This is Hard....and Sometimes Wonderful

Working from home, specifically teaching from home, has become a whole different challenge. Though I am pretty good at creating curriculum, and through this, I have become adept at creating online curriculum, I feel disconnected from my students. Even though I hold Google Meets, only a small handful of students usually show up, and honestly, I'm not great at online meetings; it feels incredibly awkward. And when students don't do the work or do subpar work, I email them, but I have no idea if they read my heartfelt emails. It's not the same as being able to talk to them in person and hold them to those higher expectations. It doesn't work for every student, but it works better than this.

This is not the teacher I want to be.

Furthermore, with my mental health (I am a chronic sufferer of generalized anxiety and depression), I am finding it hard to get into a healthy routine. I can't sleep much at night even though I lay in bed and try. Then, when it is time to start my day, I am dreadfully tired. I'm unmotivated to grade or create, but I push through and do what I must because this is my job, and I know I'm lucky to have it.

Yet, on the other hand, I am enjoying being home as well because it has given me more time with my son who just turned five months today.

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Ramblings of a Midwest Woman

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