More Than They Bargained For

Teachers, I am smiling. It's not because I have two successful days of teaching from home under my belt, although that's something to celebrate. It's because of a book title.

Lessons on Love

I knew about this book before, but its title struck me as apropos today. Lessons on Love: 4 Schoolteachers Find More Than They Bargained for in Their Contracts.

Can't we all relate?

Teachers in America and beyond are on a steep learning curve right now, taking what once came from a textbook or the convenient workroom photocopier and scanning it, emailing it, posting it online. . .or finding an outside-the-box solution. We're learning Flipgrid, Zoom, Google Classroom, and dozens of other applications we might never have heard of two weeks ago.

And there's the emotional learning curve. We've always been there to support students in their learning, but now we can't be there face to face. There are screens between us, and sometimes our students don't have the tech they need to succeed. We're overwhelming parents with too much communication, even as we wonder if some of our students have dropped off the face of the earth. We want to pray for our students, but find ourselves crying out desperately in prayer for ourselves and our own families instead. How will we stock the fridge when the store shelves are empty? How will we keep our families safe?

We've all found more than we bargained for in our contracts this year.

And maybe it will prove, in the end, to be a lesson on love.

We've always loved our families. Now many of us have them close to us at all times. Can we still speak lovingly? Can we allay our children's fears?

We've always loved our students. Can we pray for their physical and spiritual needs now more than ever? Can we show up for each day ready to reassure our students that they can do distance learning?

Of course, to serve others, we have to first refresh ourselves.

The verse I have posted in my workspace is John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

If I can make this verse my true belief, I'll rely on God to keep me safe, to settle my heart in this most unsettling time, to fill my cup. Then I can pour out for others.


Have you found "more than you bargained for" in your teaching contract this year? Tell us about it!

How one small-town public library continues to serve during shelter-at-home

This week, I had the opportunity to interview the director of the Camas County Public Library, Stephanie Jewett, about how this small library has much to offer, even during social distancing. The resulting article is ready to read in the Weekly Beaver, another small-town Idaho gem. I guess this is what teachers do during Spring Break of the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking for some great reads? I received an email today from a friend seeking some fresh book picks for her family. Here's what I sent her:

• The Lost City of the Monkey God (nonfiction, archeology, Central America)
• Where'd You Go, Bernadette (silly, mental health, absurdities of schools, Antarctica)
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (nonfiction, cell science, medical ethics, real people)
• On the easier reading end of the spectrum, A Wolf Called Wander (wolf protagonist, classic story of a journey, based on a real wolf's trek)
• Also for younger reading, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (historical fiction set in Maine, whales, discrimination, baseball)
• For John Grisham fans, An Equal Justice by Chad Zunker (legal thriller, helping homeless people in Austin, TX)
• And if you haven't read Tana French's police thriller In the Woods, it's gripping. It's the first in a series set in and around Dublin, Ireland.

What have you read lately? Have any book recommendations for families with kids? Share in the comments!

Two stories accepted for publication

As always in my free time, I've been sending out pieces of writing to publishers during my "shelter at home" season. What a thrill to check my email this morning and find two acceptances waiting for me!

One story is a flash fiction that will be published in an upcoming online issue of Crack the Spine Literary Magazine.

The second, a short story, will appear in Barely South Review this spring.

More details as they emerge. In the meantime, if you would like to check out some of my previous work, stop by Penultimate Peanut Magazine to read "The Ghosts of the Composers," a flash fiction story. You can also hear me read my story "A Meandering Blue" on the podcast Second Hand Stories. I hope you enjoy!

Audible Offers Free Listens For Kids

With the whole family home, life during social distancing looks entirely different. School's out, Dad's working from home, and Mom is supposed to be taking some time off during the week that once was labeled "Spring Break," but is now just another week of sheltering in place.

In a way, it feels more like Thanksgiving. No, there's no huge feast on the horizon, and the melting snow reminds me that it's really the end of March. But I'm so thankful! This overwhelming sense of gratitude keeps washing over me, not just for the rest we're all getting, but for a family that's fun to be around, food in the cupboards, and time to catch up with friends and extended family by phone, email, and texts.

And we're reviving some of our hobbies, which brings a whole lot of satisfaction to each day. The kids are reading, cleaning their rooms voluntarily, playing with Legos, and walking the dog without being asked. I'm baking, reading, writing, and catching up on housework that had fallen by the wayside a bit during the busy school semester. Check out this No-Knead, Five-Minute Artisan Bread recipe on Leite's Culinaria. So easy and so good!

We're a family of listeners, so one fun treat has been Audible's new, free kids' page, stories.audible.com. You don't need an account or credits to listen, and there's something for every age. No, I'm not an affiliate. I just love good books!

A few of the titles offered are old favorites of mine: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss (read by the voice of Yogi Bear); Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, read by Rachel McAdams; White Fang and The Call of the Wild by Jack London; and The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle.

There are many more audio stories, including several in languages other than English.

How are you passing the time during "Shelter at Home"?