Flexible. Resilient. Positive.

The 2020/2021 school year will look different from any other that has come before. Whether we are returning online, face-to-face, or in a hybrid setting, teaching and learning have been altered, and we are adapting in ways we never imagined would be necessary. I have to admit that years ago, when I described myself as “flexible” during my job interview, I never dreamed that that quality would be put to the test quite like this. I have changed classrooms, grade levels, curriculums, and teaching partners (just to name a few), but the changes required because of COVID-19 are like none I ever imagined. They came without warning, choice, or time to prepare. And all teachers’ “flexibility” was put to the test.

The word flexible is defined as “capable of bending easily without breaking.” Synonyms include accommodating, adjustable, and resilient. Resilient means “being able to recover quickly.” So, to be flexible during this time we should be able to bend, not break, and recover quickly? That is a tall order! However, the good news is, we are doing it! We finished the last school year under undesirable circumstances, and now we are attempting to plan “flexibly” for this year. And as we work to be flexible and resilient, I challenge us to add one more attribute—be positive.

The current learning situation is new for teachers and students alike. And our students will take their mindset cues from us, so let’s have them be positive. For example, we can replace saying what we can’t do because of physical distancing with saying what we can do.

Instead of, “Class, you can’t sit by a friend this year, so I had to get rid of our comfortable seating. You will need to stay in your desks all day. Sorry they are hard and uncomfortable.”

Try, “This year we got creative! Of course, we all want to be safe, so I moved the furniture out to make room for each of you to have your own personal space. In this space, you can sit on your carpet square, lie under your desk, sit on your desk chair—whatever is most comfortable for you. You know yourself best, so you get to choose based on your comfort.”

Flexible, resilient, and positive: our mantra for the year will ensure a school year where we can thrive and succeed. Maybe we should put it on T-shirts . . . or better yet, masks. Or maybe just a sticky note on our computer, lesson plans, or conferring notebook, so we can lead in a way that all students deserve.