Parents Sarah and Jeff and their family have a very unique set of circumstances. Both parents are teachers at separate school districts and their children go to a third school. They are juggling three sets of school guidelines; one which is back to school full time, one hybrid, and one learning from home.
Not to mention they are also foster parents.
Sarah’s unique experience…
We spoke with Sarah about her experience being both a first grade teacher and foster parent during the pandemic. She has a lot to say about how she is preparing for the school year. She confirmed that the biggest struggle for everyone right now is child care, especially when adding a foster child into the mix. However, she also acknowledged the complicated logistics of going back to the classroom and learning from home.
“I’m a mom and my main goal is to keep myself healthy, my sons healthy. And as a teacher, your kids healthy too. It’s a lot of responsibility. I can help my students with their handwriting and penmanship, but I would never forgive myself if one of my students got sick because of negligence on my part.”
When asked about how her experience as a teacher intersects with her foster parenting, Sarah said she feels very responsible for her foster child’s education. Even with both her and her husband being teachers, virtual learning has been especially hard for their foster child. He has a lot of learning needs she believes are not really addressed properly over the computer screen.
“My advice to other foster parents would be that you have to set very reasonable goals for your own family. I think even with the teacher aspect, the mom part of me knows that being at home is nothing like being in school. You can’t really put the same amount of pressure on yourself as a parent to take over the teacher role.”
Being both a teacher and a mom…
Though juggling both her roles as a mother and as a teacher has proven extremely complicated, Sarah is aware of the importance of differentiating both roles. She often advocates for parents to be mindful of teachers and the importance of working together.
“The biggest way that you can help your child, your child’s teacher and yourself is to realize we are all going through the same thing. We are all in the same boat even when we want to compare our situation to other parents or school districts.”
As both a teacher and a mom Sarah sees beyond the inconveniences of the pandemic. Regardless of the role she is in, the most heartbreaking part of it all is knowing how children, any children, thrive off of personal contact and touch. It’s hard for her to not encourage her kids to hug and high five their friends, but she finds relief in her colleagues. Teachers like her around the country are being creative with other non-contact ways for students to be supportive of one another.
“Building relationships with kids will always trump academics in my room. Always. I can still build a relationship with your kiddo from 6 ft away whether I have a mask on or whether I don’t. They need to feel safe, they need to feel loved, they need to feel appreciated. Yes, they do need to be learning, but I think right now our children could use a little bit more kindness and grace.”
Thank you Sarah for everything that you’re doing both as a foster mom and a teacher. Check out our in depth guide in how to prepare for a ‘not-so-normal’ school year.
