Lifestyle

Trading Screen Time for Reading Time – Just 20 Minutes

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

Mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.

Waiting in a lobby for an appointment.

Outfit hunting in the closet.

The wait for the stove, microwave, air fryer, or oven.

The marketplace shopping scroll.

We spend 20 minutes (give or take) on these activities throughout our day. 20 minutes is all you need for daily reading.

Student vocabulary is strongly correlated with comprehension. How can we use the summer to help our students? During the school year, it is difficult to plan reading time for students because of the heavy workload on their plates: homework, extracurricular activities, tutoring, and more. Summer provides the luxury of this flexibility for student growth.

Summer Slide

Summer slide is the idea that students lose educational knowledge through the summer due to the idea of “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain needs constant practice and repetition to retain the muscle memory. The highest loss in this tends to occur in math and literacy.

With budget cuts skyrocketing across the nation, it’s no surprise that many summer learning programs have been cut. That is especially concerning when we discuss the idea of educational loss over the summer. Many parents and guardians relied heavily on summer programs for social and emotional, as well as academic, development. More and more communities are having to rely solely on themselves for these concerns.

We also want to respect the idea of a summer break. During the school year, students are loaded with work, lessons, critical thinking, activities, and more. Just like any adult, students can become burnt out. Providing them with a packet of work during the summer doesn’t allow them to fully refresh mentally.

How do we balance muscle-memory practice and mindful rest?

The Science Behind Reading

Not to be confused with the Science of Reading or Reading Science, but there are important distinctions when discussing the reason why reading is important.

Vocabulary & Commprehension

Because of dialects and slang, students who read will pick up more words. Students who discuss things together will often use the same language, sentence structures, expressions, and more. This is why many influencers have a niche, and those within the niche all sound the same. When students lack reading material, they lack exposure to other language opportunities outside their community.

That leads to context. When you see these words, what comes to your mind?

Fly
Bat
Current
Sink

I bet each person had something different. A fly can be an action, such as I am flying to another state to visit a family member. It can be the pesky fly that keeps buzzing around when you’re trying to enjoy an outdoor barbecue. It could also be the broken fly on your pants due to poor-quality manufacturing.

Likewise, I could have seen a bat on the side of my house. This bat may be migrating due to the temperature, and I would have to make sure I am safe from disturbing it. I would also bat an eyelash at a crush to show interest. I could also be using a bat to hit a baseball in a game.

We can know words, but knowing words in context is more important. Exposing students to reading allows them to understand words in various ways. This is especially important to students who have English as a second language. Much of the English language relies on figurative language (similes, metaphors, idioms, and such). Those can be difficult to understand for someone unfamiliar with the context. If I tell someone I’m going to bite my tongue when talking about a heated topic, someone may actually think I am biting my tongue as opposed to stopping myself from saying something. Figurative language is introduced during elementary school, so students must maintain their understanding of it through the summer. Though some conversations may introduce students to nuances in language (cap = lie, cap = lid on something, cap = hat), they need to be exposed to these nuances in various ways.

Focus & Attention

One major development from a 14-year study showed that reading actually helps reduce the likelihood of dementia. Dementia correlates with decreased lifespan and poorer mental health. Reading forces the brain to use parts that are sometimes ignored, thus reducing the likelihood of dementia.

Reading attention span directly affects fluency.

We live in a world of constant movement. Our brains naturally like “learning,” which is why Reels, TikToks, Stories, and the like are so popular. Our brain craves to explore new and unknown. Because of this, we often don’t know what to do with downtime. It’s one of the reasons ADHD has become so prevalent and why binge eating is now a problem.

Increasing attention span and fluency allows someone to learn to sit with their thoughts and truly process the information. It allows them to read and complete longer tasks without interruption and potential mistakes. As mentioned previously, reading builds the brain’s muscle. Just like working out, you have to build the stamina to do these things. Someone can’t go from never reading to reading for 2 hours and expect perfection. The same holds for sports. You can’t go into a football game and expect to win the Superbowl if you’ve never played or rarely played before. It takes time and patience, and reading 20 minutes a day is the start. Although initially reading is “less stimulating,” it will eventually feel just like those mindless doom scrollings because our brain activates images when reading. We begin to paint pictures in our heads, which often leads to longer focus and attention.

According to the same study, among many others, reading has a direct correlation with success. Those who are literate are more likely to be successful, identify fallacies, and seek truth. That, alone, is something to ponder about the importance of reading.

Empathy & Understanding

Though watching movies, shows, and social media can help us “internalize” words, reading forces us to use our imagination and creativity, read the selection below:

The hallway was a river, carrying students in every direction as they surged toward their classrooms. Lockers slammed like cymbals in a marching band, and conversations bounced off the walls like rubber balls. Maya tightened her grip on her backpack straps. Her stomach was a washing machine stuck on the spin cycle, churning with nerves. Around her, excitement crackled through the air like electricity before a thunderstorm. Everyone seemed to know exactly where they were going except her. She felt like a single puzzle piece dropped into the wrong box. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the current of students and let the day pull her forward.
– Excerpt was written by AI (not this whole article)

As avid readers, we tend to connect to Maya more because we’ve either been that person, seen that person, or have seen different scenarios in which that person can be affected through reading. If I just said Maya was nervous, it wouldn’t have the same impact as comparing her feelings to a churning spin cycle. We gain a better understanding of how Maya feels.

This also allows us to find methods to express ourselves better. In school, we teach students to replace commonly said words (such as said, walk, ran, cry). We do this not only to increase their vocabulary but also to express just how someone is feeling. Saying Julia cried when she lost her cat doesn’t have the same impact as saying Julia devastatingly whailed at the loss of her cat. One seems like she’s sad. The other shows how she is internally crushed because of the closeness she had with her cat.

Social and emotional learning has been a major focus in education. Part of that is because Americans have become desensitized by social media. Anything and everything is posted on social media without a filter. On top of that, as a nation, we have experienced hardship after hardship. We are surrounded by negativity nd often stuck in a rut of similar emotions.

Now What?

It’s never too late to bring reading into the home. With just 20 minutes a day, there will be a profound change in students’ abilities and, in turn, in our society. Reading, overall, reduces stress. With everything we have been through as a nation, we could use some stress relief. Reading makes the mind more creative, which leads to new inventions and ways of doing things. This could be making something more efficient or thinking of something we never had before. We know that countries with newer technological advances tend to have higher GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which in turn leads to a more sustainable economy. The sustainable economy leads to happier and healthier citizens. When people are happier and healthier, everything else starts to fall into place.

Utilize your local libraries: Even if you’re only able to go once to get a card, the library offers many online resources for digital books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, and more.

Ask the school: Many schools will offer summer reading programs, packets, or library books. Some of these can be permanently kept, while others may be returned.

Ask your community: Some communities offer free little libraries through the neighborhoods. Even if they do not, you may post to friends, family, or neighbors, asking for books to encourage reading.

Make use of what you have: You can also encourage reading with simple materials such as menus, sports articles, recipes, travel brochures, and more.

Make it a family activity: Though it’s important for students to read, make it a daily family activity to read for 20 minutes. Whether it’s sitting on the couch, outside, at the table, or in individual rooms, having a support system is important to a successful program.

The Gift of Failure – Ways to Encourage Failure

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

Most of us grow up not knowing what failure is. When we “fail,” we just keep going or keep trying. We don’t get berated for falling when we try to walk. We don’t get criticized when playing t-ball and miss the hit. Instead, we are taught to keep trying, keep working, and grow from our experience. At times, encouragement is also thrown our way to encourage us to do better.

Somehow, that changes, though, as we age. Somehow, encouragement turns into negative, non-productive criticism. Keep trying turns into giving up. Self-esteem gets tarnished and hurt. Perfection is expected, even though perfection doesn’t truly exist. A minimum standard becomes a measurement – whether it be weight, grades, time management, etc.

Somewhere along the way, we lose sight of what it truly means to fail and of the importance of failing.

Childhood Failures Encouraged

During childhood, it is considered a gift to fail. Even though it’s not necessarily called a gift, the idea of it being a gift is there. 

When babies first start speaking, they don’t say “mama” or “dada” on their first try. Instead, parents, friends, and other family members giggle, smile, and keep repeating the words in the hope of helping the baby say “mama” or “dada.” These same people don’t look at the baby with disgust and say, “You can do better. I’m disappointed in you.” 

Kids are notorious for lying – intentionally or not. Sometimes it’s a little white lie, while other times it’s quite large. As parents, we have a discussion with the child to encourage telling the truth and to explain why lying is wrong. After the discussion, there is hope for a change in behavior regarding lying. 

Children are encouraged to play, make friends, learn new games, and socialize. The more these things occur, the more growth happens. When children don’t play, don’t make friends, and don’t socialize, adults encourage it and sometimes seek assistance to make those areas grow. A concern is that those who do not play, make friends, learn new games, or socialize are at risk. 

So why do these expectations turn into negatives?

Adult Expectations

Somewhere around the end of elementary school and the beginning of middle school/junior high, society starts to place higher expectations on children. They must meet certain grades, respect others (especially adults), follow rules, stay quiet when spoken to, work with others, etc. 

It changes from encouragement to expectation. If those expectations are not met, we start discussions with children and let them know it’s no longer encouraged but is expected. When these expectations aren’t met, someone becomes disappointed. In turn, it hurts their self-esteem, leading to more issues with the very struggles they struggled with in the first place. 

Continue that through high school, where a required ACT/SAT score is needed to get into college, and many credits are required for graduation, placing pressure on an individual to achieve a specific score. The higher your score, the more likely you’ll get into a college of your choice – whether it be grades of ACT/SAT. Now, that encouragement becomes more pressure-based than genuine effort. College just intensifies this. 

Students begin to work jobs. There are expectations in jobs. In the beginning, new employees are often “guided” and given constructive criticism about their new job. However, that constructive criticism becomes toxic. It starts off slow with general criticism. Often, it turns into peers talking about one another, which in turn breaks the employee’s spirit. Even if this doesn’t occur in front of the person, the word eventually gets back around.

In all of these struggles, we forget the gift of failure.

Joys in Failure

What makes failure such a great concept? Why is failure so important? How do we encourage failure in a positive way?

Failure allows people to grow as individuals. It allows them to reflect on what happened, what went wrong, and how to prepare for the future again. Failure creates an atmosphere for continuous growth. Continuous growth is important for a person to ensure they become better. We can become better as a person, as an employee, as a friend, as a mother, as a father, as a sister, as a brother, etc. If we stay stagnant in who we are, we risk losing important people and things around us. 

Along with growth, failure allows us to handle criticism better – either from ourselves or others. Failure tells us that sometimes things happen, sometimes we mess up, and sometimes we need help, and that’s okay! Having that guidance allows us not to become broken in our self-esteem, but instead to say, “I overcame this,” no matter how big or how small. It breeds self-acceptance of what we can handle and what we can learn. A person who thinks they are always right has no room for growth and will never see the value in failure. 

Failure also allows us to find ways to never give up. When we fail once, we tend to try again. Failing multiple times, especially in adulthood, we tend to get discouraged. However, if we view failure as a lesson rather than an action, we can see where growth can occur.

Applying for a job but not getting it because of a bad interview is a learning experience. We can reflect on why it was bad. Was it the outfit? The noise? The choking during answers? We take time to reflect on the reasons to make changes for the future.

Not making the sports team can also reflect on a lesson. Did we not make the team because of our skills? Teamwork mentality? Conflict in scheduling? Take those lessons and make the necessary changes.

We don’t give up. We learn. We grow.

Change the Mentality of Failure

Failure is so important to the growth of people and society. Without failure, we won’t change, which causes many problems within ourselves and in society. Failure allows us to see the possibilities in what can be. Failure is incredibly important. 

As a society, we need to remember what it was like growing up and how failure was encouraged. We should take those tools we experienced as children and promote them into adulthood. It is okay to fail if we approach it in a way that encourages change. Instead of criticising someone negatively, we need to provide ways to encourage growth that can come from failure. 

Ways to encourage failure: 

  1. Constructive Criticism: Constructive criticism helps someone see where they went wrong and how to fix it without shattering their self-esteem.
  2. Explanation: Explanations help someone understand why, how, what, etc. This will give them clarity on why someone wasn’t happy about a specific issue.
  3. Radical Acceptance: Radical acceptance is just accepting something as it is. “It is what it is…” is the best way to describe radical acceptance. It cannot be changed. What is done is done, what is in the past is in the past. However, I would highly encourage pairing this with constructive criticism or explanation.
  4. Mentoring: Becoming a mentor is often underestimated, especially when it comes to failure. Mentoring should be encouraged to help others learn from someone who excels in the area where they are struggling. It could be one person assigned as a whole mentor or multiple people assigned for a variety of topics in need. Mentors are incredibly important to growth. 

Failure will always be a part of our lives. No one is perfect. Even those who think they are have room to grow. Failure is a part of change and growth. Failure can be overeating, forgetting a blinker at a turn, or not making the score you expected. All of these examples have room for growth if approached the right way.

Going Back to Our Roots – Polar Vortex Edition

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

The United States was recently hit by an Arctic Polar Vortex. Although this isn’t uncommon in northern states, it came as a shock in southern states. Places like Texas hit temperatures, snowfall, and ice records that haven’t been seen in decades or even centuries.

During this historic event, Texas had to implement rolling blackouts to preserve electricity. Some homes went over 12 hours without power. Others lost power for 40 minutes, but then it would turn back on for 15-20 minutes. This left many people without warmth or the ability to cook.

The temperatures were steady between 6° and 20°. Wind chills ranged from 17° to 0°. This was the second time in less than a month that Texas received record-breaking temperatures and snow. Going outside to build a snowman is fun, but maybe only for a few minutes before hypothermia becomes a concern.

Internet service providers were offline. Cell phone towers were overloaded, so data slowed down (or cut in and out). The roads had anywhere between 3 inches and over a foot of snow on the ground, with ice underneath.  Stores closed down or closed early. Food chains shut down for employee safety. County offices shut down for the week. Schools delayed learning face-to-face and virtual (due to power outages). All of this left families and individuals stuck inside with nothing to do.

Unable to go outside for long periods of time, unable to drive anywhere due to road conditions, unable to use power, unable to use the Internet, and having barely any data, when we live in such a technology-driven world, what can be done to prevent oneself from going stir crazy?

Emergency Kits

Hopefully, living in a place like Texas, notorious for severe weather, you’ve stocked up on a variety of candles or emergency lights. Texans are known to prepare for weather events, from hurricanes to tornadoes. Using these emergency kits is beneficial in times when there is no power. But how can they be used?

Reading

By setting up a candle or an emergency light, you can read either a new book or a favorite book. Even as a family, you could return to elementary and secondary school and take turns reading. This can create a bonding moment between members, increase comprehension, and can be fun for an individual or a family.

There are so many genres to read from. We all have our favorites, but maybe this outage provides an opportunity for you to explore new genres. As someone who didn’t enjoy any science fiction-related books, including dystopian, I always looked the other way when I was suggested any science fiction or dystopian books. Harry Potter and Hunger Games never interested me (I know, I know…I’m sorry). It wasn’t until a co-worker introduced me to a dystopian science fiction book, Red Queen, that I was able to truly explore the genre. I enjoyed the book so much that I continued the series. It was a rare moment when I truly enjoyed a genre I had always found unappealing.

I suggest the Genre 10 challenge. In Genre 10, you choose 10 genres of reading that you normally wouldn’t read and give them a shot. Some households already have all the genres, but they are usually dedicated to specific people. What genres can be suggested?

  • Young Adult
  • General Fiction
  • Realistic Fiction
  • Historical Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Romance
  • Dystopian
  • Science Fiction
  • Biography
  • Autobiography
  • Memoir
  • Self-Help
  • Business
  • Finances
  • Psychology

With so many options, even reading one new genre would be worth a try during a national Arctic Polar Vortex.

New Hobbies/Interests

Learning new hobbies or interests is something we don’t often think about, because we live in a country of go, go, go! We don’t give ourselves enough time to explore new tasks anymore. Using your emergency kit, you can spend some time learning something new.

Hair, Beauty, and Fashion

You can use this time and these resources (candles) to explore new styles. Using candlelight, explore makeup, hair, or fashion options.

With a candle lit in the bathroom, you can sit in front of the mirror and begin creating new looks for yourself. By using simple techniques and products (gel, hairspray, mouse, etc.), you can explore new hairstyles. We get so used to seeing ourselves in one way that we become comfortable not changing. Why not use the day(s) to explore a new look that has been considered for some time? Maybe instead of slicking the hair back, explore slicking it forward, to the left, to the right, parted down the middle, etc. Work with updos (man bun exploration). Try a half up-half down look. It may be worth a shot to even bring the mullet back (Miley Cyrus is trying to bring her dad’s signature look back in style).

Makeup is another area to be explored. I’m a pretty simple person when it comes to makeup: mascara and occasionally eyeliner. If you’re like me, or even do slightly more, maybe this is the time to explore full-on facial looks like those of famous makeup artists or influencers (James Charles, Jeffree Star, Jaclyn Hill, Anastasia, Bobbi Brown, Pat McGrath, etc.). Have you always wanted to learn a cut crease or contouring? Try it now! What do you have to lose? You’re in your house with nothing better to do than explore! Want to practice gradient eyeshadows or a smoky eye? Go for it! There could be no better moment than now to explore such interests. Proud of your look? Take some headshots of the new look using your phone or a battery camera (yes, they still exist).

We all have closets with at least one piece of clothing we’ve hung on to, but never worn. Whether the clothing is too big, too small, not in season, or we just haven’t gotten around to it, it’s time to put it to use.

We become comfortable wearing the same outfits, rotating them, and using the same color schemes (nothing like maroon and mustard yellow, purple and yellow, or pink and green). Why not branch out on a day when everything seems hopeless and create some new looks? Take the time to play with color schemes you normally wouldn’t consider. Mix and match outfits with different looks (grungy with preppy, business with casual, modern with vintage). Not an accessories person? Or have so many shoes that you’re not sure how to incorporate them into your fashion? Try them all! There is no better way than to experiment. You’re sure to find something that stands out and makes you excited about wearing it when the weather gets better! As a bonus, you could provide a fashion show for neighbors, friends, or family!

Workout

Bodyweight exercises can be done anywhere! Every year, as a new year’s resolution, so many Americans state they will “eat better and lose weight.” When you have no power, why not challenge yourself to start this new habit? It doesn’t hurt that it keeps you warm in the process. Not sure where to start? We all need a starting point.

Burpees are great for a full-body workout. It can be modified for the advanced or beginner workout. In a beginner range, you may just reach up, bend down to touch the ground, put one foot back at a time, and reverse to come up. As an advanced workout guru, you could squat down, jump up to reach the sky with those buff arms, jump down and kick out at the same time, do a pushup, jump back, and repeat. Any modification in between those two is also great.

Walking, running, side steps, or jumping jacks in place are always simple options. This will get your heart pumping and burning calories when there is nothing else to do. You could do it for hours or in intervals. Maybe walking for 20 minutes, rest for 10, and walk another 20 minutes. Again, this can be modified in any way, but it’s a way to stay busy.

Don’t have weights? Use items around the house. Milk or water jugs are great replacements for dumbbells. Laundry detergents, bleach, and fabric softener also work well. Need something small and light? Use water or soda bottles to lift repeatedly. Do you have a case of water or drinks you can use to lift? Do you have cat litter you can carry? What about a toddler to carry around the house? It’s not so much about the weight as it is about working the muscle. Use a wall for wall pushups or wall sits. Use a chair for dips or stability for leg workouts. Use the resources within the house to build those muscles and get the blood flowing.

Other General Hobbies

Do you love to write? Draw? Sing? Paint? Dance? Use this time to create beautiful masterpieces. You can keep them private, show them off, or send them out when the weather clears, and/or the internet is back on. Make a song, even if it’s just the lyrics. Create a musical chord on your guitar or piano. Create a routine to a song you love. Doodle away or draw a 3D piece. Even without a canvas or paint, we can use makeup, food color, food, or drinks to paint on paper, cardboard, etc. Learn how to hand-sew items or crochet in the dark. I have yarn and a crochet needle that have been sitting in my neglected spare room. Now is the time to dig it out and try it! Start a book (non-fiction or fiction). Do you have stage fright and need the opportunity to practice? Go to a neighbor, sing in front of family, and record yourself to post later. Are you a builder? Do you want to practice building with a variety of media (cardboard, paper, bottles, cards, etc.)? Try it! Practice your poker technique or chess technique for your next big match. Practice the gravitational pulls of spinning a basketball on your finger or balancing something on your head while walking. Are you a sports coach for a local community, or do you want to start getting involved in the community? Use this time to jot down plays, come up with ideas for government bills, municipal involvement/changes, volunteer opportunities, financial investments, etc.

Redecorate, Organize, or Clean

Even by candlelight, we can use this time to redecorate. Want to try a new look for your living room? Do it now while you have time. You don’t like how the bathroom counter looks? Move items around, organize them into boxes below the sink, or find new ways to avoid overcrowding the vanity. Want to rearrange the bedroom to improve movement? Try it now, even by candlelight. If you don’t like it, you can always move it back. Do you not like the dining table near the wall? Try to move it to the center of the kitchen and see if it flows better. If it doesn’t, move it back. Wipe the counters down, dust what you can see, and wipe the doors down. You may not be able to vacuum or mop, but this is an opportunity to do what you can. Now is the perfect time to try these new ideas. Pinterest is overloaded with ideas for people to try!

Try It Now

Being creative seems to be a lost art, especially as we get older. We spend so much time focused on our work and surviving that we lose sight of our passions and creativity. There has never been a better time than sitting in idleness to spark our creativity again and learn something amazing about ourselves. Prevent yourself from getting stir crazy and try something new while you can. There are so many options available to us that we often forget about because the world is now at our fingertips. Maybe going back to our roots isn’t such a bad idea. Don’t miss the opportunity to try these and look back years down the road and say, “I wish I had…”

Goal Setting for 2021

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

There is no doubt that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years for most people. Between a worldwide pandemic, unemployment numbers skyrocketing, inequality issues and protests, statewide wildfires, governmental impeachment, shocking celebrity death (Kobe Bryant and Chadwick Boseman), and other devastating news, society at some point has hit a point in 2020 of sadness and/or stress. We all have hope that 2021 will bring much relief, hope, positivity, and change to our lives. 

Every year, around this time, we tend to make goals and New Year’s Resolutions. This year may be even more important than ever, given the events of 2020. 2020 has opened many of our eyes to what we deserve, need, and want in our lives. But how do we set a good goal that can be accomplished and not forgotten?

SMART Goals

Oftentimes, we make generalized goals. We focus on goals that anyone can reach at any time. When we reach those goals, we don’t feel satisfied. The opposite may happen as well. Our goal may be so generalized that we never reach it. Equally, we don’t receive satisfaction. Why is that? 

Goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Measured ) in nature. 

Specific

Our goals need to be specific to our needs and wants. Without being specific, reaching those goals isn’t as fulfilling. Saying I want to lose weight means something different than saying I want to lose 20 pounds. The more specific the goals are, the more likely you are to strive to achieve success in that goal. 

Measurable

Going hand in hand with specific goals, your goals should be measurable. Having a measurable goal gives you a starting point and an ending point to measure progress. The measurable part of the goal may be intertwined with the specificity, but sometimes the measurement could be separate. 

Attainable

When speaking of measurable goals, they should be attainable. By setting a specific and measurable goal, you have a focus. That focus is pointless if the goal is unattainable. If you’re looking to lose weight, aiming for half a pound to two pounds a week may be realistic. That is an attainable goal. It is a goal you can reach! Choosing unattainable goals will make someone give up on themselves. Setting a goal to lose 40 pounds a month is not attainable for me. You have to know what you are capable of reaching with your motivation and your abilities.

Relevant

The goals should be relevant to you. A goal should be important to you. The more important a goal is to you, the more likely you are to reach that goal. I’m not going to set a goal to walk a mile a day when I already accomplish that daily. That goal will not be important to me, and I’ll get no satisfaction from reaching it.

Time Measured

It’s important to set a timeframe for achieving the goal. It should be specific and realistic. I know setting a goal to lose 30 pounds in two weeks is not realistic for me. If I set a goal to lose 30 pounds in six months, I know I can succeed. The time frame is incredibly important in measuring progress toward reaching your goals.

More importantly, declare the goal. Don’t state the goal as a want, but as a manifestation. 

Example Generalized Goals:

  • I will lose weight.
  • I will travel.
  • I will learn new skills.
  • I will learn yoga.
  • I will clean my house.
  • I will ride my bike.

Example Specific Goals: 

  • I will lose 20 pounds to improve my health within the first three months of 2021.
  • I will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to explore career options between June 2021 and August 2021. 
  • I will take an Adobe Photoshop course to expand my career abilities by April 2021. 
  • I will learn and master 10 new yoga poses by December 2021. 
  • I will clean my house once a week according to the following schedule:
    • Sunday: Laundry, Dishes, Vacuum
    • Monday: Dusting, Dishes, Vacuum
    • Tuesday: Organizing, Dishes, Vacuum
    • Wednesday: Mirrors, Counters, Laundry, Dishes, Vacuum
    • Thursday: Walls, Baseboards, Dishes, Vacuum
    • Friday: Fridge, Oiling Cabinets, Dishes, Vacuum
    • Saturday: Bathroom, Dishes, Vacuum
  • I will ride my bike at least one mile a day around the neighborhood to improve my health by May 2021. 

Setting goals has always been important. Undoubtedly, 2021 will be one of the biggest growth years for everyone. Setting SMART Goals helps you achieve success, have something to look forward to, and something to celebrate when the goal is reached. 

How COVID Changed Education

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

COVID has completely changed the way the world operates. It has affected how we interact as people, how we learn, how we do jobs, how we celebrate big events (baby showers, birthdays, weddings), and more. The area most impacted by COVID has been education.

Setting

With the COVID-19 shutdown in March, the physical setting of school has changed in several ways.

Virtual or Building

Over the summer, teachers and administrators received detailed, intensive training on how to meet students’ needs during a global pandemic, both virtually and in person. This training was needed, regardless of a global pandemic. With the uptick in technological needs, the training teachers and administrators received was a lifelong necessity.

Since March 2020, students have been learning virtually. Initially, schools were thrown into the new process, and lessons weren’t well-developed. Teachers and students struggled with how lessons were presented in late Spring 2020. Students who were already behind in grade level fell even further behind, due to the lack of time teachers had to prepare for the national shutdown.

504 and Special Education

It appeared that students with 504 and SpEd needs were indirectly left behind. Although teachers tried to adapt to the needs of those with special circumstances, it was impossible to provide all the necessary tools with minimal training and preparation. Case managers of 504 and SpEd students did not know how to provide many accommodations. Some accommodations came naturally, such as: extra time, eliminating answer choices/shortened answer choices, and oral testing.

Parental Support

Parents and/or guardians weren’t sure how to provide for their students’ educational needs. It may seem easy to hover over a student to ensure they complete work, but completing work and learning are two different concepts. USA Today provided a great insight into how students and parents/guardians are struggling to meet their students’ special education needs.

Choices and Growth

This year, campuses received an option to start virtually or in person. Daily Voice talks about how this could be the new normal, which I agree with. Some states allowed their districts to delay the start, while other districts chose to go against their states’ wishes and risk losing funding. Many campuses chose to offer a combination of in-person and virtual options. This presented new challenges (how to account for true attendance, when work is due, lessons delivered virtually and in person, what to do with students who do not complete work, how to handle special circumstances, password lockouts, eLearning platforms crashing, etc.).

Even though this was a more successful start than in March 2020, and most teachers were better prepared to handle the curriculum, some still struggle with the new methods expected of them. Older generations of teachers struggled with uploading materials, making videos, using eLearning platforms, and the like. Districts tried to hire a fresh round of employees (teachers, technologists, coaches, etc.) to support these struggling learners and replace teachers who left due to COVID.

Workload

One of the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic is the increased workload for teachers, administrators, coaches, technologists, and case managers.

Before and Now

Teachers were already facing an uphill battle with documentation for state and federal guidelines, but now they are facing additional documentation due to the choice to be virtual or in-person. Refinery 29 offers valuable insight into what teachers faced at the beginning and middle of the pandemic, directly from teachers. Teachers were already required to provide lesson plans, substitute plans, emergency substitute plans, teacher input for 504 and SpEd students, tracking of accommodations, parent or guardian contact, tracking of work submissions and/or failures, and attendance.

In addition to all of this, teachers around the world are now required to meet additional documentation requirements for the campus and/or district to receive funding. A student going to the nurse now requires documentation that had never been an issue before due to COVID. A student who is not submitting work online requires more documentation than an email or a phone call home. Teachers are now tracking how much a student has completed virtually, providing in-person and virtual tutoring, logging Zoom or Google Meet meetings for in-person and virtual classes, teaching simultaneously in-person and on Zoom, and maintaining discipline in in-person and virtual classes.

Technology Experts

Teachers have also become the first point of contact for technology issues, with the expectation that they know how to resolve them. Teachers have faced password lockouts, password resets, Microsoft 365 or G Suite not loading in eLearning platforms, Zoom or Google Meet not connecting, work not submitting to eLearning platforms, work not opening on these platforms, these platforms crashing, and much more.

Physical Layout of Building

Although campus structures did not change, the way campuses handle the physical layout of classrooms, lunchrooms, hallways, bathrooms, and more has changed. The CDC issued new guidelines for campuses that limit decision-making for teachers and administrators.

Distancing

Classrooms across the United States went from an average of 25-30 students per core classroom (math, science, history, and English language arts) to about 10-20 students per classroom. To meet the needs of the global pandemic, desks were rearranged and spread out throughout the classroom. Although teachers and students may not be able to maintain a six-foot distance, teachers tried to aim for a minimum of three to five feet by placing desks farther apart. However, classrooms just aren’t large enough to maintain social distancing requirements. Mashable shows some pictures of what teachers are facing currently.

An example of an attempt to social distance is from a local campus:

Masks

So how do teachers get around this? Districts made it mandatory that students and teachers wear some sort of face covering (shield, mask, or a combination of both – anything except bandanas). In doing so, teachers are still trying to space desks about 3-4 feet apart. This isn’t ideal for a classroom for a variety of reasons, mainly because it changes how teachers plan their lessons. However, everyone’s safety is the number one priority. If that means we have less collaboration and engagement in face-to-face learning to be safe, then that is what the campus must do.

Fountains

Water fountains were covered and/or disconnected on some campuses to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Some water fountains were replaced with water bottle refill stations. Another option campuses have offered is leaving the water fountains uncovered, but only for refilling water bottles. That places a lot of trust in students and requires a lot of adult supervision to ensure they are used properly.

Procedures

As mentioned previously, facial coverings are now required for adults and students in the building. Although they have options as to their facial covering, this still presents many issues.

What happens if a student comes unprepared with a mask? How many chances do they get in order to self-correct? How many free masks will students receive before disciplinary action is taken? Will disciplinary actions occur? What is considered a truly appropriate mask in terms of coverage and design? Too many questions and not enough answers!

Cleaning Routines

Teachers, bus drivers, and custodians are all working overtime to ensure their environments are sterilized. Bus drivers are required to sanitize the bus after every drop-off. This includes seating, railings, or any other area a student may touch. Custodians are wiping stair railings, door handles, and benches (even though students are not supposed to sit on them, they are cleaning to ensure they are safe), fogging rooms and bathroom stalls, and more.

Although several of these cleanings have always been done (such as bathroom stalls), the sanitizing process takes much longer, sometimes requiring bathrooms to be shut down temporarily. Teachers are using medical-grade disinfectant to wipe desks, chairs, keyboards, books, dictionaries, and much more in between classes. Mind you, teachers are supposed to be in the hallway between passing periods. Teachers also have to worry about students with allergies to any cleaner. The disinfectant needs to sit for at least three minutes. Passing periods for most middle school campuses range from three to five minutes. It makes it difficult for a teacher to be at two places at once, while ensuring safety both with COVID and allergies.

Supplies

Teachers are no longer allowed to “borrow out” supplies. Students cannot lend supplies to other students. If a student comes unprepared, teachers constantly give them supplies to keep. This doesn’t seem like a big deal. However, if a student needs a pen/pencil every 180 days, that will add up to an average of 150 students per middle school teacher and 200 per high school teacher. These are endless battles faced in a typical school year, but teachers typically have procedures in place to retrieve their items. Given that most supplies come from teachers’ income, these new procedures can be frustrating, but they are necessary to keep everyone safe.

Nurses/Clinic Assistance

Nurses’ routines have also been affected by COVID. In the past, the nurse would welcome any student to their office with minor issues (headaches, bandages, feminine products, etc.). However, with COVID, the procedure for sending a student to the nurse’s office has changed drastically.

Unless a student has a medical condition (diabetes, allergies requiring EPI pens, seizures, a G-tube, etc.) or COVID-19 symptoms, students’ medical needs should be assessed in the classroom. Teachers were equipped with the necessary tools to handle many medical issues within the classroom.

Nurses used to be able to check the vital signs of teachers and administrators. Yet again, COVID has changed this. Teachers and administrators are no longer allowed into nurses’ offices. If you are concerned about having your vitals taken, nurses have offered to come to the teachers’ classrooms. This shouldn’t be because of a curious moment; it should be because they feel something is bothering them (heart racing, dizziness, etc.).

Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast and lunch used to be times when students could socialize and release their energy for the day. Now, students are expected to skip seats and minimize their movement and socialization. Imagine seeing your best friend daily, but not allowed to sit by them or talk to them because a pandemic is limiting you.

Impact on Educational Setting

Although some may see the pandemic as a benefit, with fewer face-to-face classes, there are several drawbacks. Because of the pandemic, students are no longer allowed to work in small groups, collaboration groups, or similar settings. This is harming students’ education. Collaboration is the essence of all future jobs for students. More importantly, collaboration helps students understand the material by discussing it with peers.

There are millions of people impacted by COVID-19, but the biggest group facing change right now is those in education: teachers, students, paraprofessionals, and administrators. School districts have lost teachers at an alarming rate, and it won’t slow down as long as the coronavirus is around.

Virtual Learning – A Gift or a Curse?

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

With the lovey visitation of COVID-19 (coronavirus), our world has been turned upside down. Some of the United States have been affected by this since late-January. Other parts of the United States didn’t feel the repercussions until around March. Although many states have shut down, most states reopened around late May/early June.

Impact on the Educational Industry

One of the biggest impacted areas has been education. Around March, nationwide schools shut down to prevent the spread of COVID. Given so many unknowns, even to this day, it was the safest thing to do. Districts nationwide readjusted or extended their Spring Break to figure out how the rest of the year would be handled. Many districts took the situation week-by-week.

The Start to Virtual Learning Outside of College

One of the go-to options was digital/virtual learning. Even so, many districts were ill-prepared for the last-minute changes. Many families didn’t have Internet access, technology, time, the ability, or much else to handle virtual learning. Internet providers stepped up and provided discounted or free service for a short time to help students learn. Some districts provided technology to students, but quickly ran out. Parents/guardians were temporarily on hold with their lives, but lacked the teaching credentials to properly help their child. When they returned to work, they weren’t around to ensure students completed their work.

When summer hit, many schools canceled summer school. However, with school starting again – now what!?

The Return to School 2020-2021

Summer Training

Teachers around the world, especially in the United States, have spent their summer preparing for the return to school in various ways. Much of their professional development was focused on virtual incorporation and/or whole-hearted online learning. Teachers discovered tools like Flipgrid to connect students from around the world, Nearpod to help students complete teacher-led or student-led lessons, PlayPosit to help students stay engaged with YouTube videos, and many other online learning tools.

In addition to virtual teaching strategies, tools, and techniques, teachers also had professional development on their normal blood-borne pathogens, suicide awareness, mental health, FERPA, and more. This year was even more affected by the additional COVID-19 training campuses had to complete (signs, symptoms, cleaning procedures, how to handle, how to social distance in a classroom, etc.).

Questions

In addition to their regular and virtual training, teachers also had to figure out much of their future for themselves. What masks work? Would they wear a mask all day (yes, we found out)? How do you social distance 25-35 kids in a classroom the size of a standard American kitchen? What happens if someone gets COVID-19 in the building? Where do they find sanitizer that doesn’t smell like tequila? Where do they find wipes for their desks, handles, and other surfaces? How do they handle small group instruction? How do they lend out books for students to read? How do they lend out supplies for those who can’t afford it (CDC states no communal supplies, so that solved that concern)?

Teachers were left with a million questions and received a lot of “we’re not sure.” With so much uncertainty, many teachers opted to leave the profession or retire, leaving an already short-staffed profession even more understaffed.

What’s the News?

School districts around the world are still unsure about the status of COVID-19. There is a lot of debate on whether students can or cannot transfer it to adults, each other, etc. As a result, many school districts gave parents/guardians the option of online or virtual learning. Some districts delayed school; some still have plans in the air; and some are deciding to open. The one trend I keep seeing, though, is that virtual learning is here to stay regardless of COVID-19.

Many people are not happy about this trend. They have many of the same concerns as in March-June (lack of technology, slow or no Internet, no time at home, and more). However, I think a lot of society is missing the good in the situation.

The Good in Virtual Learning

With life in the digital world, there is no doubt that the upcoming generation needs to be more technologically prepared than ever before. We aren’t talking about Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat integration, but about true digital needs such as Microsoft Office, G Suite, digital design, writing, and much more.

Many students in a classroom throughout high school have no idea how to format a paper properly, on their own, to write a college-level entrance essay. That’s a problem! Students can take this opportunity to learn so many beneficial aspects of virtual learning.

Repetition

When teachers record lessons in their classroom or at home, students can rewatch them as many times as needed. A student who may be 504, Dyslexic, Special Education, Emotionally Disturbed, or have other (dis)abilities can rewatch it several times for clarification. Students may be able to pause and take notes instead of trying to focus in class while writing. Even if the teacher provided notes online, students could underline, highlight, or take additional notes during the virtual lesson.

Scheduling

If they’re unable to watch the lesson from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, when class is, they can find the recording later in the day and still be held responsible for the content presented during the lesson. This is a great planning tool for entrepreneurs, college preparation, job scheduling, and more. Maybe the student is a night owl and works better in the afternoon than in the morning. This will give those students an opportunity to focus better. This is also great if they have a parent who works from home and needs to use the computer/Internet during the day for business. The student can spend the afternoon completing their work.

Responsibility, Team Work & Work Ethic

One of the biggest benefits is teaching students responsibility, teamwork, and a work ethic. Through online learning, even in elementary school, students develop a sense of responsibility. They are responsible for completing their work and turning it in. Just like an in-person classroom, they are responsible for completing and turning in their work. However, this puts more pressure on a student because they don’t have someone reminding them constantly throughout the day to complete and turn in their work.

This is also a great way for students to learn true teamwork. With programs like Microsoft Office and G Suite, students can collaborate with each other remotely. Depending on how the teachers set up the assignment, students will be able to work virtually with one another. With many careers requiring collaboration within their network, it is important to instill this, whether in person or virtually. So many tools are available for students to collaborate on documents or videos!

It is so incredibly easy to cheat with virtual learning. However, there is a lot of risk, as it becomes easier to copy and paste a handwritten response. Virtual learning puts a bit of pressure on students to ensure they’re not plagiarizing, sharing answers, or Googling them. It’s acceptable to use Google as a research tool, or in our case a way to look information up we may not know, but it’s not okay to use it as a copy and paste skill.

College Prep

America is one of the countries that may have all the greatness, but we severely lack in college preparation – whether it be academics, life skills, social interactions, or financial responsibility. We need to do a better job of preparing these students for college, and virtual learning is no exception.

Many colleges use virtual learning in some aspect of their students’ education. Even in-person lessons have a virtual component so students can submit work (papers, presentations, designs, analyses, financial literacy breakdowns, etc.). By introducing some of these minimal modalities (such as papers and presentations), students will be prepared not only to format them but also to write and submit them. Although the college may use a different eLearning platform, they will still be able to get an idea of where to submit and/or learn faster on the new platform.

Although that may seem minor in terms of benefits for virtual learning, it is extremely impactful when discussing the preparation of students for post-secondary learning. Our nation has become one in which having a Bachelor’s degree is no longer sufficient for education. The competition for employment is astronomical! When given the tools in advance, students can better focus on classes that are more relevant to real-life experience and internships.