NAS Back to School shopping - YouLookFab Forum

Many things have changed due to Covid, including my shopping strategies. I have been following Angie’s picks and quite a few things have captured my interest.

Back to School shopping has found me focusing on what I really need to help me teach Covid Era Education. I chose the Sofft mule sneakers to keep my feet comfy and also for the ease of slipping into and out of them. I will be wearing shoes and boots that will allow me to slip out of my footwear and stash it in the back of my car, before driving home.

We will be utilizing outdoor classrooms as often as possible. That means needing to carry instructional materials to and from the building. This Herschel back pack will allow me to load up my laptop, materials, lunch, water bottle, gloves, extra masks and sanitizer, while keeping my hands free. The backpack will live at school and only be used there. Items that need to travel between home and school will have a separate tote bag.
Interestingly, I have a new category of Essentials for School. In addition to my NAS items, I have purchased masks, lab coats, washable pouches and a washable tote bag. I chose neutrals and colors that make me smile, but I can’t really say I felt excited with my new purchases.

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4 years ago

kkards

Veteran

Reading this is become so clear what an amazing teacher you are, you’ve clearly spent a lot of time thinking thru what will work best for you and your students best of luck.

Oh, and nice picks

Active Member

Outdoor classrooms!? I can’t imagine what that would look like. I’m preparing for a modified in-person return to school this month (I’m an elementary teacher).

Maybe you can find something that is fun and sparks some excitement!

Kathie

You found some great, practical items. I really appreciated your lab coat idea, when you mentioned it earlier this summer. We got a few for my DH (high school teacher), but he's now remote teaching through November. I know how hard you must be working to figure out all these new ways of teaching, and being flexible with outdoor classrooms, changing schedules, and whatever else the year brings.

Aquamarine

Wow, outdoor classrooms in Maine? Realistically speaking, how long will that be viable?

You sound like you have a well-thought out plan. Wishing you the best...my heart goes out to teachers and parents everywhere. So many difficult choices. (My kids are all older, thankfully).

slim cat

All things are sorted out - very meticulous plan.
Wishing you the best of luck and may the force be with you!

Suz

(website)

You are such a good teacher! Your students are so lucky.

I absolutely hear you on the "fun" element being missing from all this practical shopping. I feel the same. I'm trying to choose happy colours for my so-practical items and so on, and I admit, I will get a lot of comfort from cozy items in winter -- but oh, for the days of dressing to go somewhere!

Angie

Fashion Stylist

*APPLAUSE*

I want you as my teacher!

I JUST saw the outdoor classroom prep in your neck of the woods on the news! Looks very industrious and fun. Kids are fired up about it.

Mainelady, you have done sooo well. I'm proud of your tenacity and ongoing upbeat attitude. You've stayed very focused and are inspirational. Love your picks.

Onward!

Bijou

I love your picks too. Practical items makes so much sense. That is a lovely backpack and I like your new shoes too. Your young students are likely to remember the year they were able to have an outdoor classroom as a big adventure. Your students are so lucky to have you as their teacher.

Mainelady

Thank you kkards. As anxious as I am to return to school, I am looking forward to being with my students. They are why I do this job. I suspect we may need to go remote, so I will cherish whatever days we get to spend in person.
HJ I am wishing you and all educators the very best as you return to school! I will create some fun. I am up for the challenge and I do believe there are gifts hidden in the hardest of times, so we will find them.
Kathie I am glad the lab coat idea was helpful. I do think remote through the fall is a good plan. Our state has been doing well managing the pandemic, so at this point our district is offering Virtual only education through January or an In Person / Hybrid Model. K-4 students will attend all day, 5 days a week. We will be starting remote for the first 3 weeks so the required safety protocols can be put into place.
Aquamarine, yours is a great question. Much is yet TBD, but we Mainers are a hearty bunch and we live in a recreational area, so we will give this our best effort and bundle up appropriately. May the goddess of weather grant us a mild fall and an Indian Summer.
Thank you slim cat! My overthinking has yielded the best preparedness I can come up with, until things change.

Suz, I know you know! I have some great pieces and plans as I return to work, but the absolute seriousness of all of this is robbing a lot of my joy. I will continue the to live a life of gratitude and navigate my way along with everyone else. I have always considered my ready smile to be my best asset and a trademark. Now that will be masked, so I am going to make sure my eyes do the smiling. The world needs more smiles right now.
Oh Angie, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you! I am sure I would have loved having you as a student! We must help our children feel welcome, safe, secure and teach them to be so much more than academic learners. Their social and emotional well being are critical to their successes in this world.
Oh Bijou, thank you. Yes, we are off on the biggest educational adventure yet. No matter where the path leads, this will be a historic year. The lessons we will all learn may be unexpected and I suspect some will be epic.

Mainelady, you do JUST that. You sound like you were born to teach

Eliza

Mainelady: you are an inspiration. While we all must navigate these challenging times, you are an inspiration. I like how you have added some new pieces that add to your daily safety and routines, yet still offer style. FUN... novelty: we must find them where we can. I would be thrilled to know you as a teacher; you are as ready to address current circumstances as is possible. I wish all teachers the best.

Eliza, thank you for your kind words. Fun and joy seem harder to find, but we don’t have the option to throw in the towel. To get to the other side of this, we can rest and reflect, prepare and step forward. Giving up and giving in are not choices we can make. As Angie said, Onward!

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