Chip Shortages, Surging Raw Material Prices, Transportation Bottlenecks... and Christmas Trees

You might have heard on the news recently about the global supply chain and production shortages occurring throughout many nations. Some industries are having difficultly finding workers while other industry's workers are retiring or opting out due to the risk of Covid illness. While the world struggles to cope with the pandemic recovery, these bottlenecks cause rippling effects in other industries that rely on the chain of products and supplies.

Even once a loaded container ship makes the journey into a congested port there are still issues with the offloading process due to the ongoing Covid pandemic: many transportation container ships and their crew are having to wait in port and are not allowed to disembark to unload their products. Some countries are requiring the crews to quarantine for a week or more on their ship, forcing these large vessels to anchor offshore while they await clearance to dock.

The world anxiously awaits computer chips from Malaysia and electronics, clothes, and toys from China. No computer semiconductor chips equals no new vehicles, new computers, or PS5s for the rest of the consuming world. Surely you have seen the jump in new vehicle prices and the low inventory being kept by many vehicle dealers.

There even continues to be a shortage of liquor and alcohol products right now. Some manufacturers pivoted during the Covid pandemic to begin producing hand sanitizer instead of alcohols, while other producers are simply experiencing extreme supply chain shortages for the materials they need to make their products: raw material precursors, bottling, and packaging supply lines are all squeezed right now.

America is recovering from the pandemic but the rest of the world is not recovering as fast. As we recover and open up again, the demand for many products is beginning to go up. Other countries that supply the US with their manufactured products are not having as great of success yet in fighting the Covid pandemic. Lock downs are still present in several parts of the world, with many countries closing commerce production and slowing global distribution as the virus surges locally.

On a related side note – did you see that the US Postal Service will intentionally be slowing their mail services to save money in addition to the regular holiday slow down experienced each winter? Covid has already slowed all regular mail in the last couple of years: The US Postal Service might be crafting its own demise.

For another year, expect Christmas to be quite different. I’ll be making many of my gifts this year by hand or ordering special gifts NOW. For my parents, I’m planning to make a farmers gift basket for their Christmas gift, including a hand-knit scarf, fresh eggs from my chickens, a fresh loaf of homemade bread, a small tray of live baby greens, a handmade card, and whatever else I can grow, craft, or find for free before December.

Amber's "Christmas Tree Farm"

Christmas trees are rumored to be the hot item of 2021 - so buy a tree now if you need a new one. Prices are already rising quickly on Amazon due to the shipping bottlenecks and the manufacturing slowdown.

Below are some recommended Christmas trees that won't break the bank and are highly rated on Amazon - but you'll have to move fast, since prices are quickly rising for the holiday rush and stores are expected to sell out.

7ft Artificial Colorful Rainbow Full Fir Christmas Tree

Buy 7ft Artificial Colorful Rainbow Full Fir Christmas Tree

 

7.5ft Premium Spruce Artificial Holiday Christmas Tree

 

Buy 7.5ft Premium Spruce Artificial Holiday Christmas Tree

6ft Pre-Lit Snow Flocked Artificial Holiday Christmas Pine Tree

 Buy 6ft Pre-Lit Snow Flocked Artificial Holiday Christmas Pine Tree

Pre-lit Artificial Mini Christmas Tree, Includes Small Lights and Cloth Bag Base, Burlap-4 ft

Buy Pre-lit Artificial Mini Christmas Tree, Includes Small Lights and Cloth Bag Base, Burlap-4 ft

Check out my other sites for Christmas gifts if you’re looking for unique Viking jewelry treasures at Viking Merchant or value-priced outdoor/ survival prepping supplies at Gritty Duck Supply Shop.

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Online Learning, A Pandemic Bandaid

I was hopeful when all of America collectively implemented online learning last year - that people who had never tried it before may come to like it and find it efficient for teaching and learning - but instead the application was poor and many students did not achieve the learning gains possible. Online learning has pretty much been badmouthed in the media - but yet here we go again, rushing to remote learning due to the new rise in more dangerous Covid variants.

Online learning is not for everyone?

Now as another in-person school year is threatened by the Covid delta variant, the same students will be rushed into an online learning system that could produce less than mediocre learning results (and probably being implemented by the same staff badmouthing online learning). It’s normal to be frustrated with technology - but I encourage you to give online learning a try with a fresh perspective and utilizing the tips below.

Through modern curriculum design methods, online learning should be successful for most learners with the proper supports, like having trained teachers (teachers properly trained to support online learners, and who are not overloaded with in-person teaching duties at the same time) and reliable learning management systems. Online learners that are successful are also typically self-motivated and strong readers (usually English is necessary but ESOL programs are available too).

Supporting online learners

To support this rushed transition to online “remote” learning with these students:

Support and structure learning for self-discipline. Use regular turn-in intervals for assignments, predictable activity schedules, mandatory in-person check-ins, a clear agenda posted for each unit, predictable assignment successions, succinct rubrics that are shared in advance of the assignment, and apply metacognitive strategies to maximize your students’ learning. 

Humanize the online environment and build authentic connections. This is really the most important tip - if you don’t build instructor-to-student support, peer-to-peer community, and learner-to-content personal connection; then prepare for your learners to check out from your lesson. Learners are motivated and build connections while learning in an online environment through these elements - these authentic, humanized connections are what we all need in the online environment. 

Create clear instructions. Try to be succinct and don’t be superfluous with your word choices. Sometimes a video is needed to explain an assignment, which is also a chance to build instructor presence. State your instructions starting with a directional verb: look at what is used in this article, telling you to “support,” “humanize,” "build," “create,” and “remember.” Have someone else proofread your instructions (if appropriate, an advanced student in the class) or at least read them aloud to yourself. You could also work in community with other instructors to provide support for each other.

Recognize that every learner is different and will need varying levels of interaction and support to grasp the lesson. The learners that already lack support to be successful in a traditional in-person classroom: these students will likely need the most instructor support on a regular basis. Are you sure that your learners have reliable access to the internet and a device capable of completing the online work? Is there district or school level technical support for teachers to help ensure this access?

One last thought that’s super important about supporting students through this online transition: as we send individual students (or groups of students) home to quarantine for two weeks at a time, are we also sending meals home with them? Hunger is endemic to the children in our school systems. I don’t think this is currently being done. This program could be run similarly to the summer breakfast/lunch pickup program already run throughout the country (through Covid too). Let’s make sure these kids are being taught effectively... and being fed!

What are your thoughts about online learning? Have you had successes or failures - share a comment below. 

#amberclee