Oh, 2020. The year that will go down as one of the strangest years ever. We were at home a lot more than usual, things we were excited for got cancelled or rescheduled, and school looked so much different than I ever could have imagined. While 2020 certainly had its fair share of obstacles and low moments, I did find some favorites. I thought it would be fun to round up some of my favorite things from 2020.
Teaching
Rhythm Sticks– Since we’ve been back in school, we haven’t been able to sing or play wind instruments. We also have to clean instruments between students using them, and since I wasn’t sure how the cleaner would affect the drum heads or xylophone bars, I haven’t really used any instruments much (total side note- use shower caps on your drums and shower liners on your xylophones! I can’t remember where I first saw this, but I tried it and it really works very well. Even the kids, who totally thought I was ridiculous, were impressed.) Anyways, I’ve been using rhythm sticks a ton with all of my PK-5 kids. My favorite activity right now is picking a popular song to keep a steady beat or ostinato to.
Face Masks– We’ve been in person since August, so I’ve been wearing a mask all day every day since then. By far, my favorite masks are from Mother Bee Maternity. These masks are so comfortable! They fit perfectly and they don’t get stuck to my face when I breathe in. They don’t have adjustable ear straps, but I personally don’t need them. I also like the Old Navy masks, though I do suggest getting the adjustable ear straps. My masks from Old Navy are comfortable on my face, but tight around the ears.
Leaving behind racist songs– I’ve learned so much about the roots of racist songs this year and ditching them from my curriculum. Just a few that I’ve taken out of my lessons include: Oh Susanna, I’ve Been Working on the Railroad, and Jingle Bells. There are so many other songs we can use to teach the same concepts we taught with these songs, that I don’t see any reason I need to keep them in my curriculum.
Books
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo- This is definitely on my rereads for 2021. I have the physical book and the audiobook and both are great. Marie gives sound advice, actionable steps, and is honestly one of the most fun personal development books I’ve read. If you’re looking for a book that will inspire you to dream and work toward your goals, you need to pick this one up!
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas- I can’t believe it took me so long to read this one, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. I laughed, I cried, I got so invested in these characters. This was such an important read and I gained so much perspective.
City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty- This whole trilogy is phenomenal, but I just listed the first book. The other books would absolutely make the list, too! This follows a girl, Nahri, as she is swept away from her home in Cairo because of some magical abilities she didn’t realize she had. The magical world is beautifully described and I found the politics so interesting.
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray- This is such a unique, interesting read! The Young Adult series starts with The Diviners and follows a girl who is sent off to New York City to live with her uncle in the 1920s. She discovers that she’s got a unique ability, and we learn about that ability and see her growth in the city as the book goes on. She ends up having to decide whether she will hide her power or use it to help catch a murderer. If you are an audiobook fan, I highly recommend listening to this one.
Personal
Not wearing makeup– I know this is a weird one to add in, but it’s been incredibly freeing to not wear as much makeup this year. It’s been good for my esteem and confidence, and it’s saved a lot of time and money! These days, I pretty much only wear makeup to school. I just throw on a little concealer over any blemishes, some mascara, and fill in my eyebrows a bit.
Schitt’s Creek– I watched the first episode of this show a couple of years ago and wasn’t overly impressed. My husband and I recently started watching the series and….what was I not impressed with?! This show is perfect. I have never seen a show with better character growth. I laughed and cried more with this show than any other. I know I’m late to the party here, but oh man. If you haven’t given this show a chance (or a second chance) but you enjoy comedies, you really should.
Time with my daughter– While 2020 reminded me that I am not meant to stay at home with my toddler and me going to work outside the home every day is absolutely a good thing, I learned so much about my daughter. We learned how to pretend play together, do simple crafts, and get outside of our comfort zones. Let me tell you, I hate kinetic sand just as much as I hate beach sand, but getting to do the activity with her made us being stuck at home a little easier.
There you have it: a few of my favorites from the year we’ll never forget. So tell me- what was your biggest takeaway or favorite from 2020?
