I reached out via a Microsoft Teams call at the start of class and then wrote this and sent it at 1:42pm: "Hi Katya! It's Bari. We have class from 1:30 - 2:30pm today and I am trying to reach you. I tried videoconferencing you, but it went to your VM. I will be here waiting for you until 2:30pm, so please don't hesitate to call or text me back. I hope you are doing well and I look forward to hearing from you!!!! All the best, Bari"
Previously, back in early April, I sent Katya an "interest list" and an "activities list" for Katya to fill out so we could design a course of study that would be based on her initerets. Today, with Nicole's help, Katya submitted the two lists as an attachment to her non-video chat with me. Also, after great logistical problems, Katya apparently recently got my opening art project.
Assignment
Complete the art contest project. Keep in touch using Chat.
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
1
Lesson Comments
Today was my first "class session" with Katya. She sent me her completed "interest list" and "activities list." As scheduled, I tried to video chat with Katya today at 10, but she never picked up. I wrote back to Katya, thanking her for the two lists, saying I would get back to her with (1) my ideas on what we might want to do based on her input, and (2) how many class sessions she and I have before the semester is over. (Her brother's sessions with me, Nicole told me, will end on May 6th). I am also wondering whether there is any flexibility in Katya's schedule (and mine) in case Katya would be better off with one-hour sessions and/or in case Katya needs more class sessions to make up for the four Friday sessions Katya never attended (for a total of 8 hours of instruction). In the interim, I told Katya to work on the art contest project I had sent to her two weeks ago.
No Class....but there WAS communication with Katya. I called Katya for our 10am class and she didn't answer. I then texted her and she replied: [10:05 AM] Katya Dieffenbafch
hey bari i just talked to nicole about my scedule
[10:06 AM] Katya Dieffenbafch
i will have you later in the day
[10:07 AM] Bari Kaplan
OK. I will wait to hear from Nicole. I hope it works out. Thanks for letting me know, Katya! Bari
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
Not sure how the above will happen as I have no additional room in my scheduled today. Will wait to see what happens....
We reviewed the president's statements at his press conference on Monday when he stated that he had "total authority" over the states and the governors. We then reviewed NY Governor Cuomo's response to this issue. A president does not have total authority over the states and governors. Cuomo said that this issue had been discussed long ago by some people named Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison and Washington. And the results of this discussion was something called a U.S. Constitution. The Constitution was written to clearly frame a government without totalitarian or authoritarian leadership. There are very important political issues to consider here: Balance of power, checks and balances and so much more. Cuomo also mentioned the 10th amendment and we will review this in our next class.
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
Wonderful to see Katya in class today! She was tired, tucked under covers in her bed. At the end of class, I asked Katya if she was getting enough sleep. She says she goes to bed late and sleeps in late. It has been challenging for her to balance her FLVL classes along with her Batt School classes. I hope Katya will be up to our 10:00am class tomorrow morning.
It was wonderful to see Katya today! We had a shortened class as Katya explained she was running overtime on an online quiz for world history class and needed to get back to it. She said she is working very hard to raise her grade in world history from a "D" and I applaud her efforts! Katya said she has some scheduling issues she would like to discuss with Nicole.
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
Wow! I was SO happy when Katya answered my chat call today! I got to say "Hi" to Vlad and Yogi, too. Katya is still trying to establish a working balance between her FL online classes and her Batt School classes. She reached out to Nicole about it today. I assured Katya that we are all on the same team and want to do anything we can to help her with school. That brought a smile to her face. Good news: their Dad seems to be doing better today! That news alone just made my day.
Congratulated Katya on being accepted to the New School in Manhattan. Asked Katya to complete "Things That Interest You" sheet. Went through my second handout, a checklist listing topics like great works of art, exploring careers, in five years, contemporary politics, social issues, poetry, plays, novels, writing, biographies. Katya and I talk about the topics she checked off. Discussed how we might use those topics as our curriculum for the remainder of the term. Next, discussed my art contest -- which hopefully was delivered to her. Katya to judge the ten paintings, pick the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, and then write an essay descripting the strenghts of the 2nd place winner and the 1st place winner. I texted Katya earier this week and gave her an assignment: write an essay discussing the "hype" surrounding the naval hospital ship "Comfort" and the reality.Today, we looked at her essay. Planned on adding a "prompt" due in two weeks: write an essay that begins with the statement "Art is the highest form of hope."
Assignment
Katya to complete all writing assignments.
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
0
Lesson Comments
Katya did not answer by audio chat at 10 this morning. I left a voice message. I also wrote a chat message to Kayta at 10:18. I am surprised because my text message with Katya earlier this week set up our agreement that we would audio chatt today April 10 at 10 a.m. Next, I called Elise and told her that Katya did not pick up at 10 today.Elise said she would call Nicole. Question: Will we be facing a problem related to class credits: I have yet to have one class session with Katya.
