Top Ten Reasons a VC Gets Cancelled

I’ve been working on this list for a while. What do you think are the top reasons a videoconference gets cancelled? Here’s my top ten list.

10. The teacher didn’t feel like doing the program. This one is pretty frustrating for a coordinator, but often if you investigate and encourage, you can talk them back into doing the program. Sometimes it just takes a bit of hand-holding and encouraging words.

9. A fire at the content provider’s side. Yes, it did happen. Feb. 28, 2006! Mt. Rushmore had a fire in the park!

8. The teacher was called up for jury duty. This seems to happen most during Read Across America. I wonder why that is? Probably because they sign up so far in advance! Rescheduling usually solves this one.

7. The teacher had a family emergency. Sometimes if the teacher is experienced with VC she can have the students do the program on their own with the sub.

6. The bus didn’t show up to get the kids. This one is really frustrating. But now that we’re moving to having equipment in the buildings, this is less of a problem.

5. Someone messed up on timezones. Been there. Done that. Just last week! And before that too. Oops! Timeanddate.com is your friend!

4. School scheduled events that weren’t on the calendar when the program was scheduled. What can you do about that? Sometimes it’s testing, PD days, whatever. Hopefully rescheduling works.

3. Equipment and/or network changes that disable the codec. Argh! Someone changed the network without telling us! Disabling ISDN. Changing the firewall settings. Moving a cable or two. Etc.

2. The teacher had a health emergency. This one you definitely want to be patient and flexible with if at all possible. Some events you can’t reschedule though. Then maybe another class from the school can do it?

1. Weather. Snow days. Ice days. How many Read Across America connections have rescheduled due to snow & ice days??!!! Too many to count.

But all these reasons are outweighed by thrilled, learning, engaged students for every connection that works, right?! Think of that the next time a connection doesn’t happen!

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