Member-only story
Why Educators Need to Take More Risk
You are the difference-maker.
One by one, cameras slowly awaken, and bright-eyed faces await on the other end — some excited, others bordering anxious and reluctant. I close my eyes softly, inhale deeply, and press the video button. With a glued smile, I happily greet each student by the first name. The class has officially begun.
If my camera were on 15 minutes earlier, you’d see me rushing to open my front door, feeding the pets, and glancing over our learning plan for the day. For the last hour, I’ve been playing chauffeur to our one-car family, driving my son to a daycare we can barely afford. If every morning begins as planned, I have the same window of time to physically and mentally prepare to teach my virtual class of 30 fifth graders.
The truth is, I’m playing it safe. I’ve fallen into the trap of doing what’s expected of me by those in charge. Now, I can feel the effects it’s having on my students.
I want to enjoy teaching, and I want my students to enjoy our time too. Something must change, and I can’t be the only teacher feeling this pressure.
My Class
I teach in a mostly affluent suburb of Seattle. The families I partner with all elected to learn virtually this school year due to the pandemic. In many cases, parents work for tech companies…
