How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

Wanderer78

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote:

Student engagement one of the biggest issues but the spin the last few months is to blame teachers, as usual

Very difficult to get all engaged I'd imagine, I hear it can be exhausting to do lengthy zoom calls, I wouldn't be able to do it, blaming teachers is always convenient

is_that_so

irishblessing wrote: »

These concerns can ALL be sorted out.

Not the broadband, not any time soon and you can't just throw an online system together quickly.

irishblessing

Wanderer78 wrote: »

I do know of some areas that have very poor broadband, streaming would have issues regularly enough, with fairly regular complete loss of phone signal also, some around mountainous areas

Fair enough. I'm sure there's always going to be some who can't but in the larger context of the country as a whole, it wouldn't be true of most.

That's why the hybrid remote learning model is ideal. For those relatively few in an absolute blackspot, and to supplement learning for all, the Dept of Ed can develop curriculum further through the homeschool hub program/mailed work by the teacher.

irishblessing

is_that_so wrote: »

Not the broadband, not any time soon and you can't just throw an online system together quickly.

I have quite a few relatives and friends in the US. And yes, you can throw an online system together relatively quickly. They closed their schools in March as well and unlike (the majority of) us their education depts spent the summer purchasing equipment, developing IT infrastructure and trained their teachers how to use it. They're back at school a few weeks now and I've heard back that it's brilliant. I've even seen pictures of it online, and they really did cater to everyone. It's amazing what you can do with a positive attitude and innovation.

I just posted a solution with tv curriculum (Mexico recently did that) too.

History Queen

irishblessing wrote: »

Does anyone here know of anyone who's in an utter blackspot from every provider? I don't know anyone, and I asked this in our AGM the other day, too. No one knew anyone who couldn't get wifi, and we are rural.

There are blackspots in my locality. When we bought our house two years ago we rejected another house down the road because it was a blackspot. No service whatsoever and patchy mobile phone signal.the issue was more wwidespread until a satellite broadband provider came to the area recently. We can get broadband in our current house but mobile phone reception is awful. 2g only.

Wanderer78

irishblessing wrote:

That's why the hybrid remote learning model is ideal. For those relatively few in an absolute blackspot, and to supplement learning for all, the Dept of Ed can develop curriculum further through the homeschool hub program/mailed work by the teacher.

Sadly, the humans involved cannot be simply switched on and off, a major adjustment is occurring globally by all humans, we ve never experienced this before, no matter what ideas we come up with, if will be difficult for all humans to readjust to them, there will be many negative outcomes due to this, but some positive of course

Jinglejangle69

mochadoh wrote: »

Online classes is the way to go in this pandemic.

What if this pandemic lasts forever and there is no vaccine?

We all hideaway for the rest of our existence?

irishblessing

History Queen wrote: »

There are blackspots in my locality. When we bought our house two years ago we rejected another house down the road because it was a blackspot. No service whatsoever and patchy mobile phone signal.the issue was more wwidespread until a satellite broadband provider came to the area recently. We can get broadband in our current house but mobile phone reception is awful. 2g only.

Yep, there were a couple houses up the road from us who couldn't get a broadband provider but the satellite sorted it. Just last year they tried a dongle from 3 and to their surprise it works fine though the online indicators/techs at 3 say they can't cover them. They now plan to get a couple of routers and see how they go.

irishblessing

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

What if this pandemic lasts forever and there is no vaccine?

We all hideaway for the rest of our existence?

What if a meteor wipes us all out tomorrow?

is_that_so

irishblessing wrote: »

I have quite a few relatives and friends in the US. And yes, you can throw an online system together relatively quickly. They closed their schools in March as well and unlike (the majority of) us their education depts spent the summer purchasing equipment, developing IT infrastructure and trained their teachers how to use it. They're back at school a few weeks now and I've heard back that it's brilliant. I've even seen pictures of it online, and they really did cater to everyone. It's amazing what you can do with a positive attitude and innovation.

I just posted a solution with tv curriculum (Mexico recently did that) too.

We don't have the infrastructure anyway and Sesame Street is no substitute for contacts and the socialising.

irishblessing

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Sadly, the humans involved cannot be simply switched on and off, a major adjustment is occurring globally by all humans, we ve never experienced this before, no matter what ideas we come up with, if will be difficult for all humans to readjust to them, there will be many negative outcomes due to this, but some positive of course

Not sure what you mean by switched on and off?

No one said it would be easy, but we can do difficult things.

Wanderer78

Jinglejangle69 wrote:

What if this pandemic lasts forever and there is no vaccine?

Its very difficult to deal with this new virus and all the other pandemic viruses together!

irishblessing

is_that_so wrote: »

We don't have the infrastructure anyway and Sesame Street is no substitute for contacts and the socialising.

Sesame Street?? :pac: So take it you didn't have any experience with the homeschool hub so?

Google classrooms allow for students to interact. All online would only be for the worst of times. Otherwise a BLENDED HYBRID REMOTE LEARNING PLAN would be the best of both worlds.

We can easily set up the infrastructure if a plan is made.

Lillyfae

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Student engagement one of the biggest issues but the spin the last few months is to blame teachers, as usual

We're supposed to blame children for this then?

Wanderer78

irishblessing wrote:

Not sure what you mean by switched on and off?

Its important to realise the difficulties that are involved during this time, it has triggered complex emotions in all of us, humans are not robots, no matter what potential solutions we create, there will still be these complex emotions to deal with, resulting in issues and ultimately failures in achieving our objectives, we should also prepare for these failures as best as we can

irishblessing

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Student engagement one of the biggest issues but the spin the last few months is to blame teachers, as usual

The sudden shutdowns in March that were to be temporary too spun us all out I think. That's not the situation going forward. We had an opportunity over the summer to plan but the education dept blew it. The second best time to start is now, and they're still blowing it. A disgrace especially when those who are at risk and those who need to quarantine and over and over again are losing out now. Yet no one here is caring about those kids now. People are only giving out about the issue of inequality if the schools were to adopt a hybrid model. The inequality is ALREADY here.

Wanderer78

irishblessing wrote:

We can easily set up the infrastructure if a plan is made.

Infrastructure needs a lot more than just planning, they tend to need a lot of money and other things to

Mrsmum

I haven't a clue where it was but saw a feature on TV about people working from home during the lockdown and in this parish, where ever it was, people were working in their cars in the church carpark as it was the only place they could pick up broadband signal acceptable enough to work with.

is_that_so

irishblessing wrote: »

Sesame Street?? :pac: So take it you didn't have any experience with the homeschool hub so?

We can easily set up the infrastructure if a plan is made.

Yeah, I had a look at it and it was fine as a temporary arrangement. I asked some younger family members about it, the very small one loved it, but it's TV so what's not to like. The slightly older not so much. Not sure how you imagine we can magically set up infrastructure that has been 20 year not a growing.

irishblessing

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Its important to realise the difficulties that are involved during this time, it has triggered complex emotions in all of us, humans are not robots, no matter what potential solutions we create, there will still be these complex emotions to deal with, resulting in issues and ultimately failures in achieving our objectives, we should also prepare for these failures as best as we can

Yes, I agree. Failures are opportunities to learn-no should expect perfection.

irishblessing

is_that_so wrote: »

Yeah, I had a look at it and it was fine as a temporary arrangement it. I asked some younger family members about it, the very small one loved it, but it's TV so what's not to like. The slightly older not so much. Not sure how you imagine we can magically set up infrastructure that has been 20 year not a growing.

It's not magic. There's no need to take such a negative, defeatist view on this. I'm proud of the Irish people and we have a country full of intelligent innovators and brilliant teachers and tech. Problem is none of them seem to be in government. We can absolutely do a hybrid remote learning plan. Not using magic but putting the work into planning, funding and execution.

irishblessing

Mrsmum wrote: »

I haven't a clue where it was but saw a feature on TV about people working from home during the lockdown and in this parish, where ever it was, people were working in their cars in the church carpark as it was the only place they could pick up broadband signal acceptable enough to work with.

That's tough going. I did that years ago, too. As I said I live rurally and the nearest town is small but decent size-on the menu of development is a tech centre / hot desking / meeting rooms situation. Those can be invested in too around the country.

Wanderer78

irishblessing wrote:

It's not magic. There's no need to take such a negative, defeatist view on this. I'm proud of the Irish people and we have a country full of intelligent innovators and brilliant teachers and tech. Problem is none of them seem to be in government. We can absolutely do a hybrid remote learning plan. Not using magic but putting the work into planning, funding and execution.

Your positivity is fantastic, but reality is killing us, our broadband networks are poor in some areas, some will be left out because of this, we re working on our network, but it's gonna take time, and a lot of money, but sadly, some will be left behind because of this

jimmytwotimes 2013

Lillyfae wrote: »

We're supposed to blame children for this then?

That's exactly what I meant, well done

is_that_so

irishblessing wrote: »

It's not magic. There's no need to take such a negative, defeatist view on this. I'm proud of the Irish people and we have a country full of intelligent innovators and brilliant teachers and tech. Problem is none of them seem to be in government. We can absolutely do a hybrid remote learning plan. Not using magic but putting the work into planning, funding and execution.

It's not negative, it's very pragmatic and involves being aware of current limitations. What you have here is just a concept, with no parameters, costs nor even a timeframe, although immediately seems to be at the heart of it. In terms of projects this is barely more than a starting point. Break it down and and flesh it out in detail and you'll see just how big that undertaking is.

wirelessdude01

Thierry12 wrote: »

If the teachers teached perhaps it would.

Amount of homework mine get they might as well be called correcters

So you are giving out that they are getting too much homework?

average_runner

A school in Donegal was meant to make their communion on Sat. Because the restrictions came in at midnight last night. The school and church held the communion at 9pm last night with a big crowd present, including teachers and principal

Same thing happened in Dublin also

If schools and churches can't behave what hope have we got. Principal should be fired from that school.
All kids or kids of parents present at that last night, should be barred from the school for two weeks.

Deeec

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

So you are giving out that they are getting too much homework?

Surely you realise the issue here. Giving lots of homework is not teaching. It is putting the burdon of teaching onto parents who had to work their own jobs and deal with several other committments. We needed some level of teaching from teachers ( even 2 hrs per week would have sufficed) during lockdown which my children didnt receive.

average_runner

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

So you are giving out that they are getting too much homework?

In fairness homework is pointless exercise. Most European countries don't give homework.


I mean when I was study for leaving cert years ago, we would get 3 hours of homework every night and then expected to study on top of it.


Let the kids study and stop the homework.

irishblessing

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Your positivity is fantastic, but reality is killing us, our broadband networks are poor in some areas, some will be left out because of this, we re working on our network, but it's gonna take time, and a lot of money, but sadly, some will be left behind because of this

I don't know how many times one can say it... hybrid remote learning plan. Some kids can be in school full time. Some can be part time. Some will need fully from home. Some will need fully from home when too many teachers are ill/need to quarantine. Some will also need fully from home if they or their family members become ill or need to quarantine. This means the class room sizes will be reduced and therefore safer.