Some kids in our state will start back to in person learning tomorrow. My county starts next week. Today was the deadline for families to register for remote learning if that is what they choose. I am very curious about how many students will be remote. We will know tomorrow.
I am looking forward to meeting with my students again, but also a little nervous for everyone. There is a big percentage of our citizens who either don’t understand the severity of the pandemic, or don’t believe it is serious. All we can do is watch and wait. Our governor and local leadership have gone against recommendations for opening….and here we are.
This week will be used for more lesson planning. I am so pleased to be able to put my lessons on Google Classroom. I made my first videos using “screencastify”. It wasn’t great. This program allows me to show my computer screen, and puts a video of me talking, in a small square. I had trouble figuring out where to put the square that wouldn’t block an important part of the screen. Then there are the aesthetics….my hair looked really frizzy…with or without glasses….I may need a little make-up. I am not a “natural” in front of a camera. Some people make it look so easy!
The AoA kids started their homeschooling year in July. AoA teen is using an online high school program. There has already been an upsetting lesson on relationships, that indicated something about race being a barrier to relationships. This rubbed AoA teen the wrong way, and they became enraged, wanting to quit the program. I offered to reach out to the company. Soon after, AoA teen told me that an email had been sent! My teen, who hates writing, wrote a passionate email about racism in educational materials.
I am very thankful that my kids had already been homeschooling prior to Covid-19. There are a lot of new “Covid homeschoolers” who are venturing into homeschooling. I am in several homeschool groups, and watch as parents get excited about buying curriculum, and making little school room areas in their homes. I don’t have the heart to shatter the fantasy. All kids don’t respond as we envision. Even sweet Little AoA has moments when she throws down her work and tantrums. Homeschooling takes a lot of PATIENCE and FLEXIBILITY. If my child isn’t in the frame of mind to do book work, we do something else. There is part of me that would love if they followed a traditional school schedule, but sometimes, I totally understand- because I rebel myself, against traditional schedules.
I will be starting into the world of tutoring next week, which I am excited about. I have a teacher friend who will be homeschooling. We are doing a barter for services. I will be meeting over zoom, for an hour a week with her two kids. I will be giving feedback, assigning work, supporting their learning, and motivating. It is much easier to do these things with other people’s children! I felt like I needed to give it a try, and figure out what exactly I can do to help. There are several specialties that I have experience with. I have successfully worked with students who have learning disabilities for over 20 years. I currently specialize in working with intellectually gifted students who struggle with anxiety/perfectionism, executive functioning challenges, and disgraphia. I set up a very basic website to share, once I feel like I am ready to take flight. It needs a little tweaking, but it is coming along.
I wish you all an enjoyable week!
~AoA
Army of Angels: Part 2 
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