Items

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  2020-09

  The Sound of Learning - Teaching During the Pandemic

  On March 12th, 2020, all of the teachers and support staff in the high school where I work in Stafford, Virginia (A suburb of Washington DC) were called down to the auditorium and told by the head principal that our school would be shut down for the next two weeks as a result of Covid-19. Long story short, I did not return into that building until January of 2021. Even though I did not enter the building, between September and December of 2020, I toiled away teaching virtually via Google Meet from my basement. Teaching online was difficult - due to privacy concerns, students were not required to turn their cameras on - and none did. For the first time, I was teaching to a class of thirty without seeing anyone other than myself. Many students did not want to ask questions by unmuting their microphones, so instead they would type out questions, make comments, tell jokes, etc through the chat feature. Each time a student would send a message, my computer would make a small beeping noise. I learned to love this noise as it was the only reminder I had that there was someone listening to me. As a teacher, forming relationships is so central to the profession. At first, it seemed impossible to be a meaningful teacher when I had no clue what my students even looked like. But every time I heard that beep, I was delighted to know that someone was on the other side of that screen. Without the fear of immediate judgement of their peers, many of my students provided commentary on the lesson and made teaching fun. When teaching in person, I hate when a student tries to talk over me, so only dealing with a tiny beep was much more manageable and it was nice to see these kids communicate with one another while separated by the pandemic. Many articles that I have read have been incredibly critical of online learning, and some with good cause. I did not reach every student. Some fell back asleep, logged in then walked away, played video games, and even one of my students admitted to me that he was taking his dog on a walk during class. But hearing that beep reminded me that there are students out there that can make connections even when it seems impossible.
• 2021-01-12

  Voices No Longer Heard

  In my line of work, which is construction management and execution, communication is key. Often, this begins and ends with emails, phone calls, and the occasional zoom chat to set a project up. However, once work commences, field superintendents meet daily with clients to discuss progress, delays, opportunities for improvement, and at times, complaining. Morning meetings are at the heart of the daily communications, and have always taken place at 7:30 am, with fifteen to twenty people present. From January 2020 thru the middle of March 2020, morning meeting went as they had in the past. At times, with so many in the room, expressing their ideas, it can be difficult to keep track of what is being talked about. In my role, I attend one or more of these meetings, at different jobsites, throughout the week. As Covid safety precautions took hold towards the end of March, I noticed that the meetings I attended were quieter. This was partially due to masks being worn. Whenever someone chose to speak, their voice, which had been loud a week or so prior, was now muffled and subdued. Additionally, people spoke no more than was necessary, the meetings were shorter than they had been. Gradually, power points were introduced on a screen each day so that talking was not necessary. Instead, the bosses laid out the schedule, expectations, and those in the room simply took notes. By the end of April, the morning meeting changed over to Zoom Chat, with everyone in their office, staring at a screen which displayed those same power points, saying very little or nothing at all. By this point, with social distancing in full-force, there was no need to speak. Notes were made by a Project Engineer containing key points and emailed to attendees after the conclusion of the daily Zoom. Suddenly, there was no face to face conversation, fewer phone calls, and increased emails. With masks across our faces, everyone continued their work in an eerie silence. The robust workplace, full of ideas and plans which must be heard, faded into blank stares saying nothing. With the New Year, I did not expect any change. It would be difficult to say when practices that existed only a year ago might return. This morning, I logged into Zoom for a pre-construction meeting, I was met with the same silence I heard just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
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  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 10 (A lesson on Anne Frank)

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
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  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 9 (A discussion Anne Frank)

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
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  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 8 (talking about Anne Frank)

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
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  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 7

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
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  2020-04-29

  Notes during Class 6

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
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  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 5

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
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  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 4

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
• 
  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 3

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)
• 
  2020-04-29

  Notes During Class 2

  This image is apart of a series of screenshots taken during lessons via Microsoft Teams.Teaching my third graders from afar has become a challenge and a blessing at the same time. None of us knew of Mr. Microsoft Teams until we were forced to meet him. The way he impacts our lives is sometimes frustrating and other times satisfying. Unlike classroom noise, the chat that goes on during lessons are now mixed in with the lesson and available for all to participate- including the teacher! It's silent and said with caution and other times daring. (I've blurred the faces and redacted the names to protect the students' privacy.)