Maureen from Mylasia tells us about Google classroom, a different normal during the Coronavirus pandemic. An exclusive for Different Truths.

Awaiting for the moment to return to school, I reminisce the time when the announcement was made here on television by our Prime Minister in regards with the lockdown. Deaths were increasing day by day and panic buying was rampant. I wondered what was to become of the students. How was teaching going to be carried out? Being from an old school of thought, I feared to learn technology. I dreaded the thought of students seeing me via cameras installed on the computers and mostly the computers controlling me when I teach.

I wondered what was to become of the students. How was teaching going to be carried out? Being from an old school of thought, I feared to learn technology. I dreaded the thought of students seeing me via cameras installed on the computers and mostly the computers controlling me when I teach.

Then came the official orders to stay at home. A relaxing stay I guessed but I was

very wrong! Instructions to teach followed and gradually I learned that it was business after all at home. I used to say that there cannot be anyone working at home as no one can watch television and embark on a project at the same time. Now I understand how it is to work from home. Then finally came the orders to document the classes that were carried out via google classroom.

Now, Google Classroom is a new arena altogether. An old school of thought to unlearn and learn to relearn was too much to bite. However, I did not allow my grey hair to be a stumbling block. After all, this lockdown is here to stay for a while and so I better get used to this style of life. Trial and error was my style of learning.  All teachers that I got contact with did the same. Indeed every day was a journey. Looking for tasks for the students was challenging as I had no access to it. Creating it was fun though as my head cracked for the format of the tests the students will take in the future. Hence, I came up with my own tasks. Oh! What a joy to see the notes that I came up[ with to teach the students without seeing their faces although I missed them.

Now, Google Classroom is a new arena altogether. An old school of thought to unlearn and learn to relearn was too much to bite. However, I did not allow my grey hair to be a stumbling block. After all, this lockdown is here to stay for a while and so I better get used to this style of life. Trial and error was my style of learning.  All teachers that I got contact with did the same.

Eventually, I got used to teaching the students without my voice box. Sending the students worksheets and videos via attachments in the google classroom, I realised that I missed walking into the school compound with the aiming of imparting knowledge to the students apart from interacting with them. There was a void inside of me yearning to just mingle with my colleagues. With the governments’ orders of movement control, we all knew the value of friendship. We shared information on what was happening outside our homes. The restrictions of moving from one place to another increased our fears as summons, imprisonment, as well as attendance in court, were issued. We ended up being ‘imprisoned’ at home. Our classroom is now our home!

Frustrations flared as we wondered if students were receptive about the learning process but being professionals, we consoled ourselves in making use of time wisely.  Trying out new recipes was the first in the agenda. The rest of the family members have no choice but to be scapegoats in tasting the ‘new products’. This trying experiment could go on as the lockdown was extended. Thus, a new chef is born in every household. Good or bad, everyone must eat to live and so, live this life to taste. It is funny though that this life of Google classroom to cooking became a routine. Of course, when there was an opportunity to go out to do errand I would jump at it just to be able to see the greens of the leaves and inhale the oxygen which is fresher now compared to before. As time goes by, I have learnt that discipline in achieving whatever that is needed is essential and that includes living it up differently in a normal way.

Photo from the Internet