Online classes

School is back in session and since we are still on our RMO (Restricted Movement Order) @ PKP (Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan), school has moved everything online. One part of me is happy while the other part of me isn't about this whole new arrangement.

While I appreciate teachers efforts to continue their lessons online, I am skeptical about its effectiveness. My children are 8 and 10 years old. Some kids that age are super independent and can sort themselves out but my kids aren't. Well, maybe if I'm not around, they will do better. I don't know.

The first time we had these zoom classes, everyone (including myself) was really excited and hopeful. At that time, my kids was missing their friends a lot and seeing them online was as good as it can get given the situation we are in right now. It was hard for teachers to control the class as everyone wanted to talk at the same time.

We had about 2 weeks break after that and yesterday, we resumed our online classes after the second term break.

By 11am, I was dead tired.

Tired from being an unpaid IT Support staff. First there was that ID issues (some was working and some wasn't!). Next it was password issues (some were confusing some were wrong all together). Then there was connection issues (wifi has mind of its own!). Soon there was power issues (battery went flat way too fast). Oh dear God. HELP ME!!!

All that aside, I wonder if this whole thing is even effective learning. Half the time I find my kids daydreaming. Well, maybe they're like that in class too. When I don't see it, I don't know. (I don't care?)

Tell me, do you find this learning approach effective? I know we can't have face-to-face learning right now and this is the best we can get. I do understand that.

On another note, is it fair for schools to charge parents full fees for this new learning approach? Our school has decided to give us a 10% discount for this term's fees. Initially I was happy with that but after the stress I went through just 1 day yesterday, I am starting to feel like we could do with more discounts!!! Parents have a lot more on their plate right now and this is definitely not what I signed up for.

(I need a cake to calm me down)