I ain’t gonna lie, when this all began and I realized that I was going to have to figure out how to teach my students from home I may or may not have crapped my pants…
THE STORY
…Obviously not literally, but still. I’m sure that I wasn’t alone in that moment of panic because just about every educator in the country was in the same boat. We are teachers for God’s sake; our existence revolves around the relationships and the joy that comes from the daily interactions we have with our kids in our classrooms…not on a computer screen.
I started out tentatively for two reasons. One, I felt woefully inadequate in regard to navigating the in’s and out’s of Google Classroom. And two, my kids weren’t super well-versed in it either. We had dabbled in it during the school year, but because of the nature of the kids that I work with and the wide range of abilities they have we didn’t use it often.
Initially I was emailing assignments to parents, but when it became apparent that we would not be returning to school this year I knew Classroom was the route I’d have to take. I wouldn’t say that I’ve become professional at it, but after much practice I am comfortable using it. It took some time, patience and a multitude of emails and long parent phone calls, but eventually we got the majority of my kids going with it.
But, and this is a big but (ya, I laughed a little in my head when I typed that), I missed being with my kids with every fiber of my being. And they missed me…and their friends…and just the simple joy of being together.
Enter Google Meet…
Oh, my friends. You have no idea how utterly and completely intimidated I was by setting up a Google Meet for my class. Sure, I have weekly faculty meetings and department meetings now via Meet, however setting up and running one of my one was a whole other situation.
What if I couldn’t figure it out? What if I did it wrong? What if none of my kids showed up? What if I didn’t know what to say?
And then it hit me. I’ve taught for 30 years and I kid you not, it was just in the last 5 years that I got over my major Imposter Syndrome. I can now look you dead in the eye and say that I’m a damn good teacher. I am good at what I do. Sure, paperwork ain’t my thang, and I’ll wait until the last second to complete it, but I can teach the hell out of a group of special needs kids and build a super close rapport with every single one of them…and that’s what really matters.
Once I reminded myself of all of that, I was determined to dominate Google Meet. And guess what? I did. And guess what else? It may have been the single best thing I have done not only for them, but for my own mental health since this whole mess began.
Almost all of them show up. Every. Single. Day. My BFF who is also an aid in my classroom is right there with us. We laugh, we learn, we read out loud, we play games, we show each other our pets… On Friday we decided that we are going to add on more time together each day simply because we love being together. I feel like we are getting to know one another on an entirely different level and it’s a beautiful thing.
What’s the point of the story?
“Confidence is the key to getting what you need and getting where you need to be…”
Do the big things. Do the scary things. Do the things that you want to do even if you have no damn idea how to do them…the rewards far outweigh the risks.
Tell me…what scary thing have you done that was worth it in the end?
THE OUTFIT
This month’s Ageless Style Link Up theme is “Mother’s Day Outfits” and I knew immediately that whatever I put together it would involve a kimono and denim, because that is my go to formula when I want to be casual with, but still special. And lucky me, my gorgeous Caite & Kyla kimono arrived just in time to put together a look.!
What can I say? Season after season, Caite & Kyla never ever disappoints! Their pieces are always crazy gorgeous, incredibly well-made and fit seamlessly with my boho aesthetic.
My big love for kimonos is no secret and I’m always on the hunt for a new one to add to my collection. When I saw the Love Kyla Filippa Kimono, I was in love! It’s a beautiful floral print in my favorite colors and the drape and flow of it are perfection! The silky soft fabric that they use for their kimonos always make them a no brainer for me. It seems like every season one of Caite & Kyla’s kimonos find their way into my closet like this one in beautiful fall tones as well as this one featuring all the blue tones.
Coincidentally today is also the lovely Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood’s birthday! When she invited me to her annual virtual birthday party I knew that the kimono would be perfect paired with my favorite Tomgirl jeans, a silky cami and pumps to dress it up…it would work for both Mother’s Day and a birthday celebration! And for any of you doubters out there that think this wouldn’t work for birthday party attire, check out this look that I wore last summer to my BFF’s 50th birthday party…kimono + denim + silky cami works every time!
THE TIP
In my opinion, a kimono is hands down one of the simplest ways to dress up any look and make it special. Casual is definitely my jam, and like I mentioned above, the outfit formula that I turn to time and time again is: Kimono + Denim + Cami/Tee + Heels…
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas… BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN AND LINK UP WITH MYSELF AND MY LOVELY CO-HOSTS FOR THIS MONTHS AGELESS STYLE LINK UP!!
Kimono: c/o Similar; Jeans: American Eagle (Similar); Cami: Target; Pumps: Nordstrom (Similar)
**Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post with Caite & Kyla. All opinions as always, are my own. Commission earned through shopping links in this post.
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Julia ~ When the Girls Rule Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram
Kellyann ~ This Blonde’s Shopping Bag Blog, Instagram, Bloglovin, Twitter
Shelly ~ The Queen in Between Blog, Instagram, Bloglovin, Pinterest, Facebook
Shugunna ~ Nzuri N* Simplicity Blog, Pinterest, Instagram
