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Abstract

d over the phone like I was?</p><p id="da3a" type="7">How about this: Try to picture Ivanka, the object of her creepy father’s even creepier lust, punching a time clock! That will happen around the same time I start flying jets.</p><p id="709d">Maybe I’m being overly sensitive. I mean, if I could make my own sea salt while basking under the Mediterranean sun, wouldn’t I bleat about it later? Shit, no. I would not.</p><p id="1c29">So you know, the column’s focus was on scent and how it evokes particular memories. Here is the passage that set me off:</p><p id="d741"><i>When I was in Spain this summer, we sun-dried our own sea salt in Majorca, then went to a little shop near where we ate dinner to buy flor de sal harvested from the same Ses Salines salt flats. When I popped open the can — later back at home, my kids shouted, “it smells like Majorca!”</i></p><p id="c3f4">“Gee, kids! How cool is that? Know what? Get outta here”</p><p id="d35c">For those of us who don’t vacation in Majora, <i>flor de sal</i> means Salt Flower. Now, is it me, or is this type of self-important strutting gag-worthy?</p><p id="0c73">I’m not so offended by the message as much as I am by the way it was conveyed. As if the messenger had no clue of the disparity around her and the reality that people are struggling to make ends meet, for God’s sake. Struggling to feed themselves and their families. Working for minimum wage.</p><p id="051d">I get that this magazine is about beauty, not our country’s economy but all I can say is, the salaries must be pretty damned good.</p><p id="22b4">We, as writers, understand that words are powerful and the <i>way</i> in which we say things is as important, or maybe more so, as <i>what</i> we’re putting out into the world. I’ve learned this particular lesson the hard way. More than once.</p><p id="d5bd">Admittedly, I’m particularly sensitive in that I haven’t received an actual paycheck in almost two years. And I’m better than that. Much better, yet I can’t seem to catch a break. So, where someone else might read the editorial and think of it as “aspirational,” I think, “WTF?” Just as I do when I see TV commercials touting luxury automobiles as holiday gifts. What world are we living in?</p><p id="8d58">This is what doesn’t compute: While the editor raves about her kids raving about Majorca, there are other, less privileged children starving in this country. Their parents would love to afford a bus ticket, let alone a first-class airline ticket to Spain.</p><p id="f2ee">A little empathy for others, folks. That’s all I’m asking.</p><p id="184a">According to <i>nokidhungry.org</i>, in the United States, one in seven children lives with hungry. The bigger picture: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than eleven hundred children in our country live in “food insecure homes,” which means the family members don’t get enough to eat in order to live in a manner that’s deemed “healthy.”</p><p id="7845">Maybe the editor should set her cannister of DIY sea salt aside and chew on these stats:</p><p id="1300"><b>Over 4.5 million U.S. kids live in food deserts and lack access to grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables.</b></p><p id="742e"><b>On average, children in rural areas are more likely to experience food insecurity and lack access to quality health services.</b></p><p id="7f6a"><b>Close to 1 in 3 American children are overweight or obese, and obesity in children has more than tripled over the past 35 years, putting children at higher risk for serious, even life-threatening health problems.</b></p><p id="a02e"><b>In communities where Save the Children works, an average of 59 percent of children do not have access to fresh, healthy foods; in some areas, it’s as much as 98 percent.</b></p><p id="bc2d">Here’s more self-satisfied bunk from the editorial:</p><p id="c1b6"><i>In (country), last summer, my daughter and I treated ourselves one afternoon to tea at the (uber-luxe) hotel. Now, the scent of not only jasmine tea but also jasmine fragrances brings me half a world away to that fancy dining room, nibbling on tiny sandwiches

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and cakes.</i></p><p id="0408">Again, maybe I’m being unfair and bristly. But the manner in which this was written is offensive, in my humble opinion. Plus, the older I get, the less idiocy I can tolerate.</p><p id="712b">Maybe if she’d included some type of giveaway to the first fifty readers who wrote back via email, describing their favorite scents and what they evoked for them. Jasmine fragrance oil could be the giveaway. I don’t know.</p><p id="7d81">Perhaps this editor should stick to writing about lip conditioners and designer perfumes and the wonders of glycolic acid. Meanwhile, if the craving for a “tiny cake” should come upon her, she could always shove a Twinkie up her bum.</p><p id="444c">I’d like to thank <a href="undefined">Helen Cassidy Page</a> for her input here. She gave me the virtual slap upside the head that I needed. But, sweetly.</p><p id="6d7e"><i>Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.</i></p><p id="2284">As always, I appreciate your reading. If you’re up for more:</p><div id="974d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/haiku-how-to-51d0685c1ad6"> <div> <div> <h2>Haiku How-To</h2> <div><h3>A primer for the sexually inquisitive.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*yQwyx3SGkE3-oZlWW1dC9g.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="654f" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/did-i-fail-my-mother-3323d4907780"> <div> <div> <h2>Did I Fail My Mother?</h2> <div><h3>All the things I should have said, and didn’t.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*IBboE8lKu9O0Q4Ga0aEGhQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="9067" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-hot-women-of-medium-c66515ba6bbe"> <div> <div> <h2>The Hot Women of Medium</h2> <div><h3>Smart, funny, gutsy and SMOKIN’!</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*sUDy3LYDjjZKQqXsMfyptQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="1a63" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/ive-never-received-1k-claps-b1dd0d9c56b9"> <div> <div> <h2>I’ve Never Received 1K Claps</h2> <div><h3>Wounded…and wondering.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*zAfXUminR_ELCNKW8Ppsgw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="11fc" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/its-official-i-m-an-a-hole-347624d73cd7"> <div> <div> <h2>It’s Official: I’m an A-Hole</h2> <div><h3>“Medium Madness” has me by the throat.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*r4v7h4lCPyj7liblwp-GNQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Why Is Connectivity Still A Problem At Some Schools?

The digital gap and internet problems continue to keep students from learning and teachers from teaching.

It is understandable that problems occurred with technology when schools were abruptly closed over six months ago. Back then, most of the schools that began virtual programs were relatively new at this method of student learning and teacher instruction.

But now, after so many months, the number of problems that students, teachers, and parents have either with the deliver of instruction, accessing daily lessons as well as performance tasks, and communicating with each other are mounting by the day.

It is unbelievable that, in this digital age, connections between the home and schools are so terrible for so many educators and families.

Frustrations Are Growing

A lot of schools have provided families with educational options during this time of uncertainty. Many parents have made the decision to enroll their children in a virtual program provided by their traditional school. Some have also opted to place their children in a hybrid program also provided by their school to enable to them attend in-person classes at school some of the time and participate in an online program at home. For others enrolled in the schools that have extended their building closures, the only educational option for students is to participate in a virtual program until the facilities open.

Even though the overall intention of these temporary approaches to school are to keep students, school personnel, and their families safe, the seeds of dissatisfaction, resentment, and irritation have taken root and are rapidly growing because of connectivity problems.

People Are Speaking Out…LOUDLY!

People extremely concerned about the problems that prevail with connectivity are letting their voices be heard.

There are two major reasons why connectivity problems exist.

Problem Number One

The digital gap is very real for many students and their families. This refers to the reality that many students and families do not have access to the internet and many lack technology devices at home. (Some people call this issue the digital divide.)

This problem has become a form of educational inequity and educational inequality. The reasons are quite simple. Students who have internet at home, have devices at home, or have been loaned devices from their school have an educational advantage over students who do not have these things. The students with them are able to receive uninterrupted learning and instruction each day and they are able to participate in educational activities each day. Students who neither have the internet at home nor laptops, an iPad, or other forms of technology remain absent from school, fall behind, and do not stand a chance to get caught up. The educational experience of the students without the critical technology both becomes unfair and unequal.

Sadly, these students will be left behind.

Here is an example of the harsh and heartbreaking reality of the digital gap as originally communicated on social media.

abc7.com › taco-bell-wifi-students-hotspot

The image of two youngsters participating in their virtual classes by sitting on the ground in the news report shown above that were at a restaurant to use the hotspot reflects this inequality and inequity that exists for many learners. Fortunately for these children, their school district quickly intervened when they became aware of the urgent need to connect them to the internet. Their family was given internet access.

Problem Number Two

Education disruptions also prevail for many families that are connected to the internet and have devices for their children. In these cases, internal technology problems within school district and schools prevail.

One of these examples follow.

M-DCPS says virtual school system issues are being resolved after students, teachers cannot connect…

MIAMI (WSVN) - The first day of virtual schooling for Miami-Dade County started off with some problems accessing the…

wsvn.com

Whether the problems are caused by the internet provider or with the school system, these issues have been referred to as unstable connections, crashing website, overloaded systems, or poor connections. School districts like the Florida school district featured in the story above are adversely impacted by this. Failures, therefore, abound. Teachers are unable to provide instruction and students cannot connect with their instructors.

School districts are, indeed, working very hard to resolve these issues as they seek internal solutions and external assistance from internet providers.

Despite the problems with students lacking internet and or devices as well as the bad connections that exist within schools and districts, I have solutions to suggest.

A Few Solutions

Solution Number One

Making improvements in the area of family engagement offers the greatest solution to inequity and inequality issues that are related to the digital gap. I promote the belief that school leaders and teachers are among the educators who must take the lead in building authentic partnerships with parents.

There are many viable family engagement strategies that foster a team spirit between the home and school even during the pandemic. However, the home visit is the one that I believe will produce the great result for parents, educators, and students if done using the telephone.

The home visiting strategy that I created called the BFF Visit or Bonding Face-to-Face is one that builds positive relations between teachers and the families they serve. Even though it is unsafe to make the visitations to student homes during the pandemic, I advocate for friendly check-in calls to be made to families. When educators interact with families to find out how students are progressing, to find out if the family has needs that the school may help resolve, and to simply get to know them, they let their families know that they care. In doing so, the door opens for the school to find out if the students in the families have the devices and connectivity that they need to support online learning. Responsive educators to work to meet these meeds in a timely manner.

Therefore, the BFF Visit or BFF Call, has the capacity to help bridge the digital divide that creates an inequitable and unequal learning experience for students.

Solution Number Two

I know with all certainty that information technology specialists and other school personnel are doing their absolute best to resolve the connectivity problems that confront their entire school community. However, with so many teachers, students, and parents using websites at the same time, systems are literally crashing because the technology demands are failing to be met.

To me, the greatest solution may be found in utilizing instructional flexibility and flexible teacher office hours. In other words, problems could be solved by simply managing and adjusting their professional time differently.

Here are some recommendations to help the situation that currently exists.

Instead of teachers expecting all of their students to be signed in for daily live lessons, they should videotape lessons. Doing so will allow students to login in to classes at varied times during the day. This will also reduce the load placed on the websites used to support student learning.
Since lessons will be recorded, teachers will be able to cover more material in one lesson. This would not only give some students an opportunity to participate in live recorded lessons and interact with their teachers, they would also be able to watch lessons over again as needed.
Videotaping lessons would enable teachers to have more time built into their professional schedules for office hours.
Establishing office hours would allow several positive family supports to be put into place. First of all, teachers could be able to respond to parent and student questions. Next, they would be able communicate with families more meaningfully and personally. Finally, teachers could be able to refine their lesson plans so that they provide more individualized assistance for students.
Having lessons recorded would permit teachers to establish instructional labs built into their school day. This period of time could be used to reteach concepts to students as well as to provide them with extra help. Simply stated, teachers would be able to tutor students.

Connectivity problems are very real for students, educators, and parents. As a family engagement influencer, I have provided solutions based on relationship building principles. These recommendations have the capacity to close the digital gap and resolve poor internet connections that exist within many schools and homes.

Dr. Deborah M. Vereen is a retired Teacher and School Administrator. Her website is www.Drdeborahmvereen.com and her YouTube Channel is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS1DPhBeA29UlybU9jzDkdQ .