Schools closed until undetermined date - was March 29th

Shn99

granturismo wrote: »

What conference?

Govt conference on RTE

TTLF

deiseindublin wrote: »

This is what we're like after 12 days, what'll we be like when you add a zero! :eek:

good thing im only 5th year!!!

deiseindublin

press conference live on RTE News now.

r93kaey5p2izun

The local ETB has advised that schools are now no longer open for teachers to use facilities and equipment.

Rosita wrote: »

In my experience the same people will pull through in the end anyway. The motivation and character of the student is the most significant arbiter of achievement and not available resources.

This is not the thread for it, but I'm taken aback at this belief tbh. No doubting motivation and hard work are important in achieving good results, and everything else being equal it probably is the determining factor. But to believe that in the context of the real inequality that exists for students, that motivation and character remain the most significant arbiter of achievement, is simply to deny the ample evidence that socioeconomic disadvantage has a very significant impact on achievement. Do you really mean to imply that the imbalance in achievement seen across schools of varying socioeconomic intakes, is mostly down to the lack of, or abundance of, suitable character and motivation?? I guess we will never agree on this or other educational matters if that is your viewpoint.

Rosita

Susan Quiet Stool wrote: »

This is not the thread for it, but I'm taken aback at this belief tbh. No doubting motivation and hard work are important in achieving good results, and everything else being equal it probably is the determining factor. But to believe that in the context of the real inequality that exists for students, that motivation and character remain the most significant arbiter of achievement, is simply to deny the ample evidence that socioeconomic disadvantage has a very significant impact on achievement. Do you really mean to imply that the imbalance in achievement seen across schools of varying socioeconomic intakes, is mostly down to the lack of, or abundance of, suitable character and motivation?? I guess we will never agree on this or other educational matters if that is your viewpoint.

I never denied that socioeconomic disadvantage is a factor in educational attainment. But surely this wass so obviously the case that there was no point in even going there? Apart from the fact that it would have broadened the discussion a long way from the discussion at hand which was the effect of the current distancing of students from schools. We could get into gender etc. in relation to educational attainment too but that's a very different discussion to the one I thought I was having.

r93kaey5p2izun

Rosita wrote: »

I never denied that socioeconomic disadvantage is a factor in educational attainment. But surely this wass so obviously the case that there was no point in even going there? Apart from the fact that it would have broadened the discussion a long way from the discussion at hand which was the effect of the current distancing of students from schools. We could get into gender etc. in relation to educational attainment too but that's a very different discussion to the one I thought I was having.

But the socioeconomic disadvantage is even more pronounced now when students are away from the supports and resources that are put in place in schools to try to mitigate the issue. Other students do not rely so heavy on school for the necessary supports and resources to achieve their potential. You believe the closures won't change the relative achievement of students, I strongly disagree. Disadvantaged students who would outperform some others once supported and provided with additional school resources, will now in many cases suffer more and fall more in relative performance.

Rosita

Susan Quiet Stool wrote: »

But the socioeconomic disadvantage is even more pronounced now when students are away from the supports and resources that are put in place in schools to try to mitigate the issue. Other students do not rely so heavy on school for the necessary supports and resources to achieve their potential. You believe the closures won't change the relative achievement of students, I strongly disagree. Disadvantaged students who would outperform some others once supported and provided with additional school resources, will now in many cases suffer more and fall more in relative performance.

That's fine. It's all opinion at the end of the day.

spurious

Let's stop the speculation about the date of return please.
In fact, stop the speculating generally. It serves no real purpose.

spurious

Statement from the Department:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/4366e7-statement-from-the-department-of-education-and-skills-on-covid-19/

Random sample

spurious wrote: »

Statement from the Department:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/4366e7-statement-from-the-department-of-education-and-skills-on-covid-19/

It's nice to have something positive said about teachers by a Minister for Education for a change.

Rosita

Speculation would be far less rife if that official statement (that schools were closed until April 19th) wasn't undermined within an hour by the Taoiseach as reported on RTÉ news website: "Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government is hopeful that schools may be able to reopen in May and June." If official Ireland can't hold the line for even one day what chance the rest of us?

Lc2020

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/leaving-cert-students-could-sit-deferred-exams-and-start-college-in-mid-autumn-1.4212116

For a taoiseach to come out and declare to the nation that the leaving cert is "highly likely" to go ahead against the backdrop of a global pandemic really highlights how far removed the figures of authority are when making these big decisions. They will act in the best interest of students? I think not. Meanwhile, students' mental health further deteriorates.

Polka_Dot

Lc2020 wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/leaving-cert-students-could-sit-deferred-exams-and-start-college-in-mid-autumn-1.4212116

For a taoiseach to come out and declare to the nation that the leaving cert is "highly likely" to go ahead against the backdrop of a global pandemic really highlights how far removed the figures of authority are when making these big decisions. They will act in the best interest of students? I think not. Meanwhile, students' mental health further deteriorates.

Is that not what you want? For everything to proceed even at risk to public health?

killbillvol2

Lc2020 wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/leaving-cert-students-could-sit-deferred-exams-and-start-college-in-mid-autumn-1.4212116

For a taoiseach to come out and declare to the nation that the leaving cert is "highly likely" to go ahead against the backdrop of a global pandemic really highlights how far removed the figures of authority are when making these big decisions. They will act in the best interest of students? I think not. Meanwhile, students' mental health further deteriorates.

The Leaving Cert is going to go ahead in some form or other this year. You'd be better off studying than moaning about it on social media.

Lc2020

killbillvol2 wrote: »

The Leaving Cert is going to go ahead in some form or other this year. You'd be better off studying than moaning about it on social media.

Teachers need to get on board and empathise with our plight.

History Queen

Lc2020 wrote: »

Teachers need to get on board and empathise with our plight.

You have no idea whether teachers empathise or not and are in no position to demand we "get on board". Stop monopolising a thread that, ironically enough, was actually created so that teachers could help each other to support students such as yourself through this unprecedented and worrying time.

History Queen

Technical query for those of you who might be more familiar with Microsoft Teams than I, when I return an assignment with feedback to students shouldn't they be able to see the feedback I've given? One student insists that she cannot see any feedback or even her own work, she just keeps seeing a message about the assignment not accepting submissions at this time (due date passed). Any ideas? Other students don't have the problem. My dashboard says her assignment is returned.

Edit- after reading lc2020 reply to me I realised this query might be misunderstood. I don't doubt that my student is telling the truth, my query is in relation to whether anyone knows why this might be and what either she or I can do to resolve it?

Lc2020

History Queen wrote: »

You have no idea whether teachers empathise or not and are in no position to demand we "get on board". Stop monopolising a thread that, ironically enough, was actually created so that teachers could help each other to support students such as yourself through this unprecedented and worrying time.

Yet you yourself question the credibility of a student's excuse?

This will only work if teachers step up to the plate too. Demand appropriate action please. Students should be primarily focused on their health/family during these worrying times but the incompetence of our minister means the leaving cert takes precedence. This certainly shouldn't be ok with you.

Minister@education.gov.ie

Let's voice our concerns.

spurious

LC2020 you really are not doing your 'cause' any favours.

Please don't post about this year's LC in this forum again.
If teachers want to 'support your cause' they can do so in the LC forum.

km79

Lc2020 wrote: »

Yet you yourself question the credibility of a student's excuse?

This will only work if teachers step up to the plate too. Demand appropriate action please. Students should be primarily focused on their health/family during these worrying times but the incompetence of our minister means the leaving cert takes precedence. This certainly shouldn't be ok with you.

Minister@education.gov.ie

Let's voice our concerns.

I thought you wanted the orals to go ahead
I can’t keep up anymore

Lc2020

I'd like to remind everyone that tomorrow will mark the one week anniversary of a very dark sombre day in the history of the Irish education system. There goes a generation that will never appreciate the benefits of bilingualism.

In recognition of this fact I'd ask you all to spam the office of Joe McHugh tomorrow. A poxy f&q's published on examinations.ie just won't cut it. We want answers.


Sincerely,

6th year students.

spurious

OK that's it.
LC2020, You really have had enough chances.

Take a 2 week break from this forum.
Next time it will be permanent.

mirrorwall14

Rosita wrote: »

Speculation would be far less rife if that official statement (that schools were closed until April 19th) wasn't undermined within an hour by the Taoiseach as reported on RTÉ news website: "Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government is hopeful that schools may be able to reopen in May and June." If official Ireland can't hold the line for even one day what chance the rest of us?

This is frustrating I have to say. If schools are opening in May then why wouldn’t they run the junior cert too? Or are they envisaging coming back for a week or something and running the leaving cert? If they can’t know they don’t know, stop speculating

Rosita

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

This is frustrating I have to say. If schools are opening in May then why wouldn’t they run the junior cert too? Or are they envisaging coming back for a week or something and running the leaving cert? If they can’t know they don’t know, stop speculating

To be fair to them it is an evolving situation so it is difficult to know where the story will be in a few weeks' time. But all they had to do on day one was say that the schools would be closed until after Easter and that the orals would be moved to that date. That would have bought them 3/4 weeks without having to make another statement and still have scope to cancel the orals.

Regarding the logistics, if Tesco and Dunnes can manage large numbers on their premises you would imagine that the Leaving Certs could be brought back in May and sit their exam in June.

The argument for ditching the JC is that there is not much riding on it and it mobilises a lot of students from a lot of homes unnecessarily and at least doubles the number of students in the school at the same time in May and during exams.

I certainly know in my school spreading the LCs around the school in the hall and various rooms under social distancing conditions would be straightforward. Putting JCs in there too makes it a far greater challenge in a school where corridors are narrow and space is an issue. I think cancellation of the JC is inevitable. But I imagine they think that if that happens too early social distancing will go out the window completely among that age cohort.

Of course if we have hundreds dying in a few weeks' time the logistics of exams will seem trivial.

fall

They can’t answer what they don’t know. They don’t know how many teachers could be ill or worse, die. Or students. This is one giant rolling critical incident. They could give one decision today that in a weeks time could be impossible to deliver on. Likewise they could cancel it now and then the situation could stabilise. We all just need to keep working as if it is going to happen.

khalessi

fall wrote: »

They can’t answer what they don’t know. They don’t know how many teachers could be ill or worse, die. Or students.

This is what I was thinking about leaving school last week. Will the same faces be there when we eventually go back

fall

khalessi wrote: »

This is what I was thinking about leaving school last week. Will the same faces be there when we eventually go back

Exactly. We need to keep this in perspective. It is crap for 6th year students but it is also a life and death situation. I know one school with a student in hospital and I have a staff member in.

km79

Was thinking the same earlier
I won’t see any student or staff member till September now (just my opinion ) as I live 45 minutes away from where I teach. We sold up for a sizeable loss and moved home so my children could be closer to their grand parents last summer . A decision that has proven to be worth more than it’s monetary value with each passing hour
I just hope to see them all when we return

Stay safe

Shn99

With more stringent restrictions in place until the 12th, is it increasingly unlikely we will be heading back on the 20th?

fall

We are not even in the eye of the storm. They are trying to avoid deflating people by announcing massive long term closures but I think in our heart of hearts we know that is the way it will go.