Three more weeks of online school
By Denise
@petatonicsca (7070)
Japan
May 21, 2020 6:32pm CST
Today is Friday. When I finish today, there will be three more weeks of online school. We extended till June 16 because of taking an extra week at spring break, but teachers did three days of online-teaching prep during that week so we don't have training for three days after school ends. (But it ends on the same date as planned.) We don't have to meet with kids on June 15 and we have closing ceremonies online on the 16th. Grades are due the end of that week.
I am not minding online teaching too much. We are using Zoom for K-2 and Google Meets 3-12. Planning is hard but classroom control is a breeze-- I can mute or turn off their camera if a kid is being too disruptive! The main problem is I can't control chat, but most classes it doesn't get out of hand.
However, Zoom and Meets do make me really tired!
Also, I have to assign work for each time they would have class with me; though I meet with each grade level once a week, each grade has me twice a week. So I have to come up with an activity which I post on Seesaw and they have to be graded. So all in all, I'm saving time by not commuting but losing time by having to grade each individual kid's performance every week.
So I am kind of looking forward to summer break, even though it will be a stay-home break (not much different from now).
How is your work life going? Online or in person?
10 people like this
9 responses
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
22 May 20
You are right with the stay-home break. The virus has been controlling our movements.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
I am hoping we get out of this before I retire, which is sooner than I like.
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@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
22 May 20
@petatonicsca me too. I hate to think that the virus will be here for a very long time.
@pumpkinjam (8876)
• United Kingdom
22 May 20
I'm quite happy not to have to go anywhere, although a choice to do so on occasion would be nice! I've saved lots of time and money by not having to travel to work. My total travel time would usually be around 2 to 3 hours a day. I'm still working but, luckily, able to work from home. It's nice to be able to stay in bed for an extra hour or more, have my breakfast while I wait for my work stuff to load up. It's also nice to spend extra time with my husband and youngest son. We were supposed to be having a short break for husband's birthday, which is on the bank holiday. We've had to cancel that but I am looking forward to a break at home for a few days. We do have the option of changing our annual leave but I'm still taking the days I'd booked. It'll give me a chance to unwind, maybe do a bit of gardening or work on some writing and crafts.
Both of my sons are having online classes at the moment. They're both using MS Teams, which is also one of the systems I use for work. Eldest son (Midi) is not going back to uni until October. He should have been on a placement in a school (he's training to be a maths teacher) but that couldn't happen. Youngest (Mini) is happy to be at home. He's in his last but one year of school so he's got exams next year. Mini is enjoying being at home. He doesn't really like to go anywhere. He doesn't like school but he's happy to get on with the work at home. He had a certificate for 'learner of the month' for doing so well with the online learning.
I don't want to go back to the office! Well, I would like to have my table back. I like to have meals at the table but can't do that as I have my office set up there.
@pumpkinjam (8876)
• United Kingdom
22 May 20
@petatonicsca That's my absolute favourite thing about it 
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
@pumpkinjam Also I manage a short nap most days. Shh, don't tell...
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
I totally agree about being able to roll out of bed and into work with no commuting.
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@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
Not being able to hear my students sing and play. I can watch their fingers for instruments but we can't all sing together because of different lag times.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
I really think masks have helped Japan a lot.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
24 May 20
@RubyHawk No, it's just customary. People wear masks a lot anyway. The government highly recommends masks and sets an example by wearing them during press conferences. So it's not weird or "non-freedom" feeling here at all. I'm pretty sure that all the Asian countries that have done pretty well all customarily wear masks during flu and pollen season.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
24 May 20
@petatonicsca I feel sure masks help. I wish everyone had to wear a mask when going out. We would all be safer. Is it mandatory that everyone wear a mask in Japan?.
@RasmaSandra (98026)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 May 20
I continue to work on my projects and will have to work hard all weekend long to try to finish one project hopefully by Monday.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
I end up doing a lot of work on Saturday because by Friday I have trouble focusing.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
22 May 20
Are you teaching at the college level? Or preparing high schoolers? Our kids have been doing their AP exams online (in the middle of the night because of the tie zone difference between Japan and the US).
1 person likes this
