Here we Zoom again.

 Today I started my fifth school year as a tutor for the Fort Wayne Community Schools Study Connections program.  For the past four years we met with our students in the large dining hall at First Pres, one tutor and one student per table.  The students had a snack and we did an hour's worth of work on any subjects they needed help with.  It was all so comfortable.  I could make eye contact, we could get up and walk around if we needed a break, we could read from the same book, look at the same math page - you get the idea.  Today, we met with our students for the first time this year, by Zoom.  It was definitely a different kind of experience. We 'met' with our students at 3:45 on line.  Then we waited while a few late comers signed on and while our host tried to get everything organized.  Then, finally, we got sent off to our separate 'chat rooms.'  I waited quite a while before my student showed up on my screen.  I found out later that he had been sent to the wrong tutor first (a case of two students with the same first name).  We finally had about twenty minutes together, just long enough to begin to get to know each other.  Going in, I was really concerned that I might not be able to handle the technology but that was not a problem this week.  I did find it amusing that my student was obviously Zooming from his bedroom.  It didn't bother me to see him leaning against some pillows but after the individual sessions were over and we were brought back to the large group, the host, coordinator, reminded the students that they were not supposed to be Zooming from their bedrooms.  I'm looking forward to next week and I really didn't think I'd be saying that.