My Offer

First posted to my private facebook page at the start of week 2 of New York State quarantine, March 22, 2020.

As my family enters week two of this new norm, I’ve been reflecting a little... 

Over the weekend I’ve seen so many of my friends and ex-colleagues post a generous offer of help as a teacher. Reaching out to all they know as a maths teacher or ELA teacher or with some other subject specialism, offering help and support with academics to parents. What a sense of relief that is to so many of us that someone is there to support us, especially if like me you are feeling technologically overwhelmed, emotionally overwhelmed and information overloaded, and if I’m being honest maybe a little bit scared as well. 

In a life long ago forgotten, as many of you know already, I was a maths teacher, so I make that offer here and now myself, if you want me to explain something to you or your child please ask. If you want it explaining to you so you can then explain it on to them just ask. If you want to rant about how maths has changed feel free, but know I categorically think it has changed for the better! I especially love algebra; I love the way it works and how the beauty of it makes me feel calm; so you’d be helping me too because don’t we all need to grab a little calm in our lives right now? I’m not a geometry fan, but I have good friends who are, and I am confident that they would be there to help you if you needed it!

But what you may not know about me though is that behavior was my thing too, not the shout and tell you off kind of behavior, although ask my girls and they’ll tell you I have that nailed too, but the kind of group behavior; fine tweaking your actions to bring about positive changes with the children you are working with. Throughout my teaching career I always considered myself more a teacher of children than subject matter, so here is my offer to you... If you are floundering with playing different roles while having your children home all day; being teacher, parent and play companion; if you are all struggling to find a way to make this work for you or if you have a specific problem not even related to our present way of living, reach out. Let me brainstorm with you ideas that might just help you. Let me refresh my skill base; I’m a great listener, non judgy and I have a wealth of ideas and solutions for lots of problems and I’m betting between us we could come up with a plan to make things just a little smoother for you and your household...