I Think I'm Gonna Be Sick

Everyone in my household had gone to bed just fine. We read books, gave hugs, squeezes, and kisses and then fell asleep content and well. Yet somewhere around the 2 AM witching hour both kids were up with various symptoms.  By 4 AM I was positive no one was going to school today...including me.

image from: www.essentialbaby.com.au

There was no question where the illness had come from or who had been the carrier.  As a public school teacher, I was a victim of every coughed-on, mystery-stained paper my students handed in- not to mention exposure to thousands of individuals, some of whom really liked to high-five and shake hands.  Especially when I was an elementary teacher, I walked into my own home and immediately began a surgical scrub-down- but not before playing "Guess What's on my Pants." Elementary teachers know this game. Little children with sticky hands feel compelled to hug, and most are about hip-height. This inevitably produces splotches, varying in color and size and placement on the pants. Could be chocolate, could be ketchup, could be paint, could be much, much, worse. Regardless, the pants and I needed a thorough cleaning before I wanted to love on my own children.  Even with the best intentions, though, I know I passed along a funk to them and we were going to be home for the next day or so.

This kind of scenario always left me in a bit of a panic in terms of lesson plans. I really didn't want to leave a movie (to be honest, NO ONE wanted me to leave a movie), worksheets never quite worked out (too many "I never got one's" and "I didn't know how to do it's"), and if I didn't leave something engaging, I would be left with an evening's worth of phone calls due to "the note" from the substitute about students finding creative ways to entertain themselves while actively not doing my work.  As most of our substitute pool did not speak Spanish, there was little chance I could introduce a new concept via the stand-in without a total disaster as well. The other problem with in-class assignments is that if I left paperwork, I would not be able to get to it until I arrived at school, so I would have no gauge or indicator of progress until I returned.  Obviously, this would put me yet another day behind. Another choice was to pack up my children and run to school and try to put together stations or activity centers, but subjecting two sick children to a 25 minute car ride there and back just seemed cruel. And then it hit me- Bundles!

from bundle: http://mybigcampus.com/bundles/my-teacher-is-absent-what-should-i-do---53613

From my own home, I could create absentee lesson plans that were almost as good as having me there in person. Here's why:

1- By assigning a bundle to the students, I eliminated the middle-man.  There was no more lost-in-translation of what I was asking from the students, no more "I didn't get it"s, and no more "the substitute must have lost it"s. Instruction, materials, and activities went straight from me to them.

2- In Bundles, I could deliver content through videos, websites, and tutorials.  I didn't have to put a lesson on hold or fall behind in my scope and sequence. Since I could unblock the resources I needed, I could find relevant, interesting materials to deliver the content.  I could even record myself giving the lesson and my students could pause, rewind, and watch it as many times as they needed.

3- By attaching Schoolwork either straightforward in the Bundle or through a Bundle Lock, I could keep my classroom barometer in-tact in terms of student progress.  I could even give formative assessments that automatically graded the work, so when I returned to class, I could pick up where they left off.  Since the Schoolwork is all stored in My Big Campus, there was also 100% accountability- no more "misplaced" assignments!

4- I could link a Discussion in the Bundle for students to ask me questions and get clarification. This hotline directly to me also allowed the substitute to not have to be an expert in content- particularly relevant in subjects most of us have not delved into since college or maybe even high school ourselves!

5- By Bundling my lessons ahead of time, it was simply a matter of adding some instructions and support for lessons I already had and then I was done! I didn't feel under a time crunch and students knew the lessons were not slush-substitute plans (they have a radar for those lessons!).  Everything goes smoother for the students, substitute, and returning teacher when students are engaged in meaningful instruction.

Flu season is just around the corner.  Stock up on tissues, hand-sanitizer, and vitamin C.  But if those germs blast their way through you or your loved one's defenses, rest easy.  With Bundles, your class can carry on while you tend to getting people on the mend! 

image from: www.rcgroups.com