Dumb technology question. In the spring I would always be able to remind them "5 minutes until your zoom starts", for example. But I won't be able to do that in the fall. Since they may need several similar reminders during the day, just setting a regular timer won't help . What can I use to schedule alarms that specify "Larla's math zoom" or "Larlo's reading group" etc.

Anonymous wrote:Are all of you SAHMs or have easy jobs?
I will be managing this without much ability to supervise.
I don’t know what to do. I have a home office in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I cannot move it downstairs because of meetings and phone calls. I might be able to change the extra bedroom across the hall into a classroom. I do not want kid’s computers in their bedrooms. I really hope this doesn’t last long.

Which is exactly why we are brainstorming now, 6 weeks in advance to try and get all this together, set up and systems in place. Failure to plan is a plan to fail and all that jazz. You don’t need to dig at SAHMs in your own quest for help.

Are all of you SAHMs or have easy jobs?
I will be managing this without much ability to supervise.
I don’t know what to do. I have a home office in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I cannot move it downstairs because of meetings and phone calls. I might be able to change the extra bedroom across the hall into a classroom. I do not want kid’s computers in their bedrooms. I really hope this doesn’t last long.

Well my neighbor just poured a concrete basketball court in their backyard so I guess we’ll be there dribbling and shooting hoops!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re outfitting each kid with laptop and headset with mic.
They’ll work in the dining room so I can supervise.

Still need some kind of cubby/organizer system for their supplies and mounds of paper, binders and textbooks.
Any recs?

Textbooks? No one uses textbooks.

Which is a great loss.

If you are happy with your headphone with mic for your elementary student would you please share? (I also need one for myself so bonus if you can recommend one for work.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will an iPad with keyboard work well enough for virtual? DL in Fcps.

no it will not. BB collaborate did not work well on my kid's iPad. We had to buy a new laptop.

THanks for the heads up! We did find a work around, but agree it was a multi-step process to make it work. Thankfully last years teacher did stuff mostly in google classroom.

We don't have an extra bedroom. 4th grafe kid has a desk and chair in their room, docking station with headphones and camera. Family room lower shelves have been converted into space for all supplies organized but supervised. Table protector that we use for art and science projects at dining table. New book shelf where we continuously update books to simulate a library. Own personal email address I use to make their calendar. We look at it together each week so they know what the upcoming week looks like and gets in the habit of referencing it daily. Set up default printer and knows how to send documents to it. Place for all devices to stay charged. "You're in charge of the charge".

Anonymous wrote:We’re outfitting each kid with laptop and headset with mic.
They’ll work in the dining room so I can supervise.

Still need some kind of cubby/organizer system for their supplies and mounds of paper, binders and textbooks.
Any recs?

Textbooks? No one uses textbooks.

We turned our guest room (not having guests any time soon) into a school room for DS. Lots of art supplies, new computer, tons of readers. Grandparents have subscribed to kiwi and the scientists club for him (rising first grader) and that Spanish cartoon class.

When school closed in March last year I cleaned my sixth graders desk really well and set up for homeschooling. That did not work. I work from home and my desk is in a little nook at the end of the living room. I should note we live in a small apartment. So for next school year I am cleaning off and emptying two shelves of the bookshelf and she is going to be set up at one end of the kitchen table which is on the other end of the living room. School in her room ended up being “TikTok videos in her lap”. This way we will be working together.

A good set of headphones with a mic are on the way.

More toner for the printer also

I’ll be buying myself and my son a lot more pairs of sweatpants.

Anonymous wrote:Will an iPad with keyboard work well enough for virtual? DL in Fcps.

no it will not. BB collaborate did not work well on my kid's iPad. We had to buy a new laptop.

Your situation sounds very similar to mine, OP. I have two DC close in age so I ordered two of the same desks from target, desk organizers and desk lamp to make it cozy. They also have this art cart to keep all their art items in

https://www.michaels.com/10-drawer-rolling-cart-by-recollections/M20002051.html

I think a mistake I made in the spring was letting DD get to choose wherever she worked from- and sometimes this was her bed. I’m planning on making their desk area the school area and having them keep their computers on theit desk and charging so we don’t have unplugged computers with no battery when we need them. Maybe I’m overly ambitious but I’m hoping to run a tighter ship in the fall (while acknowledging that it’ll Still be okay if we forget a few class meetings or slip up on some things)!

I’m also planning on looking up some workbooks and other items to supplement learning such as manipulatives for my kindergartener.

Any good recommendations for teacher supply stores available to the public?

I think we need a few more sets of headphones, too.