2020-Challenge and Growth

2020 was a massively challenging year for everyone, and I believe that the way people approached it speaks to their character. What I can say about 2020 is that I did my best. My best to be kind, considerate, do the right thing and teach my children to do the right thing. To work with what little we've got, and to share what we can. My community came together. When someone asked for help someone was trying to help. I did my best to be one of the helpers, and my community did its best to help me in return. 

As the 2020 school year approached, our family chose the exclusive distance learning platform through our school district. I had several reasons for the choice. My children were in preschool and 2nd grade respectively when the pandemic started, and Kindergarten and 3rd grade when the 20201-2021school year started. I wanted them to be safe, first and foremost, and I wanted their teachers to be safe. I also wanted stability for them. I didn't want to see them come and go from school due to exposure risk, and January brought shutdowns a mere week after school resumed for kindergarteners. My children started the year academically ahead, and I felt that at worst they would plateau. With the risks we faced, I was comfortable with plateauing.

Both of my children were early readers, reading sentences at 4.5 years old, and both entered kindergarten reading at grade level. My kindergartner spent much of his shortened preschool days wanting and trying to do his 2nd-grade brother's math work because it looked like fun to him. He loves math, and his wanting to learn advanced math meant I needed to teach him common core math. I did not grow up learning common core, and I needed to teach him in a way that I didn't confuse him and risk his teachers having to undo what he learned. My oldest son was academically ahead and content with staying the course, but enjoyed the freedom to learn whatever he wanted when he was done with his school work.

Distance learning with my children was a challenge. Both have ADHD, were undiagnosed at the start of the school year, though signs were there well before the pandemic. I spent much of my year doing my best to keep them on task, acting as para-educator, assistant teacher, tutor, etc. The beginning of the year was when our challenges were at their peak. I did my best to set them up with skills I learned over the years: maintain a clean, organized work space, have a to-do list or checklist, give your brain breaks, play before class to get some of the wiggles out, be honest about our feelings. Alexa devices were a great resource as well because she could dictate the routine. 

I made my youngest son math games to bring the games he played off the screen. When my 3rd grader started learning fractions we had games to support what he was learning. We had STEAM resources at their disposal. I thought them what I could about electricity and using a voltmeter. 2020 was the last time I changed a battery in a toy thanks to our tech lessons. 

As the school year progressed our skills did too. My 3rd grader worked better if he got up early and immediately started school work. There was no struggle to get him back on task, no feelings of frustration. Often by the time, his first meeting ended he was done with his work and free to play educational games or research his curiosities. My kindergartener became computer literate and was able to log in and navigate the school platform with little help. 

Some days were harder than others, but all in all, I think we were all grateful for the time together. I had the pleasure of being with my children and learning that my now 4th grader processes information by talking it through and sharing facts. I watched my now 1st grader progress in his reading and comprehension skills. I watched as his penmanship went from barely legible to easy to read. 

The year was hard, far harder than I thought it would be on the last day of in-person classes in March. But I would never trade the time that I was able to spend with my children. We spent a year with each other as playmates and learning buddies. It was a gift to have that time with them, but I am grateful that I'm able to worry less as we all get back on our feet.