Schools closed until February? (part 3)

Treppen

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

if the department had put anything resembling a plan together during the period of last march until now we could have had a centralized hub and standardised approach, unfortunately they sat on their asses and went with plan "all in or nothing"

If the department had put together a clear plan then the next step would be providing resources.... aaaaand I'll finish there.

namloc1980

uli84 wrote: »

Level 5 my ass, well my kid is too small to manage remote and we both work full time so not happening in my house

What's not happening in your house??

Sammy2012

thebronze14 wrote: »

That fair enough. There's no perfect solution I'm afraid. Remote learning for now is the best there is imo although it won't suit everyone

I won't lie i had a horrendous experience with online learning from March until June but it had nothing to do with my children. It was to do with my principal and I'm dreading what's coming again this time so I would much rather be closed.

However personal feelings aside I do think that it is the best there is but I really feel we have been let down by the department AGAIN with their lack of planning and a centralised approach.

Loafing Oaf

namloc1980 wrote: »

What's not happening in your house??

They are sending their kid to school on Monday whether there's a teacher there or not

wirelessdude01

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

They are sending their kid to school on Monday whether there's a teacher there or not

I once worked in a school and when there was an election, the parent just dropped their kids to the school gate and headed off to work. Parent was fully aware that school was being used as a polling station. Kid ended up being brought to the local garda station after the mother wouldn't answer her phone. Parents like these aren't exactly setting a great example to their kids.

Bananaleaf

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I once worked in a school and when there was an election, the parent just dropped their kids to the school gate and headed off to work. Parent was fully aware that school was being used as a polling station. Kid ended up being brought to the local garda station after the mother wouldn't answer her phone. Parents like these aren't exactly setting a great example to their kids.

poor kids.

teachinggal123

Sammy2012 wrote: »

I won't lie i had a horrendous experience with online learning from March until June but it had nothing to do with my children. It was to do with my principal and I'm dreading what's coming again this time so I would much rather be closed.

However personal feelings aside I do think that it is the best there is but I really feel we have been let down by the department AGAIN with their lack of planning and a centralised approach.

Me too. I also had a horrific experience with the principal who didn’t support any online learning.

Treppen

Treppen wrote: »

If the department had put together a clear plan then the next step would be providing resources.... aaaaand I'll finish there.

Teaching forum is full of teachers giving out that they are not given the freedom to teach without busy bodies and box ticking.

Now you have the freedom to deliver lessons how you see fit best for the circumstances.

Result, more complaining and wanting the Dept to hold your hand.

BonsaiKitten

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I once worked in a school and when there was an election, the parent just dropped their kids to the school gate and headed off to work. Parent was fully aware that school was being used as a polling station. Kid ended up being brought to the local garda station after the mother wouldn't answer her phone. Parents like these aren't exactly setting a great example to their kids.

Had that once in a school I worked at. It was the end of term, so school finished at midday rather than the usual 2:30 finish. Mother wasn't happy that the school were finishing early and tried to force us into keeping her kid an extra 2 and a half hours.

Don't think the local guards were impressed with her when she rocked up to collect from the station...and I'm sure the kid wasn't either.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Suggestion on news that exam classes might be sent in to school. Did I mishear?

Ray Donovan

salonfire wrote: »

Teaching forum is full of teachers giving out that they are not given the freedom to teach without busy bodies and box ticking.

Now you have the freedom to deliver lessons how you see fit best for the circumstances.

Result, more complaining and wanting the Dept to hold your hand.

Im a teacher and I totally agree with this.

Sammy2012

teachinggal123 wrote: »

Me too. I also had a horrific experience with the principal who didn’t support any online learning.

That wasn't the problem in my workplace teachergal. Different issues altogether. We were online every day after Easter and in touch with the children during school hours every day and I am happy to say that we did our best. I didnt do zoom classes which I do plan on doing them this time in small groups once or twice a week. But other than that there wasn't much more we could do. The issues were more around their unreasonable behaviour and expectations both on the families and with the staff.

Bananaleaf

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Suggestion on news that exam classes might be sent in to school. Did I mishear?

What was said? Can't see anything on the RTE headline articles and didn't have the news on

Loafing Oaf

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Suggestion on news that exam classes might be sent in to school. Did I mishear?

Impression I got from taoiseach's interview today was all classes would be cancelled apart from special needs ones...

Ray Donovan

Does everyone know this exists ya?

https://assets.gov.ie/90252/070614f4-3dff-4489-8e4d-be8cd625999e.pdf

wirelessdude01

Sammy2012 wrote: »

That wasn't the problem in my workplace teachergal. Different issues altogether. We were online every day after Easter and in touch with the children during school hours every day and I am happy to say that we did our best. I didnt do zoom classes which I do plan on doing them this time in small groups once or twice a week. But other than that there wasn't much more we could do. The issues were more around their unreasonable behaviour and expectations both on the families and with the staff.

I know of a principal who during lockdown one expected teachers to upload work three times a day, that every child completed every piece of work and had it uploaded within a certain time frame and that those who didn't comply that the class teacher was to ringthr parent and demand it be uploaded. Some people have zero people skills.

wirelessdude01

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Impression I got from taoiseach's interview today was all classes would be cancelled apart from special needs ones...

RTE seems to use heard different after the cabinet subcommittee meeting today.

Sammy2012

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Does everyone know this exists ya?

https://assets.gov.ie/90252/070614f4-3dff-4489-8e4d-be8cd625999e.pdf

Would you believe that where I work we never even discussed what worked and what didn't during the last shutdown? Not once. We didn't have a staff meeting until the middle of November but had been told in Sept to pick our own online platform and set it up and have it ready to go. 60% of the teaching staff this year were not in our school last year and have been given no other instructions from our principal.

Now I know what I am doing next week and am hoping it will be a short term closure (although the news that NI are closing schools until Feb midterm is worrying) but some teachers really are being hung out to dry.

History Queen

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Does everyone know this exists ya?

https://assets.gov.ie/90252/070614f4-3dff-4489-8e4d-be8cd625999e.pdf

Yes, I'm afraid I don't get your point? Calls for leadership from the Dept is in relation to making sure that what teachers such as teachinggal (for example) or some parents experienced doesn't happen again. Clear guidelines on what level of contact/content is appropriate across the various classes and age groups is needed then teachers,parents and pupils are all on the same page. Guidance needs to clarify the range and diversity of teaching and learning andto recognise the disparity in tech knowledge and resourcesboth in homes and schools. I think it's fair enough to expect this from the Department.

Bananaleaf

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Does everyone know this exists ya?

https://assets.gov.ie/90252/070614f4-3dff-4489-8e4d-be8cd625999e.pdf

I remember reading this when the principal sent it around and as far as I can remember, of all the scenarios they allowed for, there was nothing about the event of a full closure. Unless it has been added since or I missed it at the time - will have a quick look. They never expected to be back here

Sammy2012

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I know of a principal who during lockdown one expected teachers to upload work three times a day, that every child completed every piece of work and had it uploaded within a certain time frame and that those who didn't comply that the class teacher was to ringthr parent and demand it be uploaded. Some people have zero people skills.

This sounds like something my principal was expecting from their class. They wanted us to ring and keep ringing the parents of children who were not engaging but as we are all experienced staff we were able to stand up to them. No people skills is an understatement here!!

daheff

beggars_bush wrote: »

If the lesson plans were for the week, why didn't the work last?
Are your children geniuses?

Anyway, let's hope things improve

The work didn't last because it was so light...and in a lot of cases a revision of pages they had already done in school during the year.

Other work was to do some lessons on free websites. But these were for limited number of free lessons. the teacher had said do 10 maths questions but the site limited it to 5 or so.


And...no interest from the teachers in reviewing work or correcting it. No way to upload it to teacher to check.

And for the whole period of lockdown they had 3 zoom calls in total....3 times in 3.5 months that the teachers talked to their students!!!

History Queen

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I know of a principal who during lockdown one expected teachers to upload work three times a day, that every child completed every piece of work and had it uploaded within a certain time frame and that those who didn't comply that the class teacher was to ringthr parent and demand it be uploaded. Some people have zero people skills.

That's horrendous. Whatever about the teachers (obv not excusing it) , who would put that type of pressure on parents and kids? Idiots!

wirelessdude01

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Does everyone know this exists ya?

https://assets.gov.ie/90252/070614f4-3dff-4489-8e4d-be8cd625999e.pdf

What are we meant to take from it and your post?

The document isn't worth the time of day.

teachinggal123

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Would you believe that where I work we never even discussed what worked and what didn't during the last shutdown? Not once. We didn't have a staff meeting until the middle of November but had been told in Sept to pick our own online platform and set it up and have it ready to go. 60% of the teaching staff this year were not in our school last year and have been given no other instructions from our principal.

Now I know what I am doing next week and am hoping it will be a short term closure (although the news that NI are closing schools until Feb midterm is worrying) but some teachers really are being hung out to dry.

I am not in the slightest bit surprised by this.

Something similar going on in our place, and the principal and many senior staff actively and openly opposing online teaching.

This is going on in many schools and partly explains the forthcoming shhtshow where some teachers will do nothing and look on the next few weeks as an extended holiday. And btw, there will be no consequences for the teacher or school.

touts

Niall Collins just said that the schools will be shut for 6 weeks. When pulled up on it he denied saying it but a quick rewind on Sky+ proved he said 6 weeks. He said it in a way that indicated that was firmly what he had been told.

deiseindublin

@teachinggal123 - you forgot the part of your mantra where you say teacher here will deny it, and then 1000 posters will come in behind and say "Well, you admitted to doing SFA last time yourself", and then you'll say it wasn't your fault.......

We get it, you don't like your school very much, and didn't work very much over lockdown.

Groundhog Day anyone?

C__MC

touts wrote: »

Niall Collins just said that the schools will be shut for 6 weeks. When pulled up on it he denied saying it but a quick rewind on Sky+ proved he said 6 weeks. He said it in a way that indicated that was firmly what he had been told.

Caught that myself alright

Lashes28

Sammy2012 wrote: »

What do you think the kids should be doing on seesaw in Junior Infants? I'm not saying the teacher shouldn't be interacting with the kids but so much work at that age is hands on. I have a junior infant child here at the moment and I have no intention of engaging with seesaw for her if its online.

I have junior and senior infants on seesaw. That's how we got through lockdown last time and in September we have had one/two pieces of homework each week on seesaw so they are no strangers to it. The kids love it. Finding shapes around the house taking pictures and sending them to muinteoir.
The only thing I must do is to buy a printer. There were cut outs to be done last time and my printer died.

Bananaleaf

touts wrote: »

Niall Collins just said that the schools will be shut for 6 weeks. When pulled up on it he denied saying it but a quick rewind on Sky+ proved he said 6 weeks. He said it in a way that indicated that was firmly what he had been told.

what programme was that on?

Tpcl20

Are special schools operating so?

Sammy2012

touts wrote: »

Niall Collins just said that the schools will be shut for 6 weeks. When pulled up on it he denied saying it but a quick rewind on Sky+ proved he said 6 weeks. He said it in a way that indicated that was firmly what he had been told.

I heard that too!! But it would be in line with what the North have just announced!! Unfortunately!

Sammy2012

Bananaleaf wrote: »

what programme was that on?

It was just on Prime time!

jimmytwotimes 2013

Tpcl20 wrote: »

Are special schools operating so?

Wud appear so, 6th yrs possibly going to school too but need to watch the news back cos I thought I was hearing things

C__MC

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Wud appear so, 6th yrs possibly going to school too but need to watch the news back cos I thought I was hearing things

Was stated exam years ; this would imply third years as well.

Bananaleaf

Too soon?

Endintheclowns

So is it all schools for 6 weeks? That's pretty much in line with the north so. I wonder will we finally see co-operation between us after all these months.

Olivia Pope

Could Niall Collins have meant 6 weeks in terms of the Christmas holidays and the rest of January? That's almost 6 weeks.

JP100

teachinggal123 wrote: »

This is going on in many schools and partly explains the forthcoming shhtshow where some teachers will do nothing and look on the next few weeks as an extended holiday.

It's a great job then so that you will be able to control and focus on what you can do and not have to worry about what others are doing or not doing.

thomas 123

JP100 wrote: »

It's a great job then so that you will be able to control and focus on what you can do and not have to worry about what others are doing or not doing.

Public job, public purse, public scrutiny.

wirelessdude01

thomas 123 wrote: »

Public job, public purse, public scrutiny.

Think they meant thst he poster do the job they are employed to do and not hide behind what they claim is going in in their school.

JP100

thomas 123 wrote: »

Public job, public purse, public scrutiny.

And...

Tpcl20

So based on Niall Collins spilling the beans it'll probably be after the Easter break and bank holiday they're back. Tue 23rd Feb. Sense.

wirelessdude01

Tpcl20 wrote: »

So based on Niall Collins spilling the beans it'll probably be after the Easter break and bank holiday they're back. Tue 23rd Feb. Sense.

Since when is February the 22nd a Bank holiday?

Purple Mountain

If schools are going online anyway, they should have decided that last week and started from this Thursday.
Kids have another half week of no structure and thinking they're still in holiday mode.
The quicker we all get into a routine the better.
Also, since this week is still deemed a school holiday, I'm guessing there's no online staff meetings taking place to discuss putting strategies in place for next week.
Government procrastinated for too long.

thomas 123

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Think they meant thst he poster do the job they are employed to do and not hide behind what they claim is going in in their school.

I’m not certain - but the lack of a central plan bothered me in the first lock down, and from what teachers are saying it appears that the dept has still not put together a coherent plan. Feel bad for the kids to be honest.

Fair play to teachers who do there best with this!

thomas 123

JP100 wrote: »

And...

Think I read your post wrong - my apologies.

Edit nope - that teacher(assuming they are a teacher) is correct to call out colleagues who don’t do a thing.

The hear no evil, see no evil mindset is so wrong and especially wrong among the people who teach our future generations.

That being said they should be being told what to do, not “do work online”, the dept had time to plan this.

downthemiddle

teachinggal123 wrote: »

I am not in the slightest bit surprised by this.

Something similar going on in our place, and the principal and many senior staff actively and openly opposing online teaching.

This is going on in many schools and partly explains the forthcoming shhtshow where some teachers will do nothing and look on the next few weeks as an extended holiday. And btw, there will be no consequences for the teacher or school.

Deja vu........all over again.

How many schools? Apart from yourself, how many teachers do you know who did nothing last time?

Leftwaffe

Schools won’t be closed at all if exam classes are in. I’ve only 1 exam class but I’ve multiple resource hours with exams years, I’ll be in there all week. No problem with it buts It’s a half closure that’s all.

Leftwaffe

downthemiddle wrote: »

Deja vu........all over again.

How many schools? Apart from yourself, how many teachers do you know who did nothing last time?

Don’t even bother it’s pointless.