Birthday Zoom Party!

Birthday Zoom Party!
Last night was quality quarantine fun! Family and friends worldwide celebrated my brother David’s 64th Birthday! We had online party guests from Thailand, China, Colorado, California, Texas, Massachusetts, and Michigan. We celebrated with festive hats, neon lights, and festive drinks! My niece ordered ice cream and cookies delivered to David during the party. What a nice surprise!
My 91-year-old mother was able to see her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on her iPad screen from her comfy chair in Michigan. The “Surprise Birthday Party” Zoom link was sent to all of us from my niece with instructions to upload a background photo for the party. This was my Zoom photo above from my niece's wedding. We talked, laughed, and shared childhood memories. I saw relatives and friends that I haven’t seen in years. We compared beer bellies, pregnant bellies, gray hair roots, graybeards, and home haircuts. We shared childhood stories, daily routines, and technology issues. 
Remote learning is taking place more than ever around the world now. Three of my relatives are teaching their students online in China, Germany, and Texas. Two of my grandchildren are online students in Germany and California. I have attended Zoom webinars and Zoom meetings online this month. Education has changed forever due to school lockdowns. Teachers are searching google.com for free educational websites to recommend to their students. They are revising their daily curriculum to meet the needs of at-home children. Teachers are finding hands-on activities for project-based learning. They are meeting with their students on Zoom and other online platforms. Senior High School students are holding their Proms and Graduations online. The remote learning platforms are endless and the possibilities are too. This state of education has forced educators, students, and parents to learn new computer skills and ways to show their learning. Parents are technically challenged but are more involved with their child’s education and their new tutor role. This new teaching model will forever change education. Zoom into our new future!


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