Distance Learning

Last week we officially started distance learning through our school. Only a 7 days into it, we are still figuring out what that means.  With the exception of D, who homeschools anyway, all the kids are receiving lessons and schoolwork through a variety of platforms....Google classroom, YouTube, email, folders and mailings of paperwork and more.  I feel like my head is spinning.  I’m running in circles, assigning ipad or computer time for kids who need to upload schoolwork, or watch a teacher’s video. The kiddos are learning patience as they have to wait for me to help or explain the next assignment.  I’m sending emails and text messages to teachers for daily “attendance” or when questions arise.  D, amazing kid that he is, is pretty much homeschooling himself at the moment.  Sometimes I don’t finish my morning coffee until 11. Sometimes, I can’t even remember where I set it down. I can’t keep up.  How will they?

And yet.....when the weather is amazing, I have the wonderful authority to rearrange our school day and have a backyard picnic and extra long recess.  Or when someone reaches a breaking point, they can just go jump on the trampoline for a while and come back refreshed and ready to focus.   I get to hold a little hand attached to an amazing little person who is sounding out 3 letter words.  There is time in the day to write a letter to a loved one, or learn to run the sewing machine, or watch a YouTube video on how to draw cute little tacos.

This Monday was an amazing day out, and we took full advantage of not being cooped up in a classroom!

So here I am.  I am distressed at the growing case numbers and death counts.  I am concerned for the health care workers, those losing loved ones, the sick, the elderly, and the people we love all over the world.  I worry for people who just lost their income. I pray fervently.  But I was not shocked, disappointed, or overwhelmed when our governor announced today that our shelter-in-place and schools closures will remain in effect until at least the end of April.

I’m considering it providence that last fall Grandma asked if my Little House loving girls wanted these desks for playing school.  Now M (6th grade) and H (3rd grade) attack a majority of their schoolwork from these seats.

I’m sure these 5 are not getting grade-A, first-rate academics in the mayhem that we call daily life at the Healy House.  But they are getting life lessons.  They are getting extra time for family prayer and service to others (including each other).  They are getting about 1,000 more hugs and 25 more stories read aloud than a typical 8 hour school day plus extra curricular schedule would ever allow.  I feel guilty to say I’m thrilled we are quarantined here, holding on tight to each other.  The reasons behind the quarantine are traumatic.  Our time together is most definitely not.

HF watches videos of circle time, read-aloud stories, and song with finger play that her amazing preschool teacher sends along with printables and lesson plans.

Since J is learning about the five senses in kindergarten, I had her paint a picture of the things she can see, smell, hear, taste and touch in spring.

For J, another bonus of school-at-home is doing your assignments in dress-up costumes.

Our preschooler, HF was assigned yoga for Work Out Tuesday....which she performed dressed in a bride costume.

HF and big brother (role model) D preparing for our daily Chaplet prayers.

Man, this kid loves to be outside. Although M is a social girl and misses her class and teachers, she is loving the 101 different places she can do her schoolwork at home.

Unfortunately, being one of the oldest also means the most schoolwork.  And sometimes as littles finish up their work, it can be hard to focus.  This week she started wearing headphones or earmuffs to block out the background noise.