I have always prided myself on being an early adopter – to the annoyance of many colleagues over the years. I like learning, and in many ways trying new technology out has become a hobby of sorts.

Instead of blogging over the past year I was busy learning a new school culture, and I through myself into getting to know my new students, by new colleagues, and my new building. I was following all of my own rules: I was teaching from my website in my classroom, I was transparent with my teaching, and I was very engaged in learning how to best support my students.

And everything was working really, really well. Until…

Covid-19.

And within minutes of hearing we were closing for an extra two weeks after Spring Break, a collegaue texted:

“And PJ just keeps on doing what she’s been doing. Prepper.”

And I took silly joy in that because yes, all of my ‘you shoulds…’ were finally paying off. My students already knew how to use my website, to check GoogleClassroom for tasks, and to hand work in online. That was all normal for them. But the student interaction piece? The over-the-shoulder help? The casual advice on the fly as kids worked collaboratively? How on earth was I going to do that…

And it’s been a learning curve for sure — between learning GoogleMeets and playing with Bitmojis I have already learned tonne. My digital PLN has tripled in size, and I have read so many resources and posts my brain feels as if it could pop. I am supported by my colleagues and peers from all over the country…. and my family has been beyond amazing as they teach remotely and learn remotely alongside me.

But more than anything I have questions:

How will learning look in September for me, my music-specialist-husband, my own kids, and my students?

With no physical classroom presence for the next few weeks, how can I be more accessible to parents as they transition their own kids to grade nine?

What equity issues are getting between my students and their learning, and what can I do about it?

How do I support my extroverts who are isolated at home?

How do I equip my introverts who will need to readjust and acclimate to some kind of face-to-face learning when all of this is over?

ugh…

And so, in an effort to put time into answering my questions, and a million others that will pop up, I am going to put blogging back on my personal week-at-a-glance and dedicate more time to my professionally writing.

Hopefully getting back in the habit will be good for all of us.

oiy.