Joanna Marie D. Torda
Teacher-in-charge
It has been a year since the country was placed under community quarantine due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 virus. The past few months were extraordinary times, and had instantly changed and affected our normal daily activities.
Our roles as parents became tougher for we have to act as the teachers of our children since face-to-face classes are not allowed. As educators and frontliners of our agency, our task has been redefined. We have to perform our duties at work as educators but must always consider our health and safety. We must stay free from virus and not be a carrier for the safety of our families, especially our children.
The opening of school year last October 2020 has marked the toughest tasks that teachers and school heads must perform- to continuously conduct school operations in the new normal and to implement distance learning modality for the learners.
Aside from these tasks, stress and anxiety due to pandemic have probably made our new normal day-to-day activities very difficult.
As a mother, we must ensure the safety and welfare of our children and to perform the household chores while at home. But we may consider these moments as chance for us to bond with our family especially during our work from home schedule.
As a teacher to our own children, which for sure was the toughest for we had to adjust our schedule at night time and weekends only since we are working on daytime. Sleeping hours were also adjusted and lessened.
As a school head, pressure was overwhelming. There were lots of reports to prepare and accomplish in the school. It was a very challenging task for we had to explore various possibilities in implementing modular distance learning and in imposing health and safety protocols in the school.
Our time as a mother, a teacher and a school head were literally divided but they became our new normal way of life.
These pandemic experiences made us realize our priorities. Surely, we became optimistic and gained a better outlook in our responsibilities as a mother and as an educator. We may have pondered that even under adversity and unprecedented pandemic, we have to stay positive and keep in mind that our priorities must always be our considerations.