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

beggars_bush

Will teaching principals have to go in aswell?

Natterjack from Kerry

beggars_bush wrote: »

Will teaching principals have to go in aswell?

Strange question. They will have to do their job. From home if its possible. And 'go in' if they cant do it from home, so will depend on the individual case.

beggars_bush

Natterjack from Kerry wrote: »

Strange question. They will have to do their job. From home if its possible. And 'go in' if they cant do it from home, so will depend on the individual case.

Whats strange about it?
They are hardly going to sit at home when the school is open for some pupils and staff

Locotastic

beggars_bush wrote: »

Whats strange about it?
They are hardly going to sit at home when the school is open for some pupils and staff

Well then why ask the question in the first place.

beggars_bush

I fully expect the INTO to change their mind when their union reps meet early this week

Locotastic

beggars_bush wrote: »

I fully expect the INTO to change their mind when their union reps meet early this week

Change their mind about what?

beggars_bush

Locotastic wrote: »

Change their mind about what?

Read back over the last 10 pages since last night

zeebre12

What are we suppose to do with the children all day? I usually take 2 children for 30 mins a day doing a bit of reading and grammar. Will I just do reading /grammar activities for 3 hours? Then take the other Maths group for the rest of the day? What are we to do with them all day?

Locotastic

beggars_bush wrote: »

Read back over the last 10 pages since last night

I didn't know INTO had made up their mind on anything in order to change their mind.

Are they not all still in discussions and waiting for an assessment from NPHET too?

Murple

zeebre12 wrote: »

What are we suppose to do with the children all day? I usually take 2 children for 30 mins a day doing a bit of reading and grammar. Will I just do reading /grammar activities for 3 hours? Then take the other Maths group for the rest of the day? What are we to do with them all day?

Babysit them.
The arrangement clearly wasn’t thought through or talked through by people who have any real experience of the role of SET within a mainstream school.
The vast majority of parents of primary pupils have spoken of their concern at children missing the social aspect of school, friendships etc., missing their teacher and the routine of school. Most have said they aren’t as concerned about the academic side.
This arrangement, whereby select pupils will return, without their peers, class teacher or the normal routine of the day, to a teacher they may usually only see for half an hour each day and other children who are not from their class and without the normal structure and variety of a school day is, to put it mildly, asinine.

BonsaiKitten

zeebre12 wrote: »

What are we suppose to do with the children all day? I usually take 2 children for 30 mins a day doing a bit of reading and grammar. Will I just do reading /grammar activities for 3 hours? Then take the other Maths group for the rest of the day? What are we to do with them all day?

They're meant to be grouped according to their needs apparently. So you could have a senior infant working on phonics with a 5th class child who needs comprehension support. That'll be some craic and will be great for the children's learning and emotional well-being, won't it? /S

Helgagirl

There are a lot of comments stating that if shop workers are able to work why can't the teachers, but the shop workers going to their work are only responsible for their own safekeeping, the teachers are responsible for their own safekeeping and every child in their classes too. I am in the position that I have a teenager who is able to work by himself at home, so I can't comment for parents working from home and trying to deal with their children, which I acknowledge is very difficult, but my opinion at the moment is that I am glad not to have the worry of sending my teenager into an environment that I don't personally feel comfortable with. While the teachers are doing their best, and he himself would prefer to be in school, there have been days he has come home since September, where other students don't respect the social distancing and also when the teachers are changing over from classes some of the students close the windows. None of this is the school's fault, but it doesn't make me feel that school is a safe environment and with the numbers so high obviously that is more worrying than when the numbers are low.

downthemiddle

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

They're meant to be grouped according to their needs apparently. So you could have a senior infant working on phonics with a 5th class child who needs comprehension support. That'll be some craic and will be great for the children's learning and emotional well-being, won't it? /S

I know of a school where only two children meet the criteria to return. One is a JI who is severely lacking in social skills. The other is in sixth class and believes that Covid is a global conspiracy. He spends the day spitting to prove his point.
This decision singles these children out from the rest of their school community. It is placing a label on children.

downthemiddle

Locotastic wrote: »

I didn't know INTO had made up their mind on anything in order to change their mind.

Are they not all still in discussions and waiting for an assessment from NPHET too?

You must have been on night shift when John Boyle announced on national television that schools were reopening next Thursday.

wirelessdude01

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

They're meant to be grouped according to their needs apparently. So you could have a senior infant working on phonics with a 5th class child who needs comprehension support. That'll be some craic and will be great for the children's learning and emotional well-being, won't it? /S

When I was in England we used to do phonics type stuff in the morning, grouped by ability. Used to be great craic having year 1 lumped in with year 6. Great confidence booster for the older ones seeing that they had the same ability as a 5yr old.

Locotastic

downthemiddle wrote: »

You must have been on night shift when John Boyle announced on national television that schools were reopening next Thursday.

The INTO has said while it supported the reopening of school for children with additional needs, this will require evidence that it is safe to do so. There's been no agreement reached yet as far as I can tell unless I've missed something.

Without Forsa members on board there won't be much to discuss anyway.

wirelessdude01

Locotastic wrote: »

The INTO has said while it supported the reopening of school for children with additional needs, this will require evidence that it is safe to do so. There's been no agreement reached yet as far as I can tell unless I've missed something.

Without Forsa members on board there won't be much to discuss anyway.

Best tell Norma and Josepha.

keoclassic

But teacher unions mindsets are unable to move from decades of acquired bad culture and selfishness, and are 'protecting their members' without recognition to their responsibilities to society in general, and adapting their response in the light of a once in a century crisis.
It is disgusting to the rest of society, and blaming a minister for stonewalling unions is nonsense.[/quote]

Oh give over. A ridiculous idiotic personal opinion. Why don't you ask the teachers who are doing full online timetables via zoom if they are selfish? I'm not fond of the unions myself bit ill say this, any teacher that is working from home and providing a teaching service is not due any thanks but they are more than entitled to be paid. Same as any other remote worker doing their job.

Mrsmum

downthemiddle wrote: »

I know of a school where only two children meet the criteria to return. One is a JI who is severely lacking in social skills. The other is in sixth class and believes that Covid is a global conspiracy. He spends the day spitting to prove his point.
This decision singles these children out from the rest of their school community. It is placing a label on children.

Surely the final decision remains with the parents though. It is not compolsory to send you child with special needs in, is it ? If next week a parent is invited to send their child in and they weigh up everything & do send the child to school, they must feel that's in the best interest of the child.

wirelessdude01

keoclassic wrote: »

But teacher unions mindsets are unable to move from decades of acquired bad culture and selfishness, and are 'protecting their members' without recognition to their responsibilities to society in general, and adapting their response in the light of a once in a century crisis.
It is disgusting to the rest of society, and blaming a minister for stonewalling unions is nonsense.

Oh give over. A ridiculous idiotic personal opinion. Why don't you ask the teachers who are doing full online timetables via zoom if they are selfish? I'm not fond of the unions myself bit ill say this, any teacher that is working from home and providing a teaching service is not due any thanks but they are more than entitled to be paid. Same as any other remote worker doing their job.[/QUOTE]

Personally remote teaching and learning takes up far more of my time. Every single piece of work that comes back has to be individually corrected and feedback given. In school feedback would generally be on the spot and orally. God help secondary teachers who would have far more corrections than I would have at primary level.

I'm at the kitchen table today catching up on work that has come in since I switched off the laptop yesterday. Maths for Monday can wait until tomorrow to be put together.

wirelessdude01

Mrsmum wrote: »

Surely the final decision remains with the parents though. It is not compolsory to send you child with special needs in, is it ? If next week a parent is invited to send their child in and they weigh up everything & do send the child to school, they must feel that's in the best interest of the child.

As far as I am aware a parent has only one chance to choose. Their options are fully in or fully at home. They aren't allowed to pick and choose days or indeed decide to send them in after deciding to keep them at home.

Now personally myself, I don't see Thursday the 21st happening for a whole variety of reasons.

Natterjack from Kerry

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

As far as I am aware a parent has only one chance to choose. Their options are fully in or fully at home. They aren't allowed to pick and choose days or indeed decide to send them in after deciding to keep them at home.

Now personally myself, I don't see Thursday the 21st happening for a whole variety of reasons.[/QUOTE]

JP100

Covid 19 cases reported in all of Northern Ireland's special schools.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54920050

Icyseanfitz

JP100 wrote: »

Covid 19 cases reported in all of Northern Ireland's special schools.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54920050

We have special special schools, don't worry

Locotastic

JP100 wrote: »

Covid 19 cases reported in all of Northern Ireland's special schools.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54920050

Article is from two months ago, old news.

I don't think anyone is of the illusion that ANY schools are immune. Most cases in those schools were staff, wonder if its similar here.

downthemiddle

Locotastic wrote: »

The INTO has said while it supported the reopening of school for children with additional needs, this will require evidence that it is safe to do so. There's been no agreement reached yet as far as I can tell unless I've missed something.

Without Forsa members on board there won't be much to discuss anyway.

The INTO are on board, it’s Forsa who aren’t. You must be confused again.

combat14

so does anyone have the lastest or final update are teachers, snas & students being sent into unsafe schools next week..

JP100

Locotastic wrote: »

Article is from two months ago, old news.

I don't think anyone is of the illusion that ANY schools are immune. Most cases in those schools were staff, wonder if its similar here.

Relevant news, my dear, relevant.

Crocodile Booze

So schools are closed but there are actually people still sticking to the ridiculous "Schools are safe" bullsiht. Lordy lordy lordy. Let it go. I won't be sending my children in anytime soon.

Locotastic

Crocodile Booze wrote: »

So schools are closed but there are actually people still sticking to the ridiculous "Schools are safe" bullsiht. Lordy lordy lordy. Let it go. I won't be sending my children in anytime soon.

Some students came to school after the Claremorris debacle, even with a third of the student population either positive for covid or isolating due to close contact.

Now it was a handful, seven (out of a possible 80 I think) but still, people's individual circumstances and attitude to risk varies, that's nothing new.

Given the choice I'd send mine back as soon as they are allowed, but we have no underlying conditions in the direct household plus case numbers in our area are practically non existent.

Everyone has different circumstances so will have to decide what they are comfortable with.