How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

wirelessdude01

teachinggal123 wrote: »

You mean the way the teachers on this thread are trying to dictate to everyone?

And when someone “stands on their own two feet” and is honest and gives an opinion on this thread they are ganged up on and berated by other teachers?

Right so. I’ll try to remember that.

No one dictating to anyone on here, no one ganging up on anyone. Disagreeing with someone doesn't equate to ganging up or dictating to someone.

Oranage2

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I've tried in my room but it just isn't feasible or possible. Not allowed to have pods greater than 6. If I was allowed 8 I could. Guidelines says just treat the room as a pod them so the "pile em in" strategy continues.

Thanks for the explanation, what about entering the school, going home and yard time? Has there been any guidelines on how to keep each class separated?

teachinggal123

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

No one dictating to anyone on here, no one ganging up on anyone. Disagreeing with someone doesn't equate to ganging up or dictating to someone.

Haha ... there is A LOT dictating going on in this thread. Unfortunately, much of it coming from teachers.

Also unfortunately, there is ganging up when someone (especially a teacher) expresses a contrary opinion, eg that many teachers have done very little since 12 March.

But great to hear you say we should stand up against that type of peer pressure. Great advice

Blondini

Bubbles, pods or whatever they're labelled. Nonsense.

The bubbles and pods will be intermingling once the bell goes.

There will be effectively ZERO social distancing in schools and that's the truth of the matter.

wirelessdude01

Oranage2 wrote: »

Thanks for the explanation, what about entering the school, going home and yard time? Has there been any guidelines on how to keep each class separated?

We are staggering entrance and exit times. We are still trying to figure this out properly.

Yard times, school is being put into two groups with different times. At yard time it just isn't feasible to expect children to just stay in their pods so there is an obvious flaws in their great system.

Due to us having staggered breaks it does mean each class will have more space.

I can imagine us having to reimagine all this when we find issues with things in practice.

wirelessdude01

teachinggal123 wrote: »

Also unfortunately, there is ganging up when someone (especially a teacher) expresses a contrary opinion, eg that many teachers have done very little since 12 March.

Just do your best for the children for whom you have responsibility for if and when you have to go back online. By your own admission you didn't the first time around, you'll probably have a 2nd chance to rectify that.

Oranage2

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

We are staggering entrance and exit times. We are still trying to figure this out properly.

Yard times, school is being put into two groups with different times. At yard time it just isn't feasible to expect children to just stay in their pods so there is an obvious flaws in their great system.

Due to us having staggered breaks it does mean each class will have more space.

I can imagine us having to reimagine all this when we find issues with things in practice.

Seems workable, what about the teachers, are there any guidelines from them not too mix?

Saying all this all it takes is one kid to spread it around the class and there's at least 30 kids infected. Huge numbers for the best case scenario

khalessi

Oranage2 wrote: »

Seems workable, what about the teachers, are there any guidelines from them not too mix?

Saying all this all it takes is one kid to spread it around the class and there's at least 30 kids infected. Huge numbers for the best case scenario

Don't know if this helps but in our school before the break it was decided to close the staffroom, have meetings over zoom and that teachers could only mix with teachers at their level. We have more than one class at every level. It will be more difficult for the Special education teachrs as they will be covering classes of the teachers who are out.

wirelessdude01

Oranage2 wrote: »

Seems workable, what about the teachers, are there any guidelines from them not too mix?

Saying all this all it takes is one kid to spread it around the class and there's at least 30 kids infected. Huge numbers for the best case scenario

We haven't come to that yet. We've ideas down on paper but they have to be teased out.

Main idea is that we stick to the groupings we have on yard. For instance junior school goes on yard at same time so only the junior school teachers mix together.

teachinggal123

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Just do your best for the children for whom you have responsibility for if and when you have to go back online. By your own admission you didn't the first time around, you'll probably have a 2nd chance to rectify that.

I think all teachers have responsibility to do their best at all times. This includes all the teachers that i personally know about who have done almost nothing since 12 March.

My big fear is that schools will close again before Christmas and many teachers will not engage in online classes yet again. I’ve heard a million reasons for this from poor broadband in their houses, to no training, to being reluctant to show their faces online. I’ve already heard teacher colleagues say they will not do anything online if another shutdown happens in the coming months. And there will be no sanction what so ever for teachers who simply refuse to do blended or online.

wirelessdude01

teachinggal123 wrote: »

I think all teachers have responsibility to do their best at all times. This includes all the teachers that i personally know about who have done almost nothing since 12 March.

My big fear is that schools will close again before Christmas and many teachers will not engage in online classes yet again. I’ve heard a million reasons for this from poor broadband in their houses, to no training, to being reluctant to show their faces online. I’ve already heard teacher colleagues say they will not do anything online if this happens.

You can't control others, you only have control over yourself. Be your best self as a teacher. Always look forward and do your best. The children you have in your class(es) deserve no less than that.

Blondini

teachinggal123 wrote: »

I think all teachers have responsibility to do their best at all times. This includes all the teachers that i personally know about who have done almost nothing since 12 March.

My big fear is that schools will close again before Christmas and many teachers will not engage in online classes yet again. I’ve heard a million reasons for this from poor broadband in their houses, to no training, to being reluctant to show their faces online. I’ve already heard teacher colleagues say they will not do anything online if another shutdown happens in the coming months. And there will be no sanction what so ever for teachers who simply refuse to do blended or online.

Most in my place did their best in the circumstances.

Next time around, I think it will be monitored and policed a whole lot better, that is, evidence of work done, timetables etc..

Oranage2

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

We haven't come to that yet. We've ideas down on paper but they have to be teased out.

Main idea is that we stick to the groupings we have on yard. For instance junior school goes on yard at same time so only the junior school teachers mix together.

Have teachers been preparing for the possibility of having to teach online again?

Anyway good luck with it all, it seems stressful not knowing what will happen especially if we keep seeing rising numbers. The government are really having a joke here, they're hell bent on opening the schools in less than 3 weeks but they haven't sent out any meaningful guidelines. Shame teachers are getting the brunt of it, they're just paid to educate in a safe environment.

am_zarathustra

teachinggal123 wrote: »

I think all teachers have responsibility to do their best at all times. This includes all the teachers that i personally know about who have done almost nothing since 12 March.

My big fear is that schools will close again before Christmas and many teachers will not engage in online classes yet again. I’ve heard a million reasons for this from poor broadband in their houses, to no training, to being reluctant to show their faces online. I’ve already heard teacher colleagues say they will not do anything online if another shutdown happens in the coming months. And there will be no sanction what so ever for teachers who simply refuse to do blended or online.

Nearly every teacher in my school did a pretty good job at remote learning. We gave laptops to kids who needed them, called home to support kids and parents who weren't tech savvy, sent explanations broken down of where to get the apps depending on their phone operating system, which apps, how to use the apps, resetting passwords, etc......all of this was done by teachers with a couple of motivated ones coordinating it. Maybe instead of complaining you should try and do this. Try and be a good example of how to do online learning well.

teachinggal123

Blondini wrote: »

Most in my place did their best in the circumstances.

Next time around, I think it will be monitored and policed a whole lot better, that is, evidence of work done, timetables etc..

What will be the sanction if teachers simply don’t do anything online? Some of my colleagues don’t have broadband. Some don’t have computers. We have had no training in online/blended. Many of the children can’t go online. There are privacy issues. Etc etc etc.

Do you really see any teacher getting in trouble if they don’t/can’t go online?

wirelessdude01

Blondini wrote: »

Most in my place did their best in the circumstances.

Next time around, I think it will be monitored and policed a whole lot better, that is, evidence of work done, timetables etc..

This 100%. However I do feel that the government/department should have put together a proper framework for online which schools should have had to follow but also parents.

We can't have what occured previously where children, parents and teachers could pretty much opt in/out as they wanted to. There can't be a situation where a parent allows a child to not do anything when online is required and then expect a school to start again if the topic has been covered 'properly'.
Likewise if we are forced back online, teachers need to engage properly with teaching so that learning continues in a properly structured and uniform manner. This I suspect will be an issue because it has been left to local arrangements.

am_zarathustra

Blondini wrote: »

Most in my place did their best in the circumstances.

Next time around, I think it will be monitored and policed a whole lot better, that is, evidence of work done, timetables etc..

I would hope that some student's would be allowed into schools if this happens again. I assume some teachers will use the school as a base and some of our kids do not have home lives conducive to learning. I can walk to school and so can a few other young teachers. I'd have no problem doing my own work in the library with 7/8 socially distant kids on school provided laptops. We will lose kids in my school otherwise, and we will lose them to a life of violence. I would love to see the department take these kids and students with additional needs more seriously. Having a plan for remote learning is not rocket science, it would simply require a bit of cop on and someone who understands the basics of technology.

Blondini

teachinggal123 wrote: »

What will be the sanction if teachers simply don’t do anything online? Some of my colleagues don’t have broadband. Some don’t have computers. We have had no training in online/blended. Many of the children can’t go online. There are privacy issues. Etc etc etc.

Do you really see any teacher getting in trouble if they don’t/can’t go online?

The school will make resources available for teachers, for example a socially distanced room with internet workstations. Also, libraries are open. Internet accessibility excuses are NOT acceptable in 2020 really.

teachinggal123

Oranage2 wrote: »

Have teachers been preparing for the possibility of having to teach online again?.

The honest answer is not in my school. Teachers are already saying they won’t be doing anything online for a variety of reasons. Some have had advice from the Union that they don’t have to do anything online (pinch of salt needed probably) and we have definitely had no training. We also have no laptops from the school!!!

Get ready for a huge mess if schools close. My sister has already said she won’t accept another once a week homework email from her child’s primary school this time.

wirelessdude01

teachinggal123 wrote: »

What will be the sanction if teachers simply don’t do anything online? Some of my colleagues don’t have broadband. Some don’t have computers. We have had no training in online/blended. Many of the children can’t go online. There are privacy issues. Etc etc etc.

Do you really see any teacher getting in trouble if they don’t/can’t go online?

This is where the department are letting the whole education sector down with their hands off approach. We talked about this today but once again we came to the conclusion that you cannot control peoples interaction when they aren't Infront of you. We just decided that we will just plough on if and when we are online. If people don't engage them that will just be their tough luck.

am_zarathustra

Oranage2 wrote: »

Have teachers been preparing for the possibility of having to teach online again?

Anyway good luck with it all, it seems stressful not knowing what will happen especially if we keep seeing rising numbers. The government are really having a joke here, they're hell bent on opening the schools in less than 3 weeks but they haven't sent out any meaningful guidelines. Shame teachers are getting the brunt of it, they're just paid to educate in a safe environment.

I'm in the middle of designing a program for teachers when we come back. All our teachers had some Microsoft Teams training but there are bits like using Stream for recording, recording over powerpoints, effective use of Forms that would have made life easier, especially if we collaborated. Hopefully we will get a day when we come back to organise it, more likely an afternoon.

Personally I've everything printed out in packs for my students until Christmas...last few bits to do this week. As long as I get a days notice to warn the kids to bring them home we should be grand, I could post them home either. I have all the notes, I'd normally hand out as we go but given the circumstances I felt this was better, no wandering around the class. I give regular little self corrected assessments so I just put these in sealed envelopes and labelled them. Into the same pack then. Think the kids might even get a kick out of that, everyone loves post that isn't a bill

Oranage2

teachinggal123 wrote: »

The honest answer is not in my school. Teachers are already saying they won’t be doing anything online for a variety of reasons. Some have had advice from the Union that they don’t have to do anything online (pinch of salt needed probably) and we have definitely had no training. We also have no laptops from the school!!!

Get ready for a huge mess if schools close. My sister has already said she won’t accept another once a week homework email from her child’s primary school this time.

Seems like the department should be sending out training and procedures for online teaching. Seems crazy that it's up to the individual teacher to make their own online course.

am_zarathustra

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

This is where the department are letting the whole education sector down with their hands off approach. We talked about this today but once again we came to the conclusion that you cannot control peoples interaction when they aren't Infront of you. We just decided that we will just plough on if and when we are online. If people don't engage them that will just be their tough luck.

I mean there is some chance of reprimanding teachers, it's the home lives and lack of interest from parents I think will have the most effect. We had some fab kids go home and do nothing, not a fault of theirs, they had responsibilities and no resources, they would have done homework and had most of their meals in school before.

If they do nothing the parents/guardians will absolutely not be reprimanded in any way

Blondini

Oranage2 wrote: »

Seems like the department should be sending out training and procedures for online teaching. Seems crazy that it's up to the individual teacher to make their own online course.

Head in the sand. They assume schools are opening back up. For good. End of crisis.

BonsaiKitten

Oranage2 wrote: »

Have teachers been preparing for the possibility of having to teach online again?

Can't speak for all teachers but I have been, yes. The staff in my school generally think that it'll be a miracle if we make it to Christmas teaching in-person.

I have a Google Site ready to go for my class. Will be posting a weekly update there on topics we are covering, homework details, links to our online platforms etc. The idea is that it'll be a resource for those who have to isolate. If/when we close I can add Zoom timetables etc to it.

mcsean2163

newbie85 wrote: »

To be fair, it's not teachers setting these rules, it's public health advice. I don't know why teachers would be blamed for information from the HSE?
The other thing is that one doesn't exist as a teacher in a vacuum. I'm a wife and a daughter and a parent as well, and so will be subject to the same rules as everyone else. I'll have to stay off work if someone is sent into my child's class in primary school sick and he becomes unwell. Which would have huge repercussions for all the year groups I teach. And I would still have to try work from home, on video to my classes in school, with three kids under 5. It's not just private sector workers who find these conditions challenging.
If I get sick then presumably all the 240 kids I have contact with during the day would also be sent home to self isolate. If I got corona virus they would be home for 2 weeks. And if I was off actually sick with corona virus (as opposed to just self isolating as a precaution) I'm sure id be too unwell to video chat classes.
Again, it's a global pandemic, it's going to be difficult for everyone, and despite media coverage, teachers are not sitting on their arses watching TV while parents struggle to home school. We have the exact same struggles.

Yep, not having a go at teachers, just saying that not all employers are as reasonable or generous as the government. When there's a sniffle and the option of getting fired for quarantining for two weeks with a child, parents in such a position may be tempted to risk the sniffle.

khalessi

Oranage2 wrote: »

Seems like the department should be sending out training and procedures for online teaching. Seems crazy that it's up to the individual teacher to make their own online course.

Maybe they should but this is the same department that contacted schools to see what we were doing and then put it in a document and sent it to us 10 weeks into lockdown.

THey would have to ask us first.

wirelessdude01

khalessi wrote: »

Maybe they should but this is the same department that contacted schools to see what we were doing and then put it in a document and sent it to us 10 weeks into lockdown.

THey would have to ask us first.

That document was a bloody joke.

teachinggal123

Oranage2 wrote: »

Seems like the department should be sending out training and procedures for online teaching. Seems crazy that it's up to the individual teacher to make their own online course.

Yes it is crazy.

And to be totally honest it’s scary for some of the older teachers who don’t even own a computer. Some of my colleagues feel strongly about this and are scared of the technology and that students will make fools of them in an online environment where the teacher has less control.

You can call these guys lazy teachers but it is a real issue. It’s an even bigger issue if the school principal (as in my case) is in this category and is scared sh1t1ess of technology and anything online.

facehugger99

teachinggal123 wrote: »

The honest answer is not in my school. Teachers are already saying they won’t be doing anything online for a variety of reasons. Some have had advice from the Union that they don’t have to do anything online (pinch of salt needed probably) and we have definitely had no training. We also have no laptops from the school!!!

Get ready for a huge mess if schools close. My sister has already said she won’t accept another once a week homework email from her child’s primary school this time.

Wow - we got one once every 2-weeks from our kid's teacher.

My sister who has a kid in the year ahead of my kid used to get the exact same email.

There will literally be uproar among parents if the teachers (particularly the primary school teachers from what I can see) try to skive off work for another few months.