I'm really bummed to see that I haven't written since November. That means I have a lot of catching up to do. The last 4 months have not been typical either. Let's start with Covid-19 or Coronavirus. It's a global pandemic that started in China in January and has hit Italy SO HARD. The other day Italy had nearly 800 deaths and nearly 7,000 new cases. I wish this were a joke, but it's not. This is real. They day after the first case was found in the US, President Trump banned all flights from Asia. More bans have been put in place. Basically, flights aren't going overseas. It's really weird. We've been asked to stay indoors as much as possible. We can go outside to go on walks, but many parks, hiking trails, and beaches have been closed. As I write this, it seems unreal, but IT'S REAL.
The temples are closed, except for live ordinances, which must be scheduled, and only a few people can accompany the member or couple. Weekly church is cancelled worldwide, with us worshipping at home. Thank goodness for the church's emphasis on the Sabbath day and on Come Follow Me home-centered gospel study. The girls and I had church with my mom and dad this past Sunday. We plan to do it with just the 3 of us via FaceTime this coming Sunday. General conference in April will be broadcast from SLC, but the choir is pre-recording music and only the general authorities who are speaking in each session will be there. We have been asked to keep gatherings to fewer than 10 people. Missionaries are being sent home. If an elder has served 21 months or more, he is released. If a sister has served 15 months or more, she is released, as are missionaries with health issues.
BYU notified us late on Thursday, March 19, that classes would be suspended through the weekend to allow teachers to get their material online. Then classes resumed on Wednesday, March 25, with all teaching done remotely. Luckily we have been teaching 110 online, so we just made everything available to my students (recorded lectures, power points, quizzes, etc.) My students cook at home and submit a write-up online. I've been busy grading and grading and answering emails.
We had to make more adjustments this week because it's hard for my students to buy necessary ingredients like flour, sugar, and eggs. Toilet paper is also almost impossible to find at the stores. Once we found out how bad the virus was in China and Italy and it became obvious that it would spread worldwide, people started stocking up on toilet paper and bottled water and canned goods and staples like flour and sugar. Because of this recent change, we now have an alternate assignment for each lab that includes watching technique videos and submitting a write-up of what they learned. It's crazy, but we're up to the task.
Honestly, thank goodness our director, Natalie, worked hard to get 110 online. I've been teaching an online section of it for about a year, so I know how distance learning works. Kinda. I'm also slated to teach 340 in the spring and we have about a month to write that course for use online. That course, coincidently, has been approved to go online, so the designer (Emily) and I will be working on getting 340 ready for online spring. All classes spring term will be distance learning. I'm ready for 110 and I'll be ready for 340.
How do I feel about all of this? Not too anxious. I'm just taking it day by day. I'm trying to get out and get fresh air. I go on walks or do online workouts. I'm drinking a lot of diet Dr. Pepper, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I was thinking about driving to California and spending a couple of weeks at Kristen's house. I may still do that, but for now I'm helping mom and dad. I'm staying in their basement and running errands for them.
Allie was a champ about putting her classes online. We went to my office on campus on Saturday, the 20th, and worked for about 5 hours. She sat at her laptop and I sat at my computer and we threw ideas at each other of what we would/could do to create an effective experience for our students. Allie has had quite the crazy first year of teaching. The tech person at her school said that Allie's plans for online lessons for her students were top-notch. That they should be posted on the fridge in the faculty room for everyone to see. But, on second thought, nobody would see them because nobody is really going to the schools until May 4, when public schools are slated to go back.
I graded papers on Sunday and was really sad about the abrupt end of the semester. I didn't get to tell my students goodbye. I didn't get to enjoy their pie lab. That's always my favorite. I'll just have to enjoy looking at their pictures and their smiling faces in all of them. I'll have to enjoy reading their write ups and give them feedback on how great they are. I won't be teaching face to face until August.
I'm sure grateful to be a teacher, though. We still have jobs and are getting paid. Many Americans have lost jobs. Theaters are closed, many restaurants are closed, many stores are closed, doctor's offices are closed, except for vital appointments. No elective surgeries, fathers aren't in the delivery rooms for the births of their babies. We had that happen in our very own family. Marie Sykes Evans gave birth to a boy, Rhys Sykes Evans, last week without Eli there. He'd been sick and they wouldn't let him in the hospital. He met baby Rhys when he came home.
I'll try to be better about weekly posts so I have this for my memories and for my posterity, not that anyone will be interested.
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