021 Minimum Day #4 : Back in the Classroom

Here's how the school year progressed. It started as "We won't likely be returning to campus this year." Then it changed to  "I doubt it will happen." Which changed to, "Maybe it will happen." Then to, "It's happening," and finally... "It happened!" Last week we were back in our classroom with students! 

Well kind of... Families had the choice of returning to campus or continuing with the distance learning protocol we had been following since school started. We weren't sure how many would show up on Tuesday (Mondays are still virtual for all students). Turns out, not many!  The biggest class I had was 11 students, which considering each cohort has only 15, seemed large. It was all downhill from there. My other classes had 6, or 3, and in one class, one lonely student was forced to spend two and a half hours alone in a classroom as if it were after-school detention. (I sincerely hope he didn't feel that way😳) Can you say "Awkward?" 

Other teachers had even fewer, like zero. No students showed up.  So while it was amazing to see the students' faces (well half of their faces as they were all wearing masks) it was difficult to divide my attention adequately between those in person and those who were still on the computer. I found myself forgetting about those distance learners. I mean, when you have live people who you see react to your stupid teacher jokes versus those who are still hiding in the virtual void, silent behind their anime icons, who would you pay attention to? 

All I can say is it was exhausting. But hey, one week down and 9 to go!  In this quickie episode, Jen, Sharyn, and I (Anne 🙄) discuss how our first week back in the classroom went. The good, the bad, and the ugly of it.  How many kids showed up, how lesson planning went, and what we think would have worked better. 

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