It had been a rough year of pandemic and political turmoil... a year that I would have liked to be in a classroom, serving as the educator I wanted to be…
Through the first semester of the 2019-20 school year, before the pandemic had started, I knew that soon I will have to choose my approach to work. It was good to have preferred schools, and be their preferred substitute, yet I wished to be able to select only assignments that I desire and not compromise with schools’ terms.
I realized that while deciding on a new path, retirement seem a reasonable option; quitting and waiting out the cooling period of six months, and then returning to jobs that I prefer to do. But the routine kept me going…
It all came to a halt when we were hit by the pandemic, and with almost no warning schools have closed their doors. As we thought it was temporary and will be over soon, we waited for few weeks, then few months, but as graduation came closer we realized that this is the way 2019-20 school year will be manifested.
It was exciting, yet heart breaking, to see graduation turn into a parade of cars, and diplomas handed through a window. I can imagine seniors’ disappointment staying home instead of becoming kings and queens of the campus, enjoying special activities, festivities, recognition. Exceptional and memorable graduation as it was, never has been like that, never (hopefully) will be, it was an agonizing letdown.
As summer was drawing to an end and virtual learning seemed to be the only way, I decided the time is right to quit and wait for a better time to be a teacher, or a sub.
I still love teaching math, and still wish one day to be able to show the light to those confused math learners, who say they’ll never understand the subject.
During the long months of staying home I developed a plan for teaching algebra in a logical, commonsense method, with the expectation of using it one day through the right channel, private of established.
I do hope to get back to a school, even only as a volunteer, to do just that …
