Schools closed until February? (part 3)

KerryConnor

Would she like audio books? lots of free one on Youtube , few good ones below... I find even if you stick it on and give them some colouring or lego they get hooked before they know it... i think listening to audiobooks each day would be plenty .. Teaches them so much language, comprehension , concentration... Then maybe 10 mins actual reading each day before bed..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Rl-UspWdY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2M2CeZ0-XU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uugzY9WCN90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSLCZSkU6qk

Here's a few of Gaeilge songs that are brill. ..

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4vl50te17vtmonz/09%20An%20Feirmeoir.m4a?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/szyzx2pndc6gwi4/15%20D%C3%A9an%20Deifir.m4a?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zczkcm7tkbno8gj/07%20Splish%20Splash%20Splosh.m4a?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pskrjz5t304ejr6/13%20Fear%20An%20Phoist.m4a?dl=0

JDD wrote: »

Any senior infants teachers on here? Any tips on teaching a totally disinterested six year old for about an hour a day?

I swore I wouldn't do seesaw with my six year old again after our experience last year. She can't sit still for five minutes and I found it really hard teaching her last year with seesaw crashing and taking ages to load things and being unable to print from the app. I thought this time around we would just concentrate exclusively on reading, which she is a little behind on. She hated the handwriting book and practicing on a white board last year, and to be honest her writing still looks like hieroglyphics to me. But unless I can find something I can really engage her with, I think I'm just going to skip that. I'd like to do some maths with her too - but practical stuff rather than sums. Gaelige we can just start trying to speak around the house.

Any tips? Apps? Books for me to read? Even a pointer towards the SI curriculum somewhere online would be appreciated.

wirelessdude01

micks_address wrote: »

Tony and co said at the presser earlier Sage were a bunch of clowns with no evidence to back up their claims

Evidence that they used the word clowns because they didn't.

In response to a question with regards to the effect the closure of schools would have on the R0 nu ber and how SAGE had said it was minimum 0.4 they did say that they(NPHET) hadn't seen any of the research.

Interestingly when asked had they done themselves done any research they said no.

alroley

micks_address wrote: »

If they announced predicted grades now what would the leaving certs work towards? Our son is doing the leaving and has good results so far. He wants predictive grades. They were being assessed every 5 minutes since September but the teachers told them they wouldn’t be used for predictive grades. I’d be fairly confident that by June they could safely sit the exams. The question is how much did they miss out on during last spring home school and how much will they miss out on now. I suppose if they did it last year it’s probably fair to also do this year. Next years leaving cohort shouldn’t be as impacted hopefully

They'd work as they'd be getting calculated grades based on the work they complete?

micks_address

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Evidence that they used the word clowns because they didn't.

In response to a question with regards to the effect the closure of schools would have on the R0 nu ber and how SAGE had said it was minimum 0.4 they did say that they(NPHET) hadn't seen any of the research.

Interestingly when asked had they done themselves done any research they said no.

You really thought they’d say clowns? They implied their statements were not backed up by published evidence.

History Queen

alroley wrote: »

They'd work as they'd be getting calculated grades based on the work they complete?

So it'd be calculated based on work going forward? Can't see it working and to be honest I don't want to attempt to facilitate it. Predicted grades are a cop out, teachers and students were treated awfully throughout. Work towards exams. They could have happened in 2020 but for the whinging of the ill-informed and the spineless politicians.

wirelessdude01

[

micks_address wrote: »

You really thought they’d say clowns? They implied their statements were not backed up by published evidence.

Well you were the one said that they called them a bunch of clowns.

Tippex

micks_address wrote: »

If they announced predicted grades now what would the leaving certs work towards? Our son is doing the leaving and has good results so far. He wants predictive grades. They were being assessed every 5 minutes since September but the teachers told them they wouldn’t be used for predictive grades. I’d be fairly confident that by June they could safely sit the exams. The question is how much did they miss out on during last spring home school and how much will they miss out on now. I suppose if they did it last year it’s probably fair to also do this year. Next years leaving cohort shouldn’t be as impacted hopefully

From chatting to my son he feels they are miles behind on where they should be (he effectively lost an additional month on biology due to his teacher being out on top of all the covid stuff). He was worried about the mocks and now feels there will be no hope in getting a decent mark in the mocks due to how much tome he lost last year. (He can only do what he can do) and he has sort of come to terms with what he can and cannot control.

I think its only fair to make the decision early about the predictive grades.

Bananaleaf

Tippex wrote: »

From chatting to my son he feels they are miles behind on where they should be (he effectively lost an additional month on biology due to his teacher being out on top of all the covid stuff). He was worried about the mocks and now feels there will be no hope in getting a decent mark in the mocks due to how much tome he lost last year. (He can only do what he can do) and he has sort of come to terms with what he can and cannot control.

I think its only fair to make the decision early about the predictive grades.

the predicted grades will be based on how he has been doing though, won't they?

I think the exams would be a better way for him to show off his abilities, but it would have to be in a seriously pared back format I will agree

Tippex

History Queen wrote: »

So it'd be calculated based on work going forward? Can't see it working and to be honest I don't want to attempt to facilitate it. Predicted grades are a cop out, teachers and students were treated awfully throughout. Work towards exams. They could have happened in 2020 but for the whinging of the ill-informed and the spineless politicians.

This years LC have lost so much time I know they have not completed the curriculum nowhere near it. I believe different teachers will teach different elements of the syllabus at different times so there is no way to know if its a level playing field compared to normal years.

micks_address

Bananaleaf wrote: »

the predicted grades will be based on how he has been doing though, won't they?

I think the exams would be a better way for him to show off his abilities, but it would have to be in a seriously pared back format I will agree

One of the biggest problems with last summers system was many schools over inflated the kids grades. Hurt schools who were more realistic. I’d have though graders would naturally be a little more lenient this summer but it’s just impossible to come up with a system that’s fair to everyone

the kelt

It’s funny seeing comments about teachers now getting vaccinated quicker to enable schools to possibly get back etc cos when it was mentioned how far down the teachers etc were on the vaccination list it prompted a response from many as to who do they think they are asking to be further up the list, entitled so and so etc.

These are the said same, posters who raged at any suggestion of schools closing earlier for a few days citing teachers getting days off but now want them all vaccinated to get the schools back.

Although curiously many of these posters who raged against extra days off seem to have disappeared these days.

History Queen

Tippex wrote: »

This years LC have lost so much time I know they have not completed the curriculum nowhere near it. I believe different teachers will teach different elements of the syllabus at different times so there is no way to know if its a level playing field compared to normal years.

Agreed re level playing field. Predicted grades will not fix that. Adjusting the exam papers will.

History Queen

micks_address wrote: »

One of the biggest problems with last summers system was many schools over inflated the kids grades. Hurt schools who were more realistic. I’d have though graders would naturally be a little more lenient this summer but it’s just impossible to come up with a system that’s fair to everyone

There isn't room for leniency in the marking schemes, thats part of what makes our system fair. Papers have been adjusted already, further adjustment should happen if necessary.

thomasdylan

the kelt wrote: »

It’s funny seeing comments about teachers now getting vaccinated quicker to enable schools to possibly get back etc cos when it was mentioned how far down the teachers etc were on the vaccination list it prompted a response from many as to who do they think they are asking to be further up the list, entitled so and so e.

Teachers aren't that far down the list as far as numbers go.

Public health should be the only ones deciding vaccination order anyway.

History Queen

thomasdylan wrote: »

Teachers aren't that far down the list as far as numbers go.

Public health should be the only ones deciding vaccination order anyway.

Teachers are 11 on a list of 14 I think?

khalessi

the kelt wrote: »

Although curiously many of these posters who raged against extra days off seem to have disappeared these days.

Oh they are still there, they pop in to thank a post thats obviously anti teacher or pop up a post to rage every now and then, but I suppose everyone has their stresses and that seems to be how they deal with theirs.

khalessi

History Queen wrote: »

Teachers are 11 on a list of 14 I think?

Yup Scheduled for Sept or October all going well, so that is a full school year without a vaccine

Bananaleaf

Tippex wrote: »

This years LC have lost so much time I know they have not completed the curriculum nowhere near it. I believe different teachers will teach different elements of the syllabus at different times so there is no way to know if its a level playing field compared to normal years.

You are so right and it really has been awful for them. A lot of us said it back in June, when the focus was on the poor 3rds and 6ths, that the real losers were the 2nds and 5ths. Nothing will ever convince me otherwise.

However, I really do think that with the 2021 6th years in particular, they need an exam. A really short one, but they need some kind of exam. I'm talking something along the lines of, say for English, they have only a paper 2 and within that paper 2 they do one poetry essay and one other, of their choice and that is it.

They need it for themselves. If I had your son in 5th year, I'd have had him from September to end of Feb you may as well say. Then online only from March, with an online assessment (which is worth nothing lets be honest) in June. That would have been it until Sep, where I'd have taught him from Sep - Dec from a distance, behind a mask, not taking up any work from him in class, just uploads to Teams, no Christmas test, losing class time due to sanitising, moving around base rooms etc. Now online again. I would hardly know your son.

Compare that to the class of 2020 who had a full year and a half of undisturbed teaching. They had a 5th year summer and Christmas exam, they had a mock exam.

I don't have 6th years this year. So I can't say any of this for sure, but I do not believe that predicted grades would be the best option for the class of 2021

Mrsmum

History Queen wrote: »

Agreed re level playing field. Predicted grades will not fix that. Adjusting the exam papers will.

I think they will have to give lots of choice in the questions but then you could have so much choice as to make the exam almost too easy.

TexasTornado

I think we'll now see teachers, SNA's, school bus drivers etc.. all bumped up the list and vaccinated quick smart. I always found it weird that the government said it was a priority to keep schools open and they where so far down their priorities. Get it done and hopefully we'll see them open up again by end of Feb start of March.

downthemiddle

History Queen wrote: »

Teachers are 11 on a list of 14 I think?

Just behind lorry drivers because being in a cab on your own is clearly more dangerous than working in the safest environment on the planet.

History Queen

Mrsmum wrote: »

I think they will have to give lots of choice in the questions but then you could have so much choice as to make the exam almost too easy.

There is more choice in both of my subjects (I can't speak for other subjects), I'm relatively happy with the adjustments made.

Tippex

History Queen wrote: »

Agreed re level playing field. Predicted grades will not fix that. Adjusting the exam papers will.

Totally agree on that but honestly I’ve no confidence in the department doing that.

Bananaleaf

Mrsmum wrote: »

I think they will have to give lots of choice in the questions but then you could have so much choice as to make the exam almost too easy.

Or too hard, with indecisive students ending up wasting too much time

History Queen

Tippex wrote: »

Totally agree on that but honestly I’ve no confidence in the department doing that.

They have already made changes to the papers.

appledrop

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

One of the best things you could do for her handwriting is work on her fine motor skills - loads of ideas for this online but basically it's strengthening hand muscles. Play dough, cutting and sticking, threading beads etc.

Buy some fancy stationery too and let her make cards to send to grandparents etc. Lots of reading and work with sight words/phonics is great as well.

You can access all curriculum documents online for free but it's not the most accessible thing to read.

I'd be following this advice and make everything fun and forget about seesaw + telling her she has to do her schoolwork. Cards are the way to go for her handwriting. Whoever it is she is closet to and can't see make the card + send it. Doesn't matter what she can write on it main thing is she is trying.

For maths again relate it to normal things your doing or games. For example my 4 year old loves kerpluck. Loads of maths in it as we both have to count numbers of balls that fall down for each of us and add them up.

I always find with that age group if they are disinterested the key is for them to not think they are doing 'school work' and you will get more out off them.

thomasdylan

History Queen wrote: »

Teachers are 11 on a list of 14 I think?

11 out of 14 but probably still one of the highest groups outside of healthcare workers and the most at risk..


How many groups do people here think teachers should be moved ahead of?

There are only one group of people in Ireland with experience in introducing vaccines and vaccine programmes and that is public health. The order might change but they should be the ones to change it based on the evidence they have.

expectationlost

Josepha Madigan and Norma Foley today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19KotloFVxA

Mrsmum

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Or too hard, with indecisive students ending up wasting too much time

Maybe. But alot of choice can make the mediocre to good student appear as good as the really good student, no ? And since they are all basically competing for points, that's a bit of an issue.

khalessi

thomasdylan wrote: »

11 out of 14 but probably still one of the highest groups outside of healthcare workers and the most at risk..


How many groups do people here think teachers should be moved ahead of?

There are only one group of people in Ireland with experience in introducing vaccines and vaccine programmes and that is public health. The order might change but they should be the ones to change it based on the evidence they have.

The government keep telling people schools are essential and yet it will be the school year of 21/22 before they inject school staff, a full school year and a bit.

That is a bit of a mixed message putting them down the bottom.

Oh btw even though I am a teacher I might not be able to have the injection but I think it should be prioritised.

Bananaleaf

Mrsmum wrote: »

Maybe. But alot of choice can make the mediocre to good student appear as good as the really good student, no ? And since they are all basically competing for points, that's a bit of an issue.

I don't know. It depends on the subject I guess. With English and Language (my subjects) it won't make a difference but with other subjects maybe it is an issue.

I would think that less choice and less material in general is the way to go

thomasdylan

khalessi wrote: »

The government keep telling people schools are essential and yet it will be the school year of 21/22 before they inject school staff, a full school year and a bit.

That is a bit of a mixed message putting them down the bottom.

Oh btw even though I am a teacher I might not be able to have the injection but I think it should be prioritised.

I think public health have the be the ones to make this decision. I don't think groups should be moved based on lobbying from groups or unions. (One of which had a questionable history regarding vaccinations)

khalessi

thomasdylan wrote: »

I think public health have the be the ones to make this decision. I don't think groups should be moved based on lobbying from groups or unions. (One of which had a questionable history regarding vaccinations)

I am not asking you where you think we should go, but whether you think it is a mixed message, yes you are essential but at bottom of list.

I always find it interesting when people come ask others for opinions but never give any of their own because it isnt in the national interest or an ecumenical matter or whatever.

St.Spodo

Do we think the school closures will include all schools and pupils, or will there be some exceptions for children of frontline workers, exam students, special ed schools?

jimmytwotimes 2013

thomasdylan wrote: »

How many groups do people here think teachers should be moved ahead of?

When you take up fishing?

St.Spodo

St.Spodo wrote: »

Do we think the school closures will include all schools and pupils, or will there be some exceptions for children of frontline workers, exam students, special ed schools?

Didn’t they say, or at least strongly imply, that children of frontline and essential workers will be able to attend this time around, at least at primary level (like in the UK and as it should have been from the outset). Don’t know about special ed though.

thomasdylan

khalessi wrote: »

I am not asking you where you think we should go, but whether you think it is a mixed message, yes you are essential but at bottom of list.

I always find it interesting when people come ask others for opinions but never give any of their own because it isnt in the national interest or an ecumenical matter or whatever.

I think you have to defer to the experts on this. I'm not the one saying it should be changed because I've no experience in vaccination programmes

But I do think that one of the groups ahead of teachers has very loose entry requirements that could be tightened otherwise it could include lots of people who probably don't need to be vaccinated as priority.

thomasdylan

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

When you take up fishing?

I think it's a reasonable question.

11th out of 14 sounds bad if you don't have a look at the groups themselves and numbers in each.

Bananaleaf

St.Spodo wrote: »

Do we think the school closures will include all schools and pupils, or will there be some exceptions for children of frontline workers, exam students, special ed schools?

It was apparently leaked by someone in govt that it is a partial return, yes but nothing more detailed that so could be any combination of the above. Or none. Or all.

Bananaleaf

Deleted User wrote: »

Didn’t they say, or at least strongly imply, that children of frontline and essential workers will be able to attend this time around, at least at primary level (like in the UK and as it should have been from the outset). Don’t know about special ed though.

That was for the creches

khalessi

thomasdylan wrote: »

I think it's a reasonable question.

11th out of 14 sounds bad if you don't have a look at the groups themselves and numbers in each.

My issue is them saying schools are safe, and Micheal has said they are safe for children.

He is incorrect but they also are workplaces with adults in them and it is not safe for them.

I know now schools might be closed but if they were left open, that would be a full school year leaving people at risk and then into the next year. Ridiculous

alroley

Bananaleaf wrote: »

It was apparently leaked by someone in govt that it is a partial return, yes but nothing more detailed that so could be any combination of the above. Or none. Or all.

Link?

Bananaleaf

alroley wrote: »

Link?

oh now, I will have to go searching. It wasn't any official news source, which is why I said apparently, but I definitely saw something. Will have a look around

Bananaleaf

Bananaleaf wrote: »

That was for the creches

Okay. My bad. I’d heard the arrangements being equated to the UK, and so had assumed would include at least primary

alroley

I would expect to see primary school children of essential workers in school, but I can't see exam years in next week. That would be hundreds of teens/young adults still coming to each school and mixing.

zeebre12

alroley wrote: »

I would expect to see primary school children of essential workers in school, but I can't see exam years in next week. That would be hundreds of teens/young adults still coming to each school and mixing.

How does that work then? The teacher has to teach them for the day and then have 'online learning' for the students who are not in school?

sabat

khalessi wrote: »

My issue is them saying schools are safe, and Micheal has said they are safe for children.

He is incorrect but they also are workplaces with adults in them and it is not safe for them.

Do you have the precise probability of a teacher contracting covid19 in a classroom and subsequently dying please? So we can judge exactly what "not safe" means...

alroley

zeebre12 wrote: »

How does that work then? The teacher has to teach them for the day and then have 'online learning' for the students who are not in school?

I have no idea and I am not saying it is a good idea, but it is what the opposition has asked for and it is what other countries are doing, so I can see our government going with that.

alroley

sabat wrote: »

Do you have the precise probability of a teacher contracting covid19 in a classroom and subsequently dying please? So we can judge exactly what "not safe" means...

Being in an overcrowded, small, badly ventilated room with 30+ unmasked people while a virus that has been described as "rampant" by the HSE is not safe.

khalessi

sabat wrote: »

Do you have the precise probability of a teacher contracting covid19 in a classroom and subsequently dying please? So we can judge exactly what "not safe" means...

Nope but according to FOI over 6000 teachers in Spetember and October of 15% of the workforce were absent due to Covid related matters.