The New Oxford American Dictionary defines “patience” as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. A tall order for a world that usually operates at a frantic pace, huh?
Over these first few weeks of school, I have found myself talking a lot about patience with my students. We have talked a lot about what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like. It occurred to me that patience is the name of the beast in the year 2020 as all our lives have changed dramatically. We have to patiently wait in our vehicles for appointments, we have to be patient with availability of stock in stores, we have to be patient with our family and friends in our ability to see each other, etc.
In the same way, here at Saint Andrew’s we find ourselves stressing and practicing the value of patience whether it be in carline, using Schoology in combination with Google, Zooming as our main communication or just adjusting to the challenges COVID-19 has presented us. It is difficult, frustrating, and exhausting at times, but we have to trust the process. We have to trust that once we endure through these daily challenges that we will come out the other side stronger, more prepared, more mindful of others, and full of personal growth while practicing patience in these difficult times.
I can only imagine how valuable our children will be as leaders, CEO’s, and future business teammates in their future professions by having to endure COVID-19 and learn and practice much patience.
Ms. Speer is a fourth grade teacher.