So I\u2019ve been in the house for two whole days. The farthest I got was the mailbox at the edge of the road. And for the past few days, I\u2019ve been trying my best to become an \u201conline teacher\u201d. I\u2019ve made four lectures on video, talking to myself and the computer about the geography of India, the beginnings of the Middle Ages, the industrialization and expansion of mid-19th<\/sup> century America and the Trail of Tears: Hoo Boy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first rule of teaching is \u201cknow more than the kids\u201d. And I do know more than 6th<\/sup>, 7th<\/sup>, and 8th<\/sup> graders about the subjects (though ancient India is definitely pushing my boundaries). I\u2019ve taught \u201cone chapter ahead\u201d before, and I\u2019ve taught all of this, somewhere along the way of thirty-six years of education. But I have to admit, in a time when technology is the entire \u201cgame\u201d for teachers; the kids probably have me beat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I can do I-Movies of \u201ctalks\u201d, and I can find all sorts of videos online that emphasize the points I need to make. I\u2019ve got online notes, vocabulary, and I\u2019m even learning how to do online tests. Where I get hung up is with online communications. My sixth graders (what, twelve years old?) are anxious to \u201czoom\u201d with me. That’s a video conferencing application for those who aren\u2019t aware (I wasn\u2019t until last week). Old dog here, doing my best to learn new tricks. But I\u2019m not ready to \u201czoom\u201d with a classroom full of kids\u2026yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hardest part: my \u201cteaching style\u201d is direct interaction with students. In the old days they called it the \u201cSocratic\u201d method, questions leading to more questions leading to the students discovering conclusions. How do you do that with a bunch of faces in squares, each with a two second delay, and looking for all the world like the opening credits to the \u201cBrady Bunch\u201d? <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s purely a mischance that I\u2019m teaching anything right now.\u00a0\u00a0A teacher had her baby, and they needed a long-term substitute.\u00a0\u00a0I thought it would be fun to get back in the classroom for a while, and help pay for a big trip in the fall.\u00a0\u00a0So, before anyone knew anything about \u201csocial distancing\u201d or \u201csheltering in place,\u201d I signed up for the rest of the year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was then, before the whole world literally fell apart. Now is now.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n But how is a school supposed to hire a substitute teacher to be \u201conline\u201d? I was in place, and willing to try. So here I am, at the same computer I\u2019ve been talking to, swearing at, and worrying over all morning. It\u2019s been a long time since I\u2019ve tried something new, and this is as new as it gets. And we probably won\u2019t be going on a trip in the fall, anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of doing something I haven\u2019t tried in a while, it\u2019s the first of the month.\u00a0\u00a0Not that I\u2019m too set in my ways, but the beginning of the month is the time for a haircut.\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m not ready to grow back my old \u201cfro\u201d from the 1970\u2019s (a guy with a gray \u201cfro\u201d looks silly) but there\u2019s no social distance from a barber.\u00a0\u00a0And besides, they\u2019re all closed down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So Amazon delivered the clippers yesterday, and, with assistance from Jenn on the back, I\u2019ve got my haircut. It looks OK today, if I do say so myself, but give it a couple of weeks and it will probably grow out an every odd direction. The last time I gave myself a haircut, it was in 1976. It was easy then, I took a pair of thinners and just drove it into the old \u201cfro\u201d, chopping out pieces to thin out the nest. When I was done, I shook it all out, and nothing looked different. So we\u2019ll see how this turns out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, it\u2019s mostly Jenn and the dogs that will get to see it anyway.\u00a0\u00a0At least until we \u201czoom\u201d sometime next week, I guess.\u00a0\u00a0Then I\u2019ll just keep the computer slightly out of focus.\u00a0\u00a0Can\u2019t you hear the back texts now:\u00a0\u00a0what is up with that guy\u2019s hair?\u00a0\u00a0Was that on purpose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Distance is the difficult thing today. We are so distant from friends, family and neighbors: distant from folks who need a hug more than anything else in the world today. Distant from showing up at the front door to help, or serving as in-house physical therapist. It\u2019s hard to hug through an email, or a phone call, or even a \u201czoom\u201d conference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s our life. My favorite phrase this month is stolen from a Bobby Kennedy speech: <\/p>\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t Pick Your Nose on Computer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Online Teacher??<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hair Cut<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Distant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n