(Part 2) Mt. Zion's Learning Plan: Will it work?

In part 1 of this blog post, I discussed the problems with allowing parent-choice blended learning and the lack of teacher time for remote instruction, but these are just the tip of this dangerous iceberg. We also need to be willing to cooperate to ensure the safety of our students. 

First and foremost, during this pandemic, we all need a willingness to adapt. Parents, students, teachers, and administrators know that plans are constantly being changed, especially during the past months of daily updates from Governor Pritzker, new phases of restriction, and altered regulations for churches, businesses, and restaurants. To say that a plan is unchangeable is an insult to us all. We know that JFL and the IESA changed their fall plans for sports, and Springfield, Bloomington, and Taylorville school districts all chucked their original in-person plans for full remote learning this week. Even the MTZ plan was changed to allow for an open campus at the High School which appears to have been added without any mention of this idea to the planning committee. And change doesn't have to take very long if the administration is on board, as we all know Mt. Zion's Spring "Learn at Home" plan changed within a matter of days to allow teachers to use video instruction with students, a beneficial tool that was originally banned. Every plan, even our own US Constitution, has options for amending as situations change. The "it is what it is" response is a deflection of responsibility and administrative duties. Besides, no one believes that teachers or the union would voluntarily approve a plan with these requirements! 

So, let's move on to the issue of safety.  Mid-pandemic everyone has forgotten that violence has been increasing in our schools and even our own neighborhoods. Shootings at block parties, looting, riots, and child trafficking spatter the news between the Covid-19 updates. In fact, teachers closed and locked classroom doors at all times last school year. They learned first aid, carried classroom keys with them, kept windows closed, and conducted active shooter drills. Even visitors had to produce a photo ID to enter the buildings. But, luckily, Covid-19 came along and completely eliminated these safety concerns. (insert eye roll) Now the virus is a greater threat to safety and classrooms, so the rules have changed. Teachers can now open windows and doors to improve ventilation since we aren't social distancing properly. If you want to enter the buildings, I guess you can walk right in, folks! There is nothing but a screen to stop you. Funny, isn't it, that we aren't worried about clear backpacks, gun violence, or what students will do when they leave mid-day and head to Fletcher Park between classes. None of this matters as long as students are at school.

And, I know that some of you are tired of the hype about masks and social distancing. So am I. And I want to believe that it is all a farce to hijack our freedoms. But, I can't wrap my head around this contradiction:

• In Decatur, mayor Julie Wolfe has said that businesses can be shut down if they don't follow the guidelines for masking and social distancing. So, large Xs are on every other table in restaurants.
• Our school board is permitting students to sit within 2 feet of each other all day long, 5 days a week with no repercussions at all.

The thinking must be that we all deal with flu season every year, so let's just go on with business as usual. Deaths from Covid-19 in Macon County as of today are only at 23 total or 0.022% of the population. But, we know that cases are spiking. With the current numbers, though, only one of our students, teachers, or district employees will probably die from COVID. That's great odds! But remember that these children live in families who will also be put at risk. Families who are caring for aging parents, newborns, and people with health concerns. So the question becomes, is it worth it to change the plan and protect that one person? Maybe not, unless that one child, parent, or grandparent is yours. 

But, don't misunderstand me. School is very important! Research says that our most at-risk kids especially need the stability and support of our schools for their physical and mental health. Some lack meals, a place to escape from abuse, and emotional support. Suicides among our children are on the rise since the pandemic began, too. I mean, did you put on weight sitting around during the pandemic? Anyone feel anxious or depressed? Are you struggling with fear? Our children are, too. I want "normal" for my daughter, and as the only child at home, she thinks we are pretty boring these days. So here is a novel suggestion to solve this problem: Cooperation. 

This whole situation reminds me of a 5th-grade history lesson about King George and the English Colonies. The colonists had concerns about taxation without representation, but the King taxed the colonists anyway. Now don't misunderstand, King George had sent troops to protect the colonists during the French and Indian War and he needed money to pay for these expenses. He had a good reason and the right to impose these taxes. But, he ignored the concerns of the colonists. Instead of working together with his countrymen in the New World, he dug in his heals and added one tax after another. If you lean on me I will push back on you was the thinking, and the Intolerable Acts ensued. When I taught this lesson, I always asked my students this question, "What actually caused the Revolutionary War?" And a few 5th graders every year were discerning enough to realize that pride and power ruled the day. In fact, King George called the colonists "unruly teenagers" who needed discipline. This lack of concern and respect cost England the New World.

But the value of studying history is the lessons we learn. A little compromise, a little compassion, and a little willingness to negotiate could have prevented an uprising for King George and so many deaths.  We all need that same respect, understanding, and willingness to work together now more than ever. So, don't you think it is time to sit down with the "soldiers" on the front lines, students, medical professionals, and administrators and actually seek out solutions to these problems.

So I challenge you to make this your rally cry by letter, phone call, or email! Work together now and compromise! Too much is at stake for a war.

Mt. Zion's Learning Plan: Will it actually work?

The short answer is: No! 

I have been quietly reading the posts from parents who are deciding among remote instruction, blended learning, and in-person school attendance. I know this choice is weighing heavily on you just as it is on me. I am a parent, too. But since retiring from teaching in May after a 35-year career, teaching in a 1:1 Chromebook classroom, and earning a K-12 Technology Specialist Degree, I think I understand the educational implications of Mt. Zion's Learning Plan better than most. So, let's look at two reasons that  I believe this plan is not feasible: Blended learning and teacher time for remote instruction.

I know, I know. The blended learning option is what all of the parents like most about Mt. Zion's proposal but it is the most detrimental to your child's education. No other district in our area (check my spreadsheet here to review my data) is allowing parents to choose their own "blended learning" plan or the days for in-person or remote attendance. It might seem like a great plan for your family, but it has serious educational consequences. Unpredictable student attendance will cause slower academic progress for the entire class and put students in the blended plan at a significant disadvantage.

Why is the blended plan a problem? In Mt. Zion parents need to give only 24 hours notice to change from remote to in-person learning or alter their days of attendance. Full flexibility sounds great! We are in the middle of a pandemic, you know! If there is a test on Friday, I can decide to send my student to school, or perhaps I will keep her home so that I can help with the questions. Tennis meet on Tuesday? Let's not attend on Wednesday. Grandma is visiting? Let's take the week off. Plus, work doesn't need to be submitted until midnight of the following day! More sleep and time for work completion. Perfect, right? I know that is what some are thinking, but the opposite is true.

Here is how this scheduling nightmare might play out in a classroom. Beyond the confusion of tracking absences and work submission, the learning progression will be inevitably slowed by absences. Let's look at a simple scenario to show you what will really happen this year, and if you don't believe me, talk to any teacher you know. For simplicity, let's pretend that only 8 students are assigned to my class instead of 24 or more. This table  might be representative of my classroom population multiplied by 3 with in-person (IP) and remote learners attendance as follows:

Name	M	T	W	T	F
Joe B.	remote	IP	remote	IP	remote
Ellen D.	IP	IP	IP	IP	remote
Betsy D.	IP	remote	IP	remote	IP
Colin K.	remote	IP	IP	IP	remote
Nancy P.	remote	IP	IP	IP	IP
JB P.	remote	remote	remote	remote	remote
Donald T.	IP	IP	IP	IP	IP
Julie W.	IP	IP	IP	IP	IP

 So, I would need 7 desks in my classroom (which translates to 21 for a regular class), as long as JB doesn't change his mind, but only 4 students (12 for a real classroom) would be at school for instruction on Monday and Friday. During the first few days of school, I usually review classroom expectations, learn names, and orient students to expectations. But if I do this on Monday, then Joe, Colin, and Nancy will not be up to speed. I could record myself explaining rules for 1 hour to post online, but what about the other 4+ hours of the school day that those students missed? Did in-person students learn nothing of value in those other 4 hours? If that is true, then in-person classes are unnecessary in the first place.

Usually, teachers are able to handle absences, no problem. We just pull those students aside during work time and do a small group review of what they missed. Oh, wait! Teachers can't use small groups or be in close proximity during this pandemic, so the rest of the class will have to wait while the teacher reviews everything from Monday again on Tuesday. At the beginning of the year, though, reviewing expectations might be a good idea. What about a typical week?

Let's suppose that on Monday, I teach the class how to divide by a fraction. I record my instruction and post it to Google Classroom by 3:00 pm as required. I won't have time to edit the video, so classroom interruptions and misbehavior will be recorded for all students and parents to see. (But, that is for another post...) Then Joe, Colin, and Nancy can watch the video and do their homework. According to the learning plan, students have until midnight Tuesday to finish Monday's work which is ample time to get the work done. Well, in theory! But, reality will be much different. These 3 blended learning students MUST do all of their Monday work between 3:00 pm and bedtime including watching the hour-long video of core class instruction from the school day. If they don't complete ALL of their work, they will be missing key understandings that are needed for Tuesday's math lesson. In addition, the blended and remote students will not be present as the teacher reviews the most difficult concepts and clarifies misunderstandings. Have a question? Ask your parent. Remember, 1 hour of core instruction will probably include about 10 minutes of reading, 10 minutes of math, 10 minutes of science, 10 minutes of social studies, 10 minutes of spelling, and 10 minutes of grammar each day. Your child will get only 10 minutes of the 60-minute math lesson and no personal assistance from the teacher. We all know that skills build on each other, so the blended/remote students will require tutoring to keep up.  

And finally, there is the problem of timing. What were Joe, Colin, and Nancy doing on Monday during the day? Nothing! Their schoolwork won't be posted until 3:00 pm Monday afternoon since teachers have live students all day. These blended learning students actually signed up to take night classes. If your family thought blended learning would be less stressful than full time remote or in-person learning, think again. Blended learning students will have little consistency in their daily schedules and high evening stress on family time.

Wait, there has to be a solution... Perhaps teachers could post assignments the previous day,  at 8:00 am for online students, or upload each video after that subject is completed. That would work, right? Remote learners could do their work during the day without so much wasted time. This sounds like a great workaround, in theory!

To understand why this won't work, we need to look at a typical teacher's day. Before COVID-19, teachers at the Intermediate School began work hours at 8:00 a.m, turned on computers, posted daily assignments, answered emails, collaborated on projects, and prepared for their classes. Students congregated in the cafeteria, hallways, lockers, or all-purpose room while buses were arriving, and students would report to classes between 8:13 and 8:30 when school began. A similar scenario occurred at the end of the day when students left the classroom at 3:10 to report to the pods and wait for the final buses to pick up students. This year, students will report directly to each classroom as buses arrive, which means every teacher will be supervising students beginning at 8:00 a.m. At the end of the day, children will remain in individual classrooms until all buses have arrived, too. Considering that additional bus routes may be added, due to the 50-student bus restriction, teacher contact time could be extended even more. Regardless of how it appears, the 2020-2021 "early dismissal" does not provide additional planning time for teachers to record lessons, upload videos, or work with remote learners. In reality, the plan states that teachers may be asked to cover other teacher's classes (with no compensation) during their scheduled planning periods due to the substitute teacher shortage and will also help with additional cleaning in their classrooms each day. No time is provided for these additional responsibilities.

So how are other schools making this work? Most districts are providing additional days and hours each week for teachers to work with remote learners or assigning teachers to remote instruction only. Mt. Zion's plan does not provide either option. Teachers must plan classroom instruction, teach in-person students, record an hour of class time each day, digitize lessons for ancient textbooks, and upload videotaped instruction by the end of the school day. So, although the number of students on the class roster may not have increased, teacher workloads for the coming year will be nearly doubled, and remote and blended learners are the ones who will suffer most. You see, even for a tech-savvy educator, teaching remotely requires significant computer time. Have you ever tried creating and editing a one hour video? I'm sure it took more than one hour to complete and upload. Have you waited for a digital assignment to load? Teachers do that for every single student assignment. Just reminding a student to turn in work now requires accessing a web program, entering a password, waiting for the program to load, clicking files to locate the student work page, opening a comment box,  typing a reminder to the student, sending it, and then posting grades to Skyward when it is turned in. When do you suppose that teachers will do all of these tasks?  Asking teachers to post videos at the beginning of the day would force them to do even more. They would have to teach every subject twice--once in class and once the evening before. Would you work an extra hour or more each day for free? I mean, Walmart paid bonuses to workers during this pandemic. Remember, teachers have in-person students in a crowded building from 8:00 am to at least 3:00! 

And we haven't even discussed the fact that an hour of videotaped instruction does not constitute remote learning. It is merely "remote viewing" with absolutely no engagement required. Are any of you parents expecting to be able to call the teacher for help? Did you expect interactive assignments, comments on classwork, and personal engagement with a professional educator? Are you hoping to build a relationship with your child's instructor? Everything takes time, so these will only happen if your child's teacher chooses to volunteer after work hours. But, we all know that most teachers are selflessly generous, and Mt. Zion is counting on their charity to make this plan work. 

Thus, parents, if you chose blended or remote learning, just recognize that 10 minutes of recorded instruction (15 minutes in HS) in each subject is all your child is required to receive unless a dedicated teacher decides to bless you with more. And if you aren't happy with this scenario, you should be making your feelings known.

Mt. Zion can still solve these problems by following the lead of area districts:

1. Increase teacher planning time with reduced in-person attendance days or earlier dismissal times. (Decatur, Maroa-Forsyth, Springfield, Clinton, Sangamon Valley, Effingham, Meridian, Cerro Gordo, Argenta-Oreana, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, Lincoln)
2. Assign specific teachers at each grade level to do only remote instruction and others to in-person instruction alone. (Springfield, Clinton, Bloomington, Shelbyville)
3. Allow changes in educational planning only at quarter or semester time to allow for consistency in the classroom. (Decatur, Maroa-Forsyth, Warrensburg-Latham, Okaw Valley, Springfield, Clinton, Bloomington, Sangamon Valley, Effingham, Cerro Gordo, Argenta-Oreana, Shelbyville, Central A&M, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, Lincoln)
4. Eliminate parent-choice blended instruction. (Decatur, Maroa-Forsyth, Warrensburg-Latham, Okaw Valley, Springfield, Clinton, Bloomington, Sangamon Valley, Effingham, Meridian, Cerro Gordo, Argenta-Oreana, Shelbyville, Central A&M, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, Lincoln)

At least now, I hope you recognize that Mt. Zion School District is asking their teachers to go above and beyond the expectations of any other teachers in our area. These professionals are working voluntarily during the summer, paying for outside assistance to prepare their classes for the school year, and sending their own children to daycare each day for you. So, when school starts, be sure to treat teachers with consideration and respect. To make this school year work, their efforts will have to be truly heroic!

Powtoons First Day Assignment

Since Powtoons was offering a free trial, I made my first video today. I had to watch a short tutorial to figure out how to add additional text boxes and order the appearance of the objects/text on my page, but once you understand the concept, it is easy to create your own cartoon videos. I would use this to gather some insight into my remote students and to ensure that all can access the email feature on Google Classroom to contact me for help. Here is my "Mission Impossible" introductory Powtoons:

Create an Animated Google Classroom Header

Making an animated Google Classroom header is a a fairly simple task. You will need a Bitmoji, Google Slides set to 1000 x 250 pixels as the page size, and the Google Slides add-on called Creator Studio. Here is a header that I created for a technology workshop and a tutorial from one I made for my son who is a track coach and science teacher. Enjoy!

Here is a short tutorial to help you get started adding personality to your Google Classroom. A single slide from the presentation can also be used as a header on Google Forms if you save the slide as a png image. Enjoy!

Teaching Remotely: 5 Teacher Basics

Summer Vacation is nearly over for most teachers. They have taken a few weeks to rest, clean closets, and repaint the shutters. But as August rolls around, especially during this pandemic, school prep is sure to be underway soon. (And it just doesn't seem right for me to be retired and on a permanent vacation!) So, I am sharing a few tips for setting up a successful remote learning classroom.

1. Determine Expectations: Usually, I would tell a new teacher to close her eyes and imagine the classroom of her dreams. Look at the walls, the teacher space, and what the students are expected to do. Fast-forward to 2020. Most teachers have never experienced a successful, fully remote classroom, so the scaffolding here is missing. You can't build on a missing foundation. So, let's just envision what you already know. First, you want learning to occur, so you need full engagement. Students need to arrive promptly, interact respectfully, and work passionately. Lessons need to draw students to the classroom, adapt to individual learning needs, and encourage correction and revision. Within all of this, your children need to know when and how to submit work, where to look for help, and confidence in your availability. To make this happen virtually, you will need seamless communication with students and care-givers. All you need to do now is adapt these to a digital format which requires the right tools.
2. Choose Resources Carefully: If you used paper and pencil for any management tasks, those need to be replaced. I encourage teachers to choose a few tools rather than a truckload. It is so much easier for students to revisit familiar apps and dive deeper into their functions as the year progresses. Too many too fast can be disastrous. Here are app favorites that are easy for teachers to learn and intuitive to most students. But, don't choose all of them. Explore and pick just one from each category to start. Learn it and build on its features.

Task	Tools/Options	Why?
Communication	Bloomz* ClassTag Class Dojo Remind Google Classroom*	Send progress reports,  weekly announcements, brag boards, text messaging, discussion groups, conference scheduling..
Learning Management	Google Classroom*  Edmodo SeeSaw Schoology Moodle Hapara	Work and resources should be organized in one consistent location with due dates, expectations, and feedback options in place. Nothing works without this one!
Digital Toolbox for Lesson Adaptation	Bookwidgets* Classflow Edpuzzle* Pear Deck* or Nearpod Google Apps (Slides*, Forms*, Sheets, Drawings) Formative Screencastify*	Create interactive assignments with scaffolding and automatic feedback. Spending time here will pay off long term. Worksheets don’t teach. Remote learning requires lesson adaptation to be successful. Start here. If you just want to add interactive boxes to a worksheet try Kami.
Adaptive Digital Content	Brainpop* PBS Learning Media Khan Academy Newsela and DogoNews Flocabulary Spelling City/Writing City NoRedInk CommonLit Edulastic Freckle Quill* Studies Weekly* Prodigy Scootpad MobyMax ReadTheory Raz Kids Xtramath	These tools are packed with ready-made activities and resources that can add variety to your classroom without significant teacher preparation. Some lessons adapt based on individual student success and can be used for differentiation and remediation as well. Reporting features vary and some require paid subscriptions.Check with your district to see what is available to you.
Collaboration/Discussion	Flipgrid* Padlet Google Meets Zoom Blogger or Kidblog Google Groups*	Facilitate verbal interaction with synchronous and asynchronous discussions or share projects for student evaluation.  Assign video responses, build discussion threads, and encourage student interaction.
Quiz Games for Remote Learning	Gimkit* Kahoot! Quizlet Live Quizizz	Import questions, collect data, review material, assign live or as homework… Check out these fun games.

*My favorites!

3. Start Strong: Plan to work 20 hours a day for the first 2 weeks. Clear your schedule, get child care, and sit at your computer all day long. It will pay off! You want the students to  know that you are there and watching everything. If you have Hapara or Chrome Monitoring, then open it on a second computer. The goal is to catch every student within minutes of logging onto their computer. Send a short message saying, "Welcome to our workspace, Sarah!" Make sure that they know you are actively available and watching them. When something is turned in, comment immediately and send back work for editing frequently during the first weeks. Show that you have high expectations and will not accept less just because you are working at a distance. I tried to grade and respond within 15 minutes. Then, if someone doesn't show up, contact parents. At the end of the day, I sent a note saying, "I was so glad to see Jimmy working today. He is off to a great start!" or "I missed Jimmy today. Is there anything that I can do to help you?" The next day, these students were actively engaged. It just took monitoring and frequent communication during the first weeks.

4. Build Community: I started a live drawing for Texas Roadhouse Gift Certificates, posted student projects into a shared post on Google Classroom, and wore silly glasses for a Google Meet. Try posting a weekly question through Flipgrid, Wonders, or Padlet that allows students to get to know their peers and you. You can also check out the new virtual classrooms that will help to add personality to your class and respond with bitmojis and audio comments often. You can get to know each other, but you will need to be creative!

Aren't these more fun than the stock Google Headers and worksheets?

5. Be Prepared for Failure:  Your students need to see you mess up and try again. Let them know that you are human, too. No matter how many times you practice, your first remote classroom will be full of pitfalls. Logins won't work, bandwidth will lag, assignments will be deleted accidentally, and you will forget to post some of the needed materials. Remember your first year of teaching!. The learning curve for digital instruction is just as steep. Keep pedaling up the hill. You will make it.

Remote, Blended Plan, or Homeschool... How Do I Decide?

The 5-question registration survey about instructional preferences for next year made me feel like I was choosing a hidden showcase on The Price is Right. What is really behind each curtain? How can I choose when the details are so unclear? Anyone else as confused?

After teaching for 35 years at multiple grade levels, earning a Masters Degree in Technology Integration for grades K-12,  teaching under the district's Remote Learning Plan this spring, homeschooling my sons for a year, and helping my 9th grader with online learning this summer I have a unique perspective on what is happening, the possibilities that exist, and the pros and cons of each choice. So here is my take:

First of all, most families have not experienced true remote learning, so please don't make decisions for this Fall based on what you saw during the emergency of the Spring. The identical packets of worksheets, lack of grading parameters, minimal interaction with teachers, and optional completion of assignments were merely stopgaps intended to stem the inevitable academic slide of our students. Learning wasn't the goal and schools really didn't have much choice. The state required that grading could not harm students and every teacher was forced to bow to the digital skills and knowledge of the colleague with the least expertise at every grade level. In an emergency, you can't expect a non-swimmer to forge the English Channel! Teachers did not have time to hone new digital skills or collaborate on best practices either. As a district, we didn't drown, but treading water is not the same as swimming. 

So let's look at each of the options for next year. Which one will be best for you?

Door #1: Remote Only Instruction should include all of the following to be acceptable.

1. Digital Instruction: All students need a teacher. As a teacher, I like face-to-face interaction that allows me to see the telltale signs of frustration, address misconceptions instantly, and remediate individually. Remote learning can and should provide personal interaction in some fashion through virtual meetings or other means. A worksheet is not instruction! Even with minimal freedom to hold virtual meetings this Spring, some teachers found ways to interact daily with their students. We messaged through Hapara when students logged onto their Chromebooks, commented on student projects, scored assignments using Google Classroom, requested revisions, sent Bitmojis for encouragement, had virtual contests, and even tutored a few students on difficult math concepts using our document cameras. It is possible for quality instruction to occur remotely if teachers are equipped with training and digital tools. Students need real interaction, though, not just video recordings of generic instruction. Even proponents of flipped video instruction herald the necessity of class time for application, reteaching, and personal interaction with a teacher. Research shows that quality teachers are the number one predictor of student success! So, live instruction with a qualified teacher should be expected.
2. Upgraded Communication:  Communication is more difficult during remote instruction, so upgrading communication with students and parents will be imperative for success. It doesn't really matter what app or program a teacher chooses, but every classroom or school needs a streamlined way to share with parents and bond with students who are learning remotely. I think classes need a photostream, text messaging capabilities, small group chatrooms, video discussion portals like Flipgrid, and the ability to audio comment on work. When a student doesn't "show up" they have to know that the teacher will contact them immediately and the feedback on classwork needs to be consistent and prompt. Remote instruction means we must find more creative ways to interact.
3.  Best Practices: So often I see teachers "digitizing" instruction by copying textbooks and worksheets. That is not true digital instruction. Technology, used properly, can transform classrooms with immediate meaningful feedback, targeted remediation of skills, virtual travel, interactivity, and individualization. Teachers should be doing more than assigning worksheets on Google Classroom if they are instructing students remotely, right?  If parents choose this option, you should not be expected to teach your child at home. The word "instruction" implies that there is an instructor. I hope that is the plan.

Door #2: Blended Learning should include the digital components of Remote-Only Instruction with the opportunity for face-to-face interaction part-time. So these are my top considerations:

1. Safe Practices: This seems to be the million-dollar question these days: How will you keep students safe? Until the district answers logistical questions, this causes me some anxiety.  Will other students wear PPE? What about those with medical mask exemptions? Will teachers be at risk since they are meeting with multiple groups? What happens if a child or teacher gets sick? What kind of cleaning will be done? No one wants to put their children at risk, so district preparedness will be of utmost importance for any attendance.
2. True Instruction: This pandemic hasn't changed the fact that teachers and schools provide stability to many students. Teachers alter instruction to meet the needs of the specific students in their classrooms and support students emotionally and academically. I want that for my child!  This blended option would allow for more social distancing, with smaller classes and personal relationship-building since class sizes will be reduced.  I envision teachers engaging with small groups, having fruitful discussions, and offering high educational productivity during these hours. However, teachers cannot fully engage with virtual and in-person groups simultaneously. What will virtual students be doing at home? Will teachers be expected to teach a class during the day and a virtual class in the evening? (A nearly impossible feat!) Once again, teachers need the time and training to expand their teaching toolboxes for this option to work. 
3. Stressful Routines: I know that students are adaptable, but the idea of keeping children sitting at their desks as long as possible, wearing masks, and social distancing is going to be stressful for teachers and students. I hope there are plans for this, too.

Door #3: Homeschooling is different than most people think. My oldest son, Adam, attended traditional Kindergarten before we moved to Cairo, Illinois for one year.  I homeschooled him and his twin brothers who were 5. So, I am not an expert, but I have a little bit of insight. Is this an option for you?

1.  Lifestyle Change: Homeschooling is a lifestyle change that requires dedication and determination. Some days, you just don't want to do it! To be effective, you need to be able to clearly set goals, reorganize your priorities, work effectively with your children, and do some research on curricula, especially if you are wanting your children to return to traditional education at any point in the future. For me, relaxed mornings and daily life skill practice were rewarding. The children helped to plan meals, grocery shop, clean, and cook.  We started the day by reading a chapter in the Bible and went to the library every Wednesday. Video games and screen time were not considerations for us 29 years ago, so reading and family time dominated our days. Although this sounds idyllic, some days this introvert mom craved solitude and adult conversation. Before you choose this option, think about how you feel on those first days of school in August. If you are thrilled for the "me" time, homeschooling probably isn't for you. 
2. Accountability: I have seen students who returned from homeschooling well-prepared and others who have fallen severely behind in many skills, especially written expression. Knowing that your child's academic growth rests on your shoulders alone can be intimidating, and as we all know some students are more cooperative than others. If you are choosing this path, please join a group of parents who are homeschooling, purchase a curriculum that will help to ensure that you are not skipping skills, and follow-through. After one year of homeschooling, my son, Adam, entered second grade and was reading well above grade level, but even to this day, his penmanship (which would have been a focus in grade 1) is the poorest of my sons. Is that a coincidence or a lack of practice in that crucial year? I will never know. 
3. Standardized Tests and services: Although most teachers are not fans of standardized testing, they are a reality to consider. If your child tests poorly or has an IEP think carefully. Passing the GED exam may have to replace an actual high school diploma if they don't earn transferrable credit, and someday your child may need to take the ACT test if they want to go to college. Some districts test home school students who return to public schools to determine correct grade placement, too, so a year off could put a student behind his peers. 

And that is why I can't decide which showcase to choose.  Like all of you, what I really want is for this virus to disappear and to go back to the naive, pre-2020 world where I felt safe sending my child to school.  Instead, I am going to pray for our school board members and teacher-leaders, while I shop for cute back-to-school masks...just in case.

Your Child Doesn't Need Privacy!

Privacy? Teens need privacy. You jest, right? Didn't you just post a close-up of your lunch sandwich, pop pimples in 3D, dance some new version of the Floss on TikTok, and tell the world about your hemorrhoids--all the time while obsessing over "likes" and "shares." Privacy is a parenting copout. We live in a society where our social security numbers are tossed around the Dark Web and a quick query on Google Maps will show every turn you made on your morning walk. Teens are even more obsessed! They have texting conversations with the person sitting beside them and strive for Internet notoriety. Isn't it interesting that they only want privacy from you, their parents! You should be wondering why.

In our sexualized, media-saturated world, that cell phone is a loaded machine gun, assaulting an entire generation of children with the full knowledge and approval of clueless parents. How ironic! In the name of child safety, we won't send our children to the bus stop without our direct supervision, but we allow them to talk to sex-traffickers in the privacy of their own bedrooms. We demand that kids carry their phones to school so we parents can text them during lunch, but we don't intervene when they are threatening classmates in private chat rooms? We give teens full access to explicit, violent pornography and are surprised when they send naked pictures to their friends on Snapchat. If your child is making good choices, they shouldn't care if you monitor their posts on social media. Right?

It is time to get the facts straight:

• 48% of 11-16 year olds reported seeing pornography online and 7% had shared a naked or semi-naked image of themselves online.
• 11 is the average age for a child to first view Internet pornography.
• 1 in 5 teenagers received a sexual solicitation online
• 55% of minors survivors of sex-trafficking met their traffickers through text or online.
• According to Elizabeth Englander, Professor of Psychology at Bridgewater State University, "giving a young child a phone increases the likelihood that the child will either become a victim of bullying or bully themselves." 
• Teens who use smartphones for at least 5 hours a day are 70% more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those with one hour of smartphone usage.
• The largest group of Internet porn consumers is children ages 12-17.
• 65% of 8-14 year olds have been involved in a cyber-bullying incident. 
• 59% of teens reported being bullied online.

Your children are not trustworthy! Research shows that the rational part of a teen's brain isn't fully developed until age 25. Until that time, your child is processing information with the emotional part of their brain (amygdala).  However, the rational part (prefrontal cortex) that allows them to process long-term consequences is not fully functional. That's why you see teens trying to ride their skateboards off of the roof or challenging their friends to eat Tide Pods. All of the talking in the world is not going to make that brain suddenly mature, so your child needs for you to be the adult. The parent. The voice of wisdom and sense. They need for you to give them healthy limits.

So, here is how this conversation with your teen should go...
No, you can't talk to strangers who are grooming you for the sex-trade. No, you can't videotape yourself dancing behind a towel in the shower. No, you can't send naked photos to your classmates. No, you can't bully classmates, videotape their mistakes, and humiliate them for your personal social gain. No, your days cannot be filled only with Youtube videos and texting, and I will not lie so that you can get social media accounts that are restricted to 13 years and older. No, I love you too much to allow you to waste your childhood being passively entertained. The phone belongs to me and I will limit the time you spend on it for your health and well-being. No, I don't care what your friends or their parents do because you are my responsibility and I love you.  I want you to read, play outside, learn to handle boredom, do chores, and have face-to-face interactions. To ensure that, I will be watching everything you do, every site you visit, and everything you post until you are a fully-mature adult. I'm giving you back your childhood, because it is my job to be a parent. And parents set boundaries to protect their children.



http://trailheadcounseling.com/teen-porn-addiction/
https://time.com/5555737/smartphone-mental-health-teens/