Schools closed until undetermined date - was March 29th

C__MC

Any idea folks if schools will be back in 3 weeks?

shesty

harr wrote: »

Not really, it’s probably me worrying one lad has already stayed back this year and will be to old to stay back another year. Add to Dad trying to school work that are starting to really miss friends in school.

Just a mother of a Junior Infant myself Harr - I can't add much other than to say that mine are seriously missing JI and pre-school pals. It's very, very hard on them, because they don't really understand. I am not getting wound up about school work as I am also working from home and I cannot do it all - but JI wouldn't have a huge homework load anyway.

I just want to let you know I sympathise - for parents of kids this lockdown has been going on 3 weeks now, and I just feel like for many other people it only really struck home when the 2km restriction started - we have been stuck at home with very restricted options for what we can do for 3 weeks now and it is very old, anecdotally from my own circle, I know a lot of parents are beginning to crack under the stress and finding it very hard. You are not alone.

km79

C__MC wrote: »

Any idea folks if schools will be back in 3 weeks?

Not a notion
We are currently basically locked in our homes
It would be absolute madness to go from that to schools being back within 3 weeks

cazzer22

We are all doing our best in an incredibly stressful and unpredictable situation. Well done to the parents for putting up with all of this. I am a teacher and am trying to keep work creative, fun and attainable. I am getting lots of lovely pictures of the children just even sharing their news or things they have been up to.
It's not a time for putting anxiety or high expectations on parents. We are all making this up as we go along, dealing with a worrying situation. Just hope all my kiddos are ok and wish for normality soon. All we can all do is our best. Well done everyone.

Treppen

C__MC wrote: »

Any idea folks if schools will be back in 3 weeks?

Not a hope

C__MC

km79 wrote: »

Not a notion
We are currently basically locked in our homes
It would be absolute madness to go from that to schools being back within 3 weeks

Suppose I was trying to ask will he make the call late next week with one week of Easter holidays done.

cazzer22

C__MC wrote: »

Suppose I was trying to ask will he make the call late next week with one week of Easter holidays done.

I personally think they are drip feeding information to us and they are just going to add on a week or two weeks here and there. It's much easier to deal with that way.

Shn99

Bobtheman wrote: »

I see no reason why the exams can't be later in the year. Just move it forward. The whole academic calendar

Wouldnt really work for those of us heading abroad

wirelessdude01

C__MC wrote: »

Any idea folks if schools will be back in 3 weeks?

Not a hope.

C__MC

cazzer22 wrote: »

I personally think they are drip feeding information to us and they are just going to add on a week or two weeks here and there. It's much easier to deal with that way.

Surely we csnt expect students to have 6-8 weeks off and sit exams

Call has to be made next week IMO

ShamoBuc

C__MC wrote: »

Any idea folks if schools will be back in 3 weeks?

Certainly not the way things are. 2 weeks after that would be the earliest I think. Schools will probably be the last to go back.

km79

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Certainly not the way things are. 2 weeks after that would be the earliest I think. Schools will probably be the last to go back.

Best case scenario I can see is
Exam classes last two weeks in May
Maybe only leaving certs at that

And o don’t even see that happening
Still don’t think people grasp the seriousness of the situation we are in
China is still not back to anywhere near normal

Bobtheman

Shn99 wrote: »

Wouldnt really work for those of us heading abroad

I doubt any of us will be going abroad this summer . Where will be safe ?
Secondly even if it's safe you will be " persuaded " to come back. Pity the children etc
Look how they whipped us into " shape" with fempi.
I doubt they will be scared of a group of people who ran scared after two days of strike. Tesco workers did 3 weeks .
If they "ask" us to come in over the summer we will without a whimper

Shn99

Bobtheman wrote: »

I doubt any of us will be going abroad this summer

Going abroad for university

cazzer22

C__MC wrote: »

Surely we csnt expect students to have 6-8 weeks off and sit exams

Call has to be made next week IMO

Absolutely. I'd say they will make that call by Easter Sunday deadline. Even events in August are being cancelled. Not fair on leaving certs.

scooby77

Closing date for SNA survey 7th April. Analysis, choose, contact, retrain...hardly worthwhile for just a few weeks?
It may be just a contingency at moment, but...

khalessi

scooby77 wrote: »

Closing date for SNA survey 7th April. Analysis, choose, contact, retrain...hardly worthwhile for just a few weeks?
It may be just a contingency at moment, but...

THey know it will be longer

Ray Donovan

C__MC wrote: »

Any idea folks if schools will be back in 3 weeks?

Probably back Monday I'd say!!!:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

bobbyss

km79 wrote: »

Best case scenario I can see is
Exam classes last two weeks in May
Maybe only leaving certs at that

And o don’t even see that happening
Still don’t think people grasp the seriousness of the situation we are in
China is still not back to anywhere near normal

Are the schools back in China? That would give some idea of a general timeframe. .

mirrorwall14

bobbyss wrote: »

Are the schools back in China? That would give some idea of a general timeframe. .

They were closed for about three months I think and are still closed in some areas and I believe they’ve cancelled their massive state exam day

“ Officials are relaxing restrictions very slowly and methodically, Ding says. Many restaurants at first reopened with shortened hours and for a limited number of customers; now, doors are open to all. Primary and secondary schools in several provinces have reopened, but only in communities free of the disease, and schools must check students’ temperatures and watch for symptoms. Universities, where students from around the country mix, remain closed, with classes taught online. Events that draw crowds are still banned or discouraged. Live music venues and gyms in many cities remain closed. There are temperature checks at subway entrances and factory gates.”
Reference

chewed

There is no way they can continue with the Leaving Cert at this stage. It's just too unfair on students, especially those who may have already been struggling with learning difficulties (e.g. Dyslexia, ADHD, etc.). There are also students who require SNAs and additional grinds, which are now not available. Also, there will be many who are/will be going through bereavements over the coming weeks/months due to this pandemic.

Someone had suggested having the exams later in the year! this is not practical either. Are we expecting them to continue studying over the summer months? They will be completely worn out at that stage.

I would imagine the only reason they won't announce this just yet is that they don't want to have thousands of 17-18 year olds suddenly having nothing to do and becoming high risks in breaking the current restrictions in place.

km79

chewed wrote: »

There is no way they can continue with the Leaving Cert at this stage. It's just too unfair on students, especially those who may have already been struggling with learning difficulties (e.g. Dyslexia, ADHD, etc.). There are also students who require SNAs and additional grinds, which are now not available. Also, there will be many who are/will be going through bereavements over the coming weeks/months due to this pandemic.

Someone had suggested having the exams later in the year! this is not practical either. Are we expecting them to continue studying over the summer months? They will be completely worn out at that stage.

I would imagine the only reason they won't announce this just yet is that they don't want to have thousands of 17-18 year olds suddenly having nothing to do and becoming high risks in breaking the current restrictions in place.

I think that’s a reasonable assessment of where we are at to be honest
Postponing leaving cert has knock on effect for college enrollment etc
Hard to know what will happen

Benicetomonty

I think the LC will go ahead. Courses may already have been completed in subjects before we were sent home and there is no reason why any remaining modules cant be covered through remote learning.

Certainly students with poor broadband and those with SENs will be at a disadvantage but probably not to the extent that 1 or 2 subject areas cant be made accessible over the space of 2 full months. Hopefully some concessions/contingencies can be put into place as well if they are deemed necessary.
Certainly theyre going to have to make some very unpopular decisions in the next few weeks, but theyve already shown that theyre capable of doing so given what they did with the orals. Obviously the issue of accessing the building itself is a very different one but again, I expect theyll come up with something. First up will be cancelling the JC imho.

But Im only speculating of course.

spurious

Shn99 wrote:

Wouldnt really work for those of us heading abroad

Are colleges abroad opening as usual?

Birdy

Well done to all teachers for your dedication, innovation and creativity these past few weeks. I know you have all been putting in extra hours to ensure your students don't miss out. Whether it be teaching live or organising digital audios / videos / resources. I'm sure you have also learned a lot that will guide you through this crisis and that parents appreciate your efforts to keep their children learning and engaged.

Take these two weeks to recharge. Be kind to yourself. You'll be ready to face into this last term and support your students online or in the classroom. I know you'll all be hoping to be open by September. Take it one week at a time. Everyone is doing the best they can. This too shall pass.

fall

Feedback from our 6th Years, the ones going for top points are studying away and want the exams to happen. They are able to learn remotely very well. They think it will be really unfair on them to cancel.
The ones who are in the middle are finding the self motivation hard and miss the support and push from teachers. They would like to be told one way or another if the exams are happening.
Then the group of students who would score the lowest points have said they have given up and can't do it on their own.

chewed

fall wrote: »

Feedback from our 6th Years, the ones going for top points are studying away and want the exams to happen. They are able to learn remotely very well. They think it will be really unfair on them to cancel.
The ones who are in the middle are finding the self motivation hard and miss the support and push from teachers. They would like to be told one way or another if the exams are happening.
Then the group of students who would score the lowest points have said they have given up and can't do it on their own.

...and this is why the LC, in its current format, should be cancelled. School is not just for the highest achievers, it's for everyone!

fall

chewed wrote: »

...and this is why the LC, in its current format, should be cancelled. School is not just for the highest achievers, it's for everyone!

Actually I find a lot of those students should have done LCA but there can be a snobbery around doing it. The students in this category are the ones that teachers have to battle with the whole way through because they hate what they are doing and often find it too hard.

Rosita

chewed wrote: »

...and this is why the LC, in its current format, should be cancelled. School is not just for the highest achievers, it's for everyone!

But the problem there surely is not the LC itself but college entry system? The LC is for everyone. But of course they won't all do the same.

What is not for everyone is any college course they want. It's hard to imagine any LC system that will not have high achievers and those who struggle.

Bobtheman

chewed wrote: »

There is no way they can continue with the Leaving Cert at this stage. It's just too unfair on students, especially those who may have already been struggling with learning difficulties (e.g. Dyslexia, ADHD, etc.). There are also students who require SNAs and additional grinds, which are now not available. Also, there will be many who are/will be going through bereavements over the coming weeks/months due to this pandemic.

Someone had suggested having the exams later in the year! this is not practical either. Are we expecting them to continue studying over the summer months? They will be completely worn out at that stage.

I would imagine the only reason they won't announce this just yet is that they don't want to have thousands of 17-18 year olds suddenly having nothing to do and becoming high risks in breaking the current restrictions in place.

You offer no solution. On the one hand you say kids need all sorts of things to assist them that are not now available that leads logically to delay the LC until we can provide these and then you say we cant delay it??

Firstly-in June will we be able to have students in exam halls doing their exam? Even in small groups. I dont see this as likely
Secondly-do we simply give everyone an expected grade? If not they have to do the exam in a secure place. Thus the only option I see is a delay in late Summer. Teachers would be asked to come in and teach a good month before the exam. . Something like that. Id bet my house on a delay.
Get real people