Lesson Planning during COVID-19

It's Saturday and I'm tired of being on the computer, laptop, and Chromebook.  Yes, I use all three.  Each has an advantage and a disadvantage.  While I am tired, I know I have accomplished quite a bit for my students.  I have created and posted lesson plans until May 1. Why May 1 when we should return to school on April 14?  Because I want my students to know I'm not going to suddenly shift gears on them when we return.  That would be jarring for all of us.  This way they can have a glimpse into the future, and, if we are kept away longer, then at least they know that it's already been planned for and they're ready for it.  (Technically, I have lessons planned until the end, but no need to alarm anyone yet, right?)

Here are some pics of the new reality for student lesson plan overview:

Making learning visually appealing by using file templates: Daily Overview


Make learning visually appealing by using file templates: Week at a Glance

Calendar for quarter updated
Google Classroom new topic

So, many places to make learning accessible.  I'm planning to start with one Zoom session per week (recorded and posted later that day for students) and using Loom (or Screencastify) to record videos of my lessons.  If students want me to be present to them, then I will Zoom daily.  It will be their call.  The balance of keeping rigor and relevance with the needs of my students is of utmost importance to me. Personally, it's easier to teach poetry live, but recordings allow me to be consistent and concise, and students can rewind and re-watch as needed and as their schedule allows.  Now, to find a quiet place to record the videos with an almost four month old mini-dachshund and three boys (two sons and a husband) in the house.  I think my best time will be early in the morning when they are asleep.  Plus, my youngest son is one of my students, so that presents a challenge when I need to present and he needs to be online with his peers.  He went into his room and shut the door during our trial Zoom and that worked well.  My oldest son is now attending his college classes virtually for the remainder of the semester. My husband is a public school teacher and his school system has shut down his online teaching/learning because the rest of the system is not having lessons and assessments due to equitable access and services.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  As a parent, I am a bit horrified.  As an educator, I sort of understand. I am very happy (ecstatic is the word I'd rather use, but I'm trying to keep that inner nerd in check) that our system has decided to continue learning as usual. However, I'm looking forward to a slower teaching pace soon as I finish up grading papers and projects for this past quarter.  I've been procrastinating myself a bit to cook and even dust.  If it weren't for a wet yard after the rain, I'd be outside mowing the grass.  Soon, I tell the grass. 

Of course, the memes are circulating about how parents-turned-at-home-teachers are handling this crisis.  It's both funny and sad.  Funny, because I appreciate the humor of my non-teaching friends. Sad, because as parents we are the first teachers of our children.  

My husband is using his newfound time to start recording his journal thoughts from his cancer journey from last year in a blog.  The puppy has finished his first round of puppy training.  The college kid has found new ways of procrastinating and wants to visit his girlfriend.  The eighth grader is enjoying a later wake up time, FaceTiming his friends, and the flexibility of learning.  We all are learning to co-exist again.  It's been a few years since we have been under the same roof for so long.  It's nice.  It's simple.  I'm grateful for this time with them, especially when I hear of extended family struggling with melanoma (a cousin) and isolation from a positive COVID-19 test of her husband (a different cousin) and a hospitalization (an uncle-the father of the two cousins).  

And now, to procrastinate a bit further, I feel the call of gingerbread cookies begging to be made, baked, and then eaten. 😋 Perhaps we will enjoy them over a game of cards. 



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