30+ expats were beheaded by extremists just outside our gates.
On the way home a few hours ago I was toast. I was numb from all the meetings and preparation so stopped at the commissary to get a coffee. While in line two moms were whining about having to manage their children while the teachers “enjoyed their vacation.”
They didn’t know who I was...so I introduced myself. The discussion wasn’t nice. I presume many parents in the states share their feelings. People will tweet and send letters to editors expressing the same. If this is you, think hard before you act. Support your kids and local teachers through a crisis. It’s more important than making sure you have a 4 month supply of Charmin.
The panic that is forcing school closures around the globe will have a negative impact on your children as they are isolated from their classmates and teachers. The workload involved in creating viable authentic engaging lessons including both live and recorded content will push the workforce to their limits. Parents will be forced to solve daycare issues this creates as well. Everyone suffers. Some of my colleagues can’t get their kids here due to travel restrictions and it is heart breaking. We contacted 16 school from the Far East to develop our plan then 48 hours of prep for tomorrow’s hard start.
Educators from the states know our value. We understand the general public does not as evidenced by stateside salaries and anti education politicians they support.
Tomorrow we officially start our forced distance learning program over here. It’s never happened before in the 75 year history of this school...not for Desert Storm, SARS, MERS, or a 2005 terrorist attack when 30+ expats were beheaded by extremists just outside our gates.
On the way home a few hours ago I was toast. I was numb from all the meetings and preparation so stopped at the commissary to get a coffee. While in line two moms were whining about having to manage their children while the teachers “enjoyed their vacation.”
They didn’t know who I was...so I introduced myself. The discussion wasn’t nice. I presume many parents in the states share their feelings. People will tweet and send letters to editors expressing the same. If this is you, think hard before you act. Support your kids and local teachers through a crisis. It’s more important than making sure you have a 4 month supply of Charmin.