Today, we made it to the end of week seven of high school virtual learning.  (Our oldest son finished his junior year of college, online, this week, too.)   Only five more weeks to go, according to our teachers’ reports that were automatically sent out to all of us parents, thanks to Google Classroom. 

They have fallen into a rhythm.  Both of them get up at reasonable times.  They complete their chores, feeding and watering rabbits, chicks and chickens.  The two of them are eating on a regular schedule.  There is probably too much time on “devices”.  But honestly, it’s hard to tell for sure.  The phones are the computers are now for checking in with friends, zoom classroom meetings, zoom check-ins with teachers, completing assignments—and watching Netflix.

On-line schooling is far from perfect.  It has many frustrations—ask any teacher, student, administrator or parent you know, at any level.  The complaints run the gamut, just as you might imagine.  The most common comment I hear is that “this online stuff is not for everyone”.  (Except, of course, for right now, it is for everyone, no choice about it.)   

Part of this change included a different sort of Friday.  On the final day of the school week, the supervisory union’s policy  is “no new material”.  Students are supposed to use this day to make sure that they are caught up, to ask questions of their teachers and to finish anything left over from the week.  

Over the past few weeks, Friday has become a more relaxed day for both the girls. 

Here’s the fun silver lining we’re noticing:  the girls typically end their week feeling fairly accomplished.  Actually, academically speaking, both of them are more on track and much less stressed than how they felt during “in person school”.