Day Twelve Home

(I think. Maybe day eleven, maybe thirteen. Who actually knows).

Lanie's best friend walked by our house and said hi through the window.

After 4 "snow days" by the state, we are in full swing of attempting to get kids online to learn virtually. The "snow days" were granted so that we did not have to make up the time. Now the state of Massachusetts wants some form of children doing review work or continued learning. There is also a huge disparity already forming with kids from lower income areas versus (mainly three) economically advantaged towns. They are providing distance learning, while places like Lynn and Fall River cannot provide devices for children to learn on or from.


Our district wanted us to check on the families, asking three main questions:

1.) are you well and safe?
2.) do you have food?
3.) do you have technology and internet?

Me spending hours on the phone on text and three way calls with interpreters trying to get people  onto computers and into programs.

Lanie pitched right in.

  For most of the families we are down to question 3 and then working on getting devices out and operational. Meanwhile, grade level, department, administrative teams are meeting figuring out available resources and meeting as a class community.

Simultaneously my own children are doing the same.

Every time we try to leave the house to get some fresh air, someone has a huge fit. Today was Lanie's turn. This is when she "HATED GOING FOR A WALK" and "WASN'T PUTTING SOCKS ON!"

Everyone found a walking stick and no one got hurt.

Virtual Meetings

I'm figuring out this whole work from home while parenting/schooling thing. It's really interesting. Today the kids had way, way too much screen time because most things recommended by their schools is virtual learning and for the most part they can be self sufficient with it. Plus it was really cold out, so outside time didn't last long.
I also woke up to emails that I had meetings scheduled, that were scheduled after 2:00 yesterday, which was the last time I checked my email.
I have a better schedule for them tomorrow so that will help break it up. I also have some activities set out.

Sam and Vivian have rediscovered an online math learning game that they want to do all day, which is great until I realized how long they have been online for.

Today, while I was in a grade level meeting, which my principal was in, Lanie came to sit on my lap and color, then she left. Vivian appeared behind me and disappeared, Sam wandered in and out. I have developed a swat that I can do without my upper body moving when they start getting noisy or need something.

At one point I sensed movement to my left and out of the corner of my eye I spotted Vivian, then she appeared behind me on the screen. I looked down and Jack was resting comfortably with a Fedora on his head. I didn't even crack a smile.

I did leave a recipe for the big kids to make chocolate chip cookies. Which they did, fairly self sufficiently. I went to drop something off for tutoring and came back and Sam's were a little oversized, and had dripped over the bottom of the oven and burned, so the kitchen was full of smoke. But they were good!

Jack with a fedora. Vivian hovering.

The children making cookies.

They were a little large.

Sam and Vivian filming me for a virtual story time with my students. We were working on camera angle.

Playing around after a virtual meeting with the fifth grade team. We took a photo for the students. The one meeting my children did not interrupt naturally.