The Curse of Friday the 13th

I remember the last time we had a Friday the 13th. It was in March. We were watching Governor Waltz’s update in my 7th grade English class after lunch. The students waited impatiently to see if schools would close for Covid-19. He said schools would remain open and nothing would change, but over the course of that weekend, we switched the distance learning. Those words were new to us then.

What students cheered for then, now they know the difference, and most of them would prefer to stay in school with their friends and teachers.

I want that too.

Today, we were notified that our school will be shifting to full distance learning after Thanksgiving break. I have so much to do, am losing teaching days, and am sad I won’t get to be in-person with any of my kiddos.

Saying that, I know this is the right thing to do, and I hope after the holidays, we will be able to be together again.

I’ve been lucky to get to know my kids at school and not through a screen, and now that we’ve all had some experience, I hope that this time will go better for all of us. The drastic change in the spring left me paralyzed and depressed, not wanting to get out of bed, and not wanting to fake happiness on a screen.

I can do better this time, and I will. So as Friday the 13th once again signals a change for teachers and students here, distance learning once again, I will prepare, curse this date, and perhaps, watch a terrible horror movie

Happy Friday the 13th! Stay safe out there ya’ll.

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Ramblings of a Midwest Woman

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