Sally Ricker

“This year was rough… I had COVID for a month with pneumonia twice. This has been the most stressful year of my 25 years in the teaching profession. I am trying to maintain the same level of rigor as a normal year. The biggest struggle for me is keeping a fair level playing field as I teach kids in class in and remotely. I changed my rules for testing this year-I now let my students use their notes. This sounds like it might be easier on the students but actually I have made the test questions even more difficult. So I hope they are still getting the rigor necessary for a college-level physics or chemistry course. I think our kids are doing a great job considering the circumstances. I am proud of how our students act and respond every day. Teaching has never been an easy job, but I love what I do. It’s not easy because I reflect every day and try to do better. I want to deliver the best lecture, the best test, and the best information every day to my students. I let myself down every day but that motivates me to do better. I have quarantined 3 times this year. I like being at school. I am more effective in my classroom. I don’t think we will ever go back to the way it was pre-pandemic.  I think schools, parents, and the community will continue to want online learning in some fashion.”