Technology PD…this morning I’m going to be involved in a PD regarding technology. I’m excited about this! The opportunity to learn something new about Google Classroom and Canvas is going to help me better provide “remote” learning from home to the families I serve. I currently have a good understanding of how to use Canvas but am looking to learn more about “it” more so than I need to learn about Google Classroom.

Well…just finished the PD and…I did get a lot out of it in a very indirect way. The PD was geared towards beginners…I’m not a beginner. So I took advantage of the time and the fact that there were two facilitators and directed a bunch of questions…via private chat…to one of the facilitator that was not leading the PD. That worked out really well. I also used the time to connect with my teammates…guiding them through a few things that we need to have finished before our content PLC meetings next week. All told…a very good use of 2 hours.

Chromebook distribution…as soon as I finished the “Tech PD” I had to get in my car, drive to school, and get another one of my students that could not pick up technology back on the 16th of March his Chromebook and adapter. This is what it means to serve! With all of the changes we are going to experience next week it is imperative that each of my students have the technology they need to be “remotely” successful. The family I needed to get this technology to showed up right on time. I talked them through a few things I needed them to do when they got home and told them I would be available to support them via text or the Remind app. I have a feeling I’m going to hear from them. (see next paragraph)

Resting this weekend…to say that this has been a long, stressful week would be a massive understatement. I have worked harder this week than the first two weeks combined…and that’s saying a lot! As I come to a close on the 14 day of “teaching” from home…sitting on my patio because I earned it…I want to…well…that sentence was interrupted with the parent I thought I’d be hearing from…the one I just went to school for to get her the tech she and her son need. 15 minute Face Time call…we got him up and going! VICTORY!!! Back on the patio…thinking more about the weekend I cannot help but think first that…if you asked me 30 years ago if I would be guiding families through tech support in the middle of a pandemic so their students could learn “remotely” I would have looked at you like you had an antler growing out of your head!!!! I am so ready for the weekend!!!

Blogposts moving forward…so…I spent some time last night thinking about the rate at which I am creating/posting content. Writing these posts has provided me space to get all of what is transpiring with regards to “remote” teaching and learning out of my head and onto this blog. Nothing…save for the time I spend with my wife…makes me happier than writing! That said…in anticipation of a very hectic 3 day work week…I am going to post once next week. That post will be very similar to the 14 that proceed it…my thoughts about “teaching” from home. Who knows…maybe I’m getting anxious for no reason at all. I just feel that a lot of my energy is going to need to be focused on getting my families through the new changes that next week is going to bring.

Until next week…