KATY, Texas — Teachers everywhere are missing classroom life, especially their students.
Rachel Pappas, a second year teacher at Davidson Elementary in Katy ISD, has decided to pour her feelings into poetry.
She used to teaching her kids math, science and social studies. But as of late March, she is delivering those lessons virtually from home.
"It has been so hard— let me tell you! I am not designed to sit at a desk all day and talk to a camera. I am not," Pappas said during a Zoom interview.
"I love the kids. I love helping them become the best version of themselves. I love looking at them everyday and just seeing them grow."
Pappas was out sick the last few days leading up to Spring Break, and during that time, the district was forced to cancel in-person classes.
In April, Governor Abbott closed all Texas public schools for the remainder of the school year. All learning is happening virtually.
"So I said goodbye early. And I didn’t even realize it was going to be the last goodbye, which that’s probably been the hardest part of it."
In a beautiful but sorrowful poem, here's how Pappas puts it:
Today, my classroom didn’t lose a pencil,
I didn’t throw away any glue.
I didn’t help a child,
Who didn’t know what to do.
Today, my crayons went unused,
And the scissors stayed nice and sharp,
But everywhere else,
Things seemed to be falling apart.
The world went on turning,
As people stayed in their homes,
But today my classroom stayed empty,
Silent past the morning bell tone.
Today, I didn’t hug my students.
Or tell them each I loved them.
I didn’t teach reading, writing,
Or how to decompose 10.
Today, I didn’t see their faces,
Beyond a computer screen,
I didn’t spend my day
Nursing emotions unseen.
The world went on turning,
As people stayed in their homes.
But today my classroom stayed empty,
Silent past the morning bell tone.
Today, I learned that the doors would stay locked,
Because this disease shows no slack.
How many pencils I would give,
Just to have my students back.
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