My social media feed is full of parents weighing their options and trying to decide what they’re going to do when (or if) school opens this fall. One of the hardest parts? The uncertainty of… well, everything.
A teacher named Katie O’Connor understands that uncertainty, and she wanted to show what many classrooms will look like when schools reopen.
As she shared in the video’s caption: “I’m not trying to pick a side of should we or shouldn’t we. My goal is to show people — especially parents — just what going back to in-person school will look like so you can make an informed decision for your family.”
And from what I saw in the video? It’s pretty heart breaking.
Katie O’Connor walked viewers through her classroom as she got it ready for the school year. She shared the school’s rules, such as how there should be no shared materials. She talked about clearing out shelves and rearranging desks, and how hard it was to make them at least three feet apart. She said that in many schools, like the school she works at in Colorado, kids are expected to sit at their desks all day long — yes, even for lunch. She said that they’ll still have art class — but the art teacher will come to them with a cart, and they won’t leave the room.
More than once she looked like she was about to cry, and honestly, watching it, I teared up. As Katie shared, kids thrive when they can move and interact and socialize. But school is going to look so, so, so different this year.
But through it all, there’s a bright spot: teachers like Katie. Even in less than ideal circumstances, they are doing whatever they can to create a safe learning environment for our kids.
Learn more about Katie through her Facebook page, School Unmasked.
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