The email Porter sent included a video of him mountain biking near his house, riding over challenging single track terrain. Watching the video and reading Coach Ollett’s note at the end of this blog, immediately brought me back to campus. I could hear the words of genuine encouragement and appreciation from Coach Ollett to Porter, although it was all via email.
 

 

 

“Yes, I noticed that listed in the credits,” I said. We talked a bit further. Porter added, “Like a quote in an essay in Ms. Thomson’s class.” 

And it is this combination, this balance of sorts, that is critical as we move forward with teaching and learning during a time of a mandatory “Stay in Place” order. For some of us, there may be an increased time in front of the computer.  Distance learning includes clicking a link to join a class instead of walking into a building and joining your homeroom community. But it is critical that we are not in front of the screen the entire day. The computer is the medium we need to maintain relationships, deliver the curriculum, share feedback and participate together in teaching and learning.