At Home with Ms. Viso

What is your schedule like on a daily basis?
I typically wake up around 7:00AM to get dressed and fixed up for the day. Then around 7:30AM or so I head to the kitchen to make some breakfast- I like avocado toast, like a cliche millennial, and a nice large coffee or chai latte for a daily caffeine fix.  Once I’m done with breakfast, I’ll head down to my basement where my “office” is set up and answer some emails, post “Do Nows”, and input attendance from the previous flex days until it is time for class. I then proceed with my scheduled classes throughout the day, taking a lunch break away from the computer and let my dog out. I’m usually on a Google Meet during “office hours” with my co-teacher to plan for the next day. 

Who else is home with you during the day?
Everyone is working from home, so we’ve all picked dedicated space to work, uninterrupted.

If someone is home with you are they also on calls?
My sister is a counselor for her school, and we share the basement office space. She tries to schedule her calls on our flex days so we each have our privacy. 

What is your setup for school?
I prefer to use a large desktop screen to avoid so much eye strain. I always have my coffee, textbooks, and planner next to me. 

What is your favorite part about your school office?  
Having my own space away from everyone is great because it’s quieter and private. I think it’s important to have a dedicated space so you can take a breather and walk away instead of feeling like you’re constantly connected. Having a dedicated desk gives me room to spread out my plans and textbooks. 

How do you feel about distance learning?
Though I enjoy not having to fight morning commuter traffic or parking 5 miles away from the school, virtual learning makes it very difficult to connect with students. We definitely don’t have the same discussions or level of comfort that we would in a classroom setting. Screens make it feel very impersonal and almost invasive because you now have 25 people staring into your home instead of focusing on the class itself. Everything also feels very fast-paced- classes are only about 30 minutes with a 2-minute break in between, so it feels like a constant rush. I’m adjusting to it, but I really miss having that classroom connection with my kids. Alas, we must stay safe and in due time, we’ll be back together [hopefully] in a normal class setting.