We are the midst of a historic event. Now that many states are shutting down schools and looking at online teaching options, there are many swirling questions about education: When will we go back to school? How will learning continue in the meantime? I feel for the high-school students who have to face the possibility of missing proms, sporting events, performances, and graduations.
As troubling as all this uncertainty is, here is an encouraging thought: Historic events like this one tend to reshape how we view our world and each other. Many previous generations have been defined by the obstacles they overcame. The Greatest Generation was born into the Great Depression and sacrificed on and off the battlefield in World War II to preserve our country.
As challenging as a national shutdown may be, this, too, shall pass, and we will be stronger because of it. In the meantime we should focus on staying positive, listening to the guidance of our government officials, supporting one another, and continuing to learn.
Learning might seem like the last thing on everyone's mind, but here is one of my all-time favorite quotes, delivered by Merlyn the Wizard from The Sword in the Stone and The Once and Future King:
“The best thing for being sad is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails....Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.”
To help teachers looking for teaching-from-home materials, I have made a website page that compiles resources into one spot. (It also has some ideas for parents who might be dealing with bored kids!) The link is here: https://
Stay healthy!
Zachary Hamby
Thank you both for this beautiful web site. I homeschool (and found you because I am teaching Medieval history next year). I came upon your work researching the Canterbury Tales and ended up buying your Road to Camelot on Amazon. I love your obvious commitment to making learning engaging and fun. Thank you for sharing it with the world!