I Have Not Showered in 3 Days

Home Learning: What Have I Become?

I now have two laptops set up. One is my school computer, the other is my personal computer. One is not enough.

Right now I am working to find a balance of replying to student questions, and also giving them the chance to struggle and learn through the difficulty on their own. If I sit here and answer every comment within 12 seconds, what good am I doing?

After sitting at the computer screen(s) for nearly 4 hours, it crossed my mind that I had not showered in a few days. I had not noticed until now. I have been too busy preparing for this remote learning that my own personal hygiene was neglected.

Oh well. Worth it.

Remember Why You Teach

Home Learning: First Day of "School"

Today was the first day of "school", that is "Home Learning" school. A morning video on Youtube was waiting to greet my students at 8 a.m. Assignments and videos, slideshows and Google Docs were ready to be worked on.

I had no idea how the students would respond. Would any of them even get on the computer? Do they still want to learn? Do they still care what their teachers have to say?

They got on the computer. They worked their butts off. And somehow, in a way, they even seemed excited to see their teacher.

In times when we are planning for a lesson, reading books and collecting resources, filming yourself teaching a lesson and posting it to Youtube, it is very easy to forget why we do all this work. It can be monotonous, quiet, and often times done alone.

When school was closed, all the fun of teaching went with it. Students are what make teaching, teaching. They are the sole reason we do it. They are the motivation to grade countless papers, make copies at 5:30 after school, and answer the same questions over, and over, and over, and over (ie what time is lunch?)

Seeing my students today working on their computers, sharing videos with their pets and siblings, excited about this new challenge, reminded me why I became a teacher. 

Whenever you're having a difficult day, a parent sends you that one email that you didn't see coming, or you have spent the past 4 hours in a chair creating a remote learning experience for your students during a worldwide pandemic, remember why you do it. The students.

My Back Hurts

Home Learning: Sitting, sitting, and more sitting

Today we had a Zoom meeting at 8:30 am. It is now 10:45 am and I am still sitting in this chair.

My back hurts. 

My head hurts.

And my eyes will start to hurt very soon.

Remember that your students are feeling these same pains. We want our students to learn, and to not "waste" this time off from formal in-class learning. But at what cost?

Keep lessons short. Give students chances to explore outside of the confines of a chair and computer. Send them on adventures around their house, backyards, safe places in their neighborhood.

My back hurts and your students' do, too. Save our backs. Be creative and get your students up and moving.

How the Heck am I Going to Do This?

Home Learning: The Planning

It is Tuesday night. I have spent the past two days at a school full of teachers, administrators, teaching assistants, and the coming and going of students and families picking up books and supplies.

Working in a large private school, with a cliental that is demanding, yet supportive, there are many questions to be asked and difficult choices to be made. 

The first question we encountered as a school and individually as educators is; how?

How do we begin?

How will students learn?

How the heck am I going to do this?

Once you start to sort through all your own questions (doubts), the decision making can finally begin.

The first thing we can do as educators in a new situation is to keep it simple. Rely on what you know and be willing to learn new things.

Remember that students are feeling the same feelings. They are scared, nervous, anxious, worried, excited to begin something new.

Remember that students tackle things head on. They are curious and relentless; ready for the next challenge.

In times when we may not know the answer to all of our own questions, remember your students and start with them in mind.