Rollercoasters...

I have a love/hate relationship with rollercoasters.  I kind of love the thrill but also am terrified of heights and get incredibly motion sick on almost any kind of ride with movement.  Or even in my car. 

So rollercoasters are a bit of a sketchy dice to toss for me.  Love...hate.

Kind of like online learning.

Love...hate.

There are aspects I love.  First, I get to work in sweats.  That's pretty sweet.  Second, I can kind of set my own schedule.  Love that.  Third, I get to be with my kids.  Most days, that's a love.

Then there is the hate.  I hate not seeing my students to see how they are grasping the material.  I hate being alone on this journey away from my colleagues.  But I hate the ridiculous questions and the...I don't know what to call it.  Laziness I guess!  I hate that about some of my students.  Guys - this is reality! You have to take ownership.

This is kind of baptism by fire though.  I try to teach my students to take ownership for their own stuff all year long.  Now they have no choice.  I can't catch them in the hall to remind them or swing into their study hall.  They have to check my website.  They have to click on the videos.  They have to do the work on their own.  I can no longer babysit them. 

And if anything positive comes out of this experience, it's the problem solving skills our students will develop.  They will have to figure some stuff out on their own.  Like what website to go to to enter information for the ACT (maybe the one in the slide!).  Or how to turn in an essay if there's no basket (try the email).  Or where this video possibly is at that I'm supposed to be responding to (read the post that says the name and contains a link). 

Yes, yes, yes.  Reading directions and problem-solving.  Two life-long skills our students will need. 

Gonna learn today!