Free Time, What’s That?

A year ago I didn’t really have much free time. Teaching took up a great deal of it, and when I wasn’t teaching I was worrying about my students, planning lessons, researching technology to use with my kiddos, or attending professional developments.

Now unfortunately I have a little more free time, due to the state of things with COVID-19. I am lucky that one of the restaurants I work at finally decided to do take out orders, and scheduled me as many hours as possible. It has been hectic and stressful, but they’ve been doing good business. Still, as with most people right now, my free time is filled with more stress than usual. I worry about my former students, especially about where they’re getting food from. Title I students count on meals from school to eat, and they may not be getting those right now. Their parents are also facing job-loss, income insecurity, and many other challenges.

I also worry about my coding program. It feels harder now since it is online only, and tutoring is not face-to-face. This is where mindset is so important. I know that I can overcome these challenges, as can everyone in my class, and have been spending time looking up help videos, working with people in my program, and scheduling tutoring so that I don’t fall behind. I am already aware that online-only programs are not the best way for me to learn this particular subject matter, but I am keeping a positive mindset so that I don’t get discouraged. I have faced many challenges before, and know that I can meet this one as well. I am looking forward to the day when this quarantine is all over, and we can get back in the classroom. Until then I hope that everyone at Austin Coding Academy keeps a positive outlook, and asks for help when they need it.