So How is it Going Back to School?

Who would have thought this online schooling would last this long? The pandemic has changed our way of life in so many ways. Maybe now that people are getting vaccinated, the infections will slow down and drop off into oblivion. But even if that happened, how will our lives be changed forever? Will we quit shaking hands, hugging as much, breathing down each others neck? Well, that would be a good thing.

Many schools are opening now for in student classes in Minnesota. My son-in-law teaches middle school science and reports that he is very glad to be back to school. He doesn’t feel that he can do as good a job as an online teacher. It’s harder to hold the kids accountable and difficult to keep their attention. At Aaron’s school, the choice is up to the parents whether or not the kids go back to school. About half of the class is back. I remember how much I loved the first day of school because I was finally back with my friends. I would think coming back after the pandemic would be a joyful relief and the kids would be happy to hang out with their peers with a return to the school routine, but Aaron says morale is low. The kids would rather be at home playing video games during their online school breaks and chatting by text with their friends. They’ve become used to the laid back approach so the adjustment is giant, after the kids have been used to pretty much calling their own shots. Since parents at Aaron’s school have the option of sending kids off to school or keeping them home, Aaron’s job is double-hard. He has to provide online classes for those at home and in school class for the kids that are there.

I asked a few of my nieces, nephews, and grandkids how they like online learning and how it compares to in-school classes. Check out the video to see what they have to say about it. I’m sorry some of the videos go a bit wonky with internet stability issues. These kids were so kind to answer my plea for their opinions. So articulate and thoughtful. Thank you Daniel, Lia, Jai, Lela May, Virgil, and Makana.

Online Times Alive is a good resource for online learning.

Many teachers have been using Online Times Alive to supplement online learning. Students can work on their times tables at home and keep track of their progress. Teachers can login and see how the student has been doing. Online Times Alive teaches all the times tables 0s-9s with animated cartoons, stories, songs, games and quizzes.