Red Lights

Is it just me, or do we all have a traffic light that we never make? As I type this, I realize that I am writing more about driving these days. I guess that’s because I am driving more to avoid having to come into contact with too much humanity–or too many non mask wearing bus riding types. I miss the reading time, but I enjoy the freedom driving gives me.

Back to the light in question. Since my school opened, I have been driving to and from work 3 times a week. I don’t always take the same route–I could probably take a different route every day if I wanted. Some days, I want to stop at the woodworking store. Some days, I sense traffic ahead is getting dense and jog east or west to avoid the congestion. However, there are some days when I have to encounter the traffic light.

For reference sake, the traffic signal is located at the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Ridley Boulevard. If you happen to see it on Google maps you will notice that it is a little odd in that it isn’t a completely straight intersection. It also isn’t very big and it doesn’t really lead anywhere.

Am I really that frustrated? No. However, I just find it strange that every time I turn onto the street, I run smack dab into a red light. I have even remarked on it to my girlfriend several times in the past couple of weeks. She just laughs and suggests I go a different way or coast more slowly towards the light.

On Friday, I got the last laugh. When I rounded the turn from Avenue Road (Yes, there’s a street called Avenue Road in Toronto) to Wilson, I could see the light was green and the annoying red don’t cross sign wasn’t flashing–an indication that the light would soon be turning yellow. Without speeding up, I made it through the light and felt a huge burden lift off my shoulders. Obviously a Perfect Moment.

Is there a traffic light in your neighbourhood that seems to be permanently on red for you?

Back in the Classroom

The students have been clamouring for it and today we made it a reality. We had face to face classes for the first time since mid March. For me, it was the first time back in the classroom since mid February.

I was given a mask and a face shield. The students were given instructions to keep their masks on at all times and maintain physical distancing rules. The school has a whole host of changes that involve not using some of the equipment, limiting the ability of students to congregate and restricting access. I have a line not to cross and no photocopies shall be given. There are other rules and sanitizing equipment, but you get the idea.

I was a bit nervous to go in and teach today. I was more nervous to ride the bus and subway with a bunch of strangers than the students. I knew that the teaching would suffer a little, but it might be time to open up again. There are only a few students left at the school, but there seem to be a bunch in the Toronto area who have been waiting to take face to face classes, so it might work out.

I probably would have been fine to continue on for another month giving classes from my spare room. However, the students really want face to face classes. Therefore, we are taking it slow. There are only a handful of students in the school and things are scheduled so they are not able to mingle. We are only there for a few hours on Monday Wednesday and Friday, so it isn’t every day yet.

I am not sure ESL is meant to be taught this way, but I will do my best to carry out the plan.

Better Times

A scene from inside one of the classrooms

Today, we had a virtual meeting at work.  It was an open meeting that invited the few remaining employed teachers  and those who have been laid off to attend.  It was a chance to hear how things were going with the company.  We even got some hints…or guesses about what the company would look like on the other side of the pandemic.I won’t bore you with the competing, but by no means equal, visions of doom and gloom vs optimism.  Even when we have face to face classes, it won’t be the same as it was.

Out of this, I did manage to find Today’s Perfect Moment.  I got to see some coworkers that I hadn’t seen since February.  It seems like so long ago, but I went on vacation before the whole pandemic hit and before businesses were told to close.  I returned from Colombia planning to teach a preparation course for a Cambridge exam with a group of Swiss students.  By the time the dust settled, the Swiss students were back in Switzerland (no doubt enjoying some fine cheese and chocolate) and I was working from home.

ESL teachers, and probably all teachers, spend more time with the clients than they do with coworkers.  Our moments together are brief and despite the jokes, bawdy conversations, the shouting, the confusion, the horror, the deep intellectual discussions, the weirdly childish thoughts, and the oddball nature of the people who are in this profession–remember what I said before; diversity is not a strong enough word for this family, I do really miss those stolen moments between classes.

As it is strictly a numbers game, I am sure that there are a bunch of people that I won’t see face to face anytime soon.  By the time we get back to those numbers, some of them might have moved on.  Some might find something better or some might find the same things somewhere else.  Only time will tell.

Getting Better at the Tech

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Today’s Perfect Moment is getting a better handle on the technology I have to employ in my new role as online teacher.  However, I would be remiss if I didn’t say that today’s bike ride really should also win the honours.  The thing is, you are probably going to be sick of me droning on about amazing bike rides and things seen on the side of the road –giant stop sign for one–so I thought I would give you a break.  However, if you want to read a tiny bit about the ride, just read until the end.

As far as technology goes, I would generally give myself a passing grade.  I am not a whiz, but I can generally hold my own.  In terms of the stuff I am using for my job, I certainly would be happier (and better prepared) if I had been given more training.  Training consisted of a one hour meeting updating us on our work situation using the technology.  I guess it was learn by example.  It was woefully lacking in strategies, examples of best practice, or even ways to deal with problems.  True, teachers don’t like to told how to teach, but this is a bit of a different story.

One of the difficulties I have been having is wanting to split the students up into smaller work  groups.  They seem to talk more when in small groups and I would rather monitor small groups than cajole a large group.  I just didn’t know how to do it.

One of my ex-coworkers (he has been laid-off) offered to give me some guidance, but since he doesn’t even know how to spell my name, and he has been a divisive force in the company, I didn’t really want to give him the satisfaction of helping me.  Petty on my part?  A little.  I am fiercely independent and I don’t want help from someone who is only doing it for their ego and not because they are genuinely helpful.  Before this moment the only people he has helped are ones he wanted to control by feeding their egos. And still, he can’t even spell a seven letter name correctly.

The good thing is that this morning, I figured out how to do it myself.  I successfully used it in class in a mostly seamless way and had a very good effect on the students and the topic.  Cue the Rocky music.

  *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

If you’re still here and wondering about the bike ride.  It was a glorious day filled with triumphs over technology.  How could I not go on a bike ride?  I still struggled a bit out of the gate, but at the turnaround, I felt strong and finished strongly.  I also came across the biggest stop sign I have ever seen.  I am guessing that a number of people have missed it over the years, and somebody decided to do something about it.

Ticking Things Off the To Do List

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Having a house means there is always something to do inside and out.  Growing up, I heard this lament a lot.  I didn’t buy it then.  I thought if you went and fixed what you were whining about, then it would be done and that would be it.  It seemed like people wasted a heck of a lot of time talking about doing stuff and then not doing it.

As an adult, I still agree with that idea, but I know not all of us are capable of getting things done immediately.  We love to procrastinate. it might take a couple of minutes to screw in that screw, but now just doesn’t seem the time.  Mowing the lawn can wait until it rains (making it impossible) or for a time when something isn’t on TV that I want to watch.

Well, there are no sports on TV and only a few of my shows haven’t finished their seasons.  Add to that, with no commute to make, I seem to have a lot of time on my hands.  While I could waste it on YouTube or do something good like read a book, I actually seem to be getting quite a few things done.

As I type this, I can reflect that I haven’t been at peak performance.  There are lots of things I didn’t do and lots of things I did to waste time.  However, my success rate at getting things done is better.  I have managed to do a lot more than I would normally do.

Not all of my problems were procrastination.  Part of the problem was my memory.  I would remember things that happened in elementary school, but forget that I planned to organize my screwdrivers.  I could remember detailed conversations I had in university with people at bars, but couldn’t remember I had to fix the towel rack in the bathroom.

During this teaching from home phase of my life, I have been making To Do lists and keeping them in front of me while teaching.  When teaching was over, I would try and get one of them done. Sure, sometimes I took care of the low hanging fruit, but other times I have been more ambitious.

It has helped with work too.  I usually have things to scan and take care of that I was too lazy to do and put off until I should have been asleep.  Making a list when it comes to me might actually mean I get it done immediately after my teaching day is done.

It isn’t all roses.  I still find helping students with their writing to be an arduous task.  It isn’t any better in the digital age.  They send it at all hours and the formats that they choose seem somewhat incompatible.  If I put notes, they can’t read them.  If I do something else, they can’t open the file.  It can be frustrating.

However, some things are getting done.

Tales from the ESL (virtual) Classroom.

I could easily have chosen to write about my bike ride today.  It wasn’t epic, but I was out on the bike, and if you love riding a bike (and you should) you would understand how awesome it really is.

Instead, I want to write a bit about my teaching day and the weirdness of it.  Perhaps, I am overselling it.  I just want to write about something weird that happened today.  It isn’t anything new.  It’s something I know, but for some reason I feel the need to write about it today.  I hope you will allow me this indulgence.

So, my work has me teaching four different classes a day.  They have been kind enough to allow that the classes come in pairs, so that I am only teaching two different things.  My first two classes that focus on speaking with higher level students.  The next two classes are general classes with intermediate students.  I hope this makes sense.

For my speaking classes, I wanted to focus on humor.  I thought that maybe the students could discuss different aspects of humour, or how their cultures view humour.  I even showed them a short clip of Kim’s Convenience to show them Canadian humour–and yes we spell that with the letter u in there (which also applies to colour, neighbour, flavour……I digress.)

For the first class, this went amazingly well.  The students were able to discuss some very interesting things and I merely monitored.  At the end of class we went over some of their errors, and I provided some formal and informal alternatives to what they said.

The second class was pretty much the opposite.  They tried to speak about it, but they soon exhausted their vocabulary or some found the topic dull.  They had fewer opinions and didn’t open up the discussion.

Now, as I wrote above, this is nothing new.  Assigning a level to a class or a class to a level does not guarantee ability or effort.  Also, different topics and delivery create different reactions.  This is not my first rodeo.  The thing is, the difference was so big that when the class was over I had to shake my head in disbelief.

And then I felt the need to blog about it.

The Battle Begins Anew

Today marks the beginning of a battle that never truly ended.   Having finished my work duties….or most of them….or some of them, I was doing a little cleanup that required me to take the trash outside.  I took one look at the front lawn and decided I should rake the area.  I knew it would make the lawn look a little better, and it was the firs step in rehabilitating the lawn.

I had expected the weather to be cool, but it wasn’t really.  I could have gone for a bike ride, but I got my hands all muddy before I realized that the option existed.  I accept the sacrifice I had to make.  As far as physical distancing goes, only one person came down the street the entire time I was out there.  They were on the other side of the street and didn’t bother to say hello.  I guess they misread social distancing to mean socially distant.

As for the lawn, there were leaves leftover from when the snowfall came early.  There were broken branches from various windstorms.  There were things that the various animals that inhabit the area brought with them and left on my lawn more as an omen than a gift.  And then there were the weeds.

Every year, I battle to make the lawn look presentable and every year, I feel as though I am further and further behind.  The weeks are winning.  While I can’t advocate a return to the days when harsh chemicals were used, I wish I had something that worked equally well and didn’t poison the environment.

The lawn is looking pretty bad–sparse in some areas.  I am going to spend hours pulling weeds and putting down grass seed.  Maybe this is the year I should invest in one of those companies that seems to have an endless supply of advertisements to stick in my door.  I have been working, but I don’t really have the kind of money they are looking for in my spare change jar.  I also see them as a kind of scam.

If you’ve got any lawn secrets or have hired the kinds of companies I am talking about, I would love to hear from you.  It would be nice to have a lawn that was thick and plush once again.

No Dinosaur Here

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I am not a technophobe.  As evidenced by this blog, I have at least a minor ability to use the computer and cellphone.  However, I must admit that I have clearly not picked up enough of the tricks or technical skills to transfer all of my teaching skills online.  I am trying hard to produce a worthwhile class, but I am finding some aspects difficult.

Today’s Perfect Moment is not a whine festival.  Instead, it is a celebration that I found at least one work around for one of the many challenges that online teaching has put up in front of me.  Until today, I had no way of getting the students to do any listening tasks.  Today I found a crude and if I am being honest, a bit desperate way to accomplish that.  Instead of worrying about it, I want to celebrate.

It has taken me a few weeks to figure this out.  I have never wanted to be an old dog that couldn’t learn new tricks.  I know things are changing, and this enforced working from home has sped those changes up.  We all may have to adjust to more than staying six feet away from people and no longer shaking hands or high-fiving at every available opportunity.  I cannot predict what changes will be long lasting, but I know they are coming.

Today’s Perfect Moment was coming up with a solution to a problem and not declaring myself a dinosaur just yet.

The Positives and Negatives of Working/Teaching from Home.

There are some upsides and downsides working/teaching from home.  I have touched on a few of these before, but I am in a listing kind of mood, so list I shall.

Positives

• I can sleep later.
• I can drink my coffee at a more leisurely pace; possibly even drink more.
• Do not have to face annoying people on public transport.
• Do not have to put on a coat to walk to public transport.  It isn’t spring yet and the weather can always throw you for a curve.
• I can answer my mother’s tech questions.
• My choice of clothing is much more flexible; as long as the part they can see on the computer is presentable, the rest doesn’t really cause a problem.
• I am learning new teaching skills and delivery methods.  I have a long way to go before I become a great teacher of online delivery, but I am getting better.
• Students have been dropping out of the classes so it has given me some free time to:
  • • clean up my work-space
    • write this blog post
    • do some stuff on the computer that I would otherwise do when I am not getting paid
    • prepare for other classes

Negatives

• Teaching on the current platform does not allow for pair work or group work.
• Since everyone and their dog is working from home (world wide) this is putting a bit of strain on IT services and my particular platform as well.
• While some students have embraced the format, others have not and they are not showing up to class–or logging in to be more precise.
• I do not have the full range of tools I usually have at my disposal.
• I am around to answer my mother’s tech questions.
• I am reading less because I usually reserved that for my commute.
• I am walking less, which is a real problem because I used to easily get 12000 steps in every day.  I am probable going to have to go out for a walk later today.
• My cat still wants breakfast at his usual time, which was organized around me getting up early to take the bus to work.  He can be quite insistent.
• Being around home makes it much easier to snack.
• While it is too early, I am sure I will miss talking to my coworkers to vent about students, to share teaching ideas, and just to talk to native English speakers.

Can you think of any more?  I would love for you to share your lists.

Some Venting

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It is hard to write about Perfect Moments when I am somewhat cooped up at home.  After returning from Colombia, it seems that work wanted me to spend another week in self imposed isolation.  I get it.  However, since all of the students come from abroad, and they weren’t asked to self isolate, I questioned it.  I certainly understand not endangering my co-workers, but ….again, all of our students come from other countries and they arrive every week.

This all became a moot point now that my work is going to close the school for two weeks.  I am not sure what led up to this decision, but I suspect it had something to do with teachers fearing for their safety, and then asking their representatives to do something about it.  Again, that is mere speculation because nothing seems to be done with any real transparency.

So, as far as I know, online teaching will begin.  I predicted that this is where we were headed anyway.  This just speeds up the process before the technology, training and resources are really in place.

Why an I telling you all this?  Besides a few jokers, this community that I am part of has proven to be the more level headed and thoughtful than the others I belong to.

Thanks for letting me vent.