The Coronacation Diaries, Episode 15

To Educate or Not to Educate? That is the Question

Ever since schools in Michigan closed with very little warning 2 weeks ago, the question on everyone's mind (besides which stores have toilet paper in stock) is if our schools will ever re-open. Now, according to a Bridge article just released, that's all she wrote, folks. School is probably definitely maybe closed. Of course, there may still be online options, graded or not, required or not, adequate or not. At this point, my own district is anticipating moving to online course delivery on April 13. But no one knows what this will actually look like. (I am personally quite curious as to how I'll teach Public Speaking via Social Distancing, as one of my five preps.) There are many kinks to work out and more questions than answers at this point.

On social media, the endless questions circle like buzzards over roadkill.

Why is my district not providing online instruction right now? Why aren't they doing something?

Why is my district demanding that students attend online classes right now? Why do they think I can work from home and homeschool?

Why are the teachers doing nothing? What are they even getting paid to do right now?

Why are the teachers requiring so much? Why does any of this even matter if the world is ending?

Why is my district not communicating daily?

Why does my district send out so many damn emails?

Why are my kids' teachers calling my house? 

Why haven't my kids' teachers called me? 

Personally, I've been holding office hours daily, for my English 3 and AP Lit students who want to come to "class." I've created assignments, uploaded links, found podcasts, recorded videos, brainstormed activities. Less than 10% of my students are showing up. I've got some questions, too.

We're used to our schools providing us a sense of normalcy. We're used to our schools having all of the answers, even if we bash them constantly for not solving all of society's ills. When everything else seemingly falls to pieces, we can send out kids off to school. We know that the teachers will show up whether we like them or not; that the kids will be fed even if they hate the food; that there will be toilet paper in at least one of the stalls.

And now? Now we just don't know. And neither do our schools. And neither does our Governor, the Michigan Department of Education, or our teachers' unions.

And even though I have 24 years of teaching experience and my doctorate in ed tech, I just don't know either.