Schools closed until February? (part 3)

deiseindublin

TheValeyard wrote: »

Lot of 6th years are organising a strike.

Who or how?

SSeanSS

KrustyUCC wrote: »

100%

In the UK special need classes never stopped

Even in their latest lockdown school for vulnerable children remain open and the virus is just as prevalent over there

The regression in my two nephews during the lockdown was unreal and is heart breaking

Remote learning cannot work for those with special needs

Now when the government make the correct decision to prioritise education for these most vulnerable of children it looks like many teachers and SNA's won't teach them

It's a tricky one all round

I can't begin to understand how hard it would be for a parent of a child with special needs to be taken out of school. It would be extremely stressful. I also sympathise with teachers and sna's as they are putting their health at risk by being required to go to school.

km79

TheValeyard wrote: »

Lot of 6th years are organising a strike.

Well nobody seen that coming ..............a pure and utter sht show

History Queen

Barbeapapa wrote: »

My 6th year student daughter is appreciative of the chance for in-person classes, and a chance to finish projects (thanks to the poster several pages back who suggested that this may not be the case for LC students) but she is crushed by the idea that she is just an exam number (not even an exam result - to be that they would have to take into account the circumstances of covid v schooling) to her government.

She wants (as do her classmates) the Leaving Cert Exam to go ahead in a way that acknowledges their massively curtailed leaning experience over these two years.

She feels Norma Foley and her party are papering over the massive deficits in their leaving cert experience by providing "three days a week in class".

And that is the crux of their upset.

NF and MM imply with great pride that they will hold the leaving cert exams as usual...in other words with NO CONCESSIONS made for these LC students of 2021 who have had a rough time of it. It is all about Fine Fail saving face.

My daughter is a good, diligent student. She has worked consistently throughout but accepts she will not do as well as she would have hoped pre Covid. Her intended course has fairly low points so it is not a case of not getting what she wants. It is a case of the injustice of these young people being used as scapegoats for the Fine Fail ego.

Most schools will not finish the leaving cert course but the exams will encompass the whole course....14 years of diligently working to be unfairly fettered for the last two is what is justifiably bothering the LC21 class.

I don't get how this is difficult for people to grasp.

I'm not diminishing your post just wanted to offer some reassurance to your daughter that changes have been made to exam papers already to accommodate not finishing courses. (I expect more adjustments if distance learning for a prolonged period) Also some subjects are not as behind as they think due to schools having very little extra curricular/class trips etc that usually cause lost classroom time during the year. Best wishes to her and you. It is a very stressful time.

Bananaleaf

In response to those asking about the student strike, I was sent this

History Queen

Bananaleaf wrote: »

In response to those asking about the student strike, I was sent this

I can't believe they are looking for predicted grades after last year's ****show.... seriously!

Mrsmum

My son tells me his social media from his school mates is buzzing about boycotting school and demanding the LC be cancelled again. They might want the same as teachers regarding not going to school at the moment but have very different agendas.

Midlife

Barbeapapa wrote: »

My 6th year student daughter is appreciative of the chance for in-person classes, and a chance to finish projects (thanks to the poster several pages back who suggested that this may not be the case for LC students) but she is crushed by the idea that she is just an exam number (not even an exam result - to be that they would have to take into account the circumstances of covid v schooling) to her government.

She wants (as do her classmates) the Leaving Cert Exam to go ahead in a way that acknowledges their massively curtailed leaning experience over these two years.

She feels Norma Foley and her party are papering over the massive deficits in their leaving cert experience by providing "three days a week in class".

And that is the crux of their upset.

NF and MM imply with great pride that they will hold the leaving cert exams as usual...in other words with NO CONCESSIONS made for these LC students of 2021 who have had a rough time of it. It is all about Fine Fail saving face.

My daughter is a good, diligent student. She has worked consistently throughout but accepts she will not do as well as she would have hoped pre Covid. Her intended course has fairly low points so it is not a case of not getting what she wants. It is a case of the injustice of these young people being used as scapegoats for the Fine Fail ego.

Most schools will not finish the leaving cert course but the exams will encompass the whole course....14 years of diligently working to be unfairly fettered for the last two is what is justifiably bothering the LC21 class.

I don't get how this is difficult for people to grasp.

Also don't forget the bell curve. Notwithstanding the difficulty of the experience for current sixth years or the relative advantage to some schools over others when it comes to online learning, the grades will be distributed over the standard bell curve. She just needs to finish relatively well compared to peers and any diligent student has a huge advantage vrs the spoon-fed.

Good luck with it all. Best wishes.

KrustyUCC

SSeanSS wrote: »

I can't begin to understand how hard it would be for a parent of a child with special needs to be taken out of school. It would be extremely stressful. I also sympathise with teachers and sna's as they are putting their health at risk by being required to go to school.

Yes that's the tricky part

It's no more risky for teachers and SNA's over here than in the UK though

SSeanSS

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Yes that's the tricky part

It's no more risky for teachers and SNA's over here than in the UK though

True, but that still does not make it acceptable.

Icyseanfitz

History Queen wrote: »

I can't believe they are looking for predicted grades after last year's ****show.... seriously!

I actually understand the want for predicted grading considering how much they missed last year and now this year as well, on top of the chance the government could just pull the chain on the lc if things don't get better.

Mrsmum

History Queen wrote: »

I can't believe they are looking for predicted grades after last year's ****show.... seriously!

I imagine what they see is that most students did fantastically well last year and most got college courses they might never have got by doing the exam. Might n't be true but that's the perception.

MerlinSouthDub

SSeanSS wrote: »

True, but that still does not make it acceptable.

There is no perfect solution. Many tens of thousands of people will go to work next week, in much riskier conditions than teachers. Reducing numbers to special needs and 6th year students seems like a pretty balanced, low risk approach to me. It is not risk free but nothing is right now.

History Queen

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

I actually understand the want for predicted grading considering how much they missed last year and now this year as well, on top of the chance the government could just pull the chain on the lc if things don't get better.

But what will their predicted grades be based on?

The HorsesMouth

MerlinSouthDub wrote: »

There is no perfect solution. Many tens of thousands of people will go to work next week, in much riskier conditions than teachers. Reducing numbers to special needs and 6th year students seems like a pretty balanced, low risk approach to me. It is not risk free but nothing is right now.

Tell me someone who works in a small room with 25 other people at this moment in time with little more than cotton masks?

Icyseanfitz

History Queen wrote: »

But what will their predicted grades be based on?

If they made the decision to go that way now projects and tests could be done over the next number of months.

History Queen

Mrsmum wrote: »

I imagine what they see is that most students did fantastically well last year and most got college courses they might never have got by doing the exam. Might n't be true but that's the perception.

Is that truely the perception? Huge amount of disappointment in my circles. Most got college places but not first choices. Huge amount of disappointment and anger at being marked down too. I honestly thought the farce of it was well known. Obviously not. Saying that will teachers agree to it this time after being hung out to dry by the Department last year?

babybuilder

The HorsesMouth wrote: »

Tell me someone who works in a small room with 25 other people at this moment in time with little more than cotton masks?

Also, in less than well ventilated rooms. Riding rough shod over the health and safety of staff is deplorable. If schools are safe why aren't all students back?

History Queen

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

If they made the decision to go that way now projects and tests could be done over the next number of months.

Last time once the decision was made we were allowed no more contact with students for fear of undue influence.

Edit: i couldn't say a proper goodbye to my class. I really resented it.

Ciano35

babybuilder wrote: »

Also, in less than well ventilated rooms. Riding rough shod over the health and safety of staff is deplorable. If schools are safe why aren't all students back?

And that have just had their cleaning budget cut 40%.

Mrsmum

History Queen wrote: »

But what will their predicted grades be based on?

Genuine question - were last year's predicted grades based heavily on the mocks ? And are there not going to be any mocks this year ? Because the only thing last year's cohort did that this year's didn't do yet was the mocks, no ?

alroley

Mrsmum wrote: »

Genuine question - were last year's predicted grades based heavily on the mocks ? And are there not going to be any mocks this year ? Because the only thing last year's cohort did that this year's didn't do yet was the mocks, no ?

DES specifically stated not to consider the mocks too much when calculating a grade.

History Queen

Mrsmum wrote: »

Genuine question - were last year's predicted grades based heavily on the mocks ? And are there not going to be any mocks this year ? Because the only thing last year's cohort did that this year's didn't do yet was the mocks, no ?

No not heavily based on mocksbut they were in the mix. This years cohort didn't do summer exams last year. Or class tests after lockdown March to May. Or mocks yet. (I mean under exam conditions, they had assessments but they're essentially open book when done online)

Mrsmum

History Queen wrote: »

Is that truely the perception? Huge amount of disappointment in my circles. Most got college places but not first choices. Huge amount of disappointment and anger at being marked down too. I honestly thought the farce of it was well known. Obviously not. Saying that will teachers agree to it this time after being hung out to dry by the Department last year?

I suppose it depends on who you know, definately the perception where I live. Great results altogether. I also have a nephew and niece that got nearly 600 points each, a good few points above their expectations.

Locotastic

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Yes that's the tricky part

It's no more risky for teachers and SNA's over here than in the UK though

Except what happens here is that teachers and SNAs are expected to return next week while their own children's schools are closed.

What are they supposed to do? Not very practical for them in fairness.

MerlinSouthDub

The HorsesMouth wrote: »

Tell me someone who works in a small room with 25 other people at this moment in time with little more than cotton masks?

Lots of Manufacturing, hospitals. I’d agree they should provide surgical quality masks. And there should be sports halls etc available to avoid cramming into a small room.

Mrsmum

History Queen wrote: »

No not heavily based on mocksbut they were in the mix. This years cohort didn't do summer exams last year. Or class tests after lockdown March to May. Or mocks yet. (I mean under exam conditions, they had assessments but they're essentially open book when done online)

But they are getting constant class tests in my son's case. What are they all for ? Actually I'm not calling for predicted grades btw. I'm totally unsure what is for the best.

History Queen

Mrsmum wrote: »

But they are getting constant class tests in my son's case. What are they all for ? Actually I'm not calling for predicted grades. I'm totally unsure what is for the best.

But that is literally one term of assessments. To base a predicted grade on from a two year course.

Mrsmum

History Queen wrote: »

But that is literally one term of assessments. To base a predicted grade on from a two year course.

Yeah point well made.

Icyseanfitz

MerlinSouthDub wrote: »

Lots of Manufacturing, hospitals. I’d agree they should provide surgical quality masks. And there should be sports halls etc available to avoid cramming into a small room.

Why are we discussing this stuff again, it mighty have been relevant before Christmas, but now we have a new strain thats 70% more transmissible, and 8k cases a day, with hospitals looking extremely grim over the next month. Its a completely different scenario,

its utter madness having 60k+ 17-19yo students and the 10s of thousands of staff associated with them brought into schools. My school alone has staff from 5 different counties, and a huge outbreak in the locality of the school. The leaving certificate pales in comparison to the issue we currently face.