Were this a normal week, I would have finished today feeling that I had laid the foundation my students for the rest of the year by teaching them the basics of the writing system we use. They would have practiced and planned with partners as I wandered about the room, listening to conversations here and there and intervening when I felt it was necessary.

“Please zoom in to 150% on Google Docs,” I would have said, “so I can get a peek as I walk by and see if you need direction or not.” I would have looked over students shoulders to see if their first attempts with this at-first bizarre system of writing I teach (and insist on students using) were developing according to plan.

I would have told a few students, “Look, you really need some one-on-one time with this, so come by tomorrow during advisory, and we’ll make sure you leave feeling much more confident.”

Instead, I went step by step with students through the process, but each student was with me for a different part of the process; the other time they worked through it on their own at home with materials I developed. Which means I was unable to assess and assist them as they went along. Which meant I spent an inordinate amount of time assessing things online this week that I never would have assessed in a normal year. Which means I’m not at all confident about my students’ development right now.

Covid-schooling.