Day 97- June 17, 2020

Day 97- June 17, 2020

Jumping into summer like...

It's the last day of school!  The girls are so happy to be finished, and frankly, so am I (that they are done- I have one more day of work).  They had final zoom meetings with their teachers, and got to see their classmates virtually.  It's been a very odd year- I'm grateful that they were able to continue to learn, albeit in an unorthodox way, through the last few months.  There is a survey of parents that I received, and I was honest in my assessment of online learning.

The truth is, I think it worked and didn't work, and there are things that can be done to improve the effectiveness dramatically.  The biggest thing missing is real-time teaching.  Instructions are fine, but for younger grades, it's imperative to watch someone teach/lecture, then to have that person on standby in case you have a question.

For instance, have the teacher use her computer screen on a Zoom call, and show the kids how to calculate perimeter.  Then, have the class work on their math problems while they are still on the Zoom call.  If someone has a question, they can ask (just like a normal classroom).  The kids are doing the work in real-time, in a structured setting (like at school).  Yes, there will be kids who, for whatever reason, can't do that time.  Fine.  So have them do it later, and watch the video.  Perhaps another kid in class asked the question they have in their head.  Or if not, they can email the teacher, same as they would have without the real-time lecture.  But the other 20+ students would have already done the work, and so the teacher isn't receiving emails from all of them.  Just from the students who missed.  AND those other kids got the structured, real-time learning.

Now, is this sustainable for all subjects?  Maybe not.  But if the teachers can do some of the stuff in real time, at least there is some structure  to the lessons, and some interaction (even if it is virtual).  I think it could be pretty effective.  And it would eliminate some of the confusion that kids feel trying to decipher directions.

I also would remove Pearson- PERIOD.  It's an awful system, with verbose incoherent questions that often have the wrong answers.  Literally.  Like they said this shape:

was not a triangle (E. answered triangle- the test marked her wrong.  I emailed her teacher- teacher was said, yep, it is a triangle, I'm pretty sure most four year olds would agree.  She also mentioned that Pearson has consistently had incorrect answers marked correct and vice-versa).

After school let out, we waited anxiously for 3PM, which is when report cards would be released.  Grades aren't what we cared about- they actually aren't doing them for the final quarter because, well, it's tough to grade assignments when you aren't in school and handing them in regularly.


No, it was all about what teachers the girls' got for next year.  At 3 on the dot, we received the auto email that report cards were available, and fifteen minutes later, finally were able to open them (the website wasn't exactly cooperating).  There was much excitement as we then texted friends to find out who was in their classes.

We also had a celebration- it is my Dad-In-Law Ed's birthday, and we had him, Mom-In-Law and Aunt Marian over for a little dessert.  I truly won the in-law family lottery. I've known them since I was 16, and they are literally my second set of parents.  I remember my mother-in-law asking me in a worried voice, sometime after E. was born, if it was okay that she stopped by unannounced to visit with us and R. and E.  I was so confused and said "Of course not!  I love that you come by!"

She was visibly relieved, and explained that a friend of hers basically had to make appointments to see her grandkids.

I was horrified and responded with "I don't know what is wrong with them, but if you stop dropping by, I'm going to be very upset.  I need the help!  And I love you!"  I can't imagine not having her, Marian and Ed coming by whenever they want to see us or the kids.  It always brightens my day, and cheers me up.  During some of the hardest times, they have been there for me, and I'm forever grateful.  I was looking forward to our big family adventure this year- we were headed to Rehoboth Beach next week- but unfortunately, we needed to postpone.

So for Ed's birthday, we are giving him a boat trip, where we rent a boat for a morning or afternoon and cruise around either a lake or bay (his choice).  They all went out on a boat last year when we did a family trip to Martha's Vineyard, and we also did this years ago on Lake George, so I know he loves this type of outing.  I braved the Lake George boat, but I tend to get motion sickness, so depending on the plan with this rental, I'll either take photos from the beach, or hop on for part of the trip and then do some swimming/photo taking.

Either way, the important thing is spending time together.  That's something that there's been too little of with all the isolation, and is probably what I'm most excited about now that restrictions are easing.