Good Problems: So Many Resources, So Much Time

I'm still taking in our current situation.  We have tried to stay in this weekend.  Actually, our family began over a week ago trying to limit the places we were going and to stay at home more.  It hasn't been easy.  I've been cooking way more than I like.  (Waaaayyyyy more.)  We're a house full of introverts and readers, but we're already getting stir crazy.  The weather here hasn't helped.  It's still too cold to walk or sit out on the patio.

So....I may have found myself on social media more than I should be.  Of course, if you're a teacher you know the resources getting posted are something.  There are websites and apps opening their content for these weeks of shutdowns.  There are authors finding ways to share about writing moves and read their books.  There are teachers and educational leaders creating and sharing lessons and other possibilities for remote learning.  There are lists of collections.  Honestly, I'm guessing it will continue as we all have more time to create content since we are stuck inside.

I've been truly so impressed by the way everyone has come together.

And yet....

It's all a little overwhelming.

And here's the thing: it's not all going to be good for our kids or their learning.

I'm truly grateful for all that is being shared - truly - but yesterday I couldn't quit thinking about it might feel to teachers.  As an instructional coach, my hope in this time is to support teachers as they need it; to help them puzzle out the tricky parts of this situation and provide resources when requested.  Teachers know their kids best - and that's the most exciting thing about this situation.  They're still going to be able to tailor instruction for their learners.

All of the resources available remind me of years ago when we first started dabbling in the digital world.  When I first started using digital tools with my students, I could hardly contain my excitement.  Every single time a new app came out, I had to give it a try.  Not all of them made it to my classroom, but many did.  My kids were pretty tech savvy (for the time) and able to adjust to the new tools.  Of course, updates happen.  Companies quit creating apps.  I got wiser.  I then began to look for apps that could do a lot - and that would stay.  I started to work from a solid core of apps.  I found myself more focused on tools that would let us work flexibly in ways that enhanced our learning.  I found myself in a less is more way of thinking.

The plethora of resources available right now reminds me of that time long ago.  As an educator, I just had to press pause yesterday.  There are so many resources being shared.  I decided the best thing to do was to create a Padlet with the resources I am seeing that might be useful - many of them will not.  I do not plan to share this collection (there are a million lists out there).  My hope is to just have it ready when people reach out with specific needs they are trying to fill.  It's to help me find the resources I think will be useful in continuing to support learners.  It will give me a place of reference when colleagues reach out with a particular need.

We're all working to find our way in this unprecedented situation.  If we let what learners need be our guide, the next step will be easier to find.  Know if you need something, I'm here trying to figure it out beside you.  I'd love to hear how you are managing all the resources.  Which ones are you finding the most useful?  What's working?  What are the challenges you face?