Day 2 Slice of My Life Dwindling Away at this Dining Table

OK, when they said we would have school cancelled for two weeks, I thought, “we can do this.” It will be boring, but it will be a time to catch up.

Instead, my first online lesson was so complicated, creative, fun, etc.–I thought at the time–that it was almost impossibly difficult for some of my students to navigate. Students had two days to complete.

All morning, we are to stand by for emails and answer within 15 minutes. OK. I can do this. I set my timer for 15 minutes and each time it would ring in my ears, I would check my emails, religiously from 8 am to noon. I had a few emails, and it was easy to keep up with them. I’ve done that for two mornings.

After 2:00 p.m. I am free to not answer the emails until morning, like a regular working day. However, it’s not my style. Plus, the working parents needed answers this evening, not during my office hours this morning. So, read and answer emails, download videos and photos, read worksheets, add marks to the assignments coming in, give verbal and written feedback on Google Docs, Instagram, email and anything else? (I forget). I never moved from my chair for at least five hours. I don’t even remember the time I first sat down this evening. It may have been before 4:oo p.m.

Now, I’m going to bed, vowing never to make such a complicated online lesson again as long as I live. Yes, it was all my fault. I know. I’m the one that made the assignment.

My hind end is sore, my legs are asleep, I’m hungry, but I won’t take time to eat any more today. I may not even brush my teeth. (No, not really.) Good night, all.

4 thoughts on “Day 2 Slice of My Life Dwindling Away at this Dining Table

    1. Yes, others might be in the online learning situation, but they won’t necessarily be in my situation of unrealistic expectations and optimism in what the students can achieve on their own and with parents’ limited time. Some of my colleagues are having success right from the beginning! My second lesson has got to be better! Right?

  1. Thanks for sharing–I too wonder if our district will need to close in the near future. Your self-talk sounds very familiar!

    1. Thanks for reading. All the best to you and your district. We’ve been getting good news the last couple days. Hopefully all the communities can contain the community spreading.

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