Yesterday I blogged about screaming siblings in the background while students were reading over a Google Meet. That was not the only distraction some of them had.
It was the beginning of class, and I greeted Adrian when he joined the meet. (As I do.) He turned on his mic to reply, only to have a barking dog in the background.
He apologized to me and tried to shush the dog.
But I was having a similar situation. . .
I was alone in the house, so Buttercup (the landlady's dog) joined me. And she's a barker. (She looks so innocent and quiet there. But get someone outside, like the gardeners that day, and you can't get her to stop barking.)
While Adrian's dog was barking, so was Buttercup.
Sigh.
I had to kick her out for a bit, but when she calmed, I allowed her back. For a while.
The distractions of working from home (and teaching from home).
Today is the last day before winter break. For the next two weeks I'll be on the "summer schedule" and I'll save my subbing stories from this past week for when we return to class, just after the new year.
If you're taking a blogging break, enjoy your end-of-year festivities. For those of you just plugging along, I'll see you around the blogosphere.
That pup does look adorable. Incessant barking is a nuisance, though. It is a step up from screaming humans. Stay safe and sane!
ReplyDeleteI don't know which one is worse, actually. Either would be distracting. Both together would be awful.
DeleteButtercup looks like a wee sweetheart. Barking dogs aren't very pleasant, and especially so if one has work to do!
ReplyDeleteAnd they seem to bark at the worst times.
DeleteOh my god. Dogs are going to start barking at each other over zoom now. Or, I should say, they've already started.
ReplyDeleteShe's adorable.
ReplyDeleteCats photobomb zoom meetings, but they do it quietly ...
Very true.
DeleteEnjoy your break :)
ReplyDeleteSo cute. And innocent looking. Enjoy your rest of the year. I'll be plugging along, part time. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteShe's a cutie! I might have mentioned this before (I think I did) but when I had that brief job earlier this year and was working at home for a bit we were advised to always be quick to put our phones on mute in case the dogs began to bark. I bet by now it is "standard" procedure one will hear background noise while on virtual calls from dogs, children and the like. Enjoy your Christmas break from subbing!
ReplyDeletebetty
Oh yes, everyone is pretty much on mute unless they need to speak.
DeleteI give you HIGH FIVES for doing what you do but not only that for doing what you do in these times! Hey wait, is high fives a thing anymore?
ReplyDeleteHigh fives are still a thing. Although, more students prefer a fist bump.
DeleteHi Liz - one of the challenges ... but can be fun at times. If it was me ... it'd be seagulls wheeling overhead. Have a good break - and all the best - Hilary
ReplyDeleteWhen it's not the dog, it's the gardener, or the neighbourgs, or the motorcycle, or even the Rafale plane (the one very very noisy!). Enjoy your break!
ReplyDeleteDogs barking at each other over Google Meet! Even they have gotten online! Must have been as much amusing as distracting.
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty funny that they were barking at each other! Who knows what may come up in the background with video meetings, so many extra factors (distractions) involved. Hope you enjoy your winter break!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteI love your school stories and enjoy seeing your handiwork projects. Enjoy your break.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThat seems to be the way education goes these days... barking dogs, yacking parents, yelling siblings. I hear it all on my granddaughter's zoom calls. Can't complain too much about the barking dogs because we have a chihuahua that's a barker just like Buttercup. Enjoy your holidays!
ReplyDeleteBarking dogs are very distracting. Our last boy was so very quiet, he rarely barked. I think that's our biggest concern with our future furry one, that he will turn out to be a barker.
ReplyDelete