A student brought me this little pack of 1/2 yards of fabric for masks and a coffee card today. Later on I called her mom…just as a regular check in, introduce myself call. And I 100% forgot to mention the gift. Haha.
I built a Google Site website today in about 5 minutes and put some links on it. Our hub (Clever) is NOT working and it’s really annoying to not have access to all the curriculum that’s housed there. So, I’m keeping my Google life tight, and added a Site with some important links.
I am actually teaching my class a lot of technology skills and they are learning rapidly.
In order to do our NWEA (District trimester benchmark measures) testing today this is the path we had to go down... Here’s a snapshot of me being tech support for kids that think they have computer skills, but actually have zero. I am standing behind each kid as they do this, trying my 100% hardest not to touch their desk, computer, pencils, the kid. I carry sanitizer around because sometimes I just have to help.
Me: Go to Google Classroom. Ok, now click classwork. Ok, click the link at the top that says NWEA test. Scroll up to see it. No, you don’t tap the screen. Use two fingers and scroll up. There.
Kid: (Clicks the link. There is a popup.) OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED?
Me: You now have to click the little red box in your URL line…that’s where you type the website, yes, right there. Click it. Now click allow pop ups from NWEA. Yes, that circle, click that. Now click done. Done is the blue box. No, not manage. Click done. Good.
Kid: (sees the scary pop up box again, panics) IT DOESN’T WORK!
Me: You have to click refresh now. That refreshes the page and helps it start fresh. Click it. It’s that little circle with an arrow on it. Yes. No that’s the back button. Good, yes, click the refresh button.
Kid: (sees the log in screen for NWEA, types in their first name and last name) IT DOESN’T WORK. I TOLD YOU IT WOULDN’T WORK. (starts poking pencils into notebooks inside their desk, writing notes, cutting tiny pieces of paper.)
Me: (slightly clipped voice) remember? I showed you that this website is different than all our Google sites. You need to type in our session name and password that I have projected on the board. (extremely zoomed in so they can see clearly) I’ll be back in a minute, I’m going to go help another person.
Kid: (types session name in but puts all kinds of fancy spaces in between digits and letters) (raises hand and waves it around maniacally) MS. FOGERTY I TOLD YOU IT DIDN’T WORK!
Me: (walking over) What’s up? Ok, you typed your password with spaces. See how my example doesn’t have spaces? That’s important.
Kid: (Retries while I half-watch, half-help another student.with.the.same.issue.) WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Me: (trying not to grit my teeth, the patience is legendary.) Thank you, I’ll got approve your test now.
Today was like the week before spring break or Christmas. Their stamina for learning disappeared at about 10:45.
I am so exhausted. I’m surprised I stayed awake long enough to write this, but like clockwork, just started to nod off.
Namaste.