Shift

This is the latest in a series of blogs by partners of the Fluency work.
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By Megan DaGrava

I have read several books since the quarantine began and my most recent book is Shift This by Joy Kirr and I have been questioning how will things shift in the classroom this school year?!?

We have been through some serious shifts in 2020. We shifted to remote learning, shifted to wiping groceries, shifted to wearing masks, and shifted to keeping our distance- so many shifts. The greatest shift was in education (at least for most) and the shift was quick and somewhat unexpected. We did not have time to prepare, we did not know that was the last face-to-face day of teaching we would experience with our students. The realization of that was yet another shift.

One day we are in our classrooms with our students and months later we do not know when the shift back to classrooms will happen. So we are preparing for all sorts of shifts in education during this time of unknown. Teachers being learners of new technology and systems to prepare in case we are remote. Teachers gathering materials and preparing for distancing in the classroom. Teachers are stressed, anxious, and waiting for the next shift- what will it be? No matter the shift, we are prepared.

We know that our students need us, so we will be there for them whether it is in-person or remote. The shifts have been many this year but who better to take on such shifts than teachers. We shift constantly when teaching in the classroom- shifting from student to student, lesson to lesson. We’ve got this! We are masters of shifting! It isn’t going to be easy but we won’t let these shifts get in the way of what really matters- our students. 

Megan DaGrava is a West Liberty University (undergraduate) and Walden University graduate. She has been employed with Ohio County Schools for ten years and teaches second grade at Madison Elementary School.