Hi everyone. Let me start my post with another piece for Eileen's GREEN challenge over at Art Journal Journey. The month is winding down, and there has been some great pieces so far! Maybe you still want to join us before the month ends?
Here's yet another page from my Vintage Irish Travel journal. This is an art project totally created and not based on any real trip (although I did get to visit Ireland once), and I set the time of this imaginary trip to 1957. My page was started with some stenciling as well as some light inking of the background. I added some ephemera and did a bit of stamping too.
And the photo is a bit crooked-when I tried to straighten the bottom it threw off the top!
And I always forget about some challenges as while going to work, I was just too busy. But now that I can squeeze in some extra art time, I've been thinking about challenges and I want to join the More Mixed Media challenge which is Anything Goes with Optional Green.
And I always forget about some challenges as while going to work, I was just too busy. But now that I can squeeze in some extra art time, I've been thinking about challenges and I want to join the More Mixed Media challenge which is Anything Goes with Optional Green.
And since this week is winding down, I thought I would do another update to my teaching virtually from home. It has been a much better week overall, with less stress, so here's what I've concluded.
Update- schools have just been closed until May 6. We'll see what happens by then.
1-I am missing the kids. Online is better than nothing but online is not the same as being face to face.
2-But I have certainly learned a lot of new things about my students, things I would never learn in the classroom. Many of the kids work from their bedrooms, and that is certainly something I would never see otherwise. There is the girl with purple lights, the girl with some fantastic paintings on her wall, the boy who is a Dallas Cowboys mega-fan, the kids who literally are sitting in bed just having woken up in my 9AM group. I see what they eat for breakfast, see parents walk through, have met their dogs and younger siblings. That part is rather fun.
3-I am working way too hard, but not complaining. With all the new formats I need to use, most of my old lesson plans don't work. I need to adjust and adapt for this new format. In a way it is fun, because planning is something I like to do. And thankfully at least I'd already been using Google classroom and am comfortable with that format.
4-The administration has gotten less tough. Our building team has backed down and that is good. It would have saved a lot of stress last week if this had happened then, but the whole administration had a lot on their plates and were probably stressed themselves. This was a lot to pull off. And even though the governor said that online teaching didn't have to begin until this Monday, our district decided we would start last Wednesday, 3 days before the state. That gave us less time to prepare, and of course that increases stress.
5-So yes, this is a less stressful work. Now I am just trying to get more organized. But I will get there.
6- And I have to say, I love not setting an alarm every morning and getting up an hour later.
That's about all here. Just washing my hands a lot and staying away from as many people as possible. Hope you are too.
25 comments:
Your art piece is lovely. I like what you've done with the greens in it. I'm glad online schooling is going more smoothly this week. I think the CT Lock Down goes until at least April 22, but it could go longer. I'm not sure if that meant public schools would go back to in school when the Lock Down ends. I think the Universities and Colleges already declared the remainder of their semester would be online only. Some have started cancelling graduation ceremonies, which are usually in early May. :-(
Trader Joe's has flowers? I was worried that whole market would dry up, and there wouldn't be any flowers to purchase as bouquets, or at the "garden center" in Walmarts and Home Depots. If I remember, I might make a trip to Trader Joes next time I need grocery items, and get a bouquet. They do brighten things up, with all of the other unpleasantness going on. I've been meaning to go to Trader Joes anyway, to see if their shelves aren't as bare as the ones at Stop and Shop. :-(
Love the new journal page, that will be a fantastic journal when it's finished. Thanks, too, for joining us at More Mixed media, much appreciated. Your online teaching sounds fun, strange to see the kids in their 'natural habitats', sounds rather weird. But good that you are all keeping going and keeping in touch this way. Take care, hugs, Valerie
Great page, great quotes!
Yes it must be interesting to see how the kids live like. Good thing you can see the positive...
That's a very pretty page Erika!
Glad to hear you're finding the online teaching interesting and easier now.
Hubby and I are coping well, and only going outside to do gardening. Although I had my breakfast outside in the sunshine yesterday. Today, someone was using a power tool to trim a tree, which wasn't quite so peaceful!
Keep well,
Alison xx
You page would make a cute St. Patrick's Day or Spring card. Sounds like teaching from home is going well. Must be fun to see the other side of your students. Your neighbor to the South schools are closed until May 4.
Another wonderful page for your journal! I love those little birds on the mail box, so super cute 😁. You have created so many Irish pages and now you have me wondering where you got all those lovely images and ephemera you've been using?! I enjoyed reading all your learnings from your online classes, it must be fun to stay in bed an extre hour too ...lol 😉. All is well here too! Take care and sending happy wishes your way! Hugs, Jo x
Who would have ever thought your last semester would be this way. I love that you are peering into their lives. I think about that with the reporters on TV -- what IS that book on their shelves? What a beautiful room! Well done on adapting to this, especially as you are winding down chronologically -- definitely NOT in terms of what you are learning and doing! Three cheers!
Remote learning sounds more personal in some ways than in-person classrooms :) And more comfortable lol Schools keep pushing their re-start dates further down the road. I'm afraid trump's dream of crowded churches on Easter is only a dream. We seem to be in for the long haul.
I love your Irish page ... yes home is there where the people understand us!!!
Sounds like it is not sooo bad teaching online..even though I can imagine that learning all this extra formats is nothing you have wished for your last few weeks of career..lol.
But nice to not have to stand up so early ...for you and for your pupils as well!
And in a few weeks it is OVER and you can celebrate your retirement!! And hopefully that virus is over as well!
My hubby gets bored already as he is normally always on tour to work even though he is retired since many years. He is the born helper and always out to help somebody with the PC or with handicraft, my helping angel ...but now he is so bored that he even have done cleaning in our house... something wonderful but I think it's not normal...lol!
Happy weekend Erika!!!
We are forecasted with winter weather for next week again... crazy... !!!
Creatively Vintage - So Cool - Also, Love The Outdoor Photo From 'Just some Chatter' Post
Cheers
Nice happy looking page where you cleverly left space to mothers' day, Erika.
We got more restrictions here in southern Finland; roads to other parts of the country are closed and police force is controlling the traffic. We over 70 years are still in home quarantine. I've made some walks on the near beach path, which is allowed.
Take care yourself, stay healthy,
Have a good weekend, my friend!
I'm pleased you had a less stressful week, its good that the kids are actually linking into the lessons, I just wonder how many may slip and think they are on holiday. Motivation is a special thing and I hope the parents are supporting the teachers with the school from home situation in all our countries.
Its a fantastic page as well Erika, the journal id going to look great,
Stay safe and well
Yvonne xx
A very lovely mixed media piece! the photo and the sweet little girl are my favorites. Good luck with the distance learning...loved hearing about your students!
I love your vintage page. Interesting to reed about your online classes. From different places I hear about the new teaching formats. It won't get boring.
Glad things have eased a bit and that home instruction is going better. While it might be a fun experience for awhile, I am willing to bet that the students and their teachers are hoping to get some back in the classroom time, whenever that may be. We are keeping well in our little part of NH, getting out for walks as often as possible.
It has become an enchanting site. Yes, you have experienced this change with class a lot now.
I wish you a good weekend and stay healthy!
Greetings Elke
I'm really enjoying your vintage Irish journal - it's such a lovely idea to me to create an imaginary record of an imaginary trip at a point in the past. The greens are delightful - I particularly like that stamp of the coat of arms - and those tulips are wonderful. Lovely words too, of course!!
Alison x
Oh, and I meant to say I really enjoyed hearing about your online teaching developments - such an interesting challenge, but it sounds like you are meeting it so well. Interesting to glimpse all those home environments of your students.
Alison x
How cool to have insight into your student's lives like this. Thanks for sharing your adjustments, journey, thoughts. We are doing the same at work - we are adjusting to not being able to meet in person, walk around and see what everyone is doing, but were better at the end of this week than we were in the beginning. Now we are getting ready for how to train new people through technology - the planning is going to be key as I can see from your post.
Now to your journal page - I really like the little girl image and the vintage photo. The home words are sooo true as well. Home is where they understand you.
TFS!
Another lovey page for your Vintage Irish Travel Journal and for Art Journal Journey, Erika.
Thank you for all your support of my theme this month.
Some interesting observations about the online clasroom experienced. I've never even used videotelephony like Facetime or Skype. I would have been in total panic if I had to suddeny go online. I'm glad the hardest part is done and the atmosphere is less stressful.
Have a lovely Sunday. Stay safe and well.
Eileen xx
That's a lovely, lovely addition to your Irish journal, Erika. It must have been a great purchase when you got that package because you have certainly put it to good use. Wonderful. And it's also perfect for Eileen's theme at Art Journal Journey.
As I said before, our schools are now closed through the end of the school year. This past week, the district decided to hand out packets of lessons. Some people will study online IF they have internet. Wichita is so large, many students don't even have internet. My neighbors two doors north have five children. How do they get lessons done if all have to be on a single computer all day? Not sure they even have a computer, much less the internet. I think the district was wise to send out packets, rather than trying to fit everyone into one mold. Do you have skype or some way everyone talks over their computer? Guess that technology has passed over me. So sad for the graduating seniors. They won't get their diplomas till summer and there is no graduation or prom.
Oh Erika I thought I had called in here the other day , but now I am not so sure. Its another fantastic page in your Irish Journal and I loved the sweet images you used.
Take care and stay safe.
Yvonne xx
That's a very nice page.
Take care in these rather uncertain times.
All the best Jan
A beautiful page, love the vintage feel.
A fab entry for our challenge over at More Mixed Media x
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