Wednesday, April 15th 2020

ONE PARENT’S COMPENDIUM OF ACADEMIC RESOURCES PROVIDED FOR ONE 3rd GRADER DURING QUARANTINE

CJ’s teachers walk her through her work plan today (PARTIAL VIEW)

DISCLAIMER:  We are privileged by our district’s resources, our inspirational school, and the most dedicated, loving and talented teachers.  With the sudden onset of quarantine, the parent is involuntarily thrown into a position of academic concierge.  Depending on tech ability and number of learners at home, it causes total overwhelm.  *Being* with my kids is not the problem,  it’s a privilege.  But the the quantity of material and demand on time and attention away from other urgent responsibilities can be incapacitating and shockingly stressful.  Through sheer desperation I have quantified it here. 

RESOURCES MY EIGHT YEAR OLD ALREADY USES:

• Google Classroom
• Google Class Website
• Work Menu
• New Online Work Plan
• Message of the Day
• Reflex Math
• Symphony Math
• “Tangy Tuesday” (Math worksheets)
• Khan Academy 
• Sora
• Countless other individual assignments posted weekly
• Typing Club

RESOURCES WE ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO USE:

• PebbleGo 
• Culture Grams
• Lexia
• RAZ Kids
• Bedtime Math

BONUS SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES: 

• The School Challenge
• Physical Education Challenges, complete with it’s own
• Fitness Journal,   complete with ITS OWN
• Personal Commitment Rubric (I shit you not) AND
• Fun Fitness Decorations* (I do not have permission to access these, lol)
• Pen Pal Project
• Read Alouds
• Visual Arts Studio
• Music
• Technology, which includes;
• “Things to do on your Chromebook!”
  1. Practice Typing
  2. Create a Google Slideshow, Document or Sheet
  3. Code!
  4. Digital Passport
  5. Be Internet Awesome

REMEMBER TO MIND YOUR:

• Social Emotional Learning!
• Math Videos!
• School Community Videos!  (OK I admit these are actually super cute)

AND FOR GOOD MEASURE:

• Online Resources for Kids!

BE SURE TO FILL OUT THE:

• Check-In Survey  (to “Let us know how you are doing!”)

LASTLY;

HERE IS MY 3RD GRADER’S (MOSTLY KNOWN) MEETING SCHEDULE:

• Mondays @1:30pm – Whole Class Meeting
• Tuesdays @9am – 3rd Grade Class Meetup
• Wednesdays @1pm – Music Instruction
• Thursdays 8:30am – Art Show & Tell
• Daily @11:30am – Teacher Check-In (So generous, wonderful and welcome)
• Daily @5:15pm  – Hang Out with Grandma — (Love you B.WoW!)

My conclusion?

There is simply a false equivalence between what can be expected of teachers administering work at school vs. teachers administering the SAME AMOUNT OF WORK through the portals of online technology and PARENTS at home.

The delivery system has COMPLETELY MORPHED into something we have never experienced before —sudden emergency homeschooling– yet the district seems to be upholding the exact same level of academic expectations; as if nothing has changed and there is no global crisis and families aren’t desperate to perform everything in their power to adapt and survive in this new pandemic environment.

My attention and talents are needed elsewhere;  applying for fiscal support, reinventing a career, sewing protective gear, and being a sane healthy parent for starters! 

I. Do. Not. Have. Time. For. This.

♣♣♣