Notes from the Apocalypse - The Educator's Episode

 

So here is a scene from one of the virtual-classrooms I used during summer school, hence me in shorts and a t-shirt. Yup, Mr. S keeps it casual during the summer. Let me catch y'all up on the haps.

• I spent the summer teaching myself how to use technology to teach students remotely. This remote learning was never a part of my coursework when I did my teaching certification. I am grateful that this older dog was able to learn some new tricks. 
• My district started the school-year with us doing remote teaching for the first 10 weeks. This decision by the Board pissed off the superintendent...She then tried to lay a guilt trip on the Board by saying parents need "childcare" in order to go to work 😠 and if we didn't go back parents would start home schooling their kids 😂 and the cherry on her whack sundae was her saying if the teacher really did love their students they would come back🖕. She is not ready for prime-time. 
• BTW, the Board voted for remote teaching because the buildings were not ready with PPE and not fully compliant with CDC and OSHA guidelines. Yay for safety first!
• My K-3 students are adapting to our interactive Meets session. The first few days they were intrigued with seeing themselves on the computer screen, therefore I was entertained while seeing the kiddos make all kinds of funny faces. Ya gotta love 'em.
• I had to remind a few parents that when their child is off of mute, the other students and I can hear their private conversations and the use of profanity in the home. So this week I learned that Mrs. So-and-So thinks her older son's girlfriend is a "lazy bitch." LMAO.
• I hope when these 10 weeks are up we have the green light to go back into our buildings...remote teaching is double the work, and some of my students need the in-class teaching. Learning remotly aint for everybody.

Notes from the Apocalypse.

• REM's It's the End of the World as We Know It, has becoming this unwanted earworm that I have been battling with for weeks. The only cure is long-sessions of listening to other music that puts me in a different headspace (stay tuned for that post).
• Without any warning or preparation, teachers in my district have been asked to utilize various platforms to provide "distanced learning" for our students. What has blown up is the long standing issue of the digital divide. I work at a Title 1 school, our students are on the have-nots side of that divide. Many were given Chrome Books, but don't have wifi service at home. 
• Plus, I work with grades K-3...my little friends are confused, and their parents are overwhelmed. It sucks.
• I now know two people that have died from COVID-19 related complications. 
• My BFF since 1985 is home sick with it, and my play-niece's 46 y.o. uncle is in the hospital for 4 days now, battling this damn virus.
• My sister and nephew are on edge in NYC. Thank god they are both germaphobes and are obsess about avoiding other people's cooties. 
• Since March 12, I have been out of the house only 4 times. When I do go out I just feel anxious. Luckily, where I live we are not densely populated. 
• I had to put my FWBs on pause. So between not going outside and social distancing (no FWBs), I am vitamin "D" deficient. 
• I thought about harm reduction and only bought healthy food for the quarantine. No junk food, because I would have probably ate it all in one day. 
• I am curious to see what the world and my world will become when we come out of this plague. 
• Stay healthy. Stay safe. Stay home (as much as possible).