It’s amazing how a little tomorrow can make up for a whole lot of yesterday.
—John Guare

What Happens Next?


As the world emerges from the grip of this long pandemic and restrictions shift and change, I find myself filled with both a sense of hope and a sense of guilt. Did I enjoy the time at home with my kids as much as I should have? Did I do enough to help my teachers and students teach and learn at home? Will we ever recover from the missed instructional time and in-person connections?

And the list continues.

After one particularly long guilt session, I couldn’t help but flash back to a long car ride home with my son, who had had a difficult game in a high-stakes travel baseball tournament. As he berated himself, I gently reminded him of our family sports mantra: What happens next is what defines you. Not the strikeout, not the missed pop-up to center field, and certainly not the wild pitches. What we do next to pick ourselves up is what defines who we are.

Those words—what happens next is what defines you—are exactly what I need right now. Has the world changed? Yes. Is it still changing? Yes. Did I do my best during those uncertain times? Yes. Are there unexpected consequences for teaching and learning? There sure are. But rather than wallow in the challenge, obsess over what might have been, or lament the new instructional gaps, what happens next is what defines us.

The missed opportunities, the possible learning gaps, and the countless challenges do not define who we are. The ways we continue to connect with students, build strong learning communities, and instruct from the heart do. 

Shine on!
Stephanie Affinito
Featured Contributor