Dealing with your own children during distance learning
Our guest co-host, fellow co-worker, and single parent, Angel, joins us today. She shares her unique (or not so unique, depending on your family dynamic) situation. Mommy or Teacher? She helps her two elementary school-aged children during distance learning, while also wearing the seventh-grade science teacher hat. She discusses how she often must excuse herself from teaching her junior high students, to help her daughters. They often stand just off-camera, staring at her, while quietly mouthing the word ” Mom…Mom….” At least twice a session, she must deal with her first grader’s online class meltdowns. Angel gets real about today’s current demands. They leave her feeling inadequate in both her roles as a Mommy or Teacher. She deals with both sides when it comes to children during distance learning.
Extended Summer Vacay? Um… No!
Some parents feel teachers should show gratitude for their “extended summer vacations.” Enough already, get back to your classroom. We explain why this isn’t true. In fact, many teachers are ready to throw in the towel. The stress and demands of distance learning have pushed some to think of quitting. We go off on blank assignments students turned in for credit. The students seem to think clicking the “turn in” button in Google Classroom is effort enough.
They discuss the value of boredom. Angel and Jen share a game they played with their students, called Among Us. They explain how the game increased engagement and helped develop a better class dynamic. I also share a lesson that reminded her why she loves teaching.
Finally, I get on my pulpit to remind us that teaching is the most important profession of all. Learning is more than the sharing of knowledge. It is passing down wisdom. It is admitting our errors and helping others learn from our mistakes. Education is necessary if we wish to develop a working society made of intelligent, empathetic humans. As teachers, we all have the common goal of making sure all people have the opportunity to succeed. So, go proudly forth into yet another Google Meet and get after it.
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