Alright. The first three days are in the bank. You know what? This just might be fun…
There *are* some distinct advantages to teaching online:
1) Not having to drive to school or back. Saves time (sleep too), wear-and-tear, money, and stress.
2) Not having to discipline kids nearly as much…a few silly comments, emojis, memes, etc., big deal you know?
3) Not having to deal with potty breaks, pencil sharpenings, tissue sneezings, personal emergencies, etc. is okay too.
4) Not having to deal with so much paper; much of what I do is electronic now…though I still hand write my notes to post…
The drawbacks are more obvious:
1) No interpersonal communication; it’s all in a chatroom so far…though video conferencing appears to be an inevitabilility.
2) I cannot be sure kids are doing what they are supposed to be doing; lip service abounds. The kids that want to learn are still with me.
3) Certain kids check in at the beginning of the period, then check out…I will have to start taking double attendance.
4) No actual lab activities, nor demonstrations; all virtual and/or videos…no hands-on fun stuff…missing the best part of the class…
From what we hear, it is more likely than not that we will be doing this online thing for the rest of the school year, but who knows? (As it turned out, it continued well into the next school year!)
Thank you, everyone, for your support…I fell like a pioneer in a new land…