Wow, we made it to summer. In most years this is an important milestone. In 2020 this is even more worthy of noting. If I stop and think about it for a few minutes, the past 13 weeks have been monumental, never ever experienced shut down of the country, and schools, for a pandemic. We are on the other side of it and, with a moment to reflect, what have we learned? Distance Learning is not the same as Distance Teaching. Some students thrived in this process (working at their own pace, less social anxiety, etc.) while others could not sit down to attend at the computer screen. Kids of all ages got outside more, walking the neighborhood with their families, board games and puzzles were in high demand, and more families sat to eat their home cooked meals together than ever before. Add to the pandemic, the peaceful (and sometime not) protests and marches occurring in all 50 states with a call to action of social justice for people of color. That this unrest occurred during a pandemic is not coincidence, I believe. I have been an advocate for those outside the norm for a very long time. And I have always believed that silence is consent. Speaking up has always been important, and now even more so. Personally, I’m uplifted by the upheaval occurring now; and do hope that we continue to see the changes that are already happening.
Aloha and enjoy your summer!