Shireen Miles
Thursday, April 16, 2020
I think I’m doing okay, all things considered. We’re doing one hour Zoom sessions four days a week. I feel lucky to have about 15 engaged, but never all at the same time. I get 6-11 at a time. None of the male members of the class are participating, interestingly enough.
Zoom was insane at first, getting people on it was HARD. I still feel like I’m Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride as the host, careening around. And I haven’t been able to train students to mute themselves when the kid is screeching. Often some participants can’t hear if I put on a video. I have no idea what is going on there. Other than that, PERFECT! LOL. Seriously, one of my students today shared about the death to COVID19 of her uncle in London, father of five young children. Sobering.
WhatsApp has been what keeps us going. I have figured out how to use my Notes app to scan worksheets and upload them and they handwrite their responses and post them. We’re working a lot on grammar, and writing sentences, and a few stories. Not all students complete that work, but not all did their homework before, so it is what it is. We chat and share our comings and goings, post photos of food and flowers and kids, and I pass along info like the IRC call and other info on resources.
It’s harder than an in-person class, and I’m putting in way more hours. I wouldn’t like to teach a class regularly this way, but it’s working for now.
Shireen
