Perspectives from the Classroom
This is my twenty-third year at St. Paul Catholic High School. Overall, I have been in education twenty-eight years and I sincerely thought that I had seen it all. However, nothing could have prepared me for the disruption brought about by the once-in-a-century pandemic we are in. Since last March, the uncertainties and fears caused by COVID-19 have forced us to deal with new and evolving challenges. Our lives seem suspended in this weird state as we await a final resolution and the return to normalcy. As an educator, I am called to find meaning in what we are experiencing and use it to support and inspire my students. I believe that this strange situation we live in can be a source of reflection and learning, food for thought to transform this period of unrest and discomfort into something that allows us to grow and move forward with more awareness. On this note, here are three brief reflections related to one of the core values of our school: Community.
Appreciation
A few days ago, the National Public Radio (NPR) featured a story about some great musicians who, having graduated from the top music teaching institutions in our Country, had found their dream job on Broadway. They started their career full of passion and excitement as players in the orchestra for Phantom Of The Opera. Year after year though, that excitement had morphed into routine and bore to the point that they had become numb to the performances and even resented each other. This was before COVID-19. The pandemic, however, brought Broadway to a stop and completely disrupted the lives of its performers. Interviewed by NPR, all those famous musicians expressed one common theme: they missed the routine that in normal times seemed dreadful, they missed the camaraderie, they missed the coming together as a community.
In March, we at St. Paul experienced a somewhat similar disruption. All of a sudden, all that was routine disappeared and we suddenly found ourselves away from each other. Luckily, we have been able to come back together as a community, and I cannot adequately express the joy I felt when, at the end of August, I was back on Campus with all the students, and with my friends and colleagues. Just a few days ago we had a wonderful field day. As I stood in the press box up high on the fields, providing the music for the day, I could not help but smile and be thankful as I watched our students having fun together. Let us never forget to appreciate all that we have and never take for granted what we could lose.
Responsibility
The word responsibility comes from the Latin verb “Respondere” which means “to answer”. During this pandemic, we are called to ensure each other’s’ safety or, as Mr. Dupont tells us every week “to take care of each other”. We answer that call by behaving responsibly. COVID-19 compels us to pay attention to the consequences of what we do. It forces to reflect on the fact that, together, we can make a dramatic difference in the community by doing some simple things like: washing our hands often, keeping a safe distance, and wearing a mask. As St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to say: “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”
Interdependence
COVID-19 has reminded us that we are all connected. This concept is particularly significant for a Catholic community like ours. We are one human family and we are called to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Two years ago, our school adopted the theme “Love Thy Neighbor” and we reflected on the different things we can do to help others and, by doing so, build a better community. Today, we can find inspiration in our common destiny in this pandemic and reflect on how we can change our interdependence into solidarity and help each other overcome these difficult times.
