~and so goes life with it~

It's hard to believe the fact that this school year of 2020-2021 is more than half complete now.  It was the year that I wasn't figuring to have but one that I was blessed with regardless.  The calendar on the wall reflects that the month of February is knocking on the door and January will soon only be a memory.  

Time flies and so goes life with it.

Last year at this time I made the decision to retire and I mean really retire.  I had been in the classroom as a teacher for slightly more than 4 decades.  Originally retiring from Kansas in 2010, and attempting to retire several times after that, I knew it wouldn't be easy.  But I felt the time had come and it was a good moment to exit on a high note.  Finally I was at peace with it and figured that retirement would lead me to the next stop and purpose in my life.

Then came mid-March of 2020 and the Covid 19 pandemic.

I spent the final 9 weeks of the school year teaching my 5th grade students at Liberty Elementary School in Ponca City, Oklahoma from behind the screen of my home computer.  Save for a sweet girl who stopped by my house one day, I never had the chance to see any of them in person again.   It hurt my old teacher's heart to realize that what I had hoped would be a normal, final year in teaching would be squelched by a virus that none of us understood and most certainly didn't ask for.

How I came to be a fourth grade teacher in our local school here along the Kansas-Oklahoma border will forever be one of those miracles that I've been blessed with throughout my 65-year old life.  I did not dream it would happen to me but as is the case so often during our time here on the planet, God had other plans for me.  

There was one more class that I could call my own.

This has been a trying year for all of us in education.  I remember the feeling of being slightly nervous about putting myself into a position where I would be surrounded by 9 and 10-year olds all day long.  Many teachers of my age were quitting the profession because of the dangers of catching and perhaps even dying from the virus.  Several of my former and now retired colleagues from Kansas and elsewhere questioned my choice to return.  They meant no harm by asking me and I understood their concerns.  Because it meant so much to me to be able to stay healthy and to teach these remarkable young 4th graders, I have done what I can each day to protect myself and those around me. I have worn a mask each day to school and it is a rarity to catch me outside of the confines of my classroom without it.  I've tried my best to practice social distancing from others, even though I would love to be able to visit with colleagues at school.  I miss so much the chance to visit with parents in person or have them visit the classroom to see all the many things we are learning.  Hand washing and hand sanitizing have become as "matter of fact" as turning in the attendance and lunch count each day.  Sadly for now the times have changed drastically.  This is a different year and one that you must respect.

Our classroom has survived a few weeks of virtual learning from home, and we are all thankful that it has only been that.  We have navigated our lessons on Google Classroom and become pretty proficient at Google Meets.  Every single day that we have been together has been spent wisely with a combination of academic lessons and creating a positive classroom community.  Have I made mistakes?  Yes, more than you can count.  Have I learned from them?  Absolutely. 

This bonus year of mine will be over before I know it.  With every single day left on the calendar between now and the end of school in May, I pray to remember how very blessed I was to be able to be a part of Newkirk Public Schools.  

The days of my time in the classroom keep flying by.

And so goes my life with it.


 If I hadn't chosen to return for one more year, I would have NEVER had the opportunity to hold the skull of a small alligator.  I have a young man named Gunner to thank for this "once in a lifetime" chance.  THIS is why I have always loved being a teacher.  

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