Back to School during the pandemic ...a discussion thread

[Disneylover99]

About virtual school, many teachers “volunteered” to virtual school placement without training. I have elearning training but the elearning platform gets updated regularly. I am not familiar with many new features being offered now. Having teachers onsite teaching virtually makes it easier to provide tech support in person. When I was having trouble using Brightspace D2L in June, I had to wait for a day or two to get responses from IT. That was not helpful at all. Virtual school has it’s own platform. It’s not just using Google Classroom or Google Meet. This may be the reason why teachers at virtual school without medical accommodations have to go onsite to teach. And we have no clue where these sites would be yet.

This Is my stress for the day. The survey that’s due at midnight. I have to decide between going virtual or teaching a class at school. I really wish we knew where the site locations are. And I’ve been researching BrightSpace like crazy, but it’s a lot to figure out, especially without having a teacher assignment. Many teachers won’t get their assignments until a day or two before the students start.

 

[bankr63]

For online teaching?!? No. No they’re not at the school.

Actually in Ottawa (OCDSB), and I believe across Ontario, they ARE at school or other board facilities. Teachers are required by their contract to be on board property. Online teaching will be from schools unless the schools are physically closed by Public Health. They were at home after March last year because the schools were closed by government order, like so many other places of business and public facilities, but that was not a board decision.
My point above was that teachers don't necessarily NEED to be at school. There are no resources necessary for online learning in my wife's classroom. All of her teaching manipulatives and books and other resources have had to be removed from her classroom anyway. Online education requires a different kind of resource, and they are all electronic. These teaching resources can be accessed virtually from anywhere. She has a large library of electronic resources build up over the years (at her own expense, of course, although the federal government does allow teachers a tax deduction for the expense, so she doesn't pay income tax on all the money she spends on classroom resources - sorry, that's a bit OT), that she relied on even more heavily from March 2020 as they were better suited to the online delivery style. Those resources are on our server here at home, and on a portable drive that travels to and from school every day with her.

 

[mshanson3121]

We have many custodians with extra hired to do the cleaning to make it safe. Hospitals, retirement homes, grocery stores and other essential places of employment answered the bell....no questions asked. The teachers have their resources at their school. There is no reason on why they cannot go To their school when everyone else in higher risk areas Manage to do that. I would hope that 90% of the teachers will be glad to do this.

1. Unless the custodians can suck the virus from the breathe of those who are also in the building, then it will never be without some amount of risk.
2. Just because custodians are hired, doesn't mean they actually do their job. Example: there is a dust bunny under my husband's desk that has not been cleaned for 2 years now, despite adequate custodial staffing. At this point DH is leaving it there just to see how long they will go before cleaning the floors. They also haven't cleaned the bookshelves in several years. DH does it himself.

Teachers resources are in the school, not in their homes. That is my point. If no one is in the schools I am sure that there will be cutbacks and layoffs. I am sure that the union would not want that. Just why would a teacher not want to go where they work when it is safe. There must be some reason. As A Taxpayer it is a very reasonable question. It is not asking for much.

You clearly have no clue on how any of this works. Nope, they don't layoff teachers who are working from home, just because the school is empty during a pandemic. Why? Because they're still doing their job. Also, because legally, they can't.

Yes, but online teachers are onsite. I just don’t understand the resources argument. There are online whiteboards, flipcharts, etc. Online resources are, well, online. Most teachers use their personal (non tax deductible) tech to deliver online curriculum. The argument makes zero sense.

You're arguing with someone who has no clue about teaching or the education profession.

In all honesty, this type of thinking is why some people are upset with teachers. Teachers have fared out very well in their negotiations with the previous governments but some always think that they are picked on.

Spoken by someone who quite frankly doesn't have two sweet clues what they're talking about or what teachers go through or what their job entails.

 

[mshanson3121]

DH returned to work (provincial community college) Monday. Their delivery mode is going to be fully online as of October. Once they go fully online they are allowed to work from wherever they want, home or school, management doesn't care as long as the job gets done. They actually prefer people work from home as much as possible as it reduces risk for the entire college staff and whatever students will be there (some classes are doing a rotation of one day a week in class). DH plans to split his time between home and college. There will be times he needs his Smart Board so he'll go into the school for those classes. Otherwise, he will work from home, because why wouldn't it when he has everything he needs here for those classes?

 

[ottawamom]

This thread is getting a "little" heated. Please people, there are ways to express ones opinion without attacking others. Use your language skills and Everyone dial it back a bit!

 

[Madame]

Actually in Ottawa (OCDSB), and I believe across Ontario, they ARE at school or other board facilities. Teachers are required by their contract to be on board property. Online teaching will be from schools unless the schools are physically closed by Public Health. They were at home after March last year because the schools were closed by government order, like so many other places of business and public facilities, but that was not a board decision.
My point above was that teachers don't necessarily NEED to be at school. There are no resources necessary for online learning in my wife's classroom. All of her teaching manipulatives and books and other resources have had to be removed from her classroom anyway. Online education requires a different kind of resource, and they are all electronic. These teaching resources can be accessed virtually from anywhere. She has a large library of electronic resources build up over the years (at her own expense, of course, although the federal government does allow teachers a tax deduction for the expense, so she doesn't pay income tax on all the money she spends on classroom resources - sorry, that's a bit OT), that she relied on even more heavily from March 2020 as they were better suited to the online delivery style. Those resources are on our server here at home, and on a portable drive that travels to and from school every day with her.

Yes I was referencing the resources being at school, not the teachers.

 

[bankr63]

So DW finally got her teaching assignment yesterday, and will be back in her usual classroom with her usual homeroom class assignment once the desks that were recently removed have been restored. It was a big win and a great relief to find out. Now, keep in mind that students were originally supposed to be starting yesterday. Now the focus is on coming up with teaching plans for all of the subjects that she has not previously taught as her school had specialists for several subjects.
Science will be a challenge as her school has only one class set of science textbooks that were previously shared by all classes. So no textbooks this year.
Also, the Fire Marshall apparently has told the school that they are not allowed to use any of the fire exit doors as entrances to the school as the hand sanitizing stations are a hazard in the entryways, so the school will only be allowed to use the 2 main entrances to bring students into the school. They had planned to assign different cohort groupings to different doors. Seems pretty counter-intuitive, but I guess if an evacuation were required then you would want those doors completely clear. Not sure it is the greater need here though.

 

[bankr63]

In all honesty, this type of thinking is why some people are upset with teachers. Teachers have fared out very well in their negotiations with the previous governments but some always think that they are picked on.

I would respectfully disagree with this. DW is a teacher, which required an undergrad degree and then her teacher degree post-grad. She has never been on the sunshine list. In Ottawa, OC Transpo bus drivers often make the sunshine list. I cannot think of any other career where a post-graduate degree gets such a lousy salary. I have a college diploma and have been on the sunshine list for years, and I do NOT feel that I am overpaid for my work, as all of my fellow employees at my middle-management level are also on the list. I might add that I used to make a fair bit more in the private sector, but suffer the lousy wages of public sector because the work is very fulfilling. I work in health and enjoy trying to make a difference in people's lives, something that is the calling that most teachers also answer to.
Teachers bargain hard every round, but it is usually for concessions that benefit students as much or more than themselves. Teachers fight for better education, not for increased wages. That is why teaching salaries have not come anywhere near to keeping up with inflation. Governments also try each round to strip away concessions bargained into previous agreements, blind to the fact that it was a negotiated settlement and that teachers' unions already made concessions for those that were won and are now being stripped away. It is really more a story that the government tries constantly to whittle away while the teachers are just trying to maintain. Eventually I would expect teaching to be a profession like it is in parts of the United States where many teachers have to take extra jobs just to make ends meet.

ETA: read a bit more here for an excellent teacher's perspective: http://itsdilovely.com/2020/09/01/heres-why-ontario-teachers-unions-are-still-fighting-doug-ford/

 

[Iralyn]

There is so much variation from board to board and even school to school thet it is a bit crazy. For my board I *think* remote learning teachers can opt for in school or work from home (that was the initial plan). For instance one of my colleagues has spotty internet so she opted for in school and another has a health issue so she has been given the okay to teach remotely ftom home.

 

[Madame]

This thread is getting a "little" heated. Please people, there are ways to express ones opinion without attacking others. Use your language skills and Everyone dial it back a bit!

Sorry about that. It’s a very stressful time for everyone & I see things like below daily & I just want to rage at the craziness. Little things like who works where just seem so ridiculous. Like really? This is what we’re on about?? I will try to have a wait period before I post (I am part Gaelic and a natural redhead so no promises but I will try my best)

 

[hdrolfe]

We got a bit more information from my son's school, there will be quite a few classes, I don't have the number of students but I know they are separating the immersion from non for grade 4/5/6. It looks like a few split classes based on the way the yard is being divided for the kids to play. He was given his teachers names, same French teacher from last year (but it looks like only 1 instead of 2 as last year) plus one English teacher (who will also be math) and who is new to the school. That is kind of good for him too as he has had a rough time in the past, hopefully a bit of a clean slate (he did get along with his French teacher last year that he will have for grade 6). Now to wait... a few more days and he'll be heading off! They asked parents not to come like normal on the first day. We have been having a fun final week before I feel like we will need to be more isolated again, to keep contacts low.

 

[ottawamom]

@Madame , I just don't want someone to get so upset that this thread gets shut down. That wouldn't do anyone any good.

 

[Debbie]

We got a bit more information from my son's school, there will be quite a few classes, I don't have the number of students but I know they are separating the immersion from non for grade 4/5/6. It looks like a few split classes based on the way the yard is being divided for the kids to play. He was given his teachers names, same French teacher from last year (but it looks like only 1 instead of 2 as last year) plus one English teacher (who will also be math) and who is new to the school. That is kind of good for him too as he has had a rough time in the past, hopefully a bit of a clean slate (he did get along with his French teacher last year that he will have for grade 6). Now to wait... a few more days and he'll be heading off! They asked parents not to come like normal on the first day. We have been having a fun final week before I feel like we will need to be more isolated again, to keep contacts low.

I think that with this positive attitude rubbing off on your kidlet, and the new teacher, things will be better than last. Fingers crossed for both of you.

 

[Minniemoo15]

I just finished my first week back as a Kindergarten teacher in NB. It was just preparing and PD this week and the kids start coming Tuesday (staggered entry). I feel fantastic about our province’s response and our own school plan. It’s a wonderful balance between keeping things as normal for our kids as possible while still being incredibly safe. Of course nothing is without risk, but hours and hours and hours have gone into these plans and it shows. We had a school supply drive-through drop off earlier this week and the sheer joy of the kids who were cheering, waving, smiling in the backseats made me quite emotional. I feel so lucky to be a NB teacher (and parent) right now and that we are able to give our kids a somewhat sense of normalcy.

Now to enjoy this beautiful long weekend before the real excitement (and exhaustion!) hits next week!

 

[scrappinginontario]

So your friend is expecting to supervisor her kids and help them with their online learning while teaching remotely? That’s not right. She can’t just drop what she’s teaching to go deal with her own kids. That’s not fair to her students.

This is not at all what I said so please don’t put words into my mouth.

My daughter is 11yo and I have successfully worked from home for almost 6 months while she completed school work for 4 of those months and then did a little school plus other things the past 2 months.

My friend who is a teacher is in the same situation. Her children are also 11 and will be in Grade 6. At this age our children are fully capable of going online, participating in class and completing their schoolwork almost 100% independently. What they cannot do is be asked to be home alone 40+ hours a week while parents leave the home for work. Teaching virtually allows my friend the opportunity to successfully complete her job as a teacher while at the same time being an adult in the home so that her children are not alone.

Many parents have successfully navigated this over the past 6 months and many will continue to. I applaud all parents who are learning to successfully function well as an employee while at the same time caring for the needs of their family during these unprecedented times!!

 

[quandrea]

This is not at all what I said so please don’t put words into my mouth.

My daughter is 11yo and I have successfully worked from home for almost 6 months while she completed school work for 4 of those months and then did a little school plus other things the past 2 months.

My friend who is a teacher is in the same situation. Her children are also 11 and will be in Grade 6. At this age our children are fully capable of going online, participating in class and completing their schoolwork almost 100% independently. What they cannot do is be asked to be home alone 40+ hours a week while parents leave the home for work. Teaching virtually allows my friend the opportunity to successfully complete her job as a teacher while at the same time being an adult in the home so that her children are not alone.

Many parents have successfully navigated this over the past 6 months and many will continue to. I applaud all parents who are learning to successfully function well as an employee while at the same time caring for the needs of their family during these unprecedented times!!

Agree with you wholeheartedly. I too have eleven year olds. While they can’t be home alone yet, they are fully capable of learning on their own through the day (we homeschool) and they can take care of their own needs. They simply need an adult home in case of an emergency.

What has struck me through this whole mess is how much we underestimate our children. All I hear is, “He/She can’t work independently, learn online, set his/her own goals/agenda.” The fact is, no one has tried yet. Remote learning could be an excellent learning opportunity for so many kids. A chance to be self directed, learn a new way of doing things, mature. Through all this, I’ve heard nothing but what can’t be done, rather than turning the situation on its head and approaching things with a can do attitude.

The government’s approach has been that synchronous learning is the be all and end all in online learning. I actually think the synchronous learning piece is what threatens to make this remote experience fail. The beauty of online learning is its ability to afford the learner freedom. Freedom to work any time and any where. Freedom to set the pace. Freedom to ask the questions he or she has. Freedom to not have to wait while others catch up. Synchronous learning kills all that.

I wish everyone the best of luck as they return to school. I’ve been following this all closely even though my kids are not in the system. I’m an educator and I find it all fascinating, if disappointing. We shall see what the coming weeks hold.

 

[hdrolfe]

@quandrea this is why my son wouldn't do the online version, he wants to be able to go at his own pace. He is 10 and has adhd so has a hard time sitting and focusing on things unless it is something that he really enjoys. He asked to go back to school so he will be but I am prepared to pull him out.

Yes, I work from home and have since March, he didnt do any of the learning in March. If school doesn't go well I will remove him and not do the online version. He has learned a lot over the past 6 months, but not the stuff he is "supposed to". I would rather he learn the things that interest him, they often come with math and science and vocabulary associated. I have found ways to help him with his interests, including library books and the Aviation Museum. While still working. If he was younger, this would have been a lot harder to do.

This year is going to be interesting as it plays out.

 

[tgropp]

1. Unless the custodians can suck the virus from the breathe of those who are also in the building, then it will never be without some amount of risk.
2. Just because custodians are hired, doesn't mean they actually do their job. Example: there is a dust bunny under my husband's desk that has not been cleaned for 2 years now, despite adequate custodial staffing. At this point DH is leaving it there just to see how long they will go before cleaning the floors. They also haven't cleaned the bookshelves in several years. DH does it himself.



You clearly have no clue on how any of this works. Nope, they don't layoff teachers who are working from home, just because the school is empty during a pandemic. Why? Because they're still doing their job. Also, because legally, they can't.


You're arguing with someone who has no clue about teaching or the education profession.




Spoken by someone who quite frankly doesn't have two sweet clues what they're talking about or what teachers go through or what their job entails.

I have edited this after Ottawamoms plea. I always thought For someone to Personally insult another persons character speaks volumes of that person.

 

[samsteele]

Hoping to side step some of the contention but on Friday was driving by my local high school at 11am after going to post office when school let out for the day. First day of school so some chats and get together expected but what I saw was nuts. While stopped at the lights, watched groups of 15 plus students in waves easily at least 100 students total come out of the front doors. They threw their paper masks on the ground then wrapped arms around one another and passed shared smokes back and forth. They walked touching and hugging and kissing in groups of 15 plus across front lawns of school and through the intersection. Appalling. Almost as if the principal had told them to social distance when they left and 90% did the exact opposite in defiance. I try to remember being 13 to 16 yrs old. I just can't connect with this kind of stupid. When I walked home from high school, I either walked by myself or with my best friend. Think Stranger Things in tiny small village Ontario. We had a 20 min walk to our homes and knew we had 2 hrs of homework plus yard work and household chores to do before sleep. We never left in mass exodus of 25 plus huggy buddies touching and smoking together. And if my government and parents had told me that we had to keep our distance or would risk our grandparents and parents lives, I would have been shocked into compliance and prob would have had to change my undies with fright. I just don't understand this kind of stupid defiance. Really hoping my small city in Eastern Ontario is the exception. We've had really good low numbers for the virus since the spring. Now expecting a second wave by October if what I watched is happening across the city. Look, every generation shocks the ones that came before. But this is just awful. How selfish and stupid can some kids be?

 

[mshanson3121]

I have edited this after Ottawamoms plea. I always thought For someone to Personally insult another persons character speaks volumes of that person.

Gotta love the hypocrisy of this post

Though for the record, I didn't say a word about your character. Was just commenting on your lack of knowledge regarding the topic you were speaking of, which was leading you to insult people.