Teach Like Your Shawl’s on Fire
I wanted to tell you that I’ve been trying to time my math class and teach like my pants are on fire – or at least like my shawl is.
But when I went to find the picture I knew I had, of me in my new shawl from my mama, I realized how helpful that shawl really is – because I no longer have to keep warm with actual blankets.
This is probably why my mom made me my shawl.
Because it’s hard to teach with urgency, if you are wrapped in a blanket and holding a cup of tea. (Don’t worry – I put my coffee away to teach.)
I wanted to tell you about this urgency because today I was rocking it! I mean, I don’t want to brag or anything, but my times were really within 5 minutes of what my plan said. I even started explaining the breakout room directions 3 whole minutes before the 1:45 goal!
Listen. If you’ve ever taught with me or next to me or down the hall from me, you know this is a big deal.
By 2:35 (ish) I was almost ready to send the kids off to their WIN time! I had my slide projected with the assignment! I was so excited to give them the rest of the time to work: They could sign off of google meet, or stay on to work with me.
I was so proud.
I said, “Who here can help anyone who doesn’t remember how to upload to google classroom?”
I looked around at their faces in the google meet boxes. Usually hands would be up. There are a lot of helpers.
“Oh,” I said. “I think you are all frozen…?”
And then my google meet went away.
And then my internet went away.
And then one by one the rest of my family came up, down, and around to tell me that their internet was down.
H said, “We were in the middle of a very important conversation! The teacher was very passionate! His screen froze like this!” And he posed, mouth open, eyes wide, hands up in the air.
I said, “But – were you in the middle of teaching a fourth-grade math class?”
And then I tried to text a parent so they could tell the kids that my internet was off. But the text wouldn’t even go through as a text.
So I told myself that these are fourth-graders. They can handle it. And I just waited for the internet to reboot. Which it did around 3:00. I checked in the google meet, wondering if any fourth-graders would still be there. (They weren’t)
I still had my shawl on, but I should have taken the opportunity to sit with my new back massager… I can’t teach like it’s on fire, but it is heated!
I mean, a teacher should take a 15 minute break when it’s handed to her like that, right? (Next time. I’ll do that next time.)
On a Thought 
I’m not sure what I love more… the slice itself or the pictures of you. A close tie at best. I’m also laughing at your time triumph- I struggle with this too. Could this be why we have never been on time when we co-teach? Love to learn from you and with you!
Absolutely! I think every time I’ve co-taught with you, I’ve said, “Um. I think we are a little past the time here … can we keep going or do we need to stop?” LOL!
Next time… I keep thinking I’ll get used to those tech glitches and just take it in stride… but I never do. I just launch into frantic fix-it mode.
I am with you about the time thing! If I can make it through everything on my agenda in one class period, it is a miracle! I definitely agree that next time your internet decides to give you a 15 minute break, you should take it.
Love the pictures — especially the shawls!
I love how you took me through the ups and downs of your post. I was with you! Excited about the lesson that rocked and familiar with those internet blues. And the photos! They definitely match and add to the tone of your story.
I love the line about not being able to teach with urgency when you are wrapped in blankets and holding a cup of tea! True, but it is also so nice to be able to prep and plan with such coziness. We lost internet service two weeks ago, and when it came back, I had all these messages from my 8th graders, asking why I would not let them into class! It was cheering that they did, in fact, notice that I was unexpectedly gone and wanted to be in class. And I absolutely spent my down time wrapped in a blanket and drinking tea.
I felt as if I was right there next to you experiencing your eventful day. Thanks for an enjoyable slice!
What a terrible–and yet horribly typical–thing to happen during online teaching! I love how you’ve turned this story of such a disappointment into something to laugh about.