lack of focus in lockdown...

I thought that suddenly I had heaps of lockdown time to do marking...catch up...It's nearly midday... Have I started yet? NO! What have I done? Cleared cobwebs from windows, leaves from pathways (courtesy of foraging blackbirds)+ worried about next door's police presence.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) February 15, 2021

Day 1 - remote learning...again...

Day 1 - Remote learning again...non-stop Google Meets...finished lunch@3pm...Very stressful...But many students said they were glad to see me again... so thrilled...Even complimented me on tasks set - even Year 10 English... By day's end, my spirit exhausted but feeling sunny... pic.twitter.com/dvjMaG9WoE

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 20, 2020

weekend...after a week of RM prep...

Your time spent sounds so much better than mine...I've been cleaning out the cat litter box and cleaning the driveway and carport of yet more leaves...Thought it would all take about 20 min...Here it is after 10am and began before 9:00am... At least a couple of weekend tasks done

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 18, 2020

no need to travel far --around thr block 💕💕💕 pic.twitter.com/ZjXd6XrIP5

— Rob Cairns (@robbiepoet) July 17, 2020

playing with the winter sun pic.twitter.com/psSIQsBdKd

— Rob Cairns (@robbiepoet) July 17, 2020

row of dragonflies pic.twitter.com/d19i7gHET4

— Rob Cairns (@robbiepoet) July 17, 2020

I definitely agree with Rob...2 lockdowns nows in Melbourne
+ I feel closer and closer to appreciating the little things around me
+ my imagination is going wild...
'dragonflies' indeed...

Maybe tomorrow I morning walk...Today is all about domestic organisation
for the first week of remote learning next week...
+ some reading (beginning Sarum - Edward Rutherfurd - 1344 pages) for relief...maybe escape...
(the latter is my 'project' to balance projected remote learning stresses)

Tomorrow polish off strands of work for remote learning too...
Simply could not face doing any more yesterday...Felt gutted...

Day 5 reflection on 2nd round of remote learning...

day 15
of our second lockdown --
3rd covid test
and 3 new face masks
with birds flying
across them --free--
the 7th daffodil
opened today--
the morning
hidden by fog--
the afternoon sun
made everything feel normal
our little dog's tail
always happy

— Rob Cairns (@robbiepoet) July 17, 2020

All staff at my workplace totally felt the same way --toughest week ever--you have described so well. Such a fragility, stress and sense of overwhelm all week --so difficult , we also had to learn new platforms and changes in direction to RL so fast. Incredibly challenging. ❤ https://t.co/KgT4CtyaAQ

— Rob Cairns (@robbiepoet) July 17, 2020

Just Dropped In...

No real idea why these lyrics resonated with me today...
- The First Edition - 'Just Dropped In' [Kenny Rogers (1938-2020)]

Maybe just the feeling that today is the last day of remote planning for remote learning...

The frontline begins on Monday...



I woke up this morning with the sundown shining in
I found my mind in a brown paper bag within
I tripped on a cloud and fell-a eight miles high
I tore my mind on a jagged sky
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah, what condition my condition was in

I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in
I watched myself crawling out as I was a-crawling in
I got up so tight I couldn't unwind
I saw so much I broke my mind
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

my working day...

Currently spending one-third of my working day thinking of positive tweets to post, two-thirds panicking about all the remote learning programming to be done (and some is done) and one-third trying to get away from (but usu. fail) the latest covid-19 tweet.

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 16, 2020

Day 4 prep for remote learning...

Day 4 preparing remote learning - Not so headachy. Terms 3 + 4 English programmes and assessments completed +approved. History to complete by end tomorrow. Lined up essential learning with 4 synchronous + 1 asynchronous learning days each week. Feeling slightly more in control. pic.twitter.com/y4ZFfNwusG

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 16, 2020

Meanwhile, somewhere I have to do professional development hours by the end of September 2020 to complete/satisfy my annual teacher registration. No whole day conferences to attend. No school PD's to help.
All PD has to be driven by an individual online search for possibilities.
20 hours of PD are needed. I have recorded 10 so far.

Planning for remote learning in the spike of a pandemic onsite at work has been such an exhausting intensity. One which is hard to describe. Lots of tears around the place today, stress levels high. Teachers are amazing . Victoria

— Rob Cairns (@robbiepoet) July 16, 2020

Rob teaches on the Bellarine Peninsula
- on the other side of Port Phillip Bay from my Mornington Peninsula

stress headache...

Yes...We are certainly going through a great deal of stress...So many changes in what the school wants to do...new ways of doing programmes...online parent-teacher interviews...on a new platform...All has to be learnt...I sympathasise and empathise... I too have a headache...

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 15, 2020

intensive planning...

Remote Learning - Day 1...Completed intensive planning with my partner for Year 10 English... Doing a speaking and listening task for comparing texts...Google Meet...5 students at a time...Students answer 1 of 5 prepared questions...Instant marking...Feeling far less stressed... pic.twitter.com/qJZlnYzrWF

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 13, 2020

remote learning...chapel benediction...

Remote learning - Term 3 - Day one... Just attended the online chapel service at my school... It concluded with the most beautiful Gaelic benediction... (And this benediction was sung)
Loved the first line...
'Deep peace of the running wave to you...' pic.twitter.com/wxqIUEvEhU

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 12, 2020

can't settle...

Ditto...I'm wandering...Can't settle... We have quite a road ahead this term... Once we start tomorrow, I think we will calm a little...I hope...

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 12, 2020

Daniel Andrews keeps moving...

I cannot speak highly enough of this man... His calmness today when confirming a 6 week remote learning scenario (explaining it's not just caring for students and teachers, but also parents needing to drop off students) was remarkable. He just keeps moving steadily forward...🙏🙏

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) July 12, 2020

welcome sounds...

These are background sounds I can quite happily enjoy as I plod on with remote learning... Ballarat does not seem so far away at all... just a sound wave away... https://t.co/zMaeIPrtOE

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) June 16, 2020

Week 7 remote learning...

PASSING THOUGHT: All that careful planning of how to break up my PD meetings went out the window. 1/2 the intended marking was done, but I am sure I answered at least 30 urgent emails...possibly more...But who's counting...I'm working on calling this a positive, productive day...

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) May 25, 2020

wicked day...

APOLOGIES - terrible tanka coming up... Be warned - But I have to let it out...

wicked day
at the online office
bleary-eyed
multi-tasking stuffed
and it's not over yet#tanka #MayTanka #NaTankaMo #5lines

(I wouldn't mind borrowing this guy's wings for awhile) pic.twitter.com/otaJkptmvI

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) May 8, 2020

student engagement tracker?...

'New technology tracks students' eyes, head, mouse and keyboard movements helping teachers understand engagement levels.' A great idea? Not sure. Some students would feel ill at ease about being 'watched' and perhaps disengage further? Quiet students have 'special' engagement? https://t.co/baRIXdw3cG

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) May 8, 2020

remote learning characters...

Now that remote learning is in full roar, some class characters are finding new ways to be characters - especially in face to face Google Meets. A Yr 10 student of mine came in with a message above smiling face. 'I love English' - translated as 'I want an assignment extension'.

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) May 1, 2020

the veggie patch and ISO...

my P-12 school has quite an extensive vertical garden - a veggie patch...
and over this ISO period, it hasn't been neglected...

a woodwork teacher, who finds it easier to conduct remote learning lessons from school,
has been taking the mainly primary and a few secondary students at school
down to tend the veggie patch...

recently the students picked tomatoes
and learnt how to make and bottle tomato sauce from them...

the teacher reported that
the younger students adored having the older students help them...
while the older students felt needed and less isolated...

and all students learnt so much more about
the earth to table process...

that has to be an example of education in action...

there may be a crisis

but some form of valuable education goes on...

Teachers' stress, grief and exhaustion...

After 3 days of online teaching 6 large classes of Years 7-10, I was wiped out...Huge amount of time spent checking that each student had a Google docs (linked with me) so I could view progress. English + Humanities programmes completely overhauled. Marking? Yet to be resolved.

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) April 19, 2020

possible new education 'normal' in the future?...

We could then have more 'education readiness' for a crisis. Students could develop a more enhanced sense of being independent learners. Teachers would have the opportunity to develop online skills and keep better pace with technology.

— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) April 17, 2020