Corona Life — Kimberly Cauble Photography Blog

Corona School 2.0: Beginning the School Year in a Pandemic

When I asked this past summer what blog post ideas my followers wanted to see me write about, several mentioned wanting to know what it would be like for teachers during this strange school year. So I decided to compile my thoughts for them, but also for myself…so that I don’t forget what this experience is like! First, even though there are some pretty desperate situations in the state of SC, I know I work in one of the best school districts on the planet. Our administrators and school board have done a remarkable job planning for everyone’s safety and needs, and we already have top-notch technology for teachers and students. Second, everyone has their own experience and level of comfort with what is happening, and these are just my thoughts. There are definitely some concerns, but there are also a some bright spots that I am trying to recognize and celebrate.

Education, Life, TeachingKimberly CaubleSeptember 7, 2020Corona Life, Public Education, SCforEd Comment

Emily & Austin's Wedding | Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Emily and Austin were married at Grace Church in Harrisburg, Emily’s home church, and their officiant was a close family friend and the church’s associate pastor. His entire family helped with the wedding, including his daughter, who played the harp during the ceremony! One of the most beautiful details of their ceremony was a cross covered in gorgeous flowers. I remember Emily’s dad telling us that he didn’t want it to look too pretty—the cross itself was not a pretty thing. He knows his theology! But what happened on the cross was beautiful and represents the sacrificial love of Christ, and I loved that it was a centerpiece to Emily and Austin’s wedding ceremony. The ceremony was appropriately full of music, from the harpist to the songs that the wedding party and guests joined in singing together. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, there were many friends and family members who were able to attend.

Rebranding Anxiety into Excitement | Teaching During a Pandemic

I have never not had a summer. I’m a teacher, and teachers look forward to the two months between school years to refresh and energize themselves for the next year. While many of us still work second jobs (I worked camps for 15 summers before I had my children, and now I operate my part-time photography business year-round), it’s still a couple of months doing something different, not having to make 14,000 educational decisions a day, and having time to think through some of the changes we want to make for the next school year. But this summer has been different. While I have been at home since March, there has been nothing refreshing or energizing about our current situation. E-Learning completely turned our school and home life upside down, and when it ended in June, things didn’t change much. Preparing for the upcoming school year in the midst of a global pandemic has created a tremendous amount of anxiety for every teacher, parent, administrator, and school leader that I know for our entire summer. And now that we know the date(s) we are expected to return, teachers are scrambling to ready their physical classrooms, virtual classrooms, and lesson plans to take on this new challenge.