I'm Just a Guy, in a Room, Talking about Science

You should see this remote teaching thing from my perspective. You would not believe it.

I’ve continually got twenty-four tabs open, spread across two browsers. My computer notification chimes about every 17 seconds. There are notifications of work ready for review/grading, private comments on google classroom, emails from the administration and my 7/8 grade team, notices from tech support, parents texting me on Remind, and people trying to sell me stuff that is “ideal for remote learning.”  When I have the volume up on my computer, I can hear that chime all over the house. I can hear it during class, when I’m having dinner, playing with the dog, brushing my teeth, it’s nearly all the time…chime, chime, chime, chime, chime, chime, chime, chime.

This whole way of doing school is very difficult to cope with - and I am sure it is equally difficult to cope with on your side as well. 

For me, the hardest part are the virtual zoom classes. Almost no one turns their cameras on, so I’m faced with a screen full of black boxes with names. When I ask a class of 27 students to put their thoughts, ideas and opinions in the chat, the same 5 to 7 people respond and that’s about it. 

“What are the rest of you doing?” I often wonder, picturing you napping, playing video games or using your phones.

I feel like I’m talking to myself a lot of the time. Intellectually, I know people are there, but there is so little human contact, that it feels like I am very alone. Maybe you feel the same way too.

A typical class goes something like this:

Me: “ Okay, so that’s the end of the lecture part of the class. As a reminder, I have posted a recorded version of this lecture on google classroom along with your work. Please go to google classroom, review the video and complete the handout I posted. Does anyone have questions or comments? Just put them in the chat.”

Chat: <silence>

Me: “Okay, please stay on the call while you do your work. I am here if you have any questions. I’ll be doing my attendance while you work.”

Me: (quietly muttering to myself): “Okay, Tony’s here, Billy, Amy, no James today, …”

Chat: “What are we doing?”

Me: “Please go to google classroom and watch the video version of the lecture, then do the handout posted with it. Is everybody clear about what you should be working on? If you have questions, please put them in the chat.”

Chat: <silence>

Me: (again, quietly muttering to myself): “James is here, I see Lori, Alex is here, Steve, Jenny, Aggie, no Pearl…”

Chat: “What are we supposed to be doing?”

Me: “Again, please go to google classroom and watch the video version of the lesson, then do the handout posted with it.”

Me: (still, quietly muttering to myself): “Okay, where was I? Oh yes, no Pearl, Shelly is here, Ruth is here…”

Chat: “Is there any work for today?”

Me: “For the third time, please go to google classroom. Watch the video version of the lesson, then do the handout posted with it. Everybody all set?  Any questions about what is expected of you, right now? If so, please ask your questions in the chat.”

Chat: <silence>

Attendance is now done. I can respond to a couple of emails and reply to a parent on Remind.

Chat: “What are we doing?”

Me: “For the fourth time,” holding up four fingers in front of my camera, “please go to google classroom and watch the video version of the lesson I just taught, then do the handout posted along with it. Does anyone have any questions about what I am expecting of you? Please put your questions in the chat.”

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Me: “Just to be sure…are we all on the same page? Everyone know what you’re supposed to be working on? It’s posted to google classroom, as it is every day. When you’re done, you may do late work, work for another class, or read a book. Please reach out if you are having any trouble at all.”

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: <silence>

Chat: “I can’t find the work.”

Me: “Ugh.”

So, there you have it. 

I'm just a guy, in a room, talking about science. <sigh>

If you’d like to write a companion post about what virtual learning is like from your side of things, let me know. I have allowed students to guest post on my blog in the past and would enjoy doing so again.