The Great and The Terrible
Deep into our Zoom school journey last year, we quickly realized that once the computers were closed for the day, getting our pupils back to work was a battle.
Apart from the three hours of synchronous learning, they were expected to log two-to-three more hours of asynchronous learning including online learning lessons, reading, projects, and homework packets.
After lunch time, however, our boys were focused on being kids. No amount of begging, bribing, pleading, and eventually threatening made it any easier to get them to refocus.
We often found ourselves sitting with them before and after dinner for a few hours helping them with their written assignments—the time of day when they should have been winding down for bed.
Yes, the asynchronous learning falls to the parent, and though we made earnest efforts to create that structure, my wife and I both had our livelihoods to keep alive. We had our own Zoom meetings to lead, deadlines to meet, and stories to write.
And we had to switch gears into cook and kitchen staff mode three times a day.
Did the kids learn? Yes. Did they also suffer? Did we suffer? Yes.
Will my children—all of our children—be set back educationally as a result?
Yes and no.
Yes, because they missed anywhere from 1-2 years of traditional classroom learning, which includes socialization, routine building, and learning stamina, all vitally important for any learner.
No, because what they missed in institutional learning, they gained in life lessons including playtime, family time, exposure to and early mastery of technology, and quite simply, a break.
A break from what has been quite a long experiment in childhood education. One that relies on butts in seats for X number of hours, standardization, and implementation of prescribed societal patterns that families unwittingly surrender to a school district.
Look, public school is not a bad thing. I’m a product of it and I turned out fine. Besides, if I had my way right now, my boys would be there right now, however the last couple of years has been an awakening for our family. Each day of our homeschool experience feels like a blend of school, vacation, family time, and just plain life.
Some days are great, some days are terrible, and some days, the great and terrible are the same day.
Every day feels like a “To Be Continued” after school special. It’s going to be mysterious, but it will probably all turn out just fine in the end.
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This post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Unsplash
