2022: A Time to Address School-Life Balance
We are nearing two years of an alternate school structure that no one could have imagined prior to the pandemic which has clearly been a very challenging time for students and teachers. As we enter the next year with numbers on the rise again, it feels like we are never again going to find a rhythm, a balance that doesn’t cause stress and isolation. This, however, does not need to be what defines this year if we look at how we find resiliency in any situation.
One positive aspect of this time that I have seen repeated in students and adults is that we are having more honest and open discussions about fears, desired outcomes, and personal needs. Students seem to be communicating what is really occurring in their worlds rather than stating what they feel an adult wants to hear. They are vulnerable and are willing to express their vulnerabilities without worrying about judgement. The pre-pandemic rigor that was common among many schools has been reevaluated and reduced to more manageable expectations. While we hear rumblings about slowed academic gains, we need to remember that no other generation was pushed quite so hard, yet we consider ourselves and previous generations to be successful.
As 2022 unfolds, a New Year’s wish might be that we continue to take the time to consider what really matters and focus on goals that allow us to face the successes and challenges of our lives with greater self-awareness and resilience. We have begun that journey with the shifts that have occurred since March of 2020. Creating a healthier school/life balance might be the positive that comes from this pandemic and during this calendar year.
Family Time:
If we honestly think back to the time that we took together as families prior to March, 2020, most of us will admit that we had stopped prioritizing family time (dinner together, activities together, discussions) and instead allowed for hours of homework, multiple sports requirements, time with specialists, clubs and activities to improve a resume and more. The pandemic brought all of the extras to a halt and allowed families time again. It helped many of us to remember the importance of family and prioritize it again. Hopefully, this will not change as we can be out more because this is a vital part of a child’s security. Family is the ultimate safety net and should not be put behind training or resume building.
Self-Advocacy:
When classes moved to remote learning, students had to become better at communicating with their teachers (and teachers had to make sure that they were available in ways that we were not taught to be in college.) Communicating need and support was something that both children and adults had to fine tune during the last 22 months. The positive is that students are better at stating their needs and teachers have become much more flexible. Both have gained from the increased communication and willingness to consider personal need in planning for learning. Part of students finding balance has to be from schools presenting academic challenge that is appropriate. While we discussed school rigor as attractive pre-pandemic, the definition of that word is negative and not something that most of us would actually wish for our children. Rather than returning to rigor, we can hope that we have learned that communication, appropriate challenge, flexibility, and growth will be the defining qualities of a great educational experience.
Finding personal passion:
Many children would agree that they have had decisions about sports, after-school activities, social activities, and support made for them. Between adults managing their interests and electronics consuming many students’ free time, children struggled with understanding what they are passionate about over the months of the pandemic. While it took time for children to remember what is possible with free time, we had the time to explore what we truly like doing for fun. It was reassuring to see children read, play, reengage with art and music, and sometimes become tired of electronics. Recognizing our varied interests has been a true positive of the pandemic and we can hope that 2022 will allow for continued time to explore passions despite moving back to more normal schedules, schoolwork, and sports as numbers decrease and we begin to move beyond this virus.
Community:
Possibly one of the greatest lessons from the pandemic is realizing the importance of community and not taking it for granted. Humans need social interaction, and this time has offered us the pause to acknowledge who we need in our lives and how to make sure to honor that. Making the effort to connect with our community is something that we have become increasingly better at, and 2022 can continue to allow us to acknowledge and honor the time we need with those whom we care about. As schedules become fuller, it will be the responsibility of all parents to make sure that their child’s schedule allows for the interaction that they need with the people whom they choose to call their community.
Balance:
If not becoming better at our work/life balance, the pandemic has allowed us to at least explore work/life balance. While there was little balance for many in pre-pandemic life, these months have offered time to explore how we use time and what is truly important. We are posting this blog today, one day “late” to reinforce our balance. EEG took the last two weeks off after a very full and tiring fall and early winter. By waiting until today to post, we gave ourselves the time leading up to the New Year and New Year’s Day to engage with family and holiday customs. Nothing terrible happened by waiting and as a society, we need to continue to find balance.
Joy:
Finally, it is our hope that all our greater awareness of our needs, communication, passion, and balance will bring greater acceptance, understanding, appreciation, and joy. Happy New Year from Essig Education Group.