Back to School: Processing the Stages of Grief, as Told by Hamilton Gifs

Every teacher's summer comes to an end with a bit of grieving, but this year is especially difficult. Not only was our summer break really stressful and uncertain — it was also spent in quarantine. Then on top of everything, many of us are being unwillingly sent back into the classroom with students.

Since it's starting to seem like we can't write our way out, I thought some Hamilton gifs might make us laugh — or at least keep us from crying.

STAGE ONE: Denial

At this stage, I kept planning vacations I knew I couldn't take.

Watching your summer "vacation" drift away when you never even got to enjoy it.

"Look at where you are / Look at where you started"

You start to see the public opinion turn against teachers, and you remember only a couple of months ago everybody was singing our praises.

"You'll be back, time will tell / You'll remember that I served you well."

STAGE TWO: Bargaining

Ahh, stage two. I remember you well. The protests, emails, and op-eds. The time spent patiently

explaining the situation to non-educators and watching Murphy's updates with my fingers

crossed. Ugh, this stage was rough.

You make a ton of suggestions about how to improve remote learning, and your school district lolz and says, "HYBRID!"

"Have you read this?"

So, then you write a ton of emails to your superintendent, governor, congressperson, and anyone else you can think of to try to convince him/her to keep schools closed and do remote learning.

"How do you write like you're running out of time? / Write day and night like you're running out of time? / Every day you fight like you're running out of time"

STAGE THREE: Anger

Insert rage crying here.

Then you realize there is no 'if' they send you back. They're sending you back into the building with all the germy children.

"Remember we made an arrangement when you went away / Now you're making me mad / Remember, despite our estrangement, I'm your man"

So you finally give in and read the district's plan for hybrid learning, and —

". . . "

Highlights!

You are teaching students in school and at home at the same time. Have fun!

STAGE FOUR: Depression

Current stage. Lots of ice cream and wine involved.

You realize it's completely out of your hands, and you've exhausted all of your options.

"Do you have a clue what happens now?"

So, you burn all the in-person, interactive, group-based lesson plans you wrote assuming we'd be able to beat Corona by now.

"You have torn it all apart / I'm watching it burn / Watching it burn"

STAGE FIVE: Acceptance

I don't know about you, but I'm so not here yet.

Your colleague tells you they emailed HR to request working from home.

"I wasn't aware that was something a person could do / I'm perplexed"

At the last minute, you try to learn as much as humanly possible about hybrid learning before school starts.

"Scammin' for every book he can get his hands on / Plannin' for the future"

And suddenly it's the night before your first day, and you're just like:

"You're on your own / Awesome, wow! / Do you have a clue what happens now?"

This year is going to be a rough one, everybody. Hang in there, watch Hamilton on repeat, and stick together. We need each other more than ever this year. Stay safe!