Timetable teaching during covid

Bobtheman

We have not been instructed to follow it. It would be impossible for me anyway with two kids under 9.
Have others been instructed to do so? What about childcare?
Most of us do a few goggle class's a week with our classes but not the full timetable.
Everybody sends work and corrects it.

Smacruairi

Bobtheman wrote: »

We have not been instructed to follow it. It would be impossible for me anyway with two kids under 9.
Have others been instructed to do so? What about childcare?
Most of us do a few goggle class's a week with our classes but not the full timetable.
Everybody sends work and corrects it.

I'm doing it, but kid is in creche. There are positives and negatives, but I think I've a healthier balance than the last time around when I was trying to prerecord lessons at midnight.

db

For the students, teaching to the timetable works well. The previous lockdown they had some video classes and assigned work and it was useless. Most classes this time have been live on teams according to the timetable and it has worked very well. The only exceptions have been practical classes and non exam subjects.

Smacruairi

The one caveat is that students with SEN needs find them more difficult, it can burn out everyone if they go at it as per normal for the 40mins/hour (need more structure) and to be honest I don't think the quality of learning is as good as prerecorded etc, but the structure defo suits the kids more

Bobtheman

Thanks for the replies. I just want to get a feel for what's happening in other schools

solerina

We teach to our timetable but not every class. We have to do minimum 2/4 or 3/5 for our larger groups. For SEN or one to one teaching it’s every class.
We can do live or pre record or a combination of the two.
It’s working well, so much easier than last Spring.

dg647

We got a new online timetable, we only teach exam subjects, no ICT/PE/RE etc.

We see classes 2/3 times a week for one hour blocks.

Timetable is from 9-1.

Afternoons are for homework, correcting etc. SEN and pastoral contact continues after 2PM. It is working well.

derb12

dg647 wrote: »

We got a new online timetable, we only teach exam subjects, no ICT/PE/RE etc.

We see classes 2/3 times a week for one hour blocks.

Timetable is from 9-1.

Afternoons are for homework, correcting etc. SEN and pastoral contact continues after 2PM. It is working well.

So some teachers must have lots of time off then? If you’re timetabled for PE/RE/etc do you just not have to do anything?

Smacruairi

Yeah I mean there's already a bit of a divide growing in our place between those who teach exam subjects and are teaching to the timetable, corrections, feedback etc, and those with the softer subjects that are using the time for walks, meditation, chats etc.

TheValeyard

derb12 wrote: »

So some teachers must have lots of time off then? If you’re timetabled for PE/RE/etc do you just not have to do anything?

Not true in a lot of schools. I know the RE teachings for JC are doing their classes as its an exam subject. For LC they are doing live quizzes, discussions and have guest speakers via Teams.

PE are also doing something similar, uploading videos of excersies to do, even live classes of yoga, etc.

am_zarathustra

Religion isn't an exam subject in most schools. Less than half sit it at JC and way less at LC.

I think the level of engagement will vary by teacher. Some will be doing a fantastic job, some will be doing nothing. I know people in both catagory. I suppose the divide comes from the reaction of management, if the LC HL Irish, maths, accounting etc teacher doesn't do classes, or doesn't work for a few days it's going to be noticed and dealt with very quickly, the same will not be true for non examinable subjects.

I think there is a divide opening since the introduction of the competency based interviews that over emphasis work outside the classroom. Teachers with far less corrections, exam classes etc will have more time to be on committees etc. This leaves serious teachers who have honed a craft and get good results at a disadvantage. I know not every principal (being honest about the hiring process) pushed this as hard but I definitely think an Irish teacher in an urban dublin school will have very little time to do anything beyond the 21.20 they are teaching every week, generally with not enough hours for each class therefore planning and correcting takes on another dimensions. This work is not rewarded in progression. These tensions are certainly in a number of staffrooms I know.

The call for LC teachers to return, when it clearly wasn't safe, was just another stake through that divide. I'm not necessarily where I fall on this but the narrative in some schools is very clear

Smacruairi

100% agree with above. In our place of the year heads, only 1 has an examinable leaving cert class. And when it gets to discussions about strategies around teaching etc it's very obviously becoming a divide at the middle management level.

am_zarathustra

I'd only consider one of our AP2 post holders to be a teacher really. Certainly only one has a full timetable teaching. The last round of promotions put a line straight down the centre of the staffroom, unhelpful for all and probably a mistake by management. It is an issue I think when it comes to leadership too, it hard for teachers to listen to people they know can't control a class, or they don't know can control a class tell them what to do. If someone is perceived as a good teacher, with good behavioural management the staff are more likely to listen to innovation or change from this person. It's the same issue as the JCT. I don't expect automatic respect from my students, those days are long gone, but I show them respect and work hard. A title doesn't imbue you with the qualities you need to drive change.

One thing I liked about a former deputy I worked with was that they kept one senior class in their original subject. Just a few hours a week, they were an excellent teacher and it kept them in the mindset of the teachers they were leading. The staff would have done anything for him, complete respect from all and that's a hard thing to have in any school.

Icsics

Promoted Teachers in my place drop classes the first chance they get, DP no classes, SEN no classes....oh they might technically be down for ‘team teaching’ but only appear when there’s an inpspection.

TheValeyard

am_zarathustra wrote: »

Religion isn't an exam subject in most schools. Less than half sit it at JC and way less at LC.

Do you have the stats for that, be interesting to read.

am_zarathustra

TheValeyard wrote: »

Do you have the stats for that, be interesting to read.

SEC release the pack of data every year for journalists. From 2019 roughly 28000 out of 65000 odd who sat the exams. For LC little over 1300, very few really. That numbers will keep dropping, I'd imagine the 10 subject cap won't have helped.