Coronavirus? Please calm down.

March 5, 2020
Dear Humanities teachers,

I’m writing to you with a plea.

There are a lot of reasons to be worried about coronavirus, and reasons we want to take response upon ourselves: Government didn’t equip itself to find out who has COVID 19, and now it’s here; and while big tech sends workers home and some districts and even some countries closed their schools, Seattle Public Schools seems to be saying, Assemble in your closed rooms and tell kids to wash their hands. Maybe it’s right for us to close schools.

But there are also public health consequences for closure and quarantine. Kids-at-home is a real economic strain—adults-not-working, because of shuttered schools or because of chain reaction job closures is, also, a strain, with its own cascade of social, psychological and somatic effects. This is to say nothing of the escalating fear, anger, isolation, and xenophobia that result in such an atmosphere.

We are capable of spreading a virus. But we are capable of spreading panic, too. Panic has real-world consequences, and not all these have to do with being more careful.

Amy wrote to me last night to suggest teachers prepare transportable lessons for students to have at the ready, and gather information about student home access to Internet. That seems like fine advice. I also advise wedging your school door open during the day, so we can minimize contact with door handles.

Right now, open doors are better for us all than closed ones.

David

March 11, 2020

Dear families and students (LA 9, Margins and Centers, Hands for a Bridge),

               A few days ago, as a warm-up, I asked a couple of classes what they’d do with their time if they unexpectedly had a couple weeks at home. One student said she’d catch up on television. One student said he’d write new music. Many said they’d do homework.

               Now those two weeks have arrived.

               Teachers have been asked to provide students with optional, supplemental materials outside of our scheduled curriculum. As an English teacher, that’s an easy one: Students should read books! They should write!

               When students have asked me in the past how to get higher grades or how to improve writing, the hard answer is what most improves writing, grammar, spelling, sophistication of thought is reading, reading, reading; reading improves all those things, and deepens empathy, and juices the imagination. I ardently believe in the imaginative, reflective powers of reading. The nearly thousand year old technology of bound books provides a sustained focus of thought and imagination that is a source of pleasure, empathy and critical thought available even in today’s crowded life. This is a hard answer because students are so busy with school work; but now there’s time!

               It can take a bit to get into a book when you haven’t been reading. But then the brain starts to relax into it. Curl up with a book!

               Here are things, in addition to reading books, I recommend:

·        Write in journals every day.

·        Meditate.

·        Build a new exercise routine.

·        Learn to cook new things.

·        Alter your diet in some way you’ve been thinking about.

               In addition to trying out new routines and reading, consider ways you can contribute to the household more—cooking, organizing, cleaning, child care. Clean your room!

               You can also think about your neighbors: Does anyone on your block have both jobs and young kids whose school has been cancelled? Parents with younger kids might be desperate for your help.

               Finally, I want to say this: Students welcomed the school closures with jubilation. This made teachers nervous. We want students to know this closure is about a real attempt to control the spread of COVID 19, and we hope that you respect the demands of social distancing. The time our schools are closed is not an opportunity for lots of hanging out and adventuring, acts which may negate the very extreme step taken in shutting it all down.

               Thank you. Read a book.

               I’ll be available through email if you have old work or desire to check in.

David Grosskopf