The week of March 15, 2020
On Friday, March 13 we learned that we would be leaving school indefinitely because of the Coronavirus (Covid-19). The school office was a bit chaotic that day as was the copy room as teachers prepared to send home weeks of worksheets, assignments and plans for remote learning. To keep contact and traffic to a minimum, our principal dismissed in phases. Grade by grade, parents met their students at the classroom door and helped schlep their possessions out to vehicles, exiting through the church doors, and coming back in for the next grade to be dismissed. It was a circle of organized chaos.
On Monday, March 16 a final staff/faculty meeting was held to discuss strategy and plans to implement distance learning. In 24 short hours, our teachers prepared and executed what can only be described as amazing, transforming their typical lesson plans into online awesomeness.
And here we are now at the end of the first week. Each teacher has been sharing the next day's expectations the night before on their own blog filled with links, photos, and explanations for kids and parents alike.
Matthew's teacher is using SeeSaw to share videos, give instructions and teach her subjects. Matthew is able to upload his responses, send messages, and add photos or videos.
Andrew's teacher has excelled at creating a YouTube channel, filled with videos of her reading, teaching, explaining and executing her lesson plans. And these aren't just any videos! She has graphics, sound bites, B-roll and inserted photos. I'm blown away. Andrew completes his work online using Google Docs.
Both boys have loved using Facetime and Marco Polo to stay in touch with their friends and teachers.
Morgan's teachers have been sharing via the Remind app, text, email, and blogs. Morgan is incredibly independent and has had no trouble completing her learning each day.
Scott has been working from home as well. We carried up the old desk from the basement on Sunday night, and he's holed up in the master bedroom. At least he has a view.
Our Wi-Fi, our laptop, and our phones have been getting quite a workout this week. And I dare say, so has our patience as we navigate this new normal. We don't know how long this will last, but I'm thankful for this spacious home with room to breathe, for the acre yard with woods to explore, for empty-nest neighbors with a basketball hoop, for technology that has bridged the learning gap, for a chest freezer and pantry to get us through, and for God's provision through it all.
We took some notes on Friday, March 20, 2020 to end our first week at home. Here's what stood out to us:
Homework on screens
Lots of TV: Local and World news, movies, HGTV, Maine Cabin Masters
Outside time
Lots of panic in the grocery stores: Toilet paper, chicken, milk limits, flour
Family walks after dinner
Learning SeeSaw and Marco Polo apps
Extra hand-washing
Tele-working technology issues (Dad)
Lots of prayer
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