Pandemic sheltering - school life

So we found out yesterday that students will not go back to their physical schools for the rest of the year.  Gabriel's teachers have really not lost a beat.  They are all on Google Classroom and every day a different teacher has a Zoom meeting from 3-4.  His PE teacher and running club sponsor have both sent multiple workouts that we have ALL been doing.  He has email, is supposed to be keeping up with all assignments and when they're due, when his conferences are, when projects are due and emailing teachers if he has problems.  This all sounds great except for the fact that Gabriel has turned into full teenage boy within the last 5-6 months.  He can't seem to focus on anything.  He can't seem to remember anything.  He listens to our lectures about giving it his all even though he's not at school and gives us lip service to get us to stop.  BUT in his defense it is much harder for them to focus just because they are at home and not at school.

Joel's class hasn't fared as well.  His teacher is very experienced but old school and not very computer savvy.  In the beginning there was a lot of Youtube watching and reporting on what he watched.  Not ideal.  That first crazy post-spring break week I stepped in as a good substitute teacher to keep him going at a high level and fill in where I thought there were gaps.  But she has assigned a little more each week, so much so that this last week was too much work.   Joel also wants more than anything to have a Zoom meeting to see his classmates and teacher.  She said she was working on it, but so far nothing.  I find this upsetting, especially when I see the PRESCHOOLERS having Zoom meetings.  I'm going to really push for the 4th graders to have a meeting if she doesn't make that happen.

It is REALLY hard for me to keep on top of their schoolwork with the stress of work, grocery shopping, grocery ordering, meal planning and meal prep day after day, hour after hour.  But Joel does not have email, cannot pick up the phone and call his (rather inaccessible) teacher to ask questions if he doesn't understand something.  He HAS to come to me.  (Jav is on a ton of calls right now and just doesn't have time to help them).   And it feels like he comes to me literally every 10 minutes.  Things went a little smoother this week, except for the times that I totally lost it and screamed at them like the scariest banshee in all of Great Britain.  Like when Gabriel missed his Zoom meeting with his toughest teacher, even though they are at the same time EVERY DAY.

I have to say, though, that I am heartbroken for the teachers.  They love their students and teaching remotely is nothing like being there all day every day.  Gabriel will still see his three teachers he has now next year, so that is a little less depressing.  But poor Joel will move onto someone else next year, and no more Mrs. San Miguel.  She absolutely LOVES this class so I know she is hurting.  It's all so very sad.

And I haven't even touched on the kids who had/have problems at home, so school was their safe place to be.  Kids who don't have yards and don't have parents at home, or have parents that might be abusive, or don't have enough to eat, and on and on and on.  At least they are continuing the school breakfast and lunch programs through this ordeal, but how awful that now many more people have joined that line now that they've been laid off.

If you think about it too much you can get really upset and depressed, as I have many times since this all started.  We just keep praying and hoping that things get better quickly.