If I were to describe remote learning in one word, I would choose… torture. Ok, maybe it is not that bad, but it sure feels that way. Going back a few months, my family’s thought process was “Eh, this whole COVID thing would blow over before school starts back up.” It is now September with no clear end in sight. No light at the end of the tunnel. So now with school having started in early August, I am here, at home, with no friends, trying to have a good start to my high school career. I am a freshman now and I have never thought of high school like this. What makes my experience especially bad, is one, I transferred to a new school in which I know no-one, two, technology sucks, and three, I have an autistic sibling. So, what is it like?
So, in December, my mom put in a request for me to go to a new school that was overall better and was closer to us. Normally, I would have going to the school everyone else at my middle school was going to. A few of my friends were going so I didn’t pay much mind to it. COVID happened and before school started, I got my schedule. Now my schedule came with a lot of problems, and when I finally got them fixed. Behold, zero classes with those previously mentioned friends. Thus, my bad luck with my schedule continues. So now I really know no one in those Zoom meetings. Whatever I could just call them to keep in touch, but, wait, I don’t have a phone. Yup, great start.
And that is not the worst of it. The mandated Chromebooks my school uses are not good. Now, I am indeed, grateful that my school is offering technology to those who may not have the means, but they could have made a better choice. These things have little to no power behind them which is a pretty big problem when you have to join Zoom calls with 30+ people, and don’t get me started on Google meets.
Now, the previous ones you or your child could probably relate to if you are in the U.S. This third obstacle, only a few of you could relate, too. If your read my pervious post you know my sister is severely autistic. This, along with COVID, has created a whole new, never before seen, set of problems. Now, I can handle not going out or getting out of the house, but my sister loathes it. She likes moving around because that is her best form of stimulation. So, she gets cranky. She starts having tantrums and picked up new, not so good habits. These tantrums always seem to happen right when someone has to do something important and live. Now, my district is doing it where on some days, some classes with be live (synchronous) and remote (asynchronous). She starts yelling, screaming, and being loud during this live classes. She doesn’t know, of course, but it just adds another layer to this already horrible experience.
So, what do we do? Well, to put it simply, get used to it. Everyone has their own unique circumstances, but those circumstances, along with COVID are probably, not ending soon. So, we have to shallow the pill, and just adapt. For now, those of us how can handle the circumstance we are facing, have to do their part to help those who can’t. My family and I will have to take the blow to help my sister.
I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. You can look around, leave a comment, or go read some other posts. I hope you all have a great Labor Day tomorrow. Have a blessed day.
Autism Aid 