I'm starting to see more and more people thinking teachers were off with pay during the spring lockdown.

I was not off. I was working. Prior to the pandemic, I taught 4 split grade senior art courses that were hands on. I had clay projects in the kiln on that fateful Thursday.

These are not the kind of courses that seamlessly transition into virtual learning. I had to find online materials and when I couldn't, I had to make them myself.

I created assignments with multiple options that account for the possibility of zero art supplies at home.

I was contacting students to check in on them. I made so many phone calls, I went over my cell phone plan's minutes. I NEVER go over my minutes.

I was helping kids all hours of the day because the pandemic is hard so I tried to be flexible.

People I have hobbies. In my spare time I play video games. I make art. I bake goodies. None of these hobbies involve redesigning hands on courses into virtual ones in a matter of weeks. I was working. I was not enjoying a paid vacation of zero responsibilities.

It blows my mind people think this was a thing. What job in this universe would pay you to do nothing? Well whatever it is, it's not teaching. You work & you do it while people think magic elves are running the show because they think you do nothing.

Magic isn't real. It was us.

Addendum: people forget that during the spring lockdown, we had no idea how long it would go for. School closures kept being extended every 2-3 weeks.

So I had to plan for a possible return AND a continuation of online learning. Both had to fit into an overall course plan.