Good morning, Everyone. It is a nippy and very damp morning. Even my cat, Hershey, prefers to forgo his morning prowl outside.
Grab your coffee. Let’s catch up.
So, how are you holding up this week? I am officially feeling trapped. Yes, I had ventured to the grocery store, taken a drive to Port O’Call to see the bay, walked here and there, but an eerie vibe prevails. Main Street Sayville looks like a ghost town. Restaurants offer curbside fare, but that will soon stop. Greeting familiar people on a walk is so awkward without an outreached hand or hug. Kids are home from school. If parents are lucky to work from home, they must somehow also be teachers and keep their children engaged in academic learning. I was not able to get back to South Carolina to help with the grandkids—feeling very guilty.
But I do want to do something during this crisis.
Here’s my big idea. I started videoing my children’s Journaling the Journey Daily Writers Workshop on my YouTube channel and making it available for teachers to post on their virtual classrooms.
How does it work? Each short lesson presents a journaling topic or writing craft. At the end of each lesson, there are prompts to challenge the students. There are three levels of prompts: Primary, Intermediate, and Upper-Intermediate.
The children view the video, complete the prompt in their journals, and upload their assignment to their teacher’s classroom. The journal entry is then uploaded as a document, a picture (jpeg), or a video of the child reading that passage from his/her journal.
So far, I posted teacher and student introductions, Lesson 1 and 2, and an amended Lesson 1 for Pre-k to Grade 1 children. Although I am very excited about this, there are shortcomings. I am not a video star nor a selfie video-ographer. It is very odd to teach without eyes, reactions, and interactions in front of me. I am guessing my pace and cadence and have to find a way to incorporate visual prompts within the video screen. The hair is another issue.
However, I feel that the workshops can be a useful resource, even fun. It is vital to do what I can as quickly as possible during this crisis. I will continue to produce the workshops while we are all cooped up at home. Suggestions, please.
Needless to say, I will be busy.
If you are a teacher and/or parent scrambling for writing resources for your children, check out the Journaling the Journey Daily Writers’ Workshop. It will be free during the shut down. I welcome feedback and suggestions and would love to see some of your child’s work. Stay safe and well, Everyone.
Big thank yous go out to Ecelic Ali for keeping the Weekend Coffee Share up and running.
Have a healthy weekend and week, Everyone. Make it great!
Antoinette Truglio Martin is the author of Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage, and Cancer. The memoir is a wimpy patient’s journey through her first year of breast cancer treatment.
Stories Served 
I love this anne. How great
Sent from my iPhone. Pamela Kurey
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Kudos to you, Antoinette, for doing something to help other parents and students. Stay safe and be well. #weekendcoffeeshare
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‘Journaling the Journey Daily Writers’ Workshop’ is such a great idea!! I look forward to reading more about this.
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What a fantastic idea. I will definitely be looking at the videos.
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Thank you! I’d appreciate your feedback.
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Enjoyed the Journal videos, agree with Natalie. Kudos to you. I’m hoping to come out of this craziness much fitter mentally than going in, creating some new habits and intend to use my journal.
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Hi Antoinette,
This is such a cool idea.
I often wish our kids were still home schooling as this would work great for them too.
Sigh – yet another reason to regret them growing up.
They really will be my kids for as long as I’m consuming oxygen.
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Thank you, Gary. Although I love my grown children, I treasure the little kids they were.
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Hello!
I am going to check out your videos – I am excited to see them.
I am holding up fairly well. I got out and ran today for the first time since I can remember. I am trying to see the time as a gift and reading and writing. I feel less isolated by reading the words of people I have come to know over the web ( like you!) and that helps me feel more connected.
Tammy
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Thank you so much! I will appreciate your suggestions and feedback. Videoing is a a big learning curve.
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Nice to hear from you, Antoinette, You are right about not hugging people I have hugged all my life. We made a family agreement to all socially isolate for the time being. We want to keep everyone healthy. I do miss the kids. I have bookmarked your post and will investigate further. The oldest grandchild is 6. Stay healthy and we will stay connected.
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Thank you, Erica. I would love if you could let me know how your granddaughter likes the Journaling…(I need to shorten this mouthful of a title). Virtual hugs and kisses to you and your clan.
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its easy to feel trapped but as long as you have something to keep you busy some of the nervous energy can be channelled to something creative …
‘Journaling the Journey Daily Writers’ Workshop’ is such a fantastic idea was looking for some sort of resource like that to give to the youngsters who are driving me crazy driving themselves crazy with boredom hahaha
cheers
~B
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Boredom is a big problem. As well as short patience among all family members. I’d love to know if you used the activities and your suggestions. Stay calm, be well.
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I will look into this. The grandchildren have been flat out trying to complete their schoolwork online but with the two week Easter break coming my granddaughter who loves to write should find it fun. They live an hour away and we can’t see them because my husband is 75 and has just had an operation. We are self isolating and just enjoying a coffee in the autumn sunshine.
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Thank you. I hope your granddaughter enjoys the prompts. I’d be interested to know how she liked the workshops.
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