When I was a new teacher, I met with my mentor weekly for lunch. I often fell apart and cried during those meetings. My mentor, Caltha, always remained calm and helped me work through whatever was overwhelming me at the moment. Before my first round of conferences that year, I remember her telling me that conferences would be a turning point. “That’s when the parents will learn that you know their child and that you care about them,” she told me. I remember knowing just what she meant by those words once conferences were over. The relationship with the families of my students did feel different after that twenty minute meeting.

I carried Caltha’s words with me into conferences with the families of the first graders I am currently teaching virtually. I haven’t had conferences as a classroom teacher in ten years and I was feeling a bit nervous. I email these people pretty regularly, I’ve talked to them all over the phone at least once, and they’ve had a first hand chance to listen into my teaching every day for the last three months. Still, I wondered if they’d have concerns or complaints that would surface at our Zoom conferences.

I prepared notes, mostly just in case my mind went blank, however I know my students really well. This surprised me as I took a moment to reflect. Back in September, I wondered how virtual teaching would go. Would I be able to keep these kids growing through the computer? Would I be able to keep them engaged? Would the novelty of online learning grow old after a few weeks?

Twelve weeks later, I’m in awe of the community that has formed virtually. I have eleven students, from four different schools who look forward to logging onto Zoom every morning to spend a few hours learning and working together. They care about each other, look out for one another, and have fun together. Each of them takes their learning very seriously and they have all grown since I first met them.

When we first started, our time together felt expansive. I often wondered how I’d fill 2.5 hours. However, as all of our online stamina has grown, the time now flies. I remember in the early days, counting the number of weeks that we still had left of school and feeling defeated. How could I keep it up for that amount of time? Now, as a class, we always joke on Fridays that the weeks are going by so fast. The days are over in the blink of an eye…I think mostly because we have found joy together.

That joy translated to my conferences with my students’ families. I shared all of the wonderful ways their children were growing and how much they had learned in our short time together. They shared what they were seeing on their end of the screen, their gratitude for their child’s happiness.

Right before Thanksgiving break, my assistant principal told me I was “earning my wings” as I shared yet another bright spot in distance learning. In reality, I think I’m being lifted by the wings of others. Being thrust back into classroom teaching, in an online classroom, has rekindled the magic that I always felt as a classroom teacher-the intense connection to kids and their families. I wasn’t expecting it. But conferences have once again turned out to be a turning point in the school year. Conferences have given me time to reflect, celebrate, and connect.

I’m no longer wishing this year away. Instead, I’m embracing these moments I get to be a teacher.