3 minute read
From The President: Even Through
There’s Been No Love Loss
The final bell rings for summer break, and a teacher cheerfully waves goodbye to her students. She and the other educators at her school hope all of the students they have taught and loved so much during the school year will enjoy great summers filled with fun experiences, full bellies, safe environments, and meaningful learning opportunities. As the last child steps into the bus or hops in a car to go home, she, as most Georgia educators, has already begun to reflect on all that happened that school year — and all that is to come.
Each year, during the final days of school, I feel nostalgic at how much we have learned and grown together. The positive memories of a year just completed are almost always accompanied by the worry of what students may endure over the break and how the ever-dreaded summer learning loss will affect each one. Students typically lose some of the academic knowledge and proficiency gained during the school year, especially if they’re fortunate enough to spend much of their summer water-logged, sun-dazed, and surrounded by friends. Yet, none of us could have imagined as the 2020-2021 school year began that we would actually combat learning loss during the year as we actively taught students every day and worked harder than ever before.
Effective teachers realize that relationships establish the foundation for learning and are absolutely necessary to reach our children. This year, the apprehension of diminished in-person interaction and the distance of artificial virtual environments caused concern for so many educators. How would we gauge comprehension? How would we know if a student was safe and well cared for? And, the hugs. How would we persevere without all the hugs that would no longer be possible as a result of virtual instruction and social distancing?
This year, the pandemic posed so many unique challenges and situations for schools and teachers alike. Educators missed being with their students in classrooms. Yet, they simultaneously recognized the health risks involved with face-to-face learning until more data could
be collected, more CDC and DPH guidance supplied, and sufficient mitigation measures implemented. At the local level, school personnel utilized every possible method to meet students where they were. Never in my career have I witnessed educators and administrators working harder to provide an education to our students. And never before have I seen so much love being dispersed — albeit across a digital connection or through masks and face shields. Stories of amazing perseverance and strength have been shared from so many that I cannot help but see a silver lining within the tragic cloud of this pandemic. The inspiration I have been given to move forward and love on students has been incredible.
In my role as instructional technology specialist, I am in awe at how teachers have used technology to convey love and hope to students. They’ve held video conferences with infinite amounts of endurance to get through the oft repeated “your camera is off” and “you’re muted.” They’ve been caring when students did not want to turn on their cameras. They’ve witnessed sad home-life situations — and supported their students through them. And, they’ve created countless, innovative ways to design presentations to motivate and inspire. In spite of every difficulty, Georgia educators have taught with the most fervent spirit. I am proud of the challenges met, the new products and methods tested, and the innovative technology used to reach students. We participated in video meetings to quarantined and virtual students, experienced more ‘firsts’ than we thought imaginable, and created new methods to teach students, all while buying more ‘blue light’ glasses than ever. We made exceptions to every principle — and created new ones — to meet students’ needs.
I am so thankful that even through a global pandemic, relationships with students remained at our core. And, as I reflect on this past year — although learning loss is a significant issue that we must continue to address — all I can focus on is that even through the learning loss, there was no love loss.
