Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) **Mod warning in OP 22/01**

average_runner

madalig12 wrote: »

My wife is a NS teacher. Deis school they have 1 special needs child. How can she online teach whilst going in every day for one child?

Not to be smart, but teachers aren't online all day teaching kids. Our kids have max of 3 calls a week from the teachers and all the work for the week is sent out on Friday evening before the following week starts.


This is not a criticism but you could see how they could teach a special needs child.


Don't agree with the approach the government are taking though

antgal23

Whiplash85 wrote: »

I think a lot of people have been ahead of the authorities throughout the pandemic. People were scaling back visits and wearing masks before they even became mandatory. I see this as another one where the public will have their finger on the pulse fairly rapidly. In some places I have seen incidence rates where 1 in 40 or 1 in 50 people in the community have covid (that they know of). Its not hard to work out the chances of exposure with those numbers if you send in a child to school.

Thats what I was thinking

Even if it's 1 in 80 and a Special school returns, between teachers, SNAs, bus drivers and bus escorts and admin there'll be a case in the school already

The Wordress

SusanC10 wrote: »

Maybe I genuinely don't understand this, but today the two CMOs in both Republic and NI issued a joint Statement urging everyone to stay at home.
So, it doesn't make sense to me to be having Parents, Kids (mostly vulnerable ?), Teachers, SNAs, other school Staff, Bus Drivers etc on the move.
I do accept that some kids really need to be at school but does this need outweigh the potential risks of catching and transmitting Covid ? Of being seriously ill and maybe requiring hospitalisation ? For some maybe it does.

I don't have kids with Special/Additional Needs so maybe I don't get this. But my sister has Special Needs plus some other health issues. She is an Adult now and in normal times goes to a Service. She has not been there since March 2020 and even if they did open again my Mum has decided not to send her there until they both have been vaccinated. To her the risk is too great. I know a Service is not the same as School but talking to my Mum on the phone this morning, she doesn't understand the need to send these Kids back either at this present moment in time when the situation is at it's worst.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

I just cannot comprehend why you would send any children back to school in the current health climate.

Why did they not re assess the situation in a week or two.

I have made the decision to not return to work and I will prioritise my own family and their health and needs in the short term.

I know colleagues that are doing the same thing.

I know that the SEN schools are open in the North but there is huge staff absenteeism. That is understandable as staff have their own responsibilities and concerns.

Baggly

Mod

Wirelessdude01's threadban lifted after discussion via PM.

wirelessdude01

Baggly wrote: »

Mod

Wirelessdude01's threadban lifted after discussion via PM.

Much appreciated.

average_runner

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Much appreciated.

Who sent the flowers and chocolates

readysetgo

Coneygree wrote: »

I have more than 5 children with SEN in my class of 30.

I'd love to know how Norma expects me to do that as well. Because I cannot do both, it's either all in or nobody in in my opinion.

She seems to have no clue about the logistics of planning and teaching which is absolutely shocking considering she's a qualified teacher herself.

from the INTO website yesterday...

The executive was also briefed that plans were being developed which would see small groups of primary pupils with additional needs, who are at risk of disengaging from remote learning, returning to school in mainstream schools, with special education teachers, SNAs and other staff who do not teach mainstream classes providing in-school support. All other mainstream teachers would continue to remotely support their classes and would not be expected to return to their schools this month.

khalessi

average_runner wrote: »

Not to be smart, but teachers aren't online all day teaching kids. Our kids have max of 3 calls a week from the teachers and all the work for the week is sent out on Friday evening before the following week starts.
This is not a criticism but you could see how they could teach a special needs child.
Don't agree with the approach the government are taking though

Not to be smart but surely that depends on the teacher. You are making an assumption based on one teacher.

All my colleagues have been on all day fielding questions and marking and prepping.

I am SET and teaching online everyday, just finished ringing all the parents of my students and they seem happy enough with what is being done.

average_runner

khalessi wrote: »

Not to be smart but surely that depends on the teacher. You are making an assumption based on one teacher.

All my colleagues have been on all day fielding questions and marking and prepping.

I am SET and teaching online everyday, just finished ringing all the parents of my students and they seem happy enough with what is being done.

Assumption wasn't based on one, based on alot of chats with parents, kids all in different schools.


Don't get me wrong i like the approach. Young kids dont have more than 2 hour attention span.


Also as parent has to be present for all calls, if any school breaking this, there would be major trouble. This is not possible with two kids in 2 different classes and parents working.


Get your point also. Ye guys don't rush back yet, its not the time

wirelessdude01

average_runner wrote: »

Not to be smart, but teachers aren't online all day teaching kids. Our kids have max of 3 calls a week from the teachers and all the work for the week is sent out on Friday evening before the following week starts.


This is not a criticism but you could see how they could teach a special needs child.


Don't agree with the approach the government are taking though

But the thing is that the content of your post is 'smart'.

I do a 40min zoom call every single day with my class. My class then submit 5/6 pieces of work each day to me for correction and feedback.
Even just to open and give a quick well done on each piece of work takes about a min.
So lets say that on average 25 kids send me back 5 pieces of work a day. That is over 2hrs. Maths work takes more time than a minute to give any form of substantial feedback when you have to try and decipher what they have written and then where a mistake occurred.

Do you think instructional videos recorded using loom to magically appear out of thin air? They take time to structure and sequence so that they mimic what would occur in the classroom on a day to day basis with recap, progression and repetition.

Just happened to look at the viewing stats for my videos. Some only viewed twice, one of which would be me checking that it is working properly yet you then have parents emailing to say that they don't know what to do. the reason they don't know is because they haven't bothered to look at the video that I have recorded explaining what to do and going through numerous examples.

I gave it to mine yesterday for the quality of work submitted and todays video for maths was viewed 68 times. Guess what, no silly mistakes in todays maths work so far.

wirelessdude01

Also involved at branch and district level within the INTO and have heard that Norma has told the unions that schools will be fully open on the 1st of February unless NPHET explicitly say that they aren't to. This means they would have to write a letter sating they are not to reopen. She seems to be willing to hang her political future on this.

khalessi

average_runner wrote: »

Assumption wasn't based on one, based on alot of chats with parents, kids all in different schools.

Don't get me wrong i like the approach. Young kids dont have more than 2 hour attention span.

Also as parent has to be present for all calls, if any school breaking this, there would be major trouble. This is not possible with two kids in 2 different classes and parents working.

Get your point also. Ye guys don't rush back yet, its not the time

Well I can only go by chats with parents and teachers and they all say their teachers are on everyday but sure that will only end up with us going around in circles like last Lockdown.

Essentially all round it seems schools are better prepared this year.

I can see the difference with my kids schools, the weekly timetable email and then work uploaded daily and from next week videos on maths topics along with the 3 zoom calls to touch base that they already have

wirelessdude01

khalessi wrote: »

Well I can only go by chats with parents and teachers and they all say their teachers are on everyday but sure that will only end up with us going around in circles like last Lockdown.

Essentially all round it seems schools are better prepared this year.

I can see the difference with my kids schools, the weekly timetable email and then work uploaded daily and from next week videos on maths topics along with the 3 zoom calls to touch base that they already have

I've two primary principals and one secondary principal among my parents. All three have sent me such nice emails commenting on how the structure of my week allows the children to be self sufficient but also have constant academic progression. Love getting feedback that what I'm doing is correct for the children under my care.

Russman

The Wordress wrote: »

You took the words right out of my mouth.

I just cannot comprehend why you would send any children back to school in the current health climate.

Why did they not re assess the situation in a week or two.

I have made the decision to not return to work and I will prioritise my own family and their health and needs in the short term.

I know colleagues that are doing the same thing.

I know that the SEN schools are open in the North but there is huge staff absenteeism. That is understandable as staff have their own responsibilities and concerns.

When your nose is out of joint because you didn't get your way last week and were made to look inept by the unions..........possibly

jimmytwotimes 2013

average_runner wrote: »

Who sent the flowers and chocolates

Apples for the múinteoir only here

average_runner

khalessi wrote: »

Well I can only go by chats with parents and teachers and they all say their teachers are on everyday but sure that will only end up with us going around in circles like last Lockdown.

Essentially all round it seems schools are better prepared this year.

I can see the difference with my kids schools, the weekly timetable email and then work uploaded daily and from next week videos on maths topics along with the 3 zoom calls to touch base that they already have

I do think it's working alot better this time. Kids and teachers are more ready for it.


One thing about correction, our kids teachers sends out the answers for the kids to correct themselves. Now some might see that as lazy but the kids correct each other in school anyhow. I like that approach.


The PE element is very good, though my 6 year was a bit embarrass doing yoga for ten mins

Murple

Coneygree wrote: »

I have more than 5 children with SEN in my class of 30.

I'd love to know how Norma expects me to do that as well. Because I cannot do both, it's either all in or nobody in in my opinion.

She seems to have no clue about the logistics of planning and teaching which is absolutely shocking considering she's a qualified teacher herself.

The idea is that the SET and SNA in the school cater for the children going in. How that will work I don’t know. SET in my school have approx. 20 children on their caseload with each SET catering for 4 classes. The needs are wide and varied. Take a 2nd class. There are 5 children in one class who have school support /support plus plans. The academic ability level ranges from Junior Infant level to weak 2nd class level. Social skills wise, the range is from pre-school to mature 2nd class. This SET is also catering for children in 3 other classes where the range of abilities is just as broad but each child’s needs are very specific. One SET can’t cater for all these children in school at the same time. Parents don’t want to have to drop a child up for a half hour and collect again when they are trying to work and support other children at home. So are we supposed to pick and choose?

Currently each SET is supporting both parents and children as well as class teachers with advice, differentiated work, giving feedback and specific lessons where needed. They are certainly not sitting back taking it easy. The minister and John Boyle have pretty much disregarded all the efforts made by SET and SNA to reach out to the children and support them and their parents.

We are constantly told that class teachers retain prime responsibility for each child in their class, including all those supported by SET or SNA. Now it seems that certain children will become the responsibility of the class teacher and others will become the responsibility of the SET and SNA. So much for inclusion.

Birdy

I think Foley is trying to find some work for the SNA's and admin principals.

khalessi

So FOley spending a lot of time conulting with partners in education it seems

https://twitter.com/mobrien1975/status/1349654144274067457

TheValeyard

Birdy wrote: »

I think Foley is trying to find some work for the SNA's and admin principals.

Maybe she could give the inspectors some actual work

wirelessdude01

khalessi wrote: »

So FOley spending a lot of time conulting with partners in education it seems

https://twitter.com/mobrien1975/status/1349654144274067457

I had heard similar from a person within ASTI with knowledge of the 'discussions'.

Said that everyone is walking on egg shells around her as they are afraid of what else she will publicly announce as a done deal.

Murple

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I had heard similar from a person within ASTI with knowledge of the 'discussions'.

Said that everyone is walking on egg shells around her as they are afraid of what else she will publicly announce as a done deal.

Well instead of walking on eggshells, they need to start calling her out on things with evidence to show. Let her publicly announce things as a done deal and call her out on it. We don’t pay our Union subs to have people walking on eggshells.

Crocodile Booze

I think Storming Norma is going to have a difficult time with her colleagues when she returns to school after her short-lived ministerial career.

Totally inept and terrible people skills. Incompetence and Nepotism at its finest.

The Wordress

Russman wrote: »

When your nose is out of joint because you didn't get your way last week and were made to look inept by the unions..........possibly

Hardly.

I genuinely worry for my pupils and my colleagues. I already said I will stay at home for my own and family safety.

Our SEN children come from 2 counties and 5 towns.

Their Close Contacts will rise significantly on a daily basis.

I truely hope that nothing happens to the health of any of my pupils or colleagues. The ambulances were backed up outside our local hospital over the weekend.

wirelessdude01

Murple wrote: »

Well instead of walking on eggshells, they need to start calling her out on things with evidence to show. Let her publicly announce things as a done deal and call her out on it. We don’t pay our Union subs to have people walking on eggshells.

Vindictive is a word being used to describe her behaviour and attitude towards those whom she feels have blackened her.

DraftDodger

Foley has been a failure no other way to describe it.

She obviously has very little knowledge of the sector and how negotiations work which combined with what on the face of it comes across as a very stubborn demeanor has proved disastrous.

It will get worse before she is reassigned

E36Ross

Announced on Virgin Media Schools are OPEN next Thursday for SEN kids but only alternate days to cut down on close contacts in classes and buses.

What a massive cluster****.

titan18

Crocodile Booze wrote: »

I think Storming Norma is going to have a difficult time with her colleagues when she returns to school after her short-lived ministerial career.

Totally inept and terrible people skills. Incompetence and Nepotism at its finest.

Theres a Seanad seat available for her if she fails to get elected

vid36

According to reports on RTE, SEN children will come to school on alternative days. Is this a possible trial run for a hybrid model next month?

DraftDodger

E36Ross wrote: »

Announced on Virgin Media Schools are OPEN next Thursday for SEN kids but only alternate days to cut down on close contacts in classes and buses.

What a massive cluster****.

Primary schools I'm guessing