Through the end of the 2019-2020 school year, The Camasonian staff would like to share CHS staff and students’ “silver linings”, those things that make quarantine life more bearable as the school year winds down.
A silver lining for me, personally, just a break from the routine of life – and doing something new and different. I am an ARMY BRAT and we thrive on “change” 😊 So this has been both exciting and awful at the same time. We also had two of our four boys come home from college and do their distance learning from home, and I loved having them here! We got a new puppy earlier than we had planned (and one more coming) and spent a lot of time training her. I have felt like life slowed down a bit and other responsibilities (outside of work) just faded away. This has made it possible to focus more on US, do some service for others, and focus on what is important. I also have loved being able to pee when I want to 😃 lol. We have done some blood giving, service projects, dirt biking, hiking, biking, playing games, house projects, making CRAZY home music videos with my family (for friend’s birthday), and just chillin’. We have watched a LOT of movies, documentaries (LAST DANCE was fantastic) and BAKED…. WAYYYY TOO MUCH!
A silver lining professionally has been incredible: I have been able to explore so many online tools that I can use also back in brick-and-mortar school – new ones as well as ones I use already but now use at a deeper level. We have been introduced to many tools before but never had time to implement them. Because of the structure of distance learning, I have been able to really dive in, learn, apply, and take the time to try and fail and try again 😊. 
I also spent time in an online class myself – learning how to best teach not only in distance learning but as we shift to the future of teaching. I may be able to apply it all currently but hope to utilize these tools bit by bit as we move forward to the future of this new education. Also, I feel I have been able to CARE for and connect with my students on a more personal level and take the time to comment on each assignment and interact with some through Google Classroom that I rarely got to interact with during the school year. I have gotten to know many students on a more personal level and it has been fantastic. I would like to keep that level of personal connection as we move forward. ❤
What I miss most? I miss my students. I miss the personality of each class. I miss seeing the faces of everyone each day – the excitement, the joy, the tiredness, the frustrating, the sadness, the snarky comments, the excuses, the tardies, the noise – ALL THE THINGS!! I miss my colleagues because the math dept ROCKS! I just miss the PAPERMAKERS…rolling along altogether!
