Day 15 - Governor Newsom rescinds restrictions. Outdoor dining reinstated!

My DE course…

2/8/21. Monday.

9:30 – 10:00 - I’ll just start off by saying what a terrible day.  I worked the entire time.

Up and I go downstairs to greet the dog.  I rub her tummy three times and take her outside so she can go potty. She does her business and back inside for treats and coffee.

10:00-12:00 – I record Part II of the Chapter 5 lecture for Specialty Class 1A.

-Check email for both Colleges.  I receive an email from College No. 2 that says I’m technically not certified to teach Asynchronous [online] classes. Because of Covid-19, the fact that I’m not certified is fine…for now. BUT, it’s only a matter of time before I will have to show proof that I completed this Distance Education program. Otherwise, the online classes I’m scheduled to teach in the Fall might be reassigned to somebody else.

I email my Dean that I’m currently in the DE class and should be finished by March.  I now, officially, am under pressure to complete this DE course.

-I ready the Discussion Board for the 2:30 class.

12:00-1:30 – I eat my leftovers from Olive Terrace and read Dead Wake.

1:30-2:15 – Shower day. Lotion. Covid-19 uniform.

2:30-5:35 – Class begins.

-Attendance.  I email those students who failed to sign in on the Discussion Board and let them know they were marked absent. I update the roll sheet.

-At the half-way mark, I send an email blast reminding the students that they need to start working on their Inquizitives, which are due next week.

-I post an Announcement that there is no class next week [President’s Day].

-I email those students who signed in well after class started – like 45 minutes later – and let them know their tardiness is the same as an absence.

5:35-6:00 – I hang around and field emails from a few students.

6:00-9:00 – Specialty Class 1A begins.

-I take the dog for a walk.

-Same thing for my second class. Attendance.  I email those students who failed to sign in on the Discussion Board and let them know they were marked absent. I update the roll sheet.

-I post an Announcement that there is no class next week [President’s Day].

-I receive an email from College No. 2 that I have to complete an online seminar on Domestic Violence. I immediately start the pre-recorded seminar.

9:00-10:00 – I take a short break and read Dead Wake. I have more of my Olive Terrace leftovers.

10:00-1:30 – I spend the rest of the evening working on my DE assignments.  I have to create two formative assignments, for a total of 12 points.  If you’re asking yourself, “What is a formative assignment?” it’s typically a simple quiz that tests the students’ knowledge in a particular subject.  Ok, so fine.  BUT, I have to create two formative assignments and explain how they support the student’s learning as it pertains to the upcoming summative assignment [typically a written assignment]. 

This assignment is worth 12 points and is typically scored by an “Anonymous Grader” although Dr. W. weighs in on occasion.  The problem is I cannot move forward in this program, from Module to Module, unless I receive a perfect score on each assignment.  THEN, the next Module is “Unlocked.” I create a video quiz and a Discussion Board.

Because I’ve been a teacher for over 20 years, I find that my assignments for the students do, in fact, build on each other.  In fact, I’ve been following these guidelines intuitively for most of my teaching career.  I’ve actually been teaching the correct way - shocking! In all of my years as an Instructor, I have never taken a course on how to teach – there wasn’t one.  Sure, there are 3-hour seminars here and there, over the years, but that’s it. And don’t forget, college instructors do NOT have a teaching credential – they typically have some form of specialty in a subject but that’s it.

I know I gripe about this DE class, but it’s one of the best, most useful courses I’ve ever attended. Dr. W. shows college instructors how to teach, as well as how to use the various tools at our disposal for online learning.  The main tool is Canvas.  Although I feel like pulling my hair out most of the time, I’m being forced to acquire a deeper knowledge of Canvas and I’m also learning what’s expected of me as a teacher.  I’m really accomplishing something and I think I’ll be a much better teacher for it…more importantly, I think that with proper utilization of Canvas, I can learn how to create a online course that will basically run itself, which will hopefully free up my time immensely.

1:30-2:30 - I do a 1-hr HIIT full body circuit workout with 5-lb weights.

2:30-3:00 - Night time routine. Bed.