A Different Kind of Learning

Yesterday, I shared a look at how Luci was experiencing learning in a virtual sort of way. That certainly is not the only way she is learning! Like all little ones, she is learning so many things as she is growing and the way she shares that learning is just priceless to this grandmother!

She has been practicing and practicing to blow a bubble with bubblegum! I'd bet that her jaws have grown sore at times and she might have gotten a bit breathless with all the practice. 

I think she may have it mastered, though!

Virtual Learning

People have had all sorts of reactions to virtual learning. I, personally, am the first to admit that it is not the very best experience for learners and certainly isn't the best situation for educators. I will say that I am so thankful for the opportunity for children to learn virtually when other options are not available due to the pandemic.  I'm also grateful for the opportunity to see into one of my granddaughter's learning experience.

A few weeks back her school sent home a Chromebook and implemented a few virtual practice days in preparation for if and when they would have to go completely virtual.  My daughter, Bridgette, said that Luci, her kindergarten-aged daughter was so excited. The entire school experience has been sort of a thrill for her, I think!

You see, she has two older sisters who are middle school aged and she has watched them go off to this mysterious place for learning all of her life. She also knows that this is where they have learned things like reading, which seems fascinating for almost every kindergartener I've ever met. So, she was excited to get started with that experience.

Then, when she got to bring a Chromebook home like the older sisters and have her own virtual school meeting, I think she really felt important and grown up like them! Bridgette said that she started talking about the experience as she was climbing into the vehicle in the car-rider school pick-up line! 

"I got to bring my Chromebook home today because we are going to have virtual learning tomorrow! Mrs. MOSES (She always says the teacher's name as if all of the letters are capitalized with importance.) said that I could practice this afternoon for fifteen minutes..." and the information continued for the next half-hour, according to Bridgette.  

Upon arriving at home, Luci got a snack and then set up her Chromebook on the dining room table. She stepped into the kitchen and said, "Google! Set a fifteen minute timer!" Then, she sat down to do her practicing.

Shortly thereafter, a sing-song sort of sound began blaring from the Chromebook and her sixth grade sister, Lydia's eyes got very round, according to Bridgette. Lydia quickly said, "Luci, we need to connect your headphones to your Chromebook right now!" And, they set about connecting the headphones so the entire household didn't have to listen to the kindergarten tune.

After getting that squared away, Lydia went back to the sofa to relax after her school day.  Within a matter of minutes, Bridgett said, Luci began to sing along to the new kindergarten tune that must have been piped through the headphones.  Bridgette said, "I just stuck my head around the kitchen door and looked at Lydia and said, 'What are you going to do about that now?'" She said she got a huge sigh and eye roll from big sister. Bless it!

When virtual learning takes place in their household, quiet spaces are sometimes hard to find for all three of the learners. On this particular day, Luci was sitting in the middle of her parents' bed to have a space of her own with some parental support and supervision (and photography that was shared with Grand B). Obviously she was either identifying number words or indicating which number in a sequence in the top photo and then was writing as the teacher was requesting in the second.

This day of virtual learning started with the pledge and then Luci settled in to practicing sight words. Bridgette said that she would hear a word or see the flash card that the teacher held up to her own screen. Then, would write the word on her spiral notebook and hold it up to show the teacher or recite the word. Look at that face of seriousness and rapt attention!

This virtual learning day found Luci set up on the coffee table in the den with her Chromebook and going through the motions of a learning activity and then sitting at rapt attention to the screen with her blue screen glasses on.  (If you look closely, you can see her older sister, Lydia, sitting at the dining room table participating in her virtual learning time.) Again, look at how Luci is tuned in and focused on learning!

I know that this situation is far less than ideal for these girls. I also know that they will probably remember this experience for the rest of their lives. Further, I know that they will be all the better in the future for having this experience. I have two strong take-aways from this:

1. I wish we could bottle that enthusiasm for learning that kindergarteners like Luci have. Then, we could just share it with them throughout their school careers during times of struggle.  I really wish we could make the educational experience for all students be what these moments captured here are and make them last throughout a child's school career.
2. I am so thankful for this time that I got to have a window into my granddaughter's learning experience. As an educator, myself, I cannot visit their classrooms or volunteer at their schools like I wish I could to get that window into their learning and their lives. So, having this virtual experience where Bridgette could capture it with her camera on her phone is priceless to me!

Activities

Shortly after Harris started going to Preschool a couple of days per week - well after the crying stopped, he and I had a conversation about what school was like.  He explained to me that they have story time and play time and lunch time and did some activities.

I asked a bit more about these activities and was informed that it is when you make stuff and sit and do stuff and paint stuff. School activities. 

Soon preschool took a break and Harris was home again with his mom.  One day when I talked to him on the phone, he let me know that he and his mother had done an activity the day before.  You see, he had a newborn sister and I think mother needed a bit of quiet, still time out of the little fellow. 

I asked Harris about it and he informed me that he did a color sorting activity.  Then, when I talked to his mother, she let me know that she might run out of fresh ideas because he didn't like to repeat the same activity.  So, I made a suggestion and Harris wanted to know if I had some activities. 

Well, tradition continues and now that we are staying at home, like I shared yesterday, Harris is doing a little school work and Linley now is doing some activities, since she is at home from preschool as well.

I learned that one of her favorite activities is a color sorting one.  Again, tradition continues.  Only, this time, the color sorting activity doesn't involve little cars and colored stickers.  This time Linley is sorting colored cereal pieces.

Look at that little genius!  I told her mother that my grandchildren were destined to be true geniuses!  After I got the photo above, I got another message from her mother:

And then there were a couple of photos.

And a message from her mother, "true talent!"

I think she inherited that talent from me!

The Rules of the Classroom

I am an educator and my family knows that I put a lot of stock in reading, writing, and learning.  I also know that keeping the learning going while we are staying at home is very, very difficult.

I've checked in on a pretty regular basis to make certain that everybody is doing alright.  I've inquired about everyone's health and that of their extended family and asked about their food and toilet paper supply.

Sometimes I'll ask about their continued education but lots of times I let that go because...well...we are staying at home.  School and learning is hard enough to do when you go to school and learn.  So, when everybody is home and they have to be home ALL THE TIME, some things have to be let go at times and that is all right.

I checked in this morning with my son's family.  I hadn't talked to Jessica in a while and I cannot even imagine being at home ALL THE TIME with a six-year-old-boy who is full-of-energy and a two-year-old girl who is two years old.  I remember those years of having two littles at home with you and it was probably some of the hardest work I ever did.

Anyway, I digress.  Knowing that school is usually a part of the morning routine, I asked if they were having school this morning even though it was Good Friday.  Jessica assured me that they were and reiterated with, "We tend to work better when there is structure and a routine."  I get it. Rambunctious.  Busy.  Boisterous. Bouncing. I get it.

Linley was working on one of her favorite activities - color sorting - but that is another story for another time.  What I was intrigued by is that Jessica informed me that she was really learning a lot from Harris and the curriculum that he has as a kindergartner.  She said they'd had to Google something yesterday to be sure they had gotten it correct.  But that's not all!

She also informed me that when they started using the bonus room as the school room, Harris let her know that they needed some rules.  He liked the rules they had in his classroom at school.  So, he wrote them out and asked her to post them on the wall.

I kind of expected rules like Be Nice To Your Sister or Do What Mama Says.  These rules were all business, though.  The rules involve Hand Signals.  You see, if you need to go to the bathroom, you hold up one finger.  If you are in need of a wipe to clean something off your work area, you hold up two fingers.  Hold up three fingers if you need a pencil.  Four fingers signifies that you need some water.  If you have a question, hold up five fingers.

Jessica let me know that she has a difficult time remembering the rules.  She sees Harris following the rules and sometimes she is attending to Linley and her activity and cannot see the rules posted on the wall to clarify the difference between two and three or something like that and it is a struggle for her.

She sent me a photo of the rules and this message: "Just in case you and Mike need some rules around there."  I think I would be lost in keeping up with the rules, too.  I tried to text her back but I was laughing so hard I could hardly see my keyboard.  I said that maybe I just needed to start waving my hands in the air!

She said, "That should cover it!"

New Layer Of Out Of The Blue

I don't know if you have noticed or not, but there is a new layer of Out Of The Blue.  I have added Teaching and Learning Out Of The Blue.  I decided to keep a journal of my experiences while we are social distancing due to Covid-19. 

Now, I will be somewhat general in some ways because this is not something where I am reporting on what is going on in my school district.  This is simply my ideas and thoughts while I'm working from home.

I am hopeful that it will morph into some suggestions for teachers and ways to make teaching and learning better.  So, hop over and share some of my musings from an educator's perspective!