In July we were hearing about school re-opening in August. In the middle of July it was determined that distance learning was what we were going to be working with. I made the decision to give notice to my part-time job so I could be home to work with Sebastian, our grandson. He would be a second grader with no real computer or keyboard experience.
The weekend before school started back I made a trip to a nearby store that specializes in educational/school supplies. I gathered up some whimsical school decor and created a fun learning atmosphere. When Sebastian walked into the room his eyes lit up. That was encouraging and I became excited for the next week of school starting.
On the first day of home school learning we had a very stressful time getting in sync with the technology. That held true for the entire week. Our grandson seems to be a very detail oriented student when it comes to the technology. There were several days that he didn’t get done with his schoolwork until 4 or 5pm. I tried to encourage him to just submit his work but he was very insistent on adding the extras. When we got through the first week we were both ready for a break.
On Monday, the second week, I watched Sebastian excel. He had learned how to maneuver on the tablet and was independently completing assignments. I was so thrilled to see our little man managing his own education. We have a little bell that he rings when he needs my assistance. Every day at math time that little bell rings and I come running to see what today’s math problem is that has challenged him. “Gee, can you help me with this problem?” he says.
We are now in the cool of October and it’s a pleasure to say we are succeeding at school. We have 3 days at home and 2 days in person at school. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this journey with our grandson. I know I could have continued working but I would have missed the tremendous blessing that this opportunity has given me. We are thankful for the amazing education that we are witnessing. Edison School of Innovation has supported our family so we could get through this very difficult and stressful season of life. Ms. Berlinger is our teacher this year and she has been amazing to watch as she works through the daily challenges of this new teaching experience. I’m constantly impressed by her patience and grace as she keeps her composure during the chaotic times.
I’m sure that life will return to normal one day and school will continue as before but I think I will miss the home school teaching times. So, for now, I enjoy these precious moments and the chance at learning all the stuff I missed when I was in second grade.
