I’ve been thinking a lot about remote teaching lately. How could I not?! Like most Ontario educators, my teaching partner, Paula, and I just finished our fourth week of teaching online. Remote kindergarten. If you asked me last year if three hours of remote learning would be feasible for four- to six-year-olds, I would have told you that you were crazy. Now I find myself getting excited about different possibilities. Don’t get me wrong. I see and understand the many challenges as well.
- The large amount of screen time.
- The variation in materials and space that make planning hard.
- The lack of proximity that is so very valuable in a classroom context. It’s a lot harder to just communicate a message through a look when you’re part of a pixellated image on the other side of a screen.
- The fact that there is no off to the side. You’re always on display online, as are all of the kids. It’s hard to not get distracted by everything happening in the mini-Brady Bunch boxes.
- The fact that certain subjects become harder to teach online when you might lack the materials and the proximity to best support the learning.
This list only encapsulates some of the challenges, and since all educators have different teaching styles and strengths, what might be a challenge for some could be an area of success for others. We really are as different as our kids. I can understand the stress I read through teaching tweets and blog posts, and at times, I’ve shared some of my own. But honestly, I just can’t go through the next uncertain number of weeks online only feeling stressed, and so, I’m trying to capture and share moments that make me happy …
From the name choices of “Dunsiger” and “Crockett” without the “Ms.” …
To the unexpected independence that’s shared each day …
To surprise portraits that make us smile …
To the world’s most perfect reply to “Any questions?,” and the conversation that ensued …
To the additional 1:1 and small group time that provides us with insights that we might not have seen or heard otherwise …
To the unexpected ways to view expectations that we wouldn’t have considered if not online …
To the small talk that often seems to get lost in the classroom, especially when the eating table had to go by the wayside this year …
And to the yoga stories that bring a lot of joy from a little movement.
In Lisa Corbett‘s recent blog post (thanks Doug for highlighting it in your Friday post and drawing my attention to it), she mentions the timelines for report cards. Like her, I’m certainly aware that in a couple of weeks, I’m going to need to start writing Communications of Learning. Will each of these moments that made me smile help me with this writing? Some yes, and others possibly not. But they each do something wonderful for my mental health and well-being, and I have to wonder if the same holds true for kids.
Yesterday, Paula and I received an unexpected note from a parent, which included this statement.
A special thank you to this mom, as these words could not have come at a better time. We do love what we do, and we also love each of the kids and families that we have the pleasure to work with each and every day. Earlier this week, I shared this tweet …
Right now, I’m trying to stay focused on these growing relationships and the many moments that make me smile … not in an effort to ignore the problems or forget the upcoming Communication of Learning deadline, but with the hope that these positive moments will reframe my perspective and give me the energy I need to reflect on and capture learning in the best way that I know how. What are your moments of joy? It might just be one moment. Or a small piece of one. But I hope that we can share and celebrate all of these joyous pieces, as maybe they will give all of us the energy that we need for the month ahead.
Aviva
Thanks for such a well thought through and interesting post to read, Aviva. I’ve often wondered – and this might be a topic for a new post – will this be the year of the asterisk on report cards? How will this year’s report cards stack up against all of the others over a child’s education career?
Doug, somehow your blog comment ended up in my Trash. I’m wondering why since I definitely didn’t delete it. That said, our Twitter conversation had me writing a report card post to be published tomorrow. I’m not sure if it will totally answer both of these questions, but I hope it’s a start. Thanks for provoking some more thinking here.
Aviva