I had staved it off with work ethic. I got up early, showered and dressed in cute shirts and colorful jeans. My school laptop was turned on promptly at 730a, sometimes earlier, at my designated work space in the study. In the last four weeks (has it only been four?), I assisted with developing a help site for teachers, recorded over half a dozen read-alouds, tweeted out online author events, created library lessons for six grade levels, supported my instructional tech teacher's virtual broadcast project and attended over twenty virtual meetings. I've watched webinars on information literacy, database accessibility, middle grade book releases with author panels.
I have enough work to keep me busy. I am blessed to have a paycheck.
But reading aloud to a screen, without the reactions of and interaction with listeners, began to fall flat. How can I tell if they're getting the joke, picking up the pattern, following along? Book talking without kids present can feel like prescribing medicine without knowing the symptoms. It's easy to say "Keep reading, students!"--but do they have access to the books that fit them, that fill their needs?
I miss collaborating with my teachers at the circulation desk, too. They are busy figuring out how to personalize the district-provided lessons for their classes, some navigating virtual classrooms and learning platforms for the first time. A few pop in to my weekly "office hour" to listen to tips on connecting ebooks to Google Classroom, differentiating with database tools. But most are up to their ears in emails from parents, virtual team meetings, and online grading--all while holding down the fort at home with their families.
I'm still getting up early, dressing for work, logging in promptly. There's been a little more interaction with parents and students--a happy note from a suggested activity, a screencast to help a student navigate an ebook platform. It still feels so very one-sided, though...I miss my days in the stacks.
This is such a big adjustment, isn't it? I can really relate to this: "But reading aloud to a screen, without the reactions of and interaction with listeners, began to fall flat. " I'm a classroom teacher and like those you mention, up to my ears in on line meetings, recording lessons, etc., but wow, knowing I need to maintain this weird new reality until mid June is VERY daunting. I'm beyond thankful that I'm still employed and that I can connect virtually with all my students...but...staying perky is a big challenge. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteI know it's not nearly the same, but I feel as you do about my virtual book club meetings. It's difficult to make connections when you can't meet face-to-face. But bless you for keeping on keeping on. Just the fact that you get dressed and log in every day is hope personified. Thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteI am feeling the same blah-ness as one day rolls into the next. Like you, I am thankful for having work and a paycheck, but the artificial feel of it all is burdensome. Another instructional support colleague and I created a choice board this week to help classroom teachers and that was the only school-related thing recently that felt exciting or really productive. I think that's the crux of it - feeling productive - as well as that need for interaction, not to mention "normalcy." This line about teachers -"But most are up to their ears in emails from parents, virtual team meetings, and online grading--all while holding down the fort at home with their families" - so true. It's amazing what they're accomplishing. We still don't know here in NC if we are going back in mid-May or not ... and I have very mixed feelings about that. I think we all need it BUT we all don't need COVID-19 ... I think you are accomplishing a lot despite all, Chris.
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