COVID-19: What is tough?

There is so much that is
so tough
about virtual teaching.

This old gal is hoping that learning all this new technology -  group chats, FaceTime, shared google files, linking files, data entry for new schedules and spreadsheets, and so much more - will serve to prevent Alzheimer's. A girl can dream, yes?

I am drained.

Things are simultaneously

faster - instantaneous even,
think:

• talking to a child and seeing them in person!
• opening a video, and hearing your teacher talk!
• you can use the mute button and no one is interrupting!

and slower,
think:

• waiting for the other party to read your text,
• or enter their information,
• or respond to your email;
• creating videos of books and morning meetings;
• figuring out the nuances of uploading and linking files
• things that must be done in a particular order, in order to be done right (and so there's more waiting and more 'do overs' as you learn)
• it can feel as if you are repeating the same steps, over and over

and overwhelming,
think:

• so many emails in the inbox
• so many 'stakeholders' - parents, administrators, colleagues, specialists, and more
• it feels as if everything must be done at once
• how to have good collaboration in this virtual world?

and complicated,
think:

• do you need to get permission to do this?
• is it appropriate developmentally to expect this from a child?
• are we burdening the families by asking for this?
• what is most helpful right now?
• so little body language, so many fewer clues (did this written message mean what I think it meant?)
• it can feel as if you are repeating yourself, over and over

and hard,
think:
everyone is in a different emotional place, dealing with their response to this crisis; some people have family members with the disease, others know no one and feel very removed, still others know someone who is an essential worker, on the front lines...we don't know what anyone else is carrying on their shoulders...we must give grace and love to all, and, especially,
to ourselves.

Deep cleansing breath.