I am so tired of seeing teachers posting about a perceived lack of effort on the part of students or assuming they’re trying to take advantage of the moment.

Stop it. Believe them. Help them.

I recently learned from @DulceFlecha that a possible response to trauma is not reaching out for help. So it could be that students want to do something but can’t because this time is super traumatic for many. We all need grace and compassion now more than ever.

One thing I’ve done is to do weekly check-in posts on Google Classroom. I tell Ss how I’ve been doing, what I’ve been up to, how I’m experiencing things & ask them to email me, even if just to say “Hi.” It’s helped a lot. I try to make sure I’m not overwhelming them with posts.

I also reach out via emails directly to Ss. The GC post works for most, but some need that personal invitation.

But there are some that don’t reach out. They still complete assignments but don’t email me. And that’s okay too.

Ok, so this tweet took off in ways I never expected. Clearly, I spoke a truth that resonates with many people.

So maybe these folx doing the work will resonate with you too. Listen to the people I uplift here & learn from them. https://twitter.com/jthompedu/status/1219332074412367873