Monday Musings - Back to School

 

On August 10th, my boys will be entering school for (almost) the first time in (almost) a year and a half.  The pandemic has kept them as virtual learners from mid March 2020, through the end of the 2020-2021 school year.  When school started last year, we were asked if we were going to want to keep our kids virtual for the year or if we would want them to go back in person when that option opened up.  We chose in person for the year, thinking better safe than sorry.  We were again given the choice at the end of the first semester, and again chose virtual.  This time, it was partly because we didn't really trust that COVID would be under control enough to feel safe sending them back, and partly because we wanted to keep things as stable for the boys as possible.

This year, we're not given an option to do virtual schooling.  In some ways, this is a good thing.  Being back in the school building will be good for Pete and his need for consistency.  It will also let him get back to the services that he's entitled to through his IEP.  Virtual schooling worked for him in one way - in that I knew what his assignments were and was able to keep on top of what he had to get turned in.  But it was so much harder to keep him focused and engaged unless I was sitting on him all the time.  Add to this the fact that being among people will help reinforce the socialization that he needs to practice.  At school, he won't be able to throw a temper tantrum whenever someone asks him to do something he doesn't want to do - which, sadly, becomes the norm here at home.  And if we're really lucky, he'll be able to make a friend or two as well.

Tedd is going to be trickier.  He really did well with virtual schooling.  Since his classes didn't require cameras to be in, he was able to focus on the lessons instead of his social anxiety.  He could engage with others at his own level.  He kept on top of his homework far more readily than he had when he was in the school building.  He felt more comfortable, and that translated to doing better in school.   Our school system does have a Virtual High School, and they opened that up as an option for more students for this upcoming school year, but for all the success that Tedd had in virtual schooling, we decided not to transfer.  A large part of it is because currently, he's at one of the top academic magnet schools in the state - Martin Luther King Jr Magnet.  Elementary and middle school before he transferred in to MLK bored him to death.  He needs the push that he gets at MLK.  And if we were to transfer out to Virtual, we wouldn't be able to get him transferred back in.  So, MLK he stays.

There are also a few other changes coming for the boys from the last time they were in the classroom.  For Pete, his middle school is allowing them to have a common-sense dress code - no offensive clothing, nothing ripped, no sandals, that kind of thing.  It means he can wear his comfortable T-shirts instead of collared polos.  His pants won't change - partly because he only has one kind he'll ever wear anyway.  But he'll be so much more comfortable in T-shirts.  Finding sneakers instead of his sandals... that might be tougher....  For Tedd, his school has been the same common-sense dress code since he started in 7th grade, so no changes for him there.  His change is the fact that the district has gone back to free school lunches for all.  Because the school zone that Pete is in is low-income, lunches were free for everyone there already.  But MLK, being a Magnet pulled from the whole district, didn't have a high enough number of low-income to allow it when they switched to individual school eligibility a couple years ago.  This year, they've announced that all schools are back to free lunches.  Tedd not having to remember to pack a lunch or bring cash with him will be a huge weight off his mind.

This upcoming weekend our school supply Tax Free Weekend, so I'll be going to pick up a lot of things that the kids will need.  Pants for Tedd, shirts for Pete, laptop bags for both, some school supplies (as much for me because I love them as for them - I still have a bunch that they never used last year.) , and probably a few new masks, because even if the schools aren't requiring them, I am.   On the 4th, we'll find out what Pete's schedule is and get a chance to meet his teachers.  On the 9th, I'll make sure their bags are all ready, laptops charged and in their bags, in bed early enough to have an awesome day.  Tedd will try to catch the city bus, I'll drive Pete in to school, and the year will be a touch closer to normal.

Tedd, focusing on his school work

Pete, at his most comfortable
for school

Getting Things Done in a Virtual Environment

My kids haven't set foot inside a classroom since March of last year.  And honestly, I'm ok with that.   I would rather they be safely learning from home than be a danger of bringing COVID home to me or worrying that their teachers will die from it (as we've had happen in several of our surrounding counties).  However, I didn't realize just how much it would upset my own day to day work.

I don't think my house has been completely clean since before March.  Having all four of us home at once means more mess is being made and I'm having less free space to clean than I need.  Tedd and Rich both help, but they don't always see the messes that I see - rather, they are more likely to think something isn't part of the mess where it's driving me nuts.  

I usually like to have an audio book playing while I clean, which is difficult when I have people working in three different rooms, needing to listen to what a teacher or a collegue is saying.  The kitchen and the bathroom, which should be safe to clean, have the problem of being close enough to the rooms people are in that I disturb them or they disturb me.  I've tried using my headphones but they lose charge before I'm done.  And wired headphones have a tendency to get caught on things while I'm trying to clean.

On top of that, I have also found that I need to sit here while Pete is in class more often than not because he has a tendency to log out even though class is still ongoing.  I found out about that when one of his teachers called.  He's getting better, but I still need to keep checking on him to make sure he isn't skipping out.  And I need to make sure he's getting his homework done - though in a way, that's easier than when he was in person.  In person had him constantly telling me that he didn't have homework.  Then I'd find out from his teachers that he had so much outstanding it wasn't funny.  Now, I can check his schoology account and see what's due.  In person would be best for him, but at the moment virtual is safest.

Tedd has been doing great with virtual learning.  He's in all his classes, doing his homework immediately, and is being really responsible.  A lot of it, I think, is because he's able to keep his anxiety at bay.  He doesn't need to keep his camera on which helps him deal with things in ways that work best for him.  Also, he's a freshman now.  I think that makes a big difference.

So I've got to try to come up with a schedule that works for me.  I've been trying for the last 10 months, but I haven't found the one that works best for me yet.  Today is my day to focus on some of my organizational things.  I'm getting this post done.  I'm going to update my BuJo a bit more and try to figure out a schedule that makes sense.  I'm going to make lists of things that I want to get done in the next year.  I'm going to start my 52 week organization/cleaning book.  At least then I'll have something to write in my Today I...