The Myth of Scheduling

The programmers who created our electronic grade book included the convenient feature that whenever a teacher launches the information system it lands on the class that is scheduled for that time. It may seem minor, but it spares us a few clicks when taking attendance, and time in the classroom is a precious commodity.

With asynchronous learning, as we’ve had for the last three months, such a common schedule is an anachronism. Some mornings I startle to realize it’s only 2nd period when I’ve already baked bread and walked three miles. Likewise, it can be strange to look at a clock and think that my teaching day would be over, even though I’ve been sitting at my dining room table participating in virtual meetings for hours with several more to go.

I went into school the other day to pick up a few things from my classroom, masked and gloved of course. I was sitting at my desk, peeling off the pages of my word-a-day calendar which had been frozen on March 13, when the bell rang. I literally jumped, but then my head swiveled automatically toward the clock to see what was ending and what was beginning.

Sixth period already? I thought. Where has the year gone?