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Let's refocus ourselves and our sense of purpose

      I realize that I am perhaps too new at teaching to have much clout on this topic, but I do know what it is like to change gears. I went from being a manager of people, of the flow of goods into and out of a building, to a middle school teacher, where I am now a manager of people, of the flow of papers in and out of the turn in basket, and making sure punches aren't thrown between barbs and raised voices.      Surprise! 2020, COVID-19, and in March the world came to a screeching halt. Fall 2020 and we are still online. I teach social studies to 6th graders. I am transitioning students from elementary to middle school in one of the top diverse schools in the nation. We are a Title I school where my students come to me with very little online knowledge outside of TikTok or video games.      We are realizing, that at least for this year we have to recalibrate. We have to hit the breaks on expectations, of the year, of the lessons, and of th...
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Saying No, to say Yes!

       Since March 2020 we, in America have been in crisis mode. We have been in lock downs, online-zooming in to classes, wearing masks and keeping 6 feet apart. I feel blessed that 3 years ago I switched careers to teaching. This actually has been helpful, because #1 I still have a job, and #2 I am able to work at home. What this pandemic has helped me with, is in order to be the best teacher and mom that I can be, sometimes you have to say no, in order to be better at your jobs, as a teacher, an employee, a friend, a mother, a daughter, etc.      This enforced time home has helped families refocus on each other. It has forced the world to slow down, and stay in. We are working both harder (and if we are lucky) smarter. During the spring, when we all switched to online teaching, what was very clear to me, is that I did not know what I was doing. Clear as day. I didn't know how to help my kids, both biological or my students. So what I did was spend m...
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Walking in a Winter Wonderland

       As I was walking to the babysitters, yes this is another way you know it is 2020, I was looking around me. As I crossed the empty road I could see one car driving about a quarter mile away. The elementary parking lot was empty and the playground had an eerie post apocalyptic feel. I cut through the woods behind the elementary and continued. As I walked I could see some people looking out their windows at me. I could hear the questions in my head, "Why is she out there?" "Where is her mask?" "Where could she be going?" I can't help, but wonder why?     2020 has been no one's dream year (except maybe Amazon and other online retailers). I think when life hands us lemons, let's make some lemon meringue! I am a big proponent for the power of positive thinking. That is not to say ignore reality, but maybe to look at reality, and choose to not focus entirely on the negative.      "Easier said than done!" "But what about...."...
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Welcome to my first post! 11/11/2020

Well it is official, the world is on fire. 2020 has created a perfect storm. We are in a perfect storm of pandemic, riots, murder bees, hunker down orders, alien ships, China conspiracies/aggressions, to vaccine or not to vaccine and now voter fraud? We have/do not have a president. Yay, could we be more complicated? Well, my name is Tanya Nault and I am a new teacher in Anchorage, AK at Clark Middle School. Well, technically I am still considered new, this is the beginning of my third year. I teach Social Studies to sixth graders. I am a late in life career changer.  This year, maybe more than any other, I feel a calling to do this. I feel like we need to be here for our youth. There is so much separation, loneliness and fear, that classes at least can give students a sense of structure and same-ness even in our "new normal." I feel that teaching in a Title I school that is #21 in the nation for "Most Diverse Middle Schools" shows me more than most how much a posit...
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