I Didn't Kill the Deputy

I pushed in to my virtual class, trying to figure out what to do.  My older students have figured out how to follow my MEET links so that we can meet together in small groups and figure out assignments, but with kindergarten and first grades, it's a mess.  And, those are the teachers that are pushing more and more for me to "take them".

I am so afraid of not doing my job.  It is important to me.  I watch my students, I pin them, a way that I can only see them and not the rest of the class.  I try to figure out if they're engaged, if they're working.  I pipe in, speak to them.  Some of them have been able to come to my pull-out virtual room, mainly by themselves, or sometimes, with parent help. Some of my kids have to wake their parents up, because they are laying on a bed beside them after working night shifts, but still trying to monitor online learning.  

Prem's little brother's teacher was determined that I should take him out, all of the time.  But, you know what?  I don't have a magic wand either and I knew from the time I screened him that he was a really unschooled five year old that would need major assistance. I piped in to his class.  I warned the teacher first, because I was going to un-mic.  

"Hi...Ku....can you hear me?"  I asked.  

I saw his face turn toward the camera and thank god, he didn't scream when he saw me. 

"Are your parents around...or your brother...?"

Prem shot into the screen.  The whole class could hear this interaction.  

"Hey Prem, can you click on the link in the chat, I want to work with your brother for a minute." I saw Prem's face fix on the screen and open up the new tab.  

"Go back to your school work, Prem, thank you!"  I yelled, knowing that his teachers were saying things like, if you don't turn this in within the next 90 seconds....you get zeroes, zeroes, zeroes!  

And, you know what?  Ku actually liked the school work his primary teacher was giving him and wouldn't pay attention to me at all.  She had an instrumental version of "I Shot the Sheriff" playing and he was grooving and shaking, doing a little bit of math the whole time.  

"Prem....hang him up with me," I called.

"He is doing just fine."