Virtual Kindergarten

When I started in education thirty years ago, computers were only found in the office of the administrators and secretaries. Attendance was taken on an attendance sheet and a responsible student would run it to the office. Now, fastforwarding to 2022 and the COVID-19 pandemic is still reeling it's ugly head. It has affected more than just inconvenience of favorite restaurants closing early, or the favorite items you run to the store to grab are out of stock most of the time. In many states in the U.S., online learning is still in play, or at least a opportune alternative.

I live in the midwest and work for one of the largest school districts in this part of the country. The virus, much like other states over the last nearly three years, has shifted how we do things in education. With the shutdown came virtual learning, The six feet apart rule was not going to work in schools. Socialization is a must, especially in kindergarten where they are learning to get along with peers outside of their personal environment. Learning how to share, follow rules and be responsible members of a their classroom community is a basic foundation that is not only needed, but required. Kindergarten is hands on. They need to feel the pencil between their fingers, the book in their hands, the excitement of choosing the right crayon to color a picture to retell a story we just heard, or the anticipation to use the abacus(multi-colored bead counter) to help complete their math worksheet. Not to mention the other subjects they get to enjoy such as gym, music, art, foreign language and computers. Yes, computers are now an extracurricular class that we in education call "specials". Every grade (speaking as an elementary school employee), gets to take part in these courses and each year your skills are built up a little more. Although students are taught to use the computers in the classroom, there is something about being on their own turf that makes virtual school a pain in the neck (being respectful). I believe that I repeat "unmute your mic" and "mute your mic" in my sleep. The stories I can tell about the background noises and conversations I hear when my students open up their microphones are not for the weak!

Our school system was on virtual due to the high rise of the covid numbers after the Christmas holidays. For a month (January 3-January 31), my nerves were tore up from keeping the mics muted so that the children's families could still have some level of privacy. However children are the purest form of innocence and aren't afraid, or ashamed of anything.

One day, after a few days of being online, I allowed the students to talk to each other while they drew illustrations about the weather after their science lesson. This is common when we are in the face to face classroom because it allows them to express and share their ideas.

Two of my young ladies where talking to each other when I hear a conversation which seems to be in another room.

"I'm not doing that!" A female voice could be heard.

"I'll give it right back!" A man's voice is heard right behind the woman.

All the while, the children are still talking as if it were business as usual.

"What did you draw, Wendy?" The student who was a stone's throw away from the commotion said.

"I drew some clouds, a rainbow and my mom and dad." She answered.

Suddenly the disagreeing couple appear in view of the camera. They could not be seen from the waist up, but you still knew it was two adults.

The argument was becoming heated, however the child, who was in between the both of them did not flinch.

"Hannah, turn your mic off." I said calmly.

However, Hannah did not hear me. It was either the loud noise from the argument or the conversation she was having with her classmate that she had not seen in nearly a month.

"I drew the sun, the beach and some birds." She continued.

All the while, I have parents calling my TEAMS phone (our online learning platform), informing me they can hear everything being said....descriptive words and all.

Hannah, mute your mic!" I repeat a little louder but I am cautious of my quickly growing frantic tone.

"Oh that's pretty." Wendy coos.

By now, I am sweating, and remember that I can turn off their mics. So I mute her mic, thinking I have saved the day. But not even a second later, the mic is back on. Although I can mute her, she can still enable her microphone on her end.

The argument has gone from heated to all out hell! The other students have stopped what they were doing and now were glued to their screens, watching and hearing the verbal (only) assault.

"Oh my gawd." I murmur, making sure my mic was off. I didn't want to add to the entertainment.

One more attempt to cut the sound to Hannah's mic went unfulfilled. I was drowning in the loud disruption from the kitchen of one of my kiddos who was unphased by the emotional explosion happening on both sides of her.

Finally, glancing at the clock on my kitchen stove, I see it's nearly time for meal break.

"Okay everybody go to lunch!" I said and quickly disconnected the class call.

Luckily I wasn't in the middle of a lesson. It was observation and evidence time, where the kids show what they learned in the lesson, but I learned a lesson too. Make sure I know how to disable permanently all mics from now on. Whew!