Distance Learning

Teachers, man.

Avalyn in a virtual classroom

I’ve always known they were a special breed- but this online schooling thing we’re dealing with brings teachers to a whole new level.

Avalyn is in kindergarten. She’s 5. She can’t even read, let alone use the computer proficiently, so naturally I was curious to see how this would work.

On the very first day, we were already ten minutes into class one kid still hadn’t figure out how to mute himself. This kid happens to be in a daycare setting, probably because his parents’ are essential, but it’s loud where he is. And rightfully so, each day a bunch of daycare providers in the background have to get multiple kids set up on multiple devices so they can tune in to their perspective classes. It’s chaotic, but they’re doing the best they can.

I’m lucky, I work from home.I have an entire office with enough room for a little home school station.My daughter and I have our backs to each other while we’re working.Maybe in a few weeks she’ll be so dialed in that I will feel comfortable leaving her for a few minutes here and there to do laundry, flashing the whole class my derriere on my way in and out of my office chair.It could be worse though- I could be the teacher, trying to keep 16 five-year-olds engaged and focused. Props to the teachers!They have the patience of saints