Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Offline


School has gone virtual. So, what's the one thing you don't want to have happen during the school day? I mean, besides a power outage. 

Monday. First period went rather smoothly. We logged out. (There's a ten minute gap between classes. Each period has it's own meet code that's embedded in Google Classroom, so we don't stay in the same meet all day.) 

About five minutes before period two, we attempted to log into their meet. This should have happened with no issues. . .

We almost had it. I got my camera starting, but I never got fully into the meet. Ms. W didn't even get that far. 

But somehow, I still had Google Classroom (which I had opened before this). A student questioned where the link for the meet was. I managed to respond that we were having internet issues. At least, I hoped it posted. 

And then the internet was gone. From what we gathered later, it was probably a district-wide outage. And it didn't get restored until after the "school day". 

Ms. W ran home and taught her last two classes from there. As a sub, I was kind of stuck on campus, although I probably wouldn't have made it home in time for the end of the day classes, anyway. (I texted Ms. S to let her know what was happening. She was teaching from home, so she was able to continue, no problem.) 

The next day, the internet was restored. It was rather entertaining to go into Google Classroom and see all the questions on the stream. Ms. W had posted their assignment before school, so they had work to do. But I rather doubt they did it. They were questioning where we were and was class cancelled? 

Alas, unlike Google Meets in the business world, in the education side, there is no way to call into a meet. (I know. I checked.) Deep sigh.

Fingers crossed we don't lose internet again. But it was giving us issues all week. Sigh.

17 comments:

  1. It's just one thing after the other!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would be so frustrated. Better luck in future.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've heard that happens a lot. So much for kids getting an education this year.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh man. Knock on wood you don't get a power outage now that you put it out there in the universe.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope that a virus or ransomware doesn't hit your district. It's happened elsewhere - bad actors just trying to disrupt for various reasons. Now I hope it doesn't happen to you because I put it out there in the universe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're too small of a district. There are larger districts nearby that would get the attention of bad actors more readily.

      Delete
  6. Even more joy's of living in a Covid 19 world.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That was my biggest worry (and losing electricity) when I worked at home. Do they have to make up the class time? I had to make up my time or use PTO when we would have Internet or electricity outages. The very first thing I said when I heard about virtual learning was "what happens when the Internet goes down?"

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh my, there will be all sorts of problems like this and a whole new way of teaching. My best friend teaches at a private school and these kids are all over the world. She is in the class but teaches the kids from wherever they are...China, Mexico, Germany etc... so these kids are to take the class from our time zone. This means they are supposed to listen to my friend teach even if it 3am their time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does she record her lessons so they can watch them at a more opportune time?

      Delete
  9. I bet the kids didn't do the work. I wonder how long they stuck around for before abandoning and doing their own thing? What did you do for the day?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Liz - must be difficult ... adults can cope because they understand the challenge - kids, not so much. All the best - Hilary

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.