Virtual school...Help!!!

I was looking at a video of my son playing a song he just finished writing and playing for me and I thought, “I wonder if he could submit this for a grade to replace a zero in any of his classes?!” 😂🤔 It was a random quick thought that came after a more difficult conversation with him as to why there were zeros in english, chemistry, algebra II and well in at least every class he was in! 😳 As we talked about his missing work (that was submitted just in the wrong place or late), I realized I was expecting a 16-year-old to be somewhat of a robot: NAVIGATE, EXECUTE, TURN IN! Navigate Kami, Schoology, ICEV, Google docs, PDF files, School Sync, online textbooks, and Delta Math. Execute vocabulary, math problems, quizzes, tests, worksheets, reading assignments. Navigate, execute, and turn in! Where is enjoy the learning?? 

I have a very creative son who doesn’t like to just go through the motions of daily life. He likes to participate, create, explore and learn. This year, in school, much of that has been taken away. He can’t do experiments in chemistry, he can only use some of the wonderful film equipment, he can’t use the greenhouse, or the special computers for web design and discussions he enjoys are not in person. So education has had to be boiled down to execution without all the perks, like so much of life has been for all of us this past year. These days execution seems to be the higher calling. I realize how difficult it is for teachers to teach to Zoom students and the in class students and deal with all of the emails, Schoology messages, Reminds, and texts from students and from us parents! This is just a more difficult year for everyone to do their job. But within navigate, execute, and turn in, the enjoyment of learning seems to be lost, at least around our house.

I feel like between the losses they have experienced and the celebrations they hope return, students are struggling not to lose heart in the in between. We all are! But there is still life in the in between. Thomas’s song reminded me of that. It reminded me that between execute, navigate, and turn in he has desire, creativity and heart. It won’t replace a zero but it will be his expression of heart and hopefully a reminder to me that this year there’s more beyond hybrid/virtual school and grades. I guess I just wanted to encourage us as parents not to lose sight that our kids are kids and their need to express loss and creativity and hope is still there buried under assignments and zeros and 100’s and TickTock, You Tube, Instagram, Snap Chat and behind their closed doors. I hope you will consider knocking on the door and asking how they are. Ask what they feel like they have lost this year, what they miss the most and how that has affected them. Maybe ask what they hate the most about school this year and what might actually be a gift in all of the changes. Consider how who they really are is matching up with who they are expected to be this year. Listen to their song, ask about the picture they’ve drawn, eat what they cooked, watch them play video games, ask about the book they may be reading.Let them know you care more about who they are than their performance. And if all else fails (I only have sons😉) take them out to eat! It always gets them talking!