'twas the night before teaching

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‘Twas the night before teaching // and all through my apartment // I was prepping my backpack // with stuff in each compartment // my face mask was ready // my lunch I had packed // worksheets were printed // for the first day LIVE day back // for COVID has caused us // to teach kids remote // but back in the building // their germs and us go // for some think that teachers // are somehow immune // to a worldwide pandemic // that took too many too soon // but off we go tomorrow // the DOE’s experiment takes flight // Happy First Day to all and to all a good fight!

back to teaching | Amanda Zampelli

This was my classroom rug from two years ago. Cute right? I was standing on it the day before I was to meet the kids in my class for the first time - on the first day of school back in the profession I had thought I never wanted to return to.

The importance of this photo is that I only noticed I was standing directly in front of the 'R' for ROSE after I took this picture. My Nana was named Rose. She passed in 2002, but realizing she was “there” with me in a moment I when I was feeling so unsure and lost and scared at the start of this new adventure into old teaching territory was nothing short of a miracle. She knew then that returning to teaching would SAVE MY LIFE (…even though this is how I felt the first few weeks after going back).

'twas the night before teaching | Amanda Zampelli

Fast forward two years to THIS year - twenty friggin’ twenty - and the day before I was to meet the kids in my class for the first time THIS TIME AROUND… I find this angel pin at my feet. I knew it was my Nana right away …telling my to hold on and buckle up …that this year is going to be a wild ride.

She was right. My assistant principal tested positive for COVID and us teachers were told the evening before we were supposed to meet and be exposed to our students…and, well…I’ll tell you what unbelievably unfolded in the next 48 hours if we ever talk about it in person, but spoiler alert: IT WASN’T GOOD.

The times are soooo scary and strange, but we’re trooping through. My Nana’s with me. I’m doing my best.