Covid-19, Distance Learning, and What I'm Taking Away From It All

On March 16th, Ohio began the online learning adventure, and I started out teaching at our dining room table. 

With three little boys at our house, #momlife took over, and I begged my husband to whip up a farmhouse-style desk for our game room.  

It's been an interesting few weeks.  I've learned so much, and I am most definitely not walking away from this entire experience empty handed. 
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What I hope to remember about the school closing:
1) Kids love their friends and it's so important to provide ample opportunities for them to connect in our classrooms.  It seems whenever I talk to students, they all tell me the same thing.  They.  Miss.  Their.  Friends.
2) Teaching is all about making connections.  I learned that early in my career from my first principal, the sweet, adorable, amazing, Ms. Chesebro.  Making connections virtually was not easy, but I absolutely loved hearing from my students each day.  It's what kept me driven.
3) Connecting with parents through email was a great way build relationships and for them to understand how much I truly love their children.  No matter where we are, our classroom or at home, we are a team, working together for the most precious little people in their lives.
4) Having kids submit virtual assignments provided a whole lot of entertainment, and we will be doing more of this in our classroom.  
5) I love my job.  I love singing and playing and hearing silly stories.  I love teaching.  I love watching the a-ha moments.  I love being with kids.  I love watching my babies grow.
6) What I'll remember most, though, is watching the world around me handle this situation.  There has been a lot of struggles for all.  Some days are easier than others.  My heart hurts for many... those on the front lines, the grandparents, those who are scared, those who are lonely...the list goes on and on,  As a mom and a teacher, trying to provide a balance of work for my students has been a challenge.  I don't want my kids to have to do too much, as I realize that this could be an already overwhelming situation for families.  At the same time, my job is to teach them.  I want to teach them.  I think most teachers are in the same boat, hoping we are doing enough, hoping we hoping we are keeping our students engaged, hoping we are providing some sense of normalcy in a very much not normal situation.
What I do, know though is this.  HE is keeping us all moving forward.