In late January 2020, I first heard reports of a new virus in Wuhan Province, China.  This novel coronavirus has now found its way to every continent except Antarctica.  As I write this, the pandemic is now present and spreading across the United States in addition to other countries.

My world as an educator has suddenly changed over the past few weeks.  I now know that I will finish this academic year teaching my students in a distance learning mode.  I have spent the past week collecting ideas, resources, and tools to help fellow educators and me enter this brave new world.  This week, I am spending part of my vacation learning what I can in preparation for teaching my students at the beginning of next month.

Social distancing is the new normal.  As a biology teacher, I understand all of the reasons to do it.  I also know that people of my parents’ and grandparents’ generations remember the 1952 polio outbreak and the mitigation efforts before a vaccine was developed.  This is about protecting all of us, not just one or some of us.  While it may seem impossible or a sacrifice, I think of it as what each of us needs to do right now.

Let’s be present for each other.  Let’s be patient with each other.  Let’s support each other.  I look forward to being with all of you virtually and in person.