Six days into virtual learning - lessons learned

We are now a week and one day into virtual learning for the 2020 - 2021 school year. Last week, James sat on the couch for most of the week while attending classes. I attempted to get work done before school hours, during his break from 10:00 - 11:15, and after his classes and homework were done. This was done with medium success until Friday. On that day, he had 3 tardies getting back on to virtual classes. The first was due to an extended homeroom and not being told when the new start time was for 2nd and 3rd periods. We wound up late for 3rd period. He was also late when two other classes got out early and we had just long enough of a break that I thought I could go check emails and then lost track of time and he was late signing back on. In addition, we discovered that he really does need an adult to assist with note-taking. I am so grateful to the teachers that are emailing note-taking guides ahead of time.

For PE, we were able to get outside and enjoy a hike on a nature trail.

He was attentive and interacted with the class answering questions when called on and also raised his hand to answer questions. However, many times when he was called on, he would answer "I don't know" or repeat the question. He needed prompting to answer what he had seconds earlier told me. This is definitely an eye-opening experience and at times has me ready to pull my hair out, and at others I am giving him high fives and beaming at his successes.

Today, we tried a new approach that seemed to work better for both of us. We set his Chromebook up on a folding TV tray in my office. He spent homeroom and much of the morning sitting on an exercise ball. For his last two classes, he switched to a spare office chair. We also set an alarm on the phone for 5 minutes before lunch ends so that he will not be late again. I was able to check emails and even respond to a few while he did not need me to take notes.

We are also taking advantage of other classes online. He is participating in a science club for middle schoolers on Sunday afternoons. So far this year he has discussed chemistry and made homemade ice cream, slime, and bath bombs. Next week they will wrap up chemistry and after that, he will spend 5 weeks on cells. He is also enjoying 2 different cooking classes and a music / dance class. We may be adding an online Spanish class 2 days per week.

This past weekend, he also worked on a science experiment for his virtual science class through school. He compared the petals from 2 carnations. One was left in plain water and the other was in red water, as red is his favorite color - a fact he states at least 10 times a day! As you can see, one of them is starting to turn red. He was able to share this with his online classmates.

Yes, working from home full-time while assisting James full-time will definitely be a challenge. Last week there were a few days that I was ready for a glass of wine by 10 am, not that I actually drank any. But we will get this worked out, get a routine established, and everything will be more organized as we go, including the house because that just makes life easier.

Lessons learned so far:

1. Have James work away from the couch!

2. Set an alarm to return to classes on time after lunch & breaks.

3. Ask for help when it is needed - for example asking for notes ahead of time due to missing classes

because of an upcoming medical appointment.

4. When James asks for help, help him. It is easier than a meltdown. Don't give him answers, but

help him understand what is being asked and reward him when he tries his hardest and does not

give up.

5. If he opts for the easy way out and writes one sentence for a journal entry, do not correct him

during class, but afterwards make him go back and write at least a full paragraph. Then, email his

teacher and let her know that I am raising the bar for him and will not accept the shorter

response and that I would like her to raise the bar for him also. The hope is that if I demand his