Today was my first experience with e-learning. My grandkids can’t get to their mom’s yet because of the snow. She lives an hour and a half south of here and they received about 6” more snow than we did. My son needed to get back to work today, so he bundled up the kids for the short drive to Grandma’s. Today was the coldest morning of the season so far. This has got to be the coldest winter on record.
Miss Belle brought her school laptop and we set up class in my bedroom. I kept the boys quiet in the living room. Jack asked to watch Narnia. So we did.
Belle likes to move around, a lot…and she did during class. I’m not sure how, or if, her teacher monitors the students presence and/or movements. I had to remind Belle that she was still in school.
This made me think of my 5th grade class at Beach Park Elementary. My teacher, Mrs. D, (not using her name) was the scariest, meanest teacher I ever had. I never wanted to be the slightest bit out of line in her class. She was not very tall, but quite stocky. She had the stature of an army drill sergeant and yelled like one. I don’t recall her ever smiling. If you someone didn’t stay in their seat she’d fix that in a hurry. She’d tie the wandering student to their desk with a jump rope. If a student misbehaved in some other fashion, she’d lock them in the art closet.
Fifth grade was scary.
Since I homeschooled my children, today wasn’t too difficult to maneuver. It was interesting to hear the teacher teach. I think the hardest part of the day was keeping the boys quiet and Belle at her desk. Oh, and then, Belle’s homework afterwards.
Belle said she likes e-learning better than going to school. I have to agree. I would have done well being schooled at home. I didn’t handle high school very well, especially. Peer pressure was a very real thing, and so was bullying. Those two things haven’t changed since I was in school. Well, perhaps, they’ve gotten worse.
The kids may be here again tomorrow and we’ll do this day all over. It’s certainly okay by me. The kids are here, safe and warm, and well fed. This is the best way to spend a very cold snow day.
♥️
Andi
Coffee with Andi 
during covid when Aiden was doing e-learning he didn’t do very well. He needs more structure. Even in college he still needs more structure but is doing well with his online classes. They do meet once every other week to do in class learning. So he may be making it up when he goes into the classroom.
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