I don't think we are going back on April 14. Yesterday they confirmed 2 cases in my small city, both people in the same family. So because of that the city ordered to ban all large gatherings, etc. until April 30th. I don't remember the details but school with the amount of students definitely falls under that. On top of that as of yesterday the entire state of California is on "shelter in place". The governor said "order" and the media even says "lock down" but it's just a suggestion. You still can leave your house for essentials, (even things like walking your dog, or helping someone) you're just supposed to keep 6 feet.
It wouldn’t be summer school, for us. It’d be an extension of the year because of how many days were missed.
Contacted by the school today. Around 40 kids will still be in (kids of key workers). They have organised a rota system so that there are staff in school to supervise and teach them. They have offered me half a day per week! I like the school so I will take it.
This is not working! I can't control my students. One of my students was on her phone. But I couldn't take it. Another was in her pyjamas - I told her to get dressed, or she would be removed. She never returned. I tried reading a book but I felt no one was listening. They are not engaged
Our governor urged schools to remain closed through 4-20. DH’s district extended their closure through then, and mine extended the closure soon after. I doubt we go back this year.
Our governor extended the closure indefinitely. Most don’t think we will be going back this year. My big concern is getting my own child home! She is a grad student out in California. Although undergrads were told to depart last week, grad students had to wait for word from their PI. Yesterday they were told that it would be weeks or months before the labs would start up. They are free to return home, but they will still receive their stipend. She starts for home tomorrow.
... I guess you haven't worked remotely before. This is common in the business world. In fact, half the time I work from home I never get out of my pajamas (of course, sometimes that's with international meetings late at night). I wouldn't threaten a pajama-wearing student with removal; is it really so bad? I'm sorry you're having a tough time, though.
OMGoodness! They treat teachers horribly in the UK from the experience you are having imo.! Do you have a union? I am guessing they are powerless.
Yes, there are several of us in OH. Last thing I heard is no testing this year. We're out until Apr. 6th officially, but we'll see how that goes. When I went in to do up packets for the kids, our admin was making the first hints of us being out longer, so I think the odds are good. This is the same admin who was insisting we weren't going to close right up until the hour the governor ordered closure, so draw your own conclusions there. If you're wondering about the instructional hours requirement, I can't help you there. I'm at a charter with a longer school day, so we don't worry as much about that. I imagine that will be addressed as we get closer to the 6th and have a better idea of the illness trajectory.
Just been told to stop teaching because we could be violating FAPE AND subject to lawsuits. Friday was the worst; only 8 of my 29 kids were online. I marked 22 absent. I actually made some progress with this smaller class, so Im thinking for next time, if there is a next time, have 4 classes of 7 , each about an hour long, rather than 29 all at once. I scheduled cosmetic surgery next month for spring break now that is on hold too. I can't even get my hair styled. Everything is closed . This vile man told me to back off apparently I was getting too close. My daughter wants to come home from California but she's afraid to fly. My elderly mom keeps calling me during class, so I shut down my phone now. Then she gives me the silent treatment because I didn't respond right way. I don't know what to believe on the TV - that is could be over by summer gives me some hope. Then I hear 18 months. I don't know what to think.
Heard a reporter said we could be asked to stay home until June. I feel for the kids who were looking forward to their graduation ceremony. Hopefully this thing could die down enough to make that happen.
If/when we move to distance learning, I'm wondering what roles each staff member will play especially ancillary staff. How will they fit into the picture?
The school was not obliged to give me any work at all. Supply (sub) teachers are hired through agencies and are paid on a day by day basis. Most subs will be out of work until the schools re-open, probably in September. I am relativly lucky. My pensions pay all of my bills so I don't rely on my sub pay. Other subs are not so fortunate. Regular teachers will be off on full pay. many will be offering education and support online to their students. Some schools are closed to kids but staff are expected to be in.
Thank goodness, you have that! I really do feel bad for the subs who depend on that $. Most of ours don't. They just do it to help us when we are sick or have to be out.
No kidding! lol Last week, I learned more than I have learned in a yr. Every day I kept saying: My brain is full! I seriously could not take in any more new info. I think I have it 1/2 way together now though.
Some of us old folks are pretty good with technology. My biggest adjustment was not being able to interact with the kids and having to sit all day.
I think you have more important problems than worrying about pajamas. As long as they students aren't naked who cares?????
I just received a message on FB messenger from a student at our school. She's not my student, she said she's looking for her teacher, can't get in contact with them. I'm not even using my real last name on FB, how they find me is a mystery. I'm not bothered at all, of course I responded to her. I also had previous students contact me before but always with important questions
"When Christine Tyler, a middle school teacher in Seattle, Washington, learned earlier this month that her children's schools were closing due to the coronavirus, she decided right away that she wouldn't homeschool her two teenagers."
I think we are not going back on April 14th for sure. Finally got an email from our school - they asked us to start thinking about what instruction should look like if we don't go back. (hint 1) Also asked how many of our students have computer and internet access so we can possibly set up long distance learning.(hint 2) I have been asking my students each but haven't recorded the answers, so I would say I probably have 3-4 who has no internet, or some of them might have it on their phones, but not everything works the same like that. As a school, I think we have way too many without internet so I don't see how they would set up online learning. Also thinking about Zoom, we have a few technically very challenged teachers, I don't see how they would have it set up and be comfortable with using. (I mean very challenged lol) We might very well be out for the whole year, they're probably just easing us into it. At the very least I think they'll extend it through the end of April, but after that we only have 5 weeks left. The last week we are closing out files, so it's really only 4 weeks. We are getting more and more confirmed cases, slowly but surely.
While I wouldn't want to question the legal judgement of your administration... I'm questioning the legal judgement of your administration and I'm pretty dubious an actual lawyer told them this. There are things like "best efforts" and "exigent circumstances", and the best way to provide a FAPE if you can't get the ideal is not to refrain from providing any E at all. Of course, you should do whatever your administration says as long as you're not violating the law.
The article says the school district wasn't providing any online learning- parents who were "homeschooling" were making it all up themselves. IMO saying you won't do that is completely different than saying you're not going to have your kids participate in the online learning the district is providing for them.
Well, I guess I got my answer. Though we've been told this is not "vacation", outside of academic packets and kids choosing when and when not to log into various academic distance learning platforms, what else is there to do? Other districts are requiring employees to log into various online platforms to show "documentation" of their attendance.
What we’re doing is using a self-paced blackboard environment. This is something that the high school offers its students. There’s some online-only classes that they offer, some in conjunction with the community college. So we set everything up in this environment. So far it’s been really great. Students can learn at their own pace, the way it’s designed it gets gradually more challenging as you advance. If you reach a point where you’re really struggling, it backs it off a bit and let’s you kind of plateau and get your confidence back up. Then it starts building that challenge again. Teachers have to login at least once per day for at least one hour total. So if they log in for twenty minutes here, twenty minutes there, twenty minutes here that’s acceptable. So far we’ve been having a lot of success with it. Students like that they can kind of pick and choose what they want to do as long as they do something in each of the subject labs each week. Allot of the parents have commented that they really like this online format. And considering we literally threw this together in 48hrs with some major help from the high school guidance team I’d call it a success.
I'm surprised nobody has used the phrase "flipping the classroom". With such positive comments about what has become a necessity, will some of these practices carry on beyond this crisis?
Truthfully, I’m not sure. We kinda went into this not really knowing what to expect, very little planning time. I hate to say it but we kinda winged it a little. There’ definitely some positive feedback, that’s for sure. Who knows? Maybe it’ll become a recurring thing. It’s been talked about but right now that’s basically where we’re at: talk.
Who knows. Some people love novelty. I would like to hear what they say in several weeks as this drags on and the novelty wears off. Also, there is a difference between a learning program when you are not allowed out of the house and one when kids have freedom to move about.
