Reading for Treasure: To Distance or Not to Distance - and What About Groceries?

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction. I had planned on having a version that did not focus on COVID-19 or the current situation, but then I read these articles and saw these videos. Maybe next month, we’ll focus on one television show you may or may not be watching (or if you aren’t, you should). Instead, here are some more topical information that is worth your attention:

It would be wonderful if everyone was social (now we say physical) distancing, but that isn’t happening. The Atlantic’s article, “We’re Not ‘All In It Together’” hits the nail on the head. It is a primer on “civic character” and social responsibility. Read it!

If we are trying to convince someone to follow the CDC guidelines and stay at home, this video might help – especially if they have a short attention span. This is a wonderful visualization of how social distancing can stop the virus from spreading from the State of Ohio and is well worth the little time it takes to watch.

If you want a simulation that is more detailed and personal, this video might work. This Canadian demonstration asks you to personalize the video by selecting avatars for yourself and others near you. It makes its point very clearly!

As we move further toward needing to reopen our economy, there are two concepts that keep coming up: testing and tracing. The Atlantic’s article, “The Technology That Could Free America From Quarantine” lays out other countries’ experiences with track and trace apps on people’s phones. Apple Insider goes into the problems with this concept and provides information on Apple and Google’s current efforts to create a platform for a track and trace app (or apps) in the United States: “Apple and Google’s Contact Tracing won’t stop COVID-19, But It Will Help.”

Finally, there have been a lot of videos and articles about how to bring groceries and take-out foods safely into your house. The Boston Public Television station, WGBH presents a less scary and more reasonable set of instructions: “No, You Don’t Need to Disinfect Your Groceries. But Here’s How to Shop Safely.”

Speaking of being on topic, I am currently reading Connie Willis’s The Doomsday Book and, although it was written in 1992, it is all about what is going on now – and it is an outstanding read!

When This Is Over...

When This is Over…

We will breathe, dance, run, prance,

And laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh

Physical distance won’t rule the way

We will connect, high-five, shake,

And the space between us will fill with friendship

We will embrace our neighbors, strangers, children,

And move without worry

We will touch, recover, hug each other

We will gaze together under the slightly larger asteroid from space,

And cry

We will wake with new vision, light, love, and faith

Within and without and between and about,

And the lights that have gone out

We still won’t like poetry

We will realize the line between need and want

How much we have,

And mourn

When the noise is gone,

And the lights have faded, the air has calmed

What will we have learned?

We will think twice before canceling plans to stay at home

We will learn to be fearless in the face of fear

Because our love for each other is stronger

We will be inclusive, joyful, and grateful

We will understand that a person’s worth is more than a paycheck or title

That everyone deserves health care and more than minimum

That retirement funds don’t trump well-being

Our planet will be graced with healing

Will we be who we were before?

Will we carry this experience for more than a moment?

Will we help the many people still hurting?

Will we take each other for granted?

Will we be happy with less, and willing to share?

Will we be ready to do this again?

Will we be still?

We will gather in restaurants and feed each other

Drink deeply, have date night, and get our hair done

Anybody want a peanut?

We will remember fear, sadness, strength, and peace

Meals with our families, Zooming together

Missing our teachers and students, learning at a distance,

And the power of art

We will get married,

And something else starts

We will remember when people asked us to share the first

Blue picture on our phones

We will no longer compare, divide, judge, and separate

We will take up the “vorpal sword” and fight the “slithy toves”

We will show some spine and shine

We will be political, civil, and responsible,

And we will admit when we were wrong,

And do better

We will all know how to wash our hands

The right way

We will have moments of life renewing change

We will have learned to savor the simple things

There will be a new normal

We will be proud of our choices and say, “This I did, this we did”

We will honor the heroes and be grateful

And see the world anew

  

Thank you to the poets who contributed to this piece: Chip Anderson, Matthew Aaron, Susan Adamo Baliles, Matt Barinholtz, Emily Anne, Hannah Benson, Eileen Berman, Christine Blevins, Sherri Bresn, Shenach Cameron, Roberta Cohen, Helen Crowley,  Marla Davis, Paul Degen, Allan Dorfman, Jessica Lensch Falk, Joel Finkle, Patricia Fragen, Abby Forman Gagerman, Susan Schaumberg Gorman, Audris Griffith,  Gerald Guglielmo, Leora Hatchwell, David Hirsch, Bevin Horn, Scott Horwitz, Debbie Hymen, Tracy Jacobson, Andrea Haynes Johnson, Maralyn Kolze, Audrey Cohn Levy, Eli Lovejoy, Susan Meredith, Suz Alaine, Ben Nick, Besflores Nievera Jr, Mary Vanderbeck Parker, Phil Patton, Julia Bauchner Roth, Marisa Roubik, Frances Salvato, Allison Grockis Schlender, Randy Schultz, Sheila Sebor, Jim Shepard, Danette Sills, Steven H Silver, Harry Steindler, Ryan Wiczer-Leist, and Marcy Wingard.

The story of this poem: Like our work to “flatten the curve,” this poem was a group project. It started as a post on Facebook. I asked my Facebook friends to write a list poem with me. I gave them the start, “When this is over…”  and they wrote beautifully!

All of their words form the word cloud image that accompanies the poem here. I took their words, found themes and repetitions, feelings and thoughts, and created this version of the poem. While not every phrase or sentence from every poet is included, I tried to include something from each poet’s contribution. I apologize if I have not done this as completely as some of the poets would want.

This poem does not have to be finished. Feel free to keep writing it – as a group, on your own, or any way that has meaning for you. It is not over.

Postivitiy is Powerful Medicine

My grandmother did everything wrong: She ate fatty, sugary foods. She never exercised. She didn’t smoke, but she enjoyed her whiskey sours and “happy time.” She was a cook and baker of the old school and she ate what she made. She lived a long and healthy life. For all but her last few months, she was not taking any regular medications, lived on her own, took the bus to the grocery store, and was completely “with it.” She passed away at ninety-eight years old.

Her family thinks we know her longevity secrets. We think we understand why she lived so long and so well: first, she was the most positive person we knew. Negatives glanced off of her. She did not ignore the problems and struggles but approached them with a can-do optimistic attitude that was powerful and infectious.

She was also the most social person I knew. I was aware as a teenager that, if I wanted my grandmother to come to my play, I had to give her the date months in advance. If I wanted to go to lunch with her and celebrate one of our birthdays, I had to be sure to call book early because her calendar was full! I was often amazed that everyone seemed to know my Nana – and not only know her, they burst into smiles when I told them that I was Esther Hirsch’s grandson, “Esther Hirsch! She is amazing!” I know.

As we hunker down and become socially distant, we need to remember these two lessons. The way we approach the world, our attitudes and outlook can shape more than just our mental state. Our connection with others and the community is a lifeline as much as any cold remedy.

As other older folks would outline their physical woes and pains, my grandmother would declare, “I don’t have any conditions!” She didn’t. She didn’t have medical conditions and she didn’t place lots of conditions on anyone. When her sons married, she welcomed their wives and their wives' parents, siblings, cousins, and anyone else who was important to them. Her embrace extended to all the people she loved and the people they loved. She cherished these relationships with dinners, parties, outings, and celebrations. She took no one for granted.

She didn’t text. She had no email. She called everyone. She knew what was going on with her brothers, their wives, and all the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren! She saw everyone. Often I had to share her when we went out to eat. There were cousins from Los Angeles, children of a dear friend who had passed, a friend of a friend, and the neighbor from down the hall. She made no distinctions. Religion didn’t matter. Ethnicity didn’t matter. If you were loved by someone she loved, then she loved you – and now you were family.

As we face the COVID-19 virus separately in our own homes, I need to remind myself of my grandmother. We are not really alone. We can text, email, video chat, and call each other – and we must! We can wring our hands and worry and curse the doom and gloom, or we can take that energy and make positive choices. We can choose how we look at this.

I know my grandmother had down moments. When my aunt passed away, she kept saying how this was not the natural order of things. Life was not always rosy because she wore rose-colored glasses. She was aware of the struggles and the successes.

But she did not let those things color her worldview. Over and over, she would return from a funeral, wake, or shiva and extol the person who had passed and praise their family. When her friends passed away, she connected with and consoled their children. After all, they were all her family.

An optimistic attitude and the loving arms of friends are potent medicines. They can’t cure on their own and they won't replace the precautions we must take now, but they provide positive protection and power. We need all the time, but especially now.

Thanks, Nana. I miss you, and your presence is far more powerful than your absence.

Reading For Treasure: COVID-19

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction! This list is an extension of my prior post. Here are some more articles about the current COVID-19 crisis:

Americans would most likely not tolerate a mandatory lockdown. There are alternatives and lessons to be learned from how other countries have structured social distancing: First, China, Then Italy. “What the U.S. Can Learn From Extreme Coronavirus Lockdowns:” The Washington Post

This article is an interview with Nicholas Christakis, a social scientist and physician at Yale University about the closing of schools. Dr. Chistakis argues for proactive closures of schools: closings before there are any cases directly in the school. “Does closing schools slow the spread of coronavirus? Past outbreaks provide clues:” Science Magazine

The CDC has a phone app that will send you notifications. Here is the link to the CDC webpage with information about the app. Here is the link to the CDC’s page on COVID-19.

One of the questions that I had was “How Long Does Coronavirus Live On Different Surfaces”  and this Lifehacker article clearly answers that!

Another issue for all of us staying at home is getting food. The Atlantic has a thoughtful piece that addresses this question: “How You Should Get Food During the Pandemic”

Teachers: if you haven’t found Free Free Technology for Teachers, you are missing out. This is a fantastic and very useful blog. This post provides provides “Tips and Tools For Teaching Remotely” which might be very helpful to everyone moving to online classes. In addition, Edutopia has a good article in which an American teacher in China shares what she has been learning moving her classes online: “What Teachers in China Have Learned in the Last Month”

I am currently reading Myths and Mortals by Andrew Keyt

Update - one more article: Here is an outstanding and very visual way to understand the effects of "social distancing." This article from The Washington Post actually gives you real simulations to see the results when more or fewer people stay home: "Why Outbreaks Like Coronavirus Spread Exponentially and How to "Flatten the Curve" 

Prudence Not Panic: How Staying Home and Avoiding Groups Can Help Everyone

If you are in COVID-19 (coronavirus) denial, it is time to wake up. If you are anxious and jittery, it is time to turn that energy into action. The key idea here is that we cannot go on as if nothing is happening and we cannot freak out.

I am not a medical professional. I have read the many statements from authoritative people posted on social media basically telling everyone to calm down. Instead of minimizing this issue, we must approach it thoughtfully and decisively.

Where do we need to go?

Here is my understanding put simply:

1.     There are far more cases of this virus around us than we know about.

2.     Each day, our odds of catching or spreading this disease increase significantly.

3.     If lots of people get this disease at the same time, our health resources will be overwhelmed and people will not receive the treatment they need.

4.     If we limit the number of people with whom we come in contact, we can slow down the spread of the disease.

5.     If we slow down the spread of the disease, people may still get it, but since fewer will get it at the same time, our health systems are more likely to be able to deal with it.

The key is to slow down the spread of the disease so we have fewer cases each day and thus our hospitals, doctors, and health professionals are not flooded with people who need immediate attention.

This requires everyone! This is the difference between China and Italy. China locked down while Italy took much longer to do so. While this may not have changed the number of people affected, it meant that, instead of hundreds or thousands of people trying to get to doctors AT THE SAME TIME, the number of people seeking treatment was spread over a longer period of time and thus was more manageable.

So what I have read suggests that we need to do a few things RIGHT NOW:

1.     Take care of yourself. Wash your hands, get enough sleep, and tend to your health.

2.     Avoid contact with anyone who is sick at all.

3.     Minimize leaving your home. Avoid gatherings.

4.     Move as much of your contact with people to the phone or computer. If you must leave the house, no hugging, kissing, or handshaking. Be a “far talker” and keep as much distance between you and other people as you can.

5.     Encourage everyone you know to do the same.

Don’t panic: be prudent and patient. We must all work together to stop this pandemic!   

Finally, here are the articles I have found to be most illuminating and upon which this post is based:

“Cancel Everything:” The Atlantic

“How Canceled Events and Self-Quarantines Save Lives, in One Chart:” Vox

“Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now:” Medium

“#StayTheFuckHome A Movement to Stop the COVID-19 Pandemic”

“Want To Do Something About Coronavirus? Here are 5 Ideas:” Vox

Would You Want Your Child to be a Teacher?

When I decided to be a teacher, more than thirty-five years ago, the profession looked very different than it does today. Being a teacher meant making a difference in the lives of children. It meant contributing to the community. It was, and still is, a noble profession.

Today is a different matter. Today, teachers are under attack. From testing to budget issues to Betsy DeVos’s move toward school vouchers, a teacher’s job is quite different than it was when I entered the profession more than three decades ago.

Why would a student, accumulating thousands of dollars in college debt, take a job that pays so little and has so many headaches? How long might it take a newly minted teacher to pay back all the loans? What emotional and mental costs might come with a career in education? 

We are going to face horrible teacher shortages in the coming years. There will still be some wonderful and dynamic teachers entering the profession. However, there will be fewer and fewer of them – and many will leave the profession in their first few years.

It is already happening. More than half of all new teachers last less than five years in the classroom. There are more former teachers in the workforce than those in the classroom.

Why are they leaving? Why are fewer students training to be teachers? This is not difficult to figure out.

Whether it is in high poverty schools or schools with demanding parents, it is difficult to be a teacher. While we often talk about addressing the mental health needs of students, we rarely think about the emotional and physical strains of their teachers.

Whether its parents who “lawyer up,” yell, scream, threaten, and rush to defend students who need to face the consequences of their actions, or parents trying desperately to make ends meet, teachers must cope with the constellation of family issues that rock their students. Over entitled or under-resourced, teachers get to be part social worker, part diplomat, part case manager and then are evaluated on their students’ test scores.

No wonder there are many schools that are stuffing classrooms to the brims or finding any warm body to babysit classes without a trained teacher. This is a situation we are going to see more and more as an aging teacher population retires. People my age represent a disproportionate percentage of today’s teachers.

Let’s assume that we still have some saints who are willing to sacrifice all and go into the trenches, I mean classrooms, and help kids learn. What happens to them when they get there? Who will support them? Will we talk about teachers’ mental health needs? How will we keep them in the profession?

These new teachers will be buffeted by the political and social forces that are testing teachers right now. They will be judged based on tests, handcuffed into scripted curricula, and then will have to compensate for all the social ills that plague society in general, but schools in particular. Then, they will burn out.

I watch my colleagues spend far too much of their precious time dealing with everything except education – and I taught in a privileged school.

Without teachers, we cannot have schools. If every child cannot attend a public school, what happens to our nation? If only the wealthy can afford a quality education for their children, what do we become? If teacher shortages mean that public schools become banks of computer monitors and babysitters, what is our future?

We need to rethink teachers’ experience. We need to revolutionize our public school system. And I have not heard anyone provide a viable solution.

Some of my sources and further reading:

Why I can’t teach in public education anymore.

Teachers are Paid Less Than Similar Professions. See the Breakdown by State

Where Have All The Teachers Gone?

Who Will Teach?

Husband’s Post About His Wife’s Pay as a Teacher Shows How Underpaid They Are

Teacher: What I Don’t Have Time To Do Anymore – and What I’d Do If I Had It

Stemming the Tide: Are Public Schools Keeping the Best and Brightest Teachers?

Why Good Teachers Quit

The Teacher Pay Penalty Has Hit a New High: Trends in the Teacher Wage and Compensation Gaps through 2017

Excuse Me, While I Teach Your Child, But First I Must…

Why Teachers Are Walking Out

Just Paying Teachers More Won’t Stop Them From Quitting

Teachers Go Public With Their Resignation Letters

Our Town and Our Old Videos: Glimpses into the Past

My first theatre production at Deerfield High School was Our Town. I did it because we had no money and it would include a large number of students. Recently, I have been looking at old videos and photos from my first decade of teaching. They remind me of Our Town.

A few years ago, Deerfield produced Our Town again. I cried my way through it. Similarly, I watched myself about thirty years ago on these videos. I felt like Emily looking at my very distant life.

I found the play and the videos frighteningly familiar. It happens each time I watch shows I have done, and I am surprised each time. The production is still inside me. The moments, lines, and nuances of the script don’t go away. They lie dormant, even for decades. So do the feelings I had for the people with whom I was working. 

I found, as I watched the videos and show, that I saw more than what was in front of me. I remembered the students from thirty-some years ago and saw them then and now. Thanks to the blessing of Facebook, I am still in touch with many of them.

As Emily returns to her birthday, I was returning to my own Deerfield Grover’s Corners. I didn’t need to die to relive my past. But, like Emily, I was painfully aware of how little I saw then.

During the last years of my career as a teacher, I tried to savor the moments.  Since my own children are growing up and no longer at home, the passage of time feels very real. I savor each phone call, text, and video chat.

When Emily sees her parents young and beautiful, I am filled with gratitude and fear. My parents are aging. They are doing it well, but again I am keenly aware of time. My wife’s parents are gone and, through her, I have a second-hand taste of that loss. And my students are aging, too. Their children were in my classroom.

Some of my former students have died. I can’t get over those losses. When one of those students appeared on one of the videos, it was a jarring and delightful moment. I wish I could go back and share with him what I know now. To paraphrase Mrs. Gibbs from Our Town, I was a blind person.

I watch the videos with wet eyes and wonder: Can we be the people the Stage Manager says don’t exist? Can we cherish and see each other every – every minute? Can we put the minutia and administrivia in its place and hold each other the way Emily tries to as she relives her birthday morning? I fully understand why she can’t go on with it. I had to stop the video a few times because the view became too blurry. It must have been decay from the old VHS tapes.

We do walk through the world in the dark. We don’t see each other. We take each other for granted and forget the miracles we make and live daily. The least important day is important enough.

As I reflect on my time as a teacher, as I review the old videos and memories, I keep coming back to Our Town. I am reminded of those years long ago, and the wonderful people whom I miss. That is the hard part of retirement: missing the wonderful people.

But I am so grateful to have spent time with them – and to have these memories.