Schools closed until February? (part 3)

Follow_ur_lead

CapriciousOne wrote: »

Is there an age limit on SNAs that I'm not aware of?

No. Not that i'm aware of.

facehugger99

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

..... That is exactly what they have been doing, and have been told to continue doing at the single most dangerous point of this pandemic.

How many lost lives are we talking here exactly?

khalessi

JRant wrote: »

Received the email from the Primary school just there and it's pretty much as expected. A generic weekly list of page numbers to be assigned to the class and work to be uploaded to Seesaw.

It'll be home schooling for the 2 months. Gonna be tough with both of us working full-time but we'll get through it again.

Just wish the DES had put even a tiny bit of effort into standardising the approach. But, in typical Irish fashion it's a shïtshow with the teaching responsibilities placed firmly on the parents again.

Going to be an interesting ride trying to juggle a 2 year old, 6 year old, home school and all while trying to WFH full-time.

Best of luck to all parents out their in a similar position.

EMail them back and ask for further guidance

Icyseanfitz

CapriciousOne wrote: »

Is there an age limit on SNAs that I'm not aware of?

I don't know about special schools, but as a mainstream SNA, we received a single box of face masks between a number of us, one box since we returned. And a face shield each. Thats it.

KrustyUCC

History Queen wrote: »

Is this happening in a school or your personal suggestion? Maybe I'm missing something but it seems unworkable. Also lecturing is a poor methodology for 1st and 2nd years, particularly online.

It's a first look in a big secondary school in Cork

Its not a fully worked out solution

I prob used the wrong word but probably online classes for 1st and 2nd years

...Ghost...

Follow_ur_lead wrote: »

Son in special school.

Try harder.

It's fair to say that your view is understandably biased, but I think it is dangerous and I also think it is selfish. I say this as a parent with 2 autistic children of 10 and 7, one of whom needs extra care at school. I also have a teenager supposed to be sitting the LC this year. As mentioned already, my OH is a Teacher in second level and I am a mature full time third level student who has had to endure online lectures and exams which have been made much harder than in previous years because they are open book. Oh and I also work from home.

So, I am looking at this from many angles. My main concern is peoples health. As you mention SNAs specifically, I would suggest that short of being provided HazMat PPE, they would be at too high a risk. Some special needs children are easily managed when you know what you are doing. Some are prone to regular temper tantrums and may spit and kick and run amok. Some need help eating and going to the toilet and forgive me for saying that putting anyone in such a situation (save for healthcare and essential and critical life services) with case numbers being so high is not just irresponsible, it's criminal behaviour.

It would have been a lot easier for myself and my wife this morning to have been able to send our 10 year old to school, or to let him zone out in front of a TV screen, or games console, but my OH sat through 2 hours of torture and emotional blackmail while schoolwork was being done. We all have to make sacrifices, but we should be asked to risk the lives of others because there is a risk of special needs children falling behind and regressing. In these cases, we as parents need to take responsibility and do our best for our children until eventually this nightmare ends. That's my 2 cents on it.

Icyseanfitz

facehugger99 wrote: »

How many lost lives are we talking here exactly?

17 yesterday. Poor people.

John O.Groats

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

Oh be quite

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

You obviously aren't a parent in my school so. Thank god with an attitude like this.

Benimar wrote: »

You are aware that all Primary Schools are on holidays until next monday, as directed by the Government?

For those of you who may not be aware the poster you responded to has a long posting history of anti authority rabble rousing rants and should be completely disregarded.

Leftwaffe

[Deleted User] wrote: »

In a rational world, reduced workload entails reduced pay. Teachers (with the exception of those returning to the classroom to teach Leaving Certs) are not going to receive a huge amount of sympathy throughout the month of January. Those thrust on partial salary or PUP rightly feeling aggrieved by the soft landing of certain entitled public servants reluctant to engage in the online medium. Time for these individuals to take responsibility and stop whining, considering their relatively privileged position compared to many other sectors of society at present.

What are you actually talking about? Reduced workload? Not a clue.

NetChat101

scouserstation wrote: »

If you want to see what it's like to work on the front line spend a day in the life of an icu doctor, nurse, porter, ambulance driver then you might understand what stepping up to the plate means

Apart from it being an extremely unsafe situation for pupils teachers and staff - just take them out of the equation for a second - to open up ANY section of society with numbers out of control, will ultimately make the situations in hospital much worse and for much longer for those doctors and nurses. It won't slow transmission rates as quickly as needed. So its putting everyone at risk.

All they needed to do was give it a couple of weeks to let things settle, then talk about opening schools.

JRant

khalessi wrote: »

EMail them back and ask for further guidance

I did that the last time and received a very polite PFO response. Will certainly try again but fully expect the exact same response.

Dayo93

Could we not shut down education for 3 or 4 weeks and utilise the mid term breaks as catch up, still bring 6th years in and break them into pods and utilise all the teachers in the school to provide them with resources to keep their education going, work out renumeration for secondary teachers to cover the lost holidays

khalessi

JRant wrote: »

I did that the last time and received a very polite PFO response. Will certainly try again but fully expect the exact same response.

What class are your children in, that is causing the issue?

Stateofyou

Follow_ur_lead wrote: »

Ok so just as a comparison. Hundreds of Gardai are currently out due to Covid. They actually have it and not the threat of it. We're not calling for AGS to be shutdown are we? No, because they are frontline.
I fully sympathise and understand what is being asked of teachers and see how difficult it is. 6th years and special needs schools need to remain open though.

Cops can't work from home. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

History Queen

KrustyUCC wrote: »

It's a first look in a big secondary school in Cork

Its not a fully worked out solution

I prob used the wrong word but probably online classes for 1st and 2nd years

Oh ok, I'm still not sure how it can work. In my school for example there are 108 first year students. 3 history teachers, 2 teaching LC. So this suggestion would mean that 1 teacher is responsible for teaching and correcting the work of 108 students, along with her other classes and teaching LC Geography. It's unworkable in our context.

Follow_ur_lead

Stateofyou wrote: »

Cops can't work from home. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Either can teachers though judging by what went on last year.

JRant

khalessi wrote: »

What class are your children in, that is causing the issue?

She's in senior infants this year. Last time around we received the weekly list and the odd comment back on seesaw. She actually got quite upset that she couldn't see her teacher. A brief zoom call every now to check in on her and see how she was doing would have given her a real boost. Unfortunately, there was nothing like that at all for them and this term will be exactly the same.

She'll be well looked after at home and we've already put a schedule in place for her to do the school work with her. At her age I don't expect full time online learning as she's just too young for it. However, she adores her teacher and a simple zoom call every couple of weeks wouldn't have killed them to do.

the kelt

Hmmmm seems to be a lot of new accounts set up to just bash teachers

Loafing Oaf

NetChat101 wrote: »

All they needed to do was give it a couple of weeks to let things settle, then talk about opening schools.

Problem is even taking a few weeks out of the school year jeopardises the Leaving Cert

jimmytwotimes 2013

KrustyUCC wrote: »

For example my friend is a geography teacher

He has 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th

The proposal is for the 1st and 2nd year geography students to do the online lectures from other 1st and 2nd year teachers

Is that ideal? No

But it frees up space in the day

I'm not totally following what you're suggesting.

A teacher wud take another teacher's online class and merge with their own and take an online class of 50-60?

Then the freed teacher takes half a 6th year class on site?

KrustyUCC

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Okay, I can understand why that sounds like it would work, but it can't unless every 2nd year geography class runs at the same time in your friend's school and everyone is working at the same pace, covering the same content (in all subjects, all years because it would have to be across the whole timetable and school) which maybe it does.

In larger schools it doesnt work that way at all. You have the classes on at different times, working to different ability levels and, in the cases of English for example, dealing with different prescribed materials entirely.

I see where you are coming from and that would work if education was one size fits all, generic delivery. But it's not.

Sure but timetables are somewhat meaningless for those not in school

The way he was explaining it is that classes in his school are ranked

Teachers 1 + 2 should have roughly the same covered and students are similar ability

If teacher 1 has a LC class and 2 doesn't then 2 will do classes for other years for teacher 1

It's the same class just sent to more students

Yes its very tough logistically wise but at least they're planning on how to get back teaching

Stateofyou

scouserstation wrote: »

Teachers have lost a lot of respect in my book reading through some of these comments and seeing them throw their toys out of the pram is an embarrassment, I came accross one post calling minister Norma Foley a troll, real mature stuff, its not like they are being asked to go onto the front line and face this virus head on, at a time when other professions are really stepping up to the mark and doing the right thing, teachers will go down in history as letting their country down

As I see it you're the only one throwing the toys out of the pram.

Minister Foley being called a troll is quite tame as far as I'm concerned considering her actions (or lack thereof).

Teachers are being asked to go onto the front line to teach LC students, and no, it is NOT the right thing to do and I believe that in standing up for themselves, their families, and their students who are also scared, history will be kinder to them than this so called government for the people.

I'm a parent.

...Ghost...

facehugger99 wrote: »

How many lost lives are we talking here exactly?

How many is acceptable?

As hospital capacity is exceeded, numbers dying will increase significantly. Watch what happens for the rest of the month. 17 will be a small number by Januarys end.

Follow_ur_lead

the kelt wrote: »

Hmmmm seems to be a lot of new accounts set up to just bash teachers

Show me where the bashing is?

People are allowed to have an opinion which differs to teachers. I spent long enough in school not being allowed to have my own opinion. Doesn't change I suppose.

scouserstation

NetChat101 wrote: »

Apart from it being an extremely unsafe situation for pupils teachers and staff - just take them out of the equation for a second - to open up ANY section of society with numbers out of control, will ultimately make the situations in hospital much worse and for much longer for those doctors and nurses. It won't slow transmission rates as quickly as needed. So its putting everyone at risk.

All they needed to do was give it a couple of weeks to let things settle, then talk about opening schools.

We tryed the whole "let's close the schools for a couple of weeks to flatten the curve" before and look how that turned out, a more sustainable plan was needed this time and I think a happy medium has now been achieved by keeping the LC option on the table and getting special needs schools back open in line with what most civilised countries in europe have done, while no environment is risk free anymore at least we can strive to achieve a workable environment for schools while greatly reducing the movement of people in and around school complexes, a win win situation you would imagine

Stateofyou

Follow_ur_lead wrote: »

The SNAs will have PPE.

The regression of special needs kids far outweighs the risk of covid at their age.

That I know is a selfish statement but that seems to be the order of the day on here.

A cotton facemark is not adequate ppe when working in close contact with other people, especially in light of a new strain 50-70% more infectious.

The regression of special needs kids, while heartbreaking, does not outweigh the risk of covid causing ill health or loss of life to others.

Selfish statement is right, you said it yourself.

am_zarathustra

Follow_ur_lead wrote: »

Son in special school.

Try harder.

That is a very specific set up, not a DEIS school as you were referring to with traditional LC and LCA classes and other classes to cater for.

SpacialNeeds

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

So they cannot even assess the safety of schools, ffs

At present they're only tracking and tracing cases in situations where there is high risk of mortality, ie care homes and other settings with vulnerable people. All other cases will be left for months while they deal with the emergencies.

No way teachers will accept attending school with this going on, and students are already fully intending on striking, so it's just a matter of waiting for the unions to make their announcement late tomorrow.

Stateofyou

scouserstation wrote: »

If you want to see what it's like to work on the front line spend a day in the life of an icu doctor, nurse, porter, ambulance driver then you might understand what stepping up to the plate means

Or you could spend a day on the front line yourself (and one of these teachers here has been a nurse before, so take a seat) facing 50-100 students and their households 3 times a week in small overcrowded classrooms. With people wearing thin cotton facemasks and a more virulent strain circulating, with 8,000 cases a day, facing into the worst crisis of our time.

Bet you'd be scared.

Icyseanfitz

Follow_ur_lead wrote: »

Show me where the bashing is?

People are allowed to have an opinion which differs to teachers. I spent long enough in school not being allowed to have my own opinion. Doesn't change I suppose.

I doubt there's anyone who thinks having 60k students and the 10s of thousands of staff moving to and from schools (different counties and localities) at the height of the pandemic in Ireland, with a strain of covid that is 70% more transmissible, with the hospitals on the verge, is somehow acceptable.