We're in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that started about six months ago in the US. Since this year will be unlike any we've ever had (for us personally and for the kids), I wanted to keep a record of it. Backstory: The closure of schools on 3/16/20 had us doing virtual schooling for the remainder of that school year. It was understandably lacking, since everything happened so quickly. As the pandemic continued, we started to hear more about what the school district was planning for the start of the 2020/21 year. We didn’t like our school district’s initial plans of full-time school for all kids with no masks required and, to paraphrase, "just don’t send your kids if they’re sick" (because people do that regardless). The virtual program was an option in the district, so we just had the kids switch to this "school." This way, when schools inevitably shut down, we’ll have kept our kids away from virus and they’ll have a more challenging, consistent online curriculum instead of what they had at the end of the school year. (The school district has changed to mandate masks and have other rules in place, but too little too late for us.) I’m trying to look at it as an adventure, since I’m the one who will be home with them full-time.
So, here we go...
Day 0 (Aug 31): I had kids make school day schedules and clean off their desks, and we learned how to use the online program together. Iris is certain she can get her assignments done by Thursday PM to have Friday off. Felix thinks by Friday lunchtime. Iris also is going to learn German on Duolingo and started her first lesson.
Day 1 (Sept 1): The day got off to a good start with first-day pictures plus a few bonus "in school" (aka, at their desks) pictures. The kids logged in to the program, and got going on their assignments. I had to get involved a few times as they learned how the assignments and program work. I got to do a bit more teaching than I thought as both had difficulty understanding latitude and longitude. They learned the program isn't forgiving if extra characters are used in the answers... It also seems like they're ahead of the game, since I got an email telling us to hold tight, things would be ready by the end of the year (we already have our login info, so we just got going). Iris is already trying to work in more "specials" time (gym, art, music). I'm fine with that as long as her assignments are being completed on time.
Day 3 (Sept 3): Iris finished her assignments and projects that were due this week by noon today. I helped explain a few, but she got them all turned in. Felix expects to be done by this afternoon. I guess they'll be free tomorrow... The program we're using gives due dates, but I got an email from Felix's teacher: "I am writing to reassure you that at this point you don't need to worry about due dates." Sorry, no, I'm still going to have the kids work toward *something* in each subject, because they'll be bored and annoying each other otherwise.
Day 6 (Sept 9): We made it through the first week and celebrated with the purchase of two new "class pets." Everyone has their own names for them. Felix calls them Fuego and Aqua. Iris: Mars and Neptune. I say One Fish, Two Fish. Nick just shakes his head. I'm starting to get us into the routine of having the kids check with me before they start on projects so I can help them understand the requirements. Iris finished her week's work yesterday... I've told both they need to fill six hours with "school stuff" (e.g., assignments, projects, Duolingo, typing, chapter books, Clever, art, physical activity, etc.). We'll see how long I stick to that request.
Day 20 (Sept 30): The kids had their first in-person school day. They'll be going every other Wednesday through the end of the 2020 (at least) with their cohort. Each kid reported a great day, which is not surprising, since it consisted mostly of their "specials" (gym, art, music). Each said they followed the COVID protocols, wearing their masks (including their new school-provided mask) all day. Iris was excited to report that lunch came to them. With six kids other kids in each of their classes, I feel comfortable that there won't be excessive interaction and we can keep them safe. On the whole, things have gone well so far with the virtual school stuff. Iris asks for help on her quizzes and I try to get her to think about her answers instead of just giving them to her. Her assignments aren't keeping her very busy, so I ask her to do handwriting, typing, German to fill her hours. Felix is keeping busy and now has weekly virtual check-in meetings with his teacher.
Day 21 (Oct 1): We found out the hard way that the kids shouldn't wait until the day a project is due to do it. I think this picture sums up Iris's feelings about doing the seven required map elements with my help and direction (after I traced the basemap on my monitor because we don't have a working printer at home). Yes, those are two fat teardrops making new lakes in New York.
Sigh. She does, however, need to learn to not get frustrated in the face of a list of tasks.
Day 25 (Oct 7): Felix suddenly had a bunch of assignments show up as overdue late last week, so he worked very hard all weekend and Monday to catch up. This concerned us, given how diligently he's been working. Apparently, his teacher made a change to the software that forces them to go a little faster. Hmm. I'm having the opposite difficulty with Iris. She's underworked, and now twice this week I've had to reprimand her for playing on apps or watching idiotic YouTube videos when she's supposed to be learning. Argh!
Day 47 (Nov 9): We've done over two full months now. After the week Felix took it easy and had to catch up, I've been updating a spreadsheet with all of his assignments for the week and what he should be working on each day. He checks it, and marks the date he gets things done. It helps us both. Last week, I had both working on difficult assignments in my office with me during work hours. So much togetherness! Iris has started swim team, going to the Y for practice three days a week. That has helped put some of her extra energy to use. I had an important meeting this morning, and my extra effort to prep the kids to NOT BOTHER ME OR EACH OTHER FROM 8 TO 9 paid off, because they didn't. Hooray!
Day 65 (Dec 8): My frustration with Iris has reached a boiling point. I made her a schedule to make sure she's hitting all the other school-type stuff she should be working on during the day, with the goal of having to need fewer check-ins with her through the day. She's been doing "experiments" and other things that have resulted in messes or damaged stuff like paint on carpets. That worked, briefly. Then I found last night that she climbed up high to reach something she didn't need. (Current house rule is that if you have to climb to get it, you have to ask.) I was furious that she 1) climbed nearly to the ceiling in the kitchen and could have fallen, and 2) she lied to me about it. I took her phone, her bin of toys and her evening gingerbread cookie as punishment. Not sure when she'll get them back... Ugh. I have also had to get equally creative to block all the ways the kids have found to watch YouTube. Just so this isn't all a downer entry, both kids are doing well in their assignments.
Day 95 (Feb 1): We're on the other side of 2020 now, but it's going about the same. The kids enjoyed their 10-day "winter break" (though we went nowhere). Both kids are continuing to do well with their online curriculum. We had a virtual portfolio conference in early January, where we were told the kids are doing well with their work (had an inkling already, since I go into their sites to check their progress regularly). This semester, they're going to in-person school weekly, instead of biweekly. Iris continues to fly through her work, resulting in too much spare time in which she makes big mess of her room and then gets annoyed when I tell her to clean it up (repeat ad nauseum). Seriously, is "trash blindness" a thing? We're tentatively starting to make plans for next school year, by when we'll hopefully be vaccinated and able to send the kids back to regular school.
Day 105 (Feb 15): The rest of the school district has off because of cold weather, but the kids don't get a break with virtual school. It's 9:30 am, and Iris finished all of her assignments already in order to go outside and play (despite my warnings about the cold and that she can't go into her friend's house). Felix, on the other hand, has 7 assignments due, hasn't started yet, and has a one-hour webinar beginning in 30 minutes. Two different kids, two different sets of frustrations.
Day 134 (Apr 6): We made it to spring break and are now into the home stretch. Two more months of virtual school to go. It's been challenging, but we still feel it was the best decision for our family. Will we continue next year? Nope. But both kids have done well with all of their assignments and dealing with the unique nature of school this year. It's been good that they've been going once a week this semester, so they can ease back into full-time school next fall.
Day 151 (Apr 29): The kids must be over the hump of difficult work or they've gotten so used to it that they are able to complete assignments even faster. That has led to both kids being done with "school" by the early afternoon and asking to play Minecraft together. Yes, but... rooms need to be picked up and no fighting/whining. I'm trying to nudge them towards getting additional work done, so they can be done full days ahead of the last school day. If they don't want to do that, there are 25 more days to go.
Day 173 (June 1): And we have one done early! Iris finished up half her final exams last Friday and the other half today, so she is done (and I took her comparison pictures below). Felix is still hard at work studying for his finals. I've printed off what feels like a full ream of paper getting him set with all his past quizzes and exams. I have to hand it to him - the amount of effort he's put in is what would be expected for college courses, let alone 6th grade. Both kids have had more "free time" during this last month, as it's been mostly reviews in many of their subjects. Hence a new rule for basement TV/Xbox/Wii usage: rooms must be clean before they can get the remotes from me. Devious? Yes. Effective? Hell yes.
Day 175 (June 3): And now Felix is done! He spent yesterday morning doing his science (100%!) and history/geography final tests, and took 3.5 hours to take his math final in the afternoon. This morning, he asked to take his language arts final in my office, at my desk, next to me. So, from 9 to 11:30, he took his 50-question Language Arts test. I tried to ignore him as to not give away answers. But he finished, and played a rather fraught session Minecraft afterward with Iris (argh...).
Final thoughts: both kids got 91-96% in all of their courses, which is fantastic. We knew they could do the online coursework and do it well, and the whole experience has added a new skill set for each kid. Felix now has a taste of what it's like to study for and take final exams, something he may not have to do again until college. Iris has learned to be self-directed and motivated (even if her motivation is to get her work done early so she can spend the rest of the day as she pleases).
Once upon a time, I entertained brief fantasies of being a stay-at-home mom, but it was never our intention to home-school the kids. Then again, this pandemic was not anything that we were anticipating, either. I'm glad I had so much more time with the kids, challenging as it was at times, and next year they'll be returning to in-person school. I don't know what the future holds, but I'd like to think we're battle-tested if we ever need to do this again. :o)
Felix: 11 yrs & Iris: 8 yrs
