#SOLSC24
I drove to school to pick up a package during my lunch hour today. It felt strange to drive to school as I’m teaching virtually this year. I passed all my usual landmarks. Put the news on the radio that I would normally listen to for my ten minute drive. Everything felt the same. It was as if nothing had changed. Instead of pulling into my parking space in the teacher’s lot on the side of the building, I decided to park in front. I was going to be walking up to the front door of the school to the security station by the front entrance. The package of NY State test materials I needed to teach with next week would be waiting for me there. As I pulled up to the school my mind drifted to thinking about how much I love elementary schools. I realized I wanted to be a teacher when I fell in-love with our small town elementary school my girls attended. Suddenly I noticed that there was a car parked in front of me. It’s side door and trunk opened wide. I realized it was a mom waiting for her child. I smiled under my mask. The child and I passed one another as I walked towards the front door and she was excited. I quickly turned around when I heard someone yell, “Hey, Mrs. Kaplan! Don’t you recognize Taylor, your student?” I was dumbfounded. How could I not recognize my own student? I teach her reading, writing and math every day through Google Meets. We talk every day. She’s an enthusiastic student who I enjoy teaching. We share stories and discuss how she wants to be a writer one day. But, I had no idea that I had just walked past Taylor. As I stopped and stared at her as I thought, “Oh yes, those are her expressive eyes.” and apologized for not noticing it was her. Everything is clearly very different this year.
1 Comment
Jessica L Vaughan
3/11/2021 08:29:28 pm
I can relate to your slice. I see kids in masks after seeing them virtually and it is so hard. I used to pride myself on knowing as many students across all grade levels as possible - this year, my record is not so great .
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Eva KaplanSea glass, found on beaches, is naturally worn and smooth by tide and time,. As a wife, mother, Bubbe, teacher, reader & life-long learner, and of course, sea glass collector, I aspire to use writing to help me understand myself and the world around me. Archives
March 2024
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