Mila 

Social studies instructor

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Act II – MILA’s cues  

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MILA: Is Chase logged in? 

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[… from my screen.] 

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MILA: That’s enough. I have just Homeroomed your assignment back to you with grades, and I’m happy to answers any questions about that on the Rolecall. Once you check your grades, our four absent students can switch their avatars to low-poly mode so that I might introduce you to today’s guest. 

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As I said, any questions can be posted on the Rolecall. Now I am pleased to be introducing you to our guest, a Russian playwright and medical doctor born in 1860, so yes, that makes him exactly one hundred ninety years old, as of January 29th. Class, I’d like you to meet Anton Chekhov. 

 

[… are the forest…] 

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MILA: (aside) What's going on with Chase? 

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[… the, you know?] 

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MILA: Oh dear. Alright everyone, eyes on me. We had an unexpected shutdown, but let’s use this pause to go over a few questions I saw had already started to pop up on the Rolecall. Janeen, do you mind going to the gym to see if Mr. Baker is available to come to our classroom. (Exit JANEEN). Some of you have questions about the Great Pacific Gyre and other supracontinental land formations … 

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     [… out on you?] 

 

MILA: Yes, right in the middle of a scene he had set up, with a couple of his actor friends. 

 

      [… for this room.] 

 

MILA: Ah, well … we had a few other retros happening at the same time … 

 

        [… you left off?] 

 

MILA: While we have this break, I can tell you a little more about the drama club and their plans to perform Uncle Vanya of which you saw a short performance. Mr. Baker and I have tied in lessons from this wonderful play, my classes are starting a unit on reforestation, and Mr. Baker, can you share what are your students learning? 

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[… play we’re doing.] 

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MILA: Right, thank you, Mr. B. Plenty of opportunities to explore this play as our Mz. Dumont and the drama club start getting the play on its feet. And I am really looking forward to seeing what our guest today, Chekhov, has to say about forests and their impact on society. 

 

       [… does he say?] 

 

MILA: Well, you heard him, or rather the actor he called up to play the scene for us … What was it … the ‘necessary price’ we ‘pay for progress’ and how our economies are set up to benefit from damages to the ecosystems. 

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