Schools closed until undetermined date - was March 29th

spurious

OK, we will try this again.

This thread is ONLY to be used for queries regarding closures, or to share information on methods of 'remote working' etc.

There are already schools that were closed last week, does anyone know how are they managing, what are they doing, what is working, what isn't etc, are there any lessons that they have learned that can be shared?

If anyone knows of specific actual GDPR issues, please post them here too.

We have lots of expertise on here regarding different ways of using IT to help in situations like this, please let the thread develop on those lines.

It is NOT for

1. moaning about teacher's wages
2. moaning about teacher's holidays
3. moaning about teachers in general
4. moaning about having to use our own IT equipment - I know, along with many other things, teachers should not have to fund these, but we do and it's not going to change before tomorrow, so however valid, that is an argument for another day.

Please keep posts helpful.

TheValeyard

I've a feeling the amount of teachers using the learning programs, that they will probably come under some strain

Bobtheman

Personally I think teachers should stick to using school emails . Student school email.
I'd be wary of using video or Skype because that can end up being manipulated. Screen shots et
Perhaps goggle classroom but to be honest I ain't that familiar with it.
Hopefully can locate it on my Gmail. Work it from home

cmssjone

For people who have tablets with a stylus I would recommend explain everything. You can make and publish videos to Google classroom etc as well as import, annotate and send back homework.

mirrorwall14

iPads and iPhones have a screen record function (not sure whether androids do). You can have your slide showing or notes will let you draw on the screen. Then talk and record. You aren’t visible at all.

Steps
1. Turn on the screen record in settings->control centre->customise
2. Bring up the control panel by swiping
3. Hold down the new button (round circle) and tap on microphone off to turn it on
4. Then just tap start.

I use it a lot for recording maths videos but also useful for talking over PowerPoints

km79

I found today to be a confusing , scary and emotional day
I am absolutely mentally exhausted .
The constant sniping about “2 more weeks holidays “ from people I know has also worn me down . Nobody else is expecting to give up annual leave while they work from home but yet they think we should .

Going to watch a kids movie with my youngest and appreciate what I have .
Stay safe everyone .

Motherof123

Does anyone have any info on home tuition for special needs I rang them and they said wait for an email.

Postgrad10

It was one long tough day all right. The general consensus in local schools was using Microsoft teams to keep in contact and put up resources for all years.

I saw on twitter last night that an English department in a UK school each took a particular year group and made work booklets to suit topics they had done/were doing. These were made available to students in person and online. Good example of how teamwork actually works.

Treppen

km79 wrote: »

I found today to be a confusing , scary and emotional day
I am absolutely mentally exhausted .
The constant sniping about “2 more weeks holidays “ from people I know has also worn me down . Nobody else is expecting to give up annual leave while they work from home but yet they think we should .

Going to watch a kids movie with my youngest and appreciate what I have .
Stay safe everyone .

That's the most sensible thing I've heard this month.

Although, I wound up playing Fortnite with them untill their friends told them to kick me out cos I wasn't good enough. So I went to plan my lessons for tomorrow. #sad_and_old

Think I'll just stick to email and keep the work minimal to start. A lot of the older students reckoned teachers' expectations of how much they could do were unreal. Essays and chapters being assigned left right and centre today... With more to follow.

Start small

Cliona2012

Any idea how casual substitutes will be affected by the closure in the short and possible long run?

jimbobaloobob

Can I ask here what other teachers subbing do From tomorrow onwards? Do you have to visit social welfare office or can it be set up through MyGov.ie ?

godtabh

Postgrad10 wrote: »

It was one long tough day all right. The general consensus in local schools was using Microsoft teams to keep in contact and put up resources for all years.

I saw on twitter last night that an English department in a UK school each took a particular year group and made work booklets to suit topics they had done/were doing. These were made available to students in person and online. Good example of how teamwork actually works.

Teams is very useful and I believe is free?`

We use it in work to share screens with people across Europe. Not sure how many people can go online but if lesson plans are available as powerpoints or something similar its very easy to share.

Alex86Eire

Are some schools open to staff still? We were told we had to out by 6pm and it would be closed to everyone for the two weeks.

Second question - if a child sends me a photo of an exam paper question he completed for example, is there any way I can correct and draw on his photo and send it back to him with comments? What would be the easiest way to do this?
We're using google classrooms. I have a chromebook and an iphone.

jimbobaloobob

Alex86Eire wrote: »

Are some schools open to staff still? We were told we had to out by 6pm and it would be closed to everyone for the two weeks.

Second question - if a child sends me a photo of an exam paper question he completed for example, is there any way I can correct and draw on his photo and send it back to him with comments? What would be the easiest way to do this?
We're using google classrooms. I have a chromebook and an iphone.

You could edit or scribe on it with PDF editing edition

mirrorwall14

Alex86Eire wrote: »

Are some schools open to staff still? We were told we had to out by 6pm and it would be closed to everyone for the two weeks.

Second question - if a child sends me a photo of an exam paper question he completed for example, is there any way I can correct and draw on his photo and send it back to him with comments? What would be the easiest way to do this?
We're using google classrooms. I have a chromebook and an iphone.

On iphone (I'm a macbook/apple person so can't help with chromebook) you can either
1. Set up an assignment in google classroom and have the student upload their image there. You go to the assignment and click on the students name from the list. You will see their attachment. Tap on it. WHen loaded you will see a pen on the top right of the screen. Tapping that will open the editing screen and you can write on it. When finished just hit save and thats it. Google Classroom does the rest
2. Have the student email you the picture. Tap on the image. You will see a pen up on the top right that will allow you write on it. Hit done when finished and reply to the student

TBH I can't see any reason why step 1 wouldn't work on a chrome book if it has the google classroom app

Postgrad10

Cliona2012 wrote: »

Any idea how casual substitutes will be affected by the closure in the short and possible long run?

No pay unfortunately. Then less accrued holiday pay in the summer. Very unfair. You can apply to the DSP for job seekers but they make it very difficult for people.

Postgrad10

godtabh wrote: »

Teams is very useful and I believe is free?`

We use it in work to share screens with people across Europe. Not sure how many people can go online but if lesson plans are available as powerpoints or something similar its very easy to share.

I believe it is. And it is easy to use. Ed modo was another one mentioned they were using.

Alex86Eire

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

You could edit or scribe on it with PDF editing edition

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

On iphone (I'm a macbook/apple person so can't help with chromebook) you can either
1. Set up an assignment in google classroom and have the student upload their image there. You go to the assignment and click on the students name from the list. You will see their attachment. Tap on it. WHen loaded you will see a pen on the top right of the screen. Tapping that will open the editing screen and you can write on it. When finished just hit save and thats it. Google Classroom does the rest
2. Have the student email you the picture. Tap on the image. You will see a pen up on the top right that will allow you write on it. Hit done when finished and reply to the student

TBH I can't see any reason why step 1 wouldn't work on a chrome book if it has the google classroom app

Thanks guys, super helpful! Will try both tomorrow and see how I get on.

jimbobaloobob

Alex86Eire wrote: »

Thanks guys, super helpful! Will try both tomorrow and see how I get on.

PDF allow you do 30 day trial it's 18 month otherwise. Very effective and useful though.

acequion

I second that thanks to jimbobaloobob and mirrorwall14 for very usual tips and info. I also want to assign work that I can then correct online with comments, annotations etc. I've never done it before but I use Google classroom all the time and have all my classes up. So am eager to get started on that tomorrow.

Another question that someone might have an answer to please? A very anxious little second year came to me at the end of the day asking if I could somehow continue teaching them Romeo and Juliet via Google classroom. Apart from me directly teaching via video, which I'm not sure about, any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Anxious times for us all but let's keep the morale!

jimbobaloobob

Postgrad10 wrote: »

No pay unfortunately. Then less accrued holiday pay in the summer. Very unfair. You can apply to the DSP for job seekers but they make it very difficult for people.

Just found an into circular there that covers subs in a school on a long term basis. So future looks little brighter

bobbyss

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.

Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

Postgrad10

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Just found an into circular there that covers subs in a school on a long term basis. So future looks little brighter

The person that asked the question asked about casual substitutes. It’s not bright for them or their families.

Postgrad10

bobbyss wrote: »

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.



Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

Most teachers I know also printed out revision booklets for students in case broadband failed.

Bobtheman

I'm going to try to set up goggle classroom for my senior pupils. I have a second year group who unfortunately I didn't get time to get emails as we were in middle of CBAs.
It was a bit haphazard the flip flopping on closure. I got impression tue it would be next week.
Can anybody assist with goggle classroom if I need it ?

TheDriver

Bobtheman wrote: »

I'm going to try to set up goggle classroom for my senior pupils. I have a second year group who unfortunately I didn't get time to get emails as we were in middle of CBAs.
It was a bit haphazard the flip flopping on closure. I got impression tue it would be next week.
Can anybody assist with goggle classroom if I need it ?

There's a lot on YouTube and Google themselves have good resources.

acequion

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Most teachers I know also printed out revision booklets for students in case broadband failed.

That's great for you and all those other teachers who managed to get so organised ahead of the closures which at the end came at lightening speed.

Spare a thought for all those teachers, like Bobyss who you replied to, who, for all sorts of very justifiable reasons, are struggling with this unprecedented step.

acequion

bobbyss wrote: »

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.

Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

bobyss, there is little you can do when up against the attitude emboldened above. All stocked up against you there. All you can do is what you can and no point in worrying about what you can't control.

We all hate this and especially when not only will we all work away through this, we'll also probably be expected to make up the lost contact time.

Horrible times but like everything, it will pass. Chin up!

km79

[quote="acequion;112817285"

We all hate this and especially when not only will we all work away through this, we'll also probably be expected to make up the lost contact time[/quote]

There needs to be a circular issued clarifying this immediately
No other professional who is working from home is being asked to do so AND use annual leave to do so
There would be uproar
And yet .......

acequion

km79 wrote: »

There needs to be a circular issued clarifying this immediately
No other professional who is working from home is being asked to do so AND use annual leave to do so
There would be uproar
And yet .......

Totally agree km79 and this is something we all need to fight against. Our principal is already bombarding us with emails about getting our asses on google classroom asap and basically following the daily timetable there, while also quite explicitly reminding us that we'll be making up the contact time. My blood boils.:mad:

I have no problem spending my days at my computer connecting with my students through out this crisis, I'd go mad otherwise if I was doing nothing and want to keep as close to normality as possible. But expecting us to work on the double by making up the face to face time is a step too far. And you're so right when you say that no other group is expected to do it.

spurious

Can any Principal, or language or Home Ec./Music teachers clarify what they have been told about the JC practicals and LC orals that were due to be held in the weeks March 23rd to Friday 3rd April?
Have alternative dates been set?

Paddy223

As someone who done the leaving cert last year I do feel for most students. If it was me now I would find it very hard to focus on studying as I would be checking my phone every five mins on the latest in relation to Covid -19 as well as various other distractions. Some students may see this time off as a chance for some serious revision and may make an efficient plan and cover lots of content. For teachers though it will be difficult cause a lot of it is in the students hands now..

Postgrad10

spurious wrote: »

Can any Principal, or language or Home Ec./Music teachers clarify what they have been told about the JC practicals and LC orals that were due to be held in the weeks March 23rd to Friday 3rd April?
Have alternative dates been set?

We were told as of yesterday evening that there was no official notification or statement from the SEC. Maybe there is today ?

Postgrad10

acequion wrote: »

That's great for you and all those other teachers who managed to get so organised ahead of the closures which at the end came at lightening speed.

Spare a thought for all those teachers, like Bobyss who you replied to, who, for all sorts of very justifiable reasons, are struggling with this unprecedented step.

I’m not sure why your tone is like that with me. We were advised a week ago to be prepared for this eventuality. Just our managements idea. Every school is different.

bobbyss

Paddy223 wrote: »

As someone who done the leaving cert last year I do feel for most students. If it was me now I would find it very hard to focus on studying as I would be checking my phone every five mins on the latest in relation to Covid -19 as well as various other distractions. Some students may see this time off as a chance for some serious revision and may make an efficient plan and cover lots of content. For teachers though it will be difficult cause a lot of it is in the students hands now..

A fair point Paddy.

Many students will rise to the occasion but those who need support may struggle. This thing could go straight through to Easter in which case we are talking about five weeks without classroom contact. Even the most motivated could lose focus.

Last term could be horrible.

Tow

Secondary School: They already have EMail, Office365 and MS Teams etc Got email from school a few days ago with their plains to continue teaching online, and links to all the required sites/apps/downloads. No problem as they already use the school's Office365 and email in some homework/projects etc. Books were all brought home from school yesterday. They are following their normal timetable for subjects and started at 9 this morning. The teachers had already setup 'teams/groups' for each class. So far so good. The teachers are giving them work to do, answering questions and getting them to send in their work. I know it is working, because the kids now are complaining to me :-) There has been no use of video links to teach, so far. But I think it is in the works, using Skype.

National School: The school emailed yesterday that all books were being sent time. Child arrived home, their teacher had only sent some workbooks and instructions to work on the next few chapters.

r93kaey5p2izun

spurious wrote: »

Can any Principal, or language or Home Ec./Music teachers clarify what they have been told about the JC practicals and LC orals that were due to be held in the weeks March 23rd to Friday 3rd April?
Have alternative dates been set?

I received an email update from the CEO of the ETB where I sub occasionally this morning. This was one of the points:

"The State Examinations Commission have postponed orals and practicals that were due to be held before Easter. They have also advised that students should not be permitted to bring projects home at this time."

acequion

Postgrad10 wrote: »

I’m not sure why your tone is like that with me. We were advised a week ago to be prepared for this eventuality. Just our managements idea. Every school is different.

I'm sorry you don't like my tone Postgrad10 but your own tone in the post I quoted does come across as a bit smug and condescending.

Yes we all knew the closures were inevitable, yes we've all had school management banging on about it for the past week. However, don't forget that teachers are ran off their feet at the best of times and language teachers were in the thick of preparing for the orals.Not to mention CBAs, SLARS etc all due at this time. Also, I don't think anybody predicted that we would be given such short notice to evacuate, merely hours.

So kudos to you for getting revision booklets done in advance, for many that was too much to expect, there are huge variables out there as to how this will all work out in reality and some teachers are just very stressed about this whole thing.

HerrKuehn

It is great to see that so many teachers are trying to make do with a bad situation and help their students as best they can. I have to say this type of attitude is beyond contempt though:

acequion wrote: »

Totally agree km79 and this is something we all need to fight against. Our principal is already bombarding us with emails about getting our asses on google classroom asap and basically following the daily timetable there, while also quite explicitly reminding us that we'll be making up the contact time. My blood boils.:mad:

I am lucky in that I can work from home (im not a teacher). My wife works as a nurse on reduced hours though so she will likely be in contact with patients with covid 19. If the situation gets really bad she will be volunteering to do more shifts. I will mind the kids and try and work nights, weekends, whatever it takes.

When this is over we can either look back and be proud of pulling together and getting through it, or we can think about ourselves and make sure we stick to the letters of our contracts.

km79

HerrKuehn wrote: »

It is great to see that so many teachers are trying to make do with a bad situation and help their students as best they can. I have to say this type of attitude is beyond contempt though:



I am lucky in that I can work from home (im not a teacher). My wife works as a nurse on reduced hours though so she will likely be in contact with patients with covid 19. If the situation gets really bad she will be volunteering to do more shifts. I will mind the kids and try and work nights, weekends, whatever it takes.

When this is over we can either look back and be proud of pulling together and getting through it, or we can think about ourselves and make sure we stick to the letters of our contracts.

No teacher I know every sticks to the letter of our contracts
We all do extra voluntary work . All this is taken for granted in times like this when it’s “the teachers are on holidays again “
We would like however our contracts to be honored like every other profession . Many of us will of course catch up VOLUNTARILY if needed.

I’m done here for now anyway . Going round in circles . another teacher bashing thread opened in current affairs to the same effect as what was being said on here yday
Same on after hours .

acequion

HerrKuehn wrote: »

It is great to see that so many teachers are trying to make do with a bad situation and help their students as best they can. I have to say this type of attitude is beyond contempt though:



I am lucky in that I can work from home (im not a teacher). My wife works as a nurse on reduced hours though so she will likely be in contact with patients with covid 19. If the situation gets really bad she will be volunteering to do more shifts. I will mind the kids and try and work nights, weekends, whatever it takes.

When this is over we can either look back and be proud of pulling together and getting through it, or we can think about ourselves and make sure we stick to the letters of our contracts.

"Beyond contempt" because I don't see why anybody should be asked to do their work twice, maybe three times?? If you bothered to read this thread in more detail except as an excuse for teacher bashing you would see from my posts that I'm very eager to work from home and will be in constant contact with my students. But I don't see why I should have to make up for time already done.

People badly need to get over themselves with their holier than thou attitude to others like the last paragraph of this post here. :rolleyes: Patronising others for expressing their opinions, fears, frustrations in a time of crisis is out of order, not to mention plain unhelpful

Over and out here as well with this kind of malarky going on! I've better things to be doing such as teaching my classes remotely.

Treppen

acequion wrote: »

Totally agree km79 and this is something we all need to fight against. Our principal is already bombarding us with emails about getting our asses on google classroom asap and basically following the daily timetable there, while also quite explicitly reminding us that we'll be making up the contact time. My blood boils.:mad:

I have no problem spending my days at my computer connecting with my students through out this crisis, I'd go mad otherwise if I was doing nothing and want to keep as close to normality as possible. But expecting us to work on the double by making up the face to face time is a step too far. And you're so right when you say that no other group is expected to do it.

Your principal is a moron. Fact.

rockonollie

Although abroad, I will share our plan (wife is a teacher), some aspects may be options to teachers in Ireland.

Here in the US (Indiana specifically), we are about to start 2 weeks of spring break, which could potentially extend to 5 weeks depending on spread. Teachers are prepared for distance learning. Our advantage is that students already have school issued Chromebooks. My wife uses "screencastify" which is a chrome extension, that allows recording of her computer screen and voice for her lesson, which can then be pushed out to students. Seeing as it isn't live, and there is no video aspect, it does remove some of the potential issues others have mentioned.

I believe since it operates as a Chrome extension, both students and teachers would only need the chrome browser, not necessarily a chromebook.

Edit: I don't know how many are of use, but here is a list that is being updated with companies offering free tools for distance learning.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1NUKLZN7hGSu1Hzm70kfzBKs-lsSELaEMggS60Bi2O2I/htmlview?usp=embed_facebook&sle=true&pru=AAABcPWdtNo*cdKUSlIpq6kMhHz48q9WFQ&fbclid=IwAR365kKQ5mOrIlwXCAVrkDnFAV8D3lsHuf-UNWSiUqhbsBxxHbQUGeIDvIo&urp=gmail_link

happywithlife

bobbyss wrote: »

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.

Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

In a similar situation with some of mine. I have a few Leaving Certs who will have all the gee whizz for a couple of days I'd imagine but it will quickly fizzle out. I'm planning on setting some revision topics & exam questions every 4/5 days so it's a bit more targeted & not a broad revise all of x for example

I'm a practical subject and 3rd yrs due to complete exams in the coming weeks - all I could do was tell them practice at home. Again I'm planning similar to LC and email a question every few days.
Am hoping a small amount of work will actually be achievable rather than a bigger pile. Luckily for exam classes course was pretty much done so I'll revise when we get back

To be bluntly honest I've emailed 5th yrs but with no real expectation they will do anything. 2nd yrs were in CBA mode so we hit pause and again I've no expectation they will do any study etc.

I subbed for years so well used to hit the ground running and catching up on lost time if they were without a teacher for a while.
Topics will be prioritised;material will be condensed and we will be fine.

I'm just hoping (genuinely) none get affected on a personal level with serious illness or loss in their family as a lot of our's have multiple medical issues, poor diet, poor knowledge of how to follow a strict routine of any kind so I imagine will struggle with staying in, social distancing, strict hand washing etc etc

micks_address

seemed to work well today for our two in secondary school. they had to be on their ipads at 8.40 and their teacher for class gave them notes and they followed.. where they couldnt they emailed questions etc.. it was a good distraction for the kids to be honest.. they have taken to it very well.. cleaned off their desks last night and got setup.. lucky that they are in an 'ipad' school and we have decent broadband.. fair play to the teachers for making the effort.. the primary school in comparison arent connected at all so kids got homework packs and suggestions of things to do over the time away from school and not much else they can do...

reports of some parents going crazy that their 5 year old doesnt have a detailed lesson plan for 2 weeks.. people need to have a certain amount of common sense

happywithlife wrote: »

In a similar situation with some of mine. I have a few Leaving Certs who will have all the gee whizz for a couple of days I'd imagine but it will quickly fizzle out. I'm planning on setting some revision topics & exam questions every 4/5 days so it's a bit more targeted & not a broad revise all of x for example

I'm a practical subject and 3rd yrs due to complete exams in the coming weeks - all I could do was tell them practice at home. Again I'm planning similar to LC and email a question every few days.
Am hoping a small amount of work will actually be achievable rather than a bigger pile. Luckily for exam classes course was pretty much done so I'll revise when we get back

To be bluntly honest I've emailed 5th yrs but with no real expectation they will do anything. 2nd yrs were in CBA mode so we hit pause and again I've no expectation they will do any study etc.

I subbed for years so well used to hit the ground running and catching up on lost time if they were without a teacher for a while.
Topics will be prioritised;material will be condensed and we will be fine.

I'm just hoping (genuinely) none get affected on a personal level with serious illness or loss in their family as a lot of our's have multiple medical issues, poor diet, poor knowledge of how to follow a strict routine of any kind so I imagine will struggle with staying in, social distancing, strict hand washing etc etc

Cliona2012

Has anyone heard anything further about how casual subs (who don't have days booked for the coming week) will be treated during the closure - in terms of wages?

TheValeyard

It will either be working these two weeks or making up lost days. Staff will not be complying with both. Most schools have set up Office365, notes, information and interactions can take place that way.

tonycascarino

I wonder what happens to student teachers who were in the middle of their teaching placements. Surely, they will have to do it again at another stage?

TheValeyard

tonycascarino wrote: »

I wonder what happens to student teachers who were in the middle of their teaching placements. Surely, they will have to do it again at another stage?

They'll have to complete hours, but at this stage I'd say most of the inspections have been completed.

tonycascarino

TheValeyard wrote: »

They'll have to complete hours, but at this stage I'd say most of the inspections have been completed.

I know some people who are only 3 weeks into a 10 week placement. No way have all inspections been completed for that.

Shn99

Concerned LC student here, I know I should probably be posting this in the LC thread but it hasnt been used in months. Is it likely this closure will extend into easter? Really worried about loosing motivation as this drags on etc especially with our exams only 2 1/2 months away