Friday, May 30, 2025

Modern Problems

Friday. Seventh grade science. Third period. 

The lesson plan had them working on a Friend or Foe paper. (They were given two organisms--plants and animals--and they were to determine if the relationship was beneficial or parasitical.) I passed that out, and they were to fill it out using information found in their Google Classroom. 

Only, the information wasn't in their Google Classroom.

Luckily, this happened at the school I had started the school year out in. You know, the school where I did the long term for the seventh grade science teacher? (She's back now.) So, I knew just who to call for assistance. 

Ms. W didn't have access to Ms. H's Google Classroom, but the three seventh grade science teachers are all friends, so she was able to contact Ms. H to get the issue dealt with. (I actually have Ms. H's cell phone number, too. I was going to text her, but I thought Ms. W might have access, so I thought I'd try the teacher on campus first. Ms. H might not have been easily reachable.) 

Within a couple minutes, the info the kiddos needed appeared in their Google Classrooms. Phew. 

Digital assignments are great, until something occurs and the kiddos can't access them. 

Of course, they also were to start working on their study guides for their final (fast approaching), so I did have a backup in case things went totally awry. But it's much better that I didn't have to resort to that. 

17 comments:

  1. Technology is one of those things that is great when it works. Fortunately you had a plan B, and you knew how to get hold of the responsible teacher even if you hadn't known those other teachers.

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    1. This is exhibit B for the week. Exhibit A, the day the internet was entirely out, happened on Monday (blog post Wednesday).

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  2. We are experiencing technical difficulties…glad it was easily resolved

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    1. Me too. You don't want 7th graders with nothing to do...

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  3. I can hardly imagine being in school using technology!

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    1. Some of it is quite fun. I just made a slide for the TV for the class today. With music embedded as they're just working on stuff. It's lovely.

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  4. Things were so much easier when everything was done on paper.

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  5. I love technology, it works like 80% of the time and I loved using tech in school, somehow that made it more fun? But when it goes wrong, it really goes wrong, and always right when you need it most 😭

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  6. Too much technology ruins childre's cognitive skills. There should be sufficient paperwork with print books...

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    1. I think it's good to balance it. In the workforce, they're going to need to be familiar with technology.

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  7. Back when everything was on paper, there were way fewer tech hiccups to deal with! Sometimes, the old-school way just felt simpler.

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  8. Is it graduation soon? I was surprised Safeway was packed in the morning yesterday, and was told it was graduation here.

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    1. Next week. The seniors had their grad night yesterday, and the 8th graders' grades have been turned in.

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  9. As a parent raising a granddaughter, I have a hard time with some of the technology these days, and helping her when she needs help. Apps, apps, and more apps!

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  10. This is Birgit…I’d hate having to use only computers even though it’s what I do at work. .

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    1. There's not a lot of digital only going on. Some classes. But they use paper quite a lot still.

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  11. Thank goodness I read on. At first I thought the assignment was to determine which plant was a foe to them. Makes much more sense after I read it. Although, I don't like the way my hydrangeas look at me when I walk past.

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