Monday. September 14, 2020.
Another day begins and with it, hopes for better days. After accessing the platform, entering the room, and following the comments and comments on the day’s activities, I updated my worksheet to monitor the work done by the students, referring to the previous week, making the feedback, registering they didn’t their homework, and sending messages to their parents. I sent messages by WhatsApp with indications of the pages of the brochure and the textbook for students who do not have access to the platform. I am very worried because they are not giving the expected profitability.
Thus, throughout the day, there were exchanges of messages and interactions with families. The stories are the most diverse, from the lack of “internet” to emotional problems with the student or family. As is the case of a student who does not access the platform, he only performs activities in print, however, for many days he has not done it as often as necessary. The student’s mother says that she does not know what to do because she resists and presents social-emotional problems, combined with difficulties of not knowing how to read yet and the time she does not have to systematically monitor the development of the child’s activities.
Although I try to be very flexible and understand the position of the other, their difficulties and desires, I often feel apprehensive, recognizing that it is not in my power to solve many problems.
Continuing with the work routine, I planned and produced content for the classes, trying to take into account several factors, such as students with learning difficulties, more attractive and diverse activities, with games, videos, etc.
At 7:00 p.m., I scheduled the next day’s class and performed the online and individual service of a student who has many learning difficulties, to carry out some specific interactive activities with him, also oriented to the family. This was the only possible moment after the mother came home from work.
I always make myself available to assist students, families, with guidance, sending additional activities, and continuous recovery video, which will favor the development of students with difficulties. However, it is not always possible to reach them appropriately, because the students with the most difficulties are those who face problems with the internet, mobile phones, lack of time, or even family interest in better monitoring the child’s school life. I always seek to listen to parents, reflect on my pedagogical actions, and rethink better alternatives that facilitate and are more efficient in learning. However, I realize that it is a very big challenge because the factors that interfere with the process as a whole are diverse.
Tuesday. September 15, 2020.
Today was the day to meet another group of students online through Google Meet. After the reception, with a message for them, in order to create a comfortable environment, we talked a little about their difficulties, what they liked and what they had the most difficulties in the platform classes. The speech of a student, who recently started accessing and using the platform, left me very moved and thoughtful. She said, “Oh man, the platform is for smart students. I led the conversation, trying to motivate not only him but everyone who was participating, reflecting on the differences and abilities of each one, reinforcing the importance of the habit of study and dedication.
They and the families reported achievements and some difficulties, which will help me plan and guide the next activities, in addition to staying with some, such as the videos created by me, with explanations of content and activities, corrections, which greatly emphasized liking.
I notice that most of the students have adapted well to the platform and interactive activities, however, they always emphasize that they prefer classes at school, with their classmates, the teacher, games, etc.
The class focused on reading and writing, in small groups, also showed me ways to follow, to direct activities that are more favorable to the development of the students, that need more individual interventions, that are progressing, and that are more difficult. It is very difficult to read and write only through distance education. The ideal would be when we could combine digital tools for all students, without exclusion, in face-to-face classes.
Another note that I want to highlight today is about privacy, I found myself thinking about it during the online student service. Suddenly, we invade the homes of the students, the privacy of the families, and ours as well.
My daily routine continued, with monitoring the activities of the platform, exchanging messages with parents (questions and sending attachments in the activities), producing and scheduling content for classes, recording the class diary, etc. Some parents are unable to send photos of the activities as an attachment on the platform, they end up having to send them to my personal cell phone. That is, most of the day, dedicated to working.
Wednesday. September 16, 2020.
Today I started my work routine, producing activities, recording video lessons, monitoring, and scheduling activities on the platform, followed by messages for parents of students who do not access the platform and do not give feedback on the activities of their children. When I can speak, some parents report that their children are doing the activities and will send the photos, but they also report the lack of motivation, laziness, and emotional problems of the students.
Once again, I made myself available to answer questions and provide guidance as needed. I can’t help but feel frustrated when I can’t reach my goals.
What I cannot do is let the student lose the link with the school, the will and the motivation to learn that the difficulties that he and his family encounter do not imply giving up, because if this happens, bringing them back is always more difficult.
In addition to the double work in preparing classes, recording video lessons, exchanging tasks to send and receive from students, contact with the family, and with the educational institution itself, it is necessary to consider attempts to serve all students, including adjustments to learning. All this shakes me emotionally and I believe it for my co-workers as well. After all, we are human beings, and we also see people dying in our cycle, we are concerned about the scenario and progress of Covid-19 in Brazil, with our family, with friends and acquaintances who need us and our support.
Distance classes anticipate a time of innovation and the increasingly intense use of technological tools in the classroom. It highlights old problems such as teacher devaluation and inadequate training to deal with new resources and emotional situations.
Anyway, dear ONBOARD DIARY, here is a record of part of my daily routine as a teacher, my experiences, and feelings.
The collective work with the school, with co-workers, with the family, has helped a lot. Exchanges, interactions, and alliances are fundamental for me to continue making a difference in education, even in the face of this terrible scenario in Covid-19, in this year 2020, which requires the deconstruction and reconstruction of people, institutions, and work methodologies. When all is history, I hope these reports serve as a light …
