With schools beginning to open up all around the country, teachers are bracing themselves for what will most likely be a very unique year.
There are many COVID restrictions that have been put into place at schools in order to help slow the spread of the virus.
Some of these restrictions include a 6-foot social distancing protocol, plastic shields in front of desks, and mandatory face-masks to be worn while inside.
One school teacher in Texas thought that those restrictions may prove to be a little scary for her young students.
Jennifer Birch Pierson, a kindergarten teacher, decided to turn her desks into fun “trucks” instead of scary COVID desks.
With just a bit of cardboard and paint, Pierson was able to transform her classroom into a fun place for learning.
Photos of the classroom were posted on the Facebook page, Maybe I’ll Shower Today.
In the post, it’s mentioned that “Those students who enter her classroom may have a tough time, but clearly they are in the hands of a caring teacher, and that’s something all parents can be grateful for. Thank you to the teachers, who, like Ms. Pierson, are doing all they can and more to make our kids feel safe and happy.”
The post has received plenty of positive feedback, with comments from people who wanted to thank Pierson for what she did to help make her students feel safe:
“Thank you for making it an inviting place to come especially for kindergarten, it is so sad and inappropriate to expect kids to not play when we know that’s how they experience the world around them.”
“I love your classroom. Glad they’re making it a fun thing even though there are all kinds of restrictions good luck … sending you my love.”
“We need more teachers like her.”
“Is this all paid for on her own dime? I’m betting so. Surely the school did not fund this.”
In Texas, where this classroom is located, there has been a recent spike in COVID cases.
According to Cafemom, “To date, Texas has reported more than 481,000 positive cases and more than 8,100 deaths. Just last week, it was reported that the state was actually undercounting virus deaths due to an ‘automation error,’ and after it was fixed, the number jumped by 8%.”
Luckily, the state has stepped up and decided to provide the schools with PPE so that the kids can remain safe and the cost of the supplies wouldn’t fall on the teachers or parents.
“The Texas Division of Emergency Management has armed Texas schools with more than 59 million masks, 567,948 gallons of sanitizer, 511,294 face shields, and 24,017 thermometers,” this according to NBC local affiliate KXAN.
It’s teachers like Pierson that remind us how important it is to try and make the best of our very tense and stressful situation.
COVID has made many of our lives much tougher than usual over the past year, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t move forward with positivity.
So next time that you have the opportunity to make some lemonade of out lemons, don’t hesitate to do so.
And make sure to pass this story along so that others may be inspired by Pierson’s creativity and positive outlook.
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