Day 18 of Governor Newsom’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy”

Fifth week of virtual instruction…

Monday. 9/14/20

This week (9/6/20-9/13/20), total hours spent working were 24, plus 1-hour of Admin time (signing up for various CE classes). Six of those hours were scheduled lectures , where I sit in front of the computer and push buttons, but I’ve started trying to do as much paperwork as possible during lecture time to kill two birds with one stone.

Factoring in the hours when the online class is actually running, only 19 actual hours were spent on class prep, editing PP slides with music clips, and recording lectures. Then again, two classes did not run last week.

If I know I will spend 19 hours a week on class prep then, conceivably, I could complete the bulk of my work in one day, while reserving actual lecture hours for light paperwork or emails that won’t take too much concentration. In other words, ONE 8-hour work day, with the remaining 11 hours of class prep spread out over lecture time might suffice.

6:00 a.m. - No.

9:00 - 9:30 - the dog is barking continuously and will. not. shut. up. I strip the bed and get my sheets ready for the washing machine, then I go downstairs and take the dog out. She pooped in front of the door. Outside and she goes potty. I make coffee and start boiling water for a spaghetti dish I’m going to make.

I catch up on my blog while I wait for the water to boil. I listen to The Daily.

9:30 - 9:15 - the water is boiling and when I check the pantry for the spaghetti that I thought I told L. to purchase during her last trip to the grocery store, it’s not there. I shut everything down. Spoiler Alert - I never put it on the grocery list.

9:15 - 9:30 - I replace the rechargeable batteries in my thermostat three times, but they keep going dead within the hour. Frustrating. I think today is going to be one of those days.

9:30 - 11:30 - More coffee and between loads of laundry - sheets and bed liner - I have the last of the day-old donuts and finish all of my blog updates. Class starts in 3 hours. I listen to PBS News Hour segments and What a Day.

11:45-12:45 - Shower. Lotion. Covid-19 uniform. I give L. a short grocery list and cross my fingers that she has time to pick them up. I listen to the New Yorker - Politics and More - “What to do with a Confederate Monument?” Very interesting.

12:45-2:00 - I braid my hair and read Schuyler’s Monster while I braid.

L. leaves so she can handle my Instacart request.

2:00 -5:30 - I report to work (enter home office) 30 minutes early and field emails from College No. 1. The goal, both now and in the future, is to complete ALL paperwork during lecture because I’m actually getting paid during these 3 hours.

2:30 - I post the prompt on the Discussion Board so the students can sign in for attendance.

I move onto College No. 2 and field emails from more students while my internet class is underway. Admin from College No. 2 emails me that I haven’t completed my mandatory Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse reporter trainings. Wrong. While class is underway, I find the certificates and scan them to Admin.

2:45 - I post the “Public Announcement”, wherein I tell the students that I’m introducing a Video Quiz for the first time since the semester has started.

L. returns.

3:00 - I finish fielding emails then start the spaghetti and chop the green pepper and onions for the casserole that I’m making.

3:30 - 4:00 - I return to my office and a student has sent me an email, upset that we’re having a Video Quiz and saying that my class stresses her out because there are “too many moving parts.” Really. There are…hmmm…let’s see…FOUR components over a 3-hour class meeting. I live chat with the student, wherein I inform her that there are only FOUR components over a 3-hour class meeting. 1) Lecture 2) 10-question multiple-choice chapter review quiz 3) Video 4) 10-question multiple-choice video quiz. I should note that the student has an A in the class. I don’t get these people…

I take a written attendance and send an email blast to those students I have marked absent in case there’s some mistake. I return to the pasta.

L. leaves for R.’s house.

4:00 - 4:30 - I prepare the prompt for the Discussion Board for my Wednesday morning classes at College No. 2 and ensure the course content is ready to deploy at 8:30.

4:30 - I send an email blast to the students that the video link is posted and ready for them to watch. I start listening to a PBS report on China but it is sooo boring, I delete it.

I note that a few students have completed the Chapter Review quiz WITHOUT signing in on the Discussion Board. This means I have no idea WHEN they entered the class. Since the class is synchronous (real time), students have to sign in at 2:30, but the same offenders enter the class late, refuse to sign in on the Discussion Board so I don’t know what time they arrived, quickly take the Chapter Review quiz, then bale, without having listened to lecture or done anything else.

I know who they are and I send a stern email demanding that they sign in on the Discussion Board RIGHT NOW, or I will give them a 0 on their Chapter Review quiz. If they don’t sign in, they’re technically NOT here - you can’t take a Chapter Review quiz if you’re absent. College No. 1’s attendance policy dictates that a “late” counts as an absence and if a student is absent two or more times, I can technically drop them. I tell the students this and demand that they sign in on time next week.

5:00 - I send an email blast to the students that the Video Quiz is now posted, then I update the online grade book, giving zeros to those students who didn’t bother to take the Chapter Review Quiz.

I check my personal email. Nothing of import.

I return to the kitchen and continue with my casserole.

5:30 - 6:00 - Class is over and I send a last email to the students advising them to wrap up the video quiz as I’m about to lock it. At 5:45, I shut it down, then update the grade book, giving zeros to those students who didn’t bother to take the video quiz.

BTW - the complaining student? She gets 100% on both quizzes and still has an A in the class.

One of the students live chats with me about a concept discussed during lecture and about the upcoming Socratic Seminar assignment.

I’m done for the day and leave work (close home office door).

6:00-9:30 - I continue on with the casserole, which is very labor intensive. Hint: I have to grate a pound of cheddar cheese. I also prepare two salads [spinach, tomatoes, yellow squash, cheese, celery, EVOO] for tomorrow for my camping trip with B. in his backyard. I’m bringing over some of the casserole, too. I listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour and Market Place.

I have chips and hummus while I work.

I pack breakfast and lunch for tomorrow and make my coffee, even though I’m not going anywhere. It makes the day move faster. I listen to Court Junkie - The Case of Jamarion Lawhorn.

I have a few bites of the casserole.

A bomb went off in the kitchen so I clean everything. Bring my trash cans in. Take out the kitchen trash.

9:30 - 10:30 - I read Schuyler’s Monster and drink champagne.

L. returns.

10:30-11:20 - I do a 40-min Pilates and Yoga app.

11:20 - 12:00 - I dust my room and put the sheets back on the bed. I listen to Today Explained.

12:00-1:00 - Night time routine and bed.