More seriously, I am thinking about all of you whose parents and siblings work in healthcare, grocery, sanitation, and all those other industries that are suddenly on the front lines. That's not easy.
We still don't have a ton of information, but I wanted to drop a post here and let you guys know that I'm on top of things, not ignoring you. Here are some things you should be aware of:
-I have no idea whether we'll be back on April 6 or whether it will be adventures in distance learning. I'm planning for distance learning just in case, but you shouldn't take that as information about what will actually happen.
-Mr. Harry, Mr. Escandell, and I have yet to talk in detail, so explicit instructions about how we'll modify the six weeks won't come until next week.
-If you have not yet presented your Expanding the Canon project, I will be in touch with you shortly.
-If you have make-up work, please email it to me stat.
-You will probably still have to do the Open Response Essay Chart, though it will not be due on April 3/6.
-We WILL do activities related to your Warrior Novel, and you will still take the in-class (or in-class-ish) Open Response Essay over your warrior novel, so please keep up with the original reading schedule and write your pages of notes (one covering sections 2-3, another covering section 4) as best you can.
-The AP test will still happen, though it's been greatly modified. More information about that to follow in a separate post.
-Working from home can be hard. As I'm typing this, my kids are saying, "Mom, Mom, Mom," and one just threw a toy army man at the other. So believe me, I get it. IF we go to distance learning, set up a work area for yourself. Maybe you need to be at the kitchen table so your family keeps you focused. Maybe you need to go to your room and shut the door so your baby brother or sister doesn't get in your business. Probably don't work on your bed unless your real goal is to catch up on your sleep. Get a snack you like. Play some nice music. Treat yo self; it makes working a lot better. (Side note, it is probably not a good idea to play music with lyrics while you're trying to read or write.)
-Some of you may be primary caretakers for your brothers or sisters during this time, and we are aware of this.
-If you have limited ability to access the internet but somehow see this, please have a friend with whom you are in contact email me on your behalf; as of right now, I think it's still against district policy for me to have conversations with you over the phone. Also, please contact the LASA office so we can get you set up with a hot spot for your house.
-If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments section here or to email me with them directly.
I do not miss getting up at 5:30 in the morning and spending two solid hours on the road every day, and I do not miss marathon grading sessions, but I do very much miss you guys.
Peace,
Mrs. Swan