Snow day: Learning online!

Little kid voices carried up the stairs. I thought for a second that my wife had turned on the television, but I knew better. One kid wanted to know how long they were going to be out from school. Another was trying to catch the attention of one of his friends. When the chaos seemed out of control, my wife’s voice came across loud and clear.

“Okay everyone, we’re just waiting for everyone to jump on. Let’s use our inside voices and be respectful of everyone else,” she said.

I’ve heard my wife’s voice in countless situations over the years. I’ve heard her when she’s happy, sad, surprised, half-awake, and in a million other situations. This one was clearly her authoritarian and teacher in charge voice. I automatically grabbed my pen and paper and sat up straighter in my seat. The kids knew they better be listening and on their best behavior too. The errant voice or two instantly stopped talking.

Let it snow, let it snow!

We had a snow and ice storm late Wednesday night into Thursday morning. My wife’s school district decided to hold a virtual day. They chose this option rather than have the bus drivers try to traverse the icy roads. This would have been unheard of back in the day. In the days since Covid, it’s another tool in the school district’s toolbox.

During this session, my wife jumped into the online classroom where all the kids joined from the comforts of their home to read her class There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover! The story, of course, is a twist on the old classic. Instead of swallowing a fly, she swallows a clover, a butterfly, a daisy, and ends up meeting a leprechaun. Oh what a story.

I strained to hear the story. Did I hear right “clover?” I thought about sneaking down the stairs to get in on the fun, but I didn’t want to interrupt the class. I needed to make a few phone calls for work, but I decided they could wait another 20 minutes or so. I needed to know how the story ended. Did the old lady need her stomach pumped out? Did she eat some kale to go with that clover? Was she really a deer or a rabbit? I could hear a voice or two chirp up at various points, but most of the kids in the class were as spellbound as me listening to the story.

Above and beyond

I hear lots of news reports coming from Washington, D.C. about how President Trump and Republican’s want to get rid of the Department of Education. It seems to be the next big shoe to drop. I have my concerns about Trump’s plan, but one thing I hope we can all agree on is that great teachers are a remarkable thing. They’re dedicated beyond belief and need to be cherished and rewarded.

On a crummy virtual day, my wife could’ve easily just gone through the motions. For her though, education isn’t a job, it’s a mission.

Later I couldn’t help but listen as a she worked one-on-one with a one little girl who’s having problems reading. My wife’s work day had ended for all intents and purposes. But there she was, still working with the girl, well past the closing bell. She listened to the girl as she talked about her favorite hobby, high fashion.

You could hear it in the girl’s voice. She adored my wife because she listened to her and helped work with her on the areas where she needed attention. Most importantly, my wife listened to what was going on in the little girl’s life.

Yes, I would agree that education needs our attention. Still, I would also argue that we don’t deserve the teachers we have. There’s some amazing ones out there.

Fixing Education – The West Wing