Today, we got 6″ – 7″ inches of snow today.
#thatswhatshesaid
Stop it.
Due to the fact we’ve already had a number of snow days, we prepared for a remote learning day. Our first quarter of school, we were remote. Our students are very adept at the remote learning part of school. They’ve been trained again and again on what expectations are, on how long they should be working, and on procedures if they have questions for any of us.
So, today, at 5:00 AM, the text came that we’d be doing a remote learning day, it was all good. The freezing rain was starting, pinging off the windows and the roof. My wife and both were thankful our respective districts made the choice to go to a remote learning day. (On a side note, watch my wife interacting with her kindergarten group was a wholesome experience that would have been a diabetic into shock because of how sweet it was – but I digress.)
#focusmanitislate
So, I get the assignments up on Google Classroom like I’m supposed to do, and I get my first email at about 7:45 AM:
Mr. J, are we supposed to do anything today?
#whatseriouslywhat
Ok, so perhaps I’d made a mistake in putting the assignment online. Google has a number of clicks to get to all classes, so I went back and double checked. Yup, everyone was delivered the assignment. So my reply back: “Did you check Google Classroom?”
Her reply: “No.”
#WHAT
So, I sent back and email, reminding her to read the directions and away we went.
I answered question after question with, “Did you read the directions,” or “Did you check Google Classroom,” or my favorite, “Go read the directions!” It would seem that my directions written in Sanskrit because they were hard to understand! As I look at what my next remote learning day might be, I’ll be looking at my directions too! 🙂
As I started reviewing work, imagine my surprise as I found document full of writing. The directions specifically said to open a new doc, do the writing, then turn in back in. So, I returned a bunch of student work because they did not read the gosh darn directions.
So, my question to the educators, the parents, the caregivers: Where did we go wrong? How is it possible to have raise a generation of students who simply do not read directions on simple stuff? Or who just don’t care to do it when it’s right their in front of them? I’m being a tad facetious, but yet, I’m not. I worry about this class, but they are a symptom of a larger problem.
If I figure out the answer to that problem, I’ll gladly share it with the world. I don’t want a penny from it. I just want it to work.
Until then, boys and girls, read for comprehension and read the dang directions!
And if you have a question, as much as it pains me to say this, ask it.
Because stupid questions don’t exist.
But seriously, read the directions first! 🙂
March 15, 2021 at 10:27 pm
I echo your frustration with students not reading instructions. Argh!
March 15, 2021 at 10:32 pm
I will pay a handsome sum 🙂
March 15, 2021 at 11:48 pm
Oh, yes, I definitely get this! I answer so many questions on a daily basis because the kids DO. NOT. EVEN. LOOK. AT. THE. ASSIGNMENT. I mean, they never read the instructions when we are in a classroom either, but at least then I am standing right there and can point at them. The time I spend emailing and answering chat questions about what they need to do. You’d think that after a year of remote learning, they could at least figure out where the assignments are and to read them!
March 16, 2021 at 12:25 am
One of my wheelhouses was teaching college students, hybrid and online. On a UC campus and in a rural community college. The same. Over and over. Then, another wheelhouse, online media for adjunct advocacy that included getting COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS, many of them PhDs, started with platform and blogs. They weren’t much better at reading directions than your students but quite adept at losing whatever I sent them — then emailing me for help.
March 16, 2021 at 2:58 pm
I’m afraid we (adults) created this. We’re so unwilling to let children figure it out that they learn to depend on us for everything. If they don’t struggle, they’re not growing. I don’t even say “did you read the directions.” I say “Where can you find that information besides asking me?” It’s a learned helplessness that makes me nuts!