Schools closed until undetermined date - was March 29th

Bananaleaf

Lc2020 wrote: »

Ironically the Irish government made a decision to cancel the orals and practicals that was heavily based on economics. So one is just as bad as the other.

Ridiculous post. Catch yourself on. There isn't a tax payer in the country that would give a rats about the govt choosing to spend money on testing kits and ventilators over rounding up a couple of extra examiners for the LC. So even if they were making their decision based on economics, they've made the right one.

Random sample wrote: »

I would hate to see an announcement made anytime soon about the junior cert being cancelled. Whatever chance I have of getting my third years to tip along with a bit of work over the next few weeks, it would be zero if they weren’t working towards something.

I know! This would be my worry too! I think even a hint of it is going to have the wrong effect on some of mine!!

Lc2020

Shn99 wrote: »

If your such an expert in this lane, you better get onto the SEC to become their next exam advisor, and for the record they have a job listing for a new Chief Exec too!

It doesn't take great intelligence to add two and two together.

Student goes into school, one at a time. Examiner sits at least 2 metres from pupil. Student gets the marks they deserve and examiner gets paid. Such a facility was offered to students across the country who forgot to bring home their books. My own school was open yesterday for two hours. A maximum of two students were allowed in at any one time.

History Queen

Lc2020 wrote: »

It doesn't take great intelligence to add two and two together.

Student goes into school, one at a time. Examiner sits at least 2 metres from pupil. Student gets the marks they deserve and examiner gets paid. Such a facility was offered to students across the country who forgot to bring home their books. My own school was open yesterday for two hours. A maximum of two students were allowed in at any one time.

Meanwhile examiner is forced to face 120 students....

Lc2020

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Ridiculous post. Catch yourself on. There isn't a tax payer in the country that would give a rats about the govt choosing to spend money on testing kits and ventilators over rounding up a couple of extra examiners for the LC. So even if they were making their decision based on economics, they've made the right one.

I'm suggesting how the government arrived at the decision to cancel the exams. Most people are of the opinion that it would be logistically impossible to examine students. I do not see eye to eye with that.

Lc2020

History Queen wrote: »

Meanwhile examiner is forced to face 120 students....

2 metres apart. Social distancing measures will be adhered to. Obviously any student who is feeling sick or has travelled recently will do the exam another time. Greater chance of the examiner catching the virus in a shop.

History Queen

Lc2020 wrote: »

2 metres apart. Social distancing measures will be adhered to. Obviously any student who is feeling sick or has travelled recently will do the exam another time. Greater chance of the examiner catching the virus in a shop.

So examiner in same room as 120 students (taking numbers in my school as example) . All sitting in same chair/touching same door handle unless someone is disinfecting the room between students. 2meters doesn't help if someone sneezes for example. As well as the fact that students can be asymptomatic. How about examiners/students who are vulnerable because of age/pregnancy/underlying health issues?

Anyway, you would be much better offspending this energy either sending letter/email to the dept/sec outlining your concerns if you want them to have a chance of being heard or better still, go do some study/work onwhat your teachers have set you. No one here can change the situation. It is awful, but lives are quite literally at stake, so while I feel it is unfair I do believe that they have done their best under given circumstances. You need to look beyond your own reality at the bigger picture, frustrating as it is.

Millem

History Queen wrote: »

So examiner in same room as 120 students (taking numbers in my school as example) . All sitting in same chair/touching same door handle unless someone is disinfecting the room between students. 2meters doesn't help if someone sneezes for example. As well as the fact that students can be asymptomatic. How about examiners/students who are vulnerable because of age/pregnancy/underlying health issues?

Anyway, you would be much better offspending this energy either sending letter/email to the dept/sec outlining your concerns if you want them to have a chance of being heard or better still, go do some study/work onwhat your teachers have set you. No one here can change the situation. It is awful, but lives are quite literally at stake, so while I feel it is unfair I do believe that they have done their best under given circumstances. You need to look beyond your own reality at the bigger picture, frustrating as it is.

And the fact that we don’t even know if social distancing is effective!!!!

TTLF

Lc2020 wrote: »

2 metres apart. Social distancing measures will be adhered to. Obviously any student who is feeling sick or has travelled recently will do the exam another time. Greater chance of the examiner catching the virus in a shop.

Bruh Idk why you're complaining like, be happy you got 100% and don't have to do those straith pictures, i would kill if I got 100% without having to do anything.

You're on here complaining, when you should be studying for the written exams, whenever they are. You can't change whats happened, so get over it. I'm sure the DEP took what you said as an option, but right now I think people's safety is better than a bloody oral exam you've already passed!!

Now you can focus on the written, and with 40% already in the bag, study to get the extra 60% in the written!! please!

Bananaleaf

Lc2020 wrote: »

I'm suggesting how the government arrived at the decision to cancel the exams. Most people are of the opinion that it would be logistically impossible to examine students. I do not see eye to eye with that.

I don't think that people do believe that it is logistically impossible.

People agree that it could be done. The problems with that though are the following:

1. If the SEC say they are going to postpone, students would (understandably) go into meltdown, because the most the SEC could tell you right now would be that they will be postponed. When will they happen? Nobody knows. Soon. That would be very stressful for both students and teachers. As a language teacher myself, at least I now know to focus on grammar and written work, instead of having to take a gamble and continue to assign oral work to my students on the chance that they *might* have the oral in a few weeks, only to (say for example) get back into work in April and be told they are happening in July and then I start to panic because they will have forgotten everything they spent weeks learning in March, now I have to cover all the tenses in a month and go back to furiously prepping the oral again.

2. Nobody knows when we are going to be through with Covid19. The Euros (scheduled for June) are postponed. People are calling for the Olympics to be postponed and they aren't on until 24th July. We don't even know if there will be written LC exams in June yet. What happens if the SEC say they will postpone and then they have to cancel in June anyway. People will be very very annoyed. More so than they are now.

3. I honestly believe that if the SEC said the orals would go ahead in a month or two and that social distancing measures would be put into place, just as many folk would be raging about that as they are about them being cancelled. Parents are stressed out (understandably) and schools are already feeling the brunt of that over the amount of work they are sending home to students. If the SEC weren't seen to be taking the wellbeing (new buzzword) of students into account, they'd have been crucified.

4. Like it or not, if they did go ahead and you all had to be staggered so far apart to comply with social distancing requirements, this would require more public expenditure. That money is needed elsewhere right now.

I understand your frustrations. As a language teacher I share them and when I first heard the minister speak, there were about 30seconds where everything you are saying went through my head. But ... these are exceptional times and while it might not seem fair to you, as was pointed out a couple of posts before mine, life isn't always fair.

rainbowtrout

Lc2020 wrote: »

I would have thought that oral exams would pose less of a risk that the written exams. If supermarkets can manage it then why couldn't the SEC organise a system wherby one student would be let into the school at a time etc. It's not rocket science.
The decision made yesterday is devoid of reason and logic.

I know from talking to other teachers that some principals would have been unwilling to do this when we were heading for shutdown, some examiners would have been unwilling to examine. Remember you as a student are only going to meet one examiner. They could be examining up to 40 students per day and it is known that younger people can be vectors for the virus without showing any symptoms. It's not just about the students' health which you seem to forget. Also there would have been a cohort of parents who would not have allowed their sons and daughters into school for the oral the way things stand. It's pointless running and half in, half out situation.

rainbowtrout

Lc2020 wrote: »

Students will use Irish for matriculation purposes. Students looking to pass English/Irish to get into say TCD, have fulfilled their requirements without any formal exam. Fair? Not at all.

To say this won't disadvantage students is incorrect. You can be assured the marking scheme will be ruthless for students, which only adds to our worries.

How many people are there sitting the Leaving Cert who are exclusively using Irish to matriculate? Seriously? And also consider that in the vast majority of courses, bar primary school teaching or a degree in Irish, it will not be used by any of these students. You need Irish to matriculate in NUIG to do an engineering course in which you will never use Irish. Also if a student has an exemption from Irish they can matriculate without it, so I don't see the problem here.

And given that TCD is one of the most popular colleges in the course, almost all of their courses are in the 500 points range. Matriculating in Irish is not the biggest hurdle to getting into TCD. Getting 6 odd H2s to get the points for your chosen course is. It sounds like you are just looking to be outraged at this stage. Your time would be better spent studying for the written portion of the Irish exam so you can get the H1.

rainbowtrout

Lc2020 wrote: »

I assume the SEC will adjust the leaving cert fee considering practicals/orals will not take place. What with economics not being a factor in the decision..

The Leaving Cert is a flat fee regardless of how many subjects you sit. The €116 wouldn't even cover the cost of having the papers for your seven subjects marked, never mind the cost of orals etc.

rainbowtrout

Lc2020 wrote: »

Points will inevitably skyrocket for courses if Joe McHugh has his way.

At this point you should read your CAO handbook as you don't have a firm grasp on how the points system works. No doubt you'll be one of the ones on here in August whinging about not getting your third choice which you wanted more than your first choice but you didn't put it down because you didn't think you would get the points.

Red_Open

I'm wondering if anyone has found any good solutions for teaching maths/physics online? We've been set up with google classroom but I'm finding it difficult to record videos of examples. I've been using my phone and a sheet of paper so far, but my hand isn't very steady these days so I'm looking for other solutions.

Thanks!

rainbowtrout

Lc2020 wrote: »

2 metres apart. Social distancing measures will be adhered to. Obviously any student who is feeling sick or has travelled recently will do the exam another time. Greater chance of the examiner catching the virus in a shop.

Plenty of people came back from Cheltenham last weekend, do you think they are all going to self isolate?? You can apply the exact same to students. There are plenty of reports of large groups of teenagers meeting up now that they are off school. Some do not give a rat's ass about what is going on and neither do their families. So some will be carriers of the virus and would end up doing their oral and potentially infecting the examiner or any other person they meet.

Also running orals and going in to collect your books is not the same thing. You are not obliged to go in and collect your books, it's a choice that has been made available to you. If the orals ran next week you would not have a choice in the matter, and even though there might be a policy in the building of only 2 people in at any one time, you cannot guarantee that those students won't all congregate outside the school to catch up with each other or do a post mortem of the oral.

Lc2020

rainbowtrout wrote: »

At this point you should read your CAO handbook as you don't have a firm grasp on how the points system works. No doubt you'll be one of the ones on here in August whinging about not getting your third choice which you wanted more than your first choice but you didn't put it down because you didn't think you would get the points.

Sorry what? Economics 101 supply and demand.

The leaving cert 2020 class should in theory do considerably better than any other year if what Joe McHugh said is to be believed-that the same marking scheme will be applied. I know for a fact they'll be very sly and ruthless when curating the marking scheme.

Although this merciless form of marking will undoubtedly be applied, I suspect students will do better than their 2019 counterparts. Hence, points will rise.

rainbowtrout

Red_Open wrote: »

I'm wondering if anyone has found any good solutions for teaching maths/physics online? We've been set up with google classroom but I'm finding it difficult to record videos of examples. I've been using my phone and a sheet of paper so far, but my hand isn't very steady these days so I'm looking for other solutions.

Thanks!

Those are my subjects and that's exactly what I'm doing. I only had one topic left in maths which was constructions, so filming and drawing with one hand is fast becoming my new skill! I have a GoPro and tripod which would be perfect for this but my gopro and laptop don't get along a lot of the time. I'm considering getting a small tripod for my phone so I can use two hands, and continue drawing/ doing calculations on a refill pad, but I also have a small whiteboard at home which I could use and point the camera at that.

rainbowtrout

Lc2020 wrote: »

Sorry what? Economics 101 supply and demand.

The leaving cert 2020 class should in theory do considerably better than any other year if what Joe McHugh said is to be believed-that the same marking scheme will be applied. I know for a fact they'll be very sly and ruthless when curating the marking scheme.

Although this merciless form of marking will undoubtedly be applied, I suspect students will do better than their 2019 counterparts. Hence, points will rise.

How do you know this for a fact????

You know there are a whole heap of junior cert home economics students who had their practical cancelled yesterday. You should contact some of them to see if they have any spare tinfoil going for the industrial size hat you're going to need.

Lc2020

rainbowtrout wrote: »

How do you know this for a fact????

You know there are a whole heap of junior cert home economics students who had their practical cancelled yesterday. You should contact some of them to see if they have any spare tinfoil going for the industrial size hat you're going to need.

It isn't by sheer coincidence that leaving cert grades don't flunctuate too greatly from year to year. It's a known fact that a bell curve marking system is applied. It's not some conspiracy theory.

Red_Open

A tripod is a great idea, thanks!

mirrorwall14

Red_Open wrote: »

I'm wondering if anyone has found any good solutions for teaching maths/physics online? We've been set up with google classroom but I'm finding it difficult to record videos of examples. I've been using my phone and a sheet of paper so far, but my hand isn't very steady these days so I'm looking for other solutions.

Thanks!

I’m using the screen record function on my iPad for maths recording audio as I do the questions and have ordered this for music composition because I prefer using a pencil

Tryone Gooseneck Phone Holder - Flexible Arm Mount Stand for iPhone Series/Samsung Cellphones/Google Pixel and more, 27.5in Overall Length https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077QLQ3PB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1QuDEb3QAD6SY

rainbowtrout

Red_Open wrote: »

A tripod is a great idea, thanks!

I've just had a look at the argos website. I got a go pro tripod there recently.

They have a mini smartphone tripod which is 17.99 which would do the job.



https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/7162226/Trail/searchtext%3ETRIPOD.htm

Red_Open

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I’m using the screen record function on my iPad for maths recording audio as I do the questions and have ordered this for music composition because I prefer using a pencil

Tryone Gooseneck Phone Holder - Flexible Arm Mount Stand for iPhone Series/Samsung Cellphones/Google Pixel and more, 27.5in Overall Length https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077QLQ3PB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1QuDEb3QAD6SY

I don't have an iPad but the stand might be more within my budget, thanks!

rainbowtrout

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I’m using the screen record function on my iPad for maths recording audio as I do the questions and have ordered this for music composition because I prefer using a pencil

Tryone Gooseneck Phone Holder - Flexible Arm Mount Stand for iPhone Series/Samsung Cellphones/Google Pixel and more, 27.5in Overall Length https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077QLQ3PB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1QuDEb3QAD6SY

I like the look of that phone holder. It would clamp onto my kitchen table too!

wolfyboy555

Red_Open wrote: »

I'm wondering if anyone has found any good solutions for teaching maths/physics online? We've been set up with google classroom but I'm finding it difficult to record videos of examples. I've been using my phone and a sheet of paper so far, but my hand isn't very steady these days so I'm looking for other solutions.

Thanks!

I write my examples out on a refill pad and use pdf scanner app to take a picture of them. I then email them to myself and use screencast software where I scroll through my notes explaining as I go along. I then upload to my YouTube channel and share the link to the kids as well as send them the pdf. Not the most streamlined solution but having a YouTube channel could prove worthwhile as a resource for the future. I'd never have the time to do otherwise.

bobbyss

wolfyboy555 wrote: »

I write my examples out on a refill pad and use pdf scanner app to take a picture of them. I then email them to myself and use screencast software where I scroll through my notes explaining as I go along. I then upload to my YouTube channel and share the link to the kids as well as send them the pdf. Not the most streamlined solution but having a YouTube channel could prove worthwhile as a resource for the future. I'd never have the time to do otherwise.

Jessu!
I'm exhausted just reading how you do that!

Mardy Bum

The only platforms teachers should be using are those used by the school. Mostly Office 365 and Google classroom across Ireland. No social media sites should be used. RTE had to pull a segment on a teacher using Instagram of all things

History Queen

Mardy Bum wrote: »

The only platforms teachers should be using are those used by the school. Mostly Office 365 and Google classroom across Ireland. No social media sites should be used. RTE had to pull a segment on a teacher using Instagram of all things

I actually saw that segment and was wondering what was going on with it? Just seems unwise to contact students via social media. Also wondered what the wider implications would be in relation to child safety and GDPR. I have no doubt that teacher had her student's best interests at heart but I was uncomfortable watching it.

Lc2020

I've made contact with the SEC and the department and will keep you updated, not that I expect a response anytime soon.

You heard it here first, many students will take legal action against the state as they feel hard done by.

Seeing as though I've been villified for suggesting a pretty sound alternative solution this is what I suggest.
Students have the option to take the oral exam, when things improve. Students who do not wish to avail of this option will be marked solely on their exam in June. Students who wish to do the oral, will be provided with this opportunity in due course after the exams in June.

Shn99

Lc2020 wrote: »

I've made contact with the SEC and the department and will keep you updated, not that I expect a response anytime soon.

You heard it here first, many students will take legal action against the state as they feel hard done by.

Seeing as though I've been villified for suggesting a pretty sound alternative solution this is what I suggest.
Students have the option to take the oral exam, when things improve. Students who do not wish to avail of this option will be marked solely on their exam in June. Students who wish to do the oral, will be provided with this opportunity in due course after the exams in June.

LC students have probably burnt or binned their sraith pictuir books ect. Im friends with people who were gutted considering the work they put in, but they got over it. Life goes on...we don't all get our way. Your time would be much better spent studying for your written exams in your 6/7 other subjects...maybe even volunteering to help the elderly or vunerable during this public health crisis