MONDAY, APRIL 5TH, 2021 - EDUCATION IN A PANDEMIC

 MONDAY, APRIL 5TH, 2021 - EDUCATION IN A PANDEMIC

For the past two months, I’ve been a substitute teacher in the Georgetown Texas School District

It’s been a hard year (from last year after COVID first struck, until now) for education.  In most of my classes, there are two groups - the in-class students and the remote students.  I first really realized that in a “Dollar and Sense” class, where I wanted to talk about motivation and setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely).  But, only the in-class students heard me.  (And, they were mostly bored).  A week later, I had an algebra class - and I was salivating - “I’m going to teach math!!!”  That was maybe my worst class in substituting!!!

Step back a second.  Do you remember having substitute teachers when you grew up?  I vaguely remember, but I do remember guys trying to give the substitute teacher a bad time.  They didn’t sit in the right seats, they didn’t use their right names, and they didn’t pay attention.  

Well, that was kind of the algebra class.  Both the in-class and the remote students had the same assignment (that’s only fair) - to do a worksheet on exponents.  As the bell rang for the class to start, a boy asked to use the restroom.  I said ‘no - wait until I start the lesson’.  That started an avalanche - soon three students (two girls and the boy) were whining about needing the restroom.  I make the analogy of a piranha smelling blood in the water and they were going to gang up on the poor substitute.  I told them they could wait - and the whining got louder “I really HAVE to go”  - I told them that in 38 years of college teaching, no student had a burst bladder or got a urinary tract infection from waiting until after class.  (Now, I had a sign on my back - “Kick Me” - AND - one on the front “FRESH MEAT”).  

Since then, before class starts I write on the whiteboard (or huge monitor) my Name (Ms. White), and a note “NO RESTROOM BREAKS UNTIL <a particular time - about halfway through the class?>” 

(Am I wrong?  I don’t remember leaving a class for the restroom - but maybe I was naive?)

*****

Back to my original premise - education in a pandemic is a real problem.  It reminds me of the old Jim Crow laws “Separate but equal”.  I know of students “learning from home” - where they did their lessons - but also have time for gaming.  

Since my algebra class, most of my classes have been glorified study halls. 

 “Hi, Students.  Your teacher put your assignment on Google Classroom, go out and do it.”

(Aside: that was generally good as it gave me time to write my blog!!!)

*****

But, two weeks ago, as I arrived at a school for my assignment, the substitute teacher coordinator asked if I could cover a theater class.  (I was down to cover a special education class).  I said “YES”).  That ended up being the substitute for the technical theater teacher for six days.  He had been positive for COVID - but had one vaccination and was out six-days.  When I knew he was going to be gone from two weeks before Easter to the Wednesday before Easter (and in consulting with him), I prepared an assignment.  In some respects, I didn’t know what to expect.  The students were to create a one-act play with sets, costumes, sounds, music, props, lights, cast, and more.  

Some of the projects turned out to be very good.  One team did a Capitol Riot one-act play - with people in a mob, capitol police, and even Electoral College figures (like Mike Pence).

Another team did a scene from aTarget department store where a lady comes in without a mask, and a Target employee asks her to get a mask.  Ultimately, security and police get involved.  

But, about one-third of the class did nothing.  Maybe one or two people on a team (they were five-person teams) did a few set drawings, and wrote down some costumes and cast ideas, but the others in the team didn’t help.  (Maybe they figured that (a) a substitute isn’t going to grade projects; (b) in-class projects that the remote students don’t do aren’t really projects).

I’ve heard educators suggest that they have lost a “year” of learning.  What might that mean in the future (like when these students get to college)?

Thirty years ago, I (and TF, LMG, and others) were honored for being “Pioneers” in Distance Learning.  I created my own web pages, and assignments; did all the HTML to make the pages work.  BUT - that was for highly motivated college students that were unable to get COBOL programming while they were learning in a traditional setting.  I’ve been involved with the NYDLA (New York Distance Learning Association - and on their Board of Directors with TC).  Distance learning is “now” - but (my bias) - the learners need to be motivated to learn.  For college students, most want at least to obtain knowledge and skills, and, if nothing else, to get credits towards a degree - and with that degree - get promoted and get a better life.  

I’m sure parents didn’t want (a) their children exposed to Covid and (b) didn’t want their children to come home with the Covid germs.  Signing students up for remote learning just made sense with a pandemic raging around us.  As we get more adults (and working down to students) vaccinated, maybe we can have all K-12 students in in-person classes next year!!!

That is going to lead to tomorrow’s blog - the “Spark”!!

LOVE WINS!!

HUGS!!

Karen