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Child Item

School not using Video Conferencing but lashing out the homework

AmberGold

I have three children under 12, none of their schools are taking the opportunity to avail of the latest technology to provide lessons.

Given WhatsApp, Teams and Zoom etc are free this is disappointing as all we seem to have is teachers flinging homework over the wall & lots of it at that.

I appreciate teachers have their own children to look after but an hour or two a day wouldn’t be too much to ask.

Is this unique to the schools my children attend or are our educators missing a trick, I’m thinking about contacting the principal of the school to voice my concern.

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neonsofa

Teach30 wrote: »

Read back over my posts and you’ll clearly see I have done them.

I’ll gladly take any suggestions from you as how to remedy the following.

I made a 16 min video going through three pages with a class. Included in video are my brother walking in not aware I was doing something and proceeding to ask me was I doing something. My mother looking for a newspaper and the phone ringing three times in background. And a roar from mother at me asking would I answer it. Despite a sign on the door saying I was doing work and a verbal instruction.

Anyways completed video including all interruptions and proceeded to upload, file is too large to attach to an email. Currently 2 hours later it is still uploading to google classroom and I have no idea if it will work or not.

Seeing as you say I’m doing nothing, What else should I be doing?

If your videos are pre recorded, I would definitely try the car idea since you can use the wifi indoors once finished for uploading. Not ideal but gives some privacy as outlined in my previous post.

teachinggal123

Teach30 wrote: »

I made a 16 min video going through three pages with a class. Included in video are my brother walking in not aware I was doing something and proceeding to ask me was I doing something. My mother looking for a newspaper and the phone ringing three times in background. And a roar from mother at me asking would I answer it. Despite a sign on the door saying I was doing work and a verbal instruction.

Anyways completed video including all interruptions and proceeded to upload, file is too large to attach to an email. Currently 2 hours later it is still uploading to google classroom and I have no idea if it will work or not.

Serious question: would you accept all those excuses from a student if they were meant to have an important assignment completed but didn't have anything?

Or would they have to get a 0% for that assignment?

munsterlegend

Surely when schools reopen they will have to cover the work missed anyway in whatever plan is devised.

beggars_bush

AmberGold wrote: »

I have to say the response from some of the Teachers on this thread has been an eye opener. Its actually sad considering everything.

Give an example
There's a lot of BS on this thread

xckjoo

Have a kid in Junior Cert and TBH I'm disappointed with the school. A couple of teachers have done sporadic online classes (they still haven't finished a couple of courses

) and a couple have occasionally sent on some work, but there's no consistency and no structure on what they're doing. There's still supposed to be ~6 weeks left of school and we have him doing self study, but in his head he thinks everyone else is already on holidays (including the teachers).

I get that the JC is kinda cancelled and lower priority than the LC, but that's not going to help him when he starts the LC curriculum without even closing out the JC curriculum. He's too young to understand that it's his education and not the teachers or other students, so he's annoyed he has to do work while nobody else seems to be.

There's some fantastic teachers out there but a load of them are pants and give the rest a bad name. I'm not looking for 24/7 coverage. Just provision of some self-study work and feedback on what they do.

Teach30

teachinggal123 wrote: »

Serious question: would you accept all those excuses from a student if they were meant to have an important assignment completed but didn't have anything?

Or would they have to get a 0% for that assignment?

I’d be empathetic to their situation, would you be?

It’s a genuine question how do I remedy the problem?

History Queen

thomasdylan wrote: »

I don't think this is correct at all.

If it is an issue just anonymise names.

Just to point out GDPR is an issue. When GDPR came in first all staff from my ETB were subject to a presentation on it and told in no uncertain terms that no school business of any sort was to be conducted on personal devices. No match photos/recording of CBAs etc. They even threatened to ban usbs in case of possible data breaches. We don't keep school diarys anymore they are submitted to the office for shredding at the end of each academic year. Attendance is taken online rather than in a roll book. I could gl on and on. We were told to use school devices or do without. And that is what we have done since.

Now we're in a situation where we have to use personal devices and no guidance from HR on the possible implications... it makes me very nervous

Edited to add: I'm not saying GDPR is a reasonnot to teach online at all, but is a reason not to use some online facilities that may indeed work well in other areas of life, they're just not suited to education.

I am teaching away onlinethe best I can marking and returning student work etc. Not ideal but I'm doing my best as I would hope are my colleagues around the country. My students for the most part are doing their best.

In teaching as in all jobs you have the diligent and the ineffectual, don't punishand deride the efforts of the hardworking amongst us for the sins of a few.

MadYaker

Teach30 wrote: »

No it’s the reality of my situation.

I’ll gladly take any suggestions as how to remedy the situation. If the school opened tomorrow I would willingly stream my teaching from there but I will not invite students into my bedroom - where I work from.

Could the school not open to allow you in on your own to use the broadband and other IT equipment. Sounds like it would be a big help?

NuttyMcNutty

My son get's his homework emailed and he has to email back the work. I was surprised to hear that the work is not corrected and sent back, what's the point?, also he hasn't got any Math or English homework:eek:

jimmycrackcorm

Teach30 wrote: »

Read back over my posts and you’ll clearly see I have done them.

I’ll gladly take any suggestions from you as how to remedy the following.

I made a 16 min video going through three pages with a class. Included in video are my brother walking in not aware I was doing something and proceeding to ask me was I doing something. My mother looking for a newspaper and the phone ringing three times in background. And a roar from mother at me asking would I answer it. Despite a sign on the door saying I was doing work and a verbal instruction.

Anyways completed video including all interruptions and proceeded to upload, file is too large to attach to an email. Currently 2 hours later it is still uploading to google classroom and I have no idea if it will work or not.

Seeing as you say I’m doing nothing, What else should I be doing?

Our company have sent around emails regarding remote working. they have explicitly said that people on conference calls should be cogniscent that there are goingto be interuptions such as babies crying in the background, dogs barking etc, and accept that this is part and parcel of how we manage things now.

My LC class teacher sent an email that they are going to try using Microsoft teams to teach online classes. Will be very interesting to see how that performs.

ax530

there is no right way of doing this, I am working full time at home while my children are at home also I do not have multiple devices no way do I want school giving online classes they all have to join and try schedule this with my meetings \ work ect.
My childrens school use Seesaw very efficiently. Some videos teachers put up along side worksheets, links to other online resources.
I find it pressure trying to get children time on my (work) computer to do this work, they often need assistance with it (typing, using computer ect) if I leave them at it straight over to you tube.
So I mostly decide no online homework read as much as you can, write a diary and use school books and the odd work sheet I can print from Twinkle.
Teachers are very responsive with correcting, replying to children and parents and letting it being known that no pressure to get it all done ect not expecting us to replace school.
Seesaw had been in use by school prior to this so able to get up and running on additional functionality easily.
This just one parent situation there are multiple and then all the teachers have different situations which can make things difficult for them.
Then media frustrating as they think all parents are at home playing to be a teacher.

witchgirl26

lawred2 wrote: »

yeah but this is the usual smokescreen thrown up to justify doing nothing - not many parents would want that or are actively asking for their children to be sat in front of a PC for hours on end..

but a weekly work plan might be nice... and certainly wouldn't take much.

Ok but another argument that a lot of parents were making before was that they are still trying to work so setting down a "plan" for the week by the teacher doesn't always work as the parent can't be a full time teacher, parent and employee at the same time.

Like I said, the schools I know about (primary not secondary) are providing things to do at the start of the week and asking for certain items (depending on age of the student) to be fed back to the teachers by the end of the week. It's then up to the parents when they get done.

Teach30

MadYaker wrote: »

Could the school not open to allow you in on your own to use the broadband and other IT equipment. Sounds like it would be a big help?

That would be the dream but I live further than 2km from school. If they allow it I’d have no problem.

It’s just the poor internet really, I’d get over the interruptions. I’m not going live though, I’d prefer to have some control over it and at least with a video I can stop and start.

purifol0

teachinggal123 wrote: »

Teacher here.

I'm going to be totally honest and say that very few of my colleagues are doing anything at all. They have used all the excuses already mentioned in this thread ... no laptop/broadband, GDPR, no "official" school policy, no training, etc etc etc. The principal supports this as he is mid-50's and not at all computer literate. There is some contact with exam classes from some teachers but nothing significant. Other teachers have made no contact whatsoever since 12 March. Some others have made a bit of effort to email homework, but are now saying in our WhatsApp group that they are stopping this for various reasons (one of the main ones being "why work now if we are going to be made do "extra" hours in the Summer").

My nephews/nieces in primary school receive one email at the beginning of the week (from the main school email a/c) with suggested work. There is no other contact outside of that. All teachers are uncontactable and have not responded to emails sent (although last 2 weeks were Easter holidays).

I said all of this on another thread and got attacked by other teachers trawling through my post history and saying I must be in a **** school. I'll probably get attacked again now, but I'm being honest and telling the truth. I also have a lot of friends from other schools and they are also doing nothing or the absolute minimum.

The fact is that many, many teachers won't do any of this online stuff (in my experience this is the vast majority). The simple reason is that they don't have to and there will be no consequences. It'll all be dismissed as "anti-teacher ranting" or the "usual teacher bashing" if anyone questions this attitude.

Hard to say all that as a teacher, but it is the truth.

In a Time of Universal Deceit — Telling the Truth Is a Revolutionary Act

teachinggal123

Teach30 wrote: »

I’d be empathetic to their situation, would you be?

It’s a genuine question how do I remedy the problem?

I would be empathetic to a point ... but you have given the following excuses for not doing your work:
*Your brother walking in.
*Your mother looking for a newspaper
*The phone ringing three times in background.
*A roar from mother at me asking would I answer it.
*Inability of your Internet speed to upload your video.

I would be empathetic to the last one only. I would not accept the first 4 excuses, and I seriously doubt any teacher reading this would. Are you honestly saying that you would excuse no work being done if a student said their brother interrupted them or their parents asked them to do something??? Seriously?

As for solutions:
*Try to work when your parents are asleep, either early in the morning or later at night.
*Work from your car. Or a family members car.
*Explain to your brother the situation you are in. Perhaps he could keep your parents busy while you worked for an hour.
*Do you have other family, sister, brother? What about your girlfriend? Can you work from their house? (COVID-19 procedures being adhered to of course).

Teach30 ... seriously, you must be smart and probably have a degree and masters degree. Can you really not figure any of this out by yourself?

lawred2

witchgirl26 wrote: »

Ok but another argument that a lot of parents were making before was that they are still trying to work so setting down a "plan" for the week by the teacher doesn't always work as the parent can't be a full time teacher, parent and employee at the same time.

Like I said, the schools I know about (primary not secondary) are providing things to do at the start of the week and asking for certain items (depending on age of the student) to be fed back to the teachers by the end of the week. It's then up to the parents when they get done.

that aint happening in our kids' school

BarryD2

AmberGold wrote: »

Is this unique to the schools my children attend or are our educators missing a trick, I’m thinking about contacting the principal of the school to voice my concern.

Just do what you can within what you think is reasonable in terms of 'homework' for your children and ignore the rest. If teachers get onto you, politely say 'no can do' or impolitely tell them to get stuffed.

ethical

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0420/1132688-junior-cert-galway/

One school thinking of the wellbeing of its students....and probably the wellbeing of its teachers!

Geuze

Teach30 wrote: »

I made a 16 min video going through three pages with a class. Included in video are my brother walking in not aware I was doing something and proceeding to ask me was I doing something. My mother looking for a newspaper and the phone ringing three times in background. And a roar from mother at me asking would I answer it. Despite a sign on the door saying I was doing work and a verbal instruction.

Anyways completed video including all interruptions and proceeded to upload, file is too large to attach to an email. Currently 2 hours later it is still uploading to google classroom and I have no idea if it will work or not.

I have some empathy with you.

Video file sizes can be big, yes. 10 min videos I make can be 40 MB.

All this just shows how important fast broadband is.

I use a Creative HS 720 headset, it goes over my ears, has a mic.

I paid 35 for it, I think.

Teach30

teachinggal123 wrote: »

I would be empathetic to a point ... but you have given the following excuses for not doing your work:
*Your brother walking in.
*Your mother looking for a newspaper
*The phone ringing three times in background.
*A roar from mother at me asking would I answer it.
*Inability of your Internet speed to upload your video.

I would be empathetic to the last one only. I would not accept the first 4 excuses, and I seriously doubt any teacher reading this would. Are you honestly saying that you would excuse no work being done if a student said their brother interrupted them or their parents asked them to do something??? Seriously?

As for solutions:
*Try to work when your parents are asleep, either early in the morning or later at night.
*Work from your car. Or a family members car.
*Explain to your brother the situation you are in. Perhaps he could keep your parents busy while you worked for an hour.
*Do you have other family, sister, brother? What about your girlfriend? Can you work from their house? (COVID-19 procedures being adhered to of course).

Teach30 ... seriously, you must be smart and probably have a degree and masters degree. Can you really not figure any of this out by yourself?

If you took the time to read my reply correctly you would see that I went about doing my work, videoing myself and proceeded to upload - file is too large to upload from home internet.

Of course I have considered the alternatives. Your suggestions aren’t very inspiring. it’s the internet is the problem the interruptions are just funny at this stage. My home situation does not lend itself to live teaching end of.

You make it sound like I don’t care. The point I am making is we are all coping as best we can. Your attitude of well your not doing good enough is why I became a teacher in the first place. I would never approach a student in the manner you have.

Such a condescending tone and a disregard for personal situations is why I wouldn’t never sit beside you in the staff room. I’m teaching a very long time and I would always put myself out to help students.

You seem to think some teachers are doing nothing or making up excuses when it’s the reality of their life situation. Same for students if they are not completing the work I will always take into consideration their home situation.

Downlinz

Some of the toxic attitudes towards teachers during this pandemic have been really eye opening, I thought dealing with kids was the most difficult part of a teacher's job but it might actually be dealing with their parents.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

I received an email from the school today about how I can order the school uniforms online as the manufacturers won't be holding on site fittings like in previous years.

I always order them online anyway but its still only April and nobody wants to be thinking about having to prepare for back to school right now especially when nobody has a clue when that might be.

The schools have obviously already written off any notion of going back any time before September anyway.

They might be in for a surprise because you can't still have 2 full months summer holidays resulting in no kids in school for nearly 6 whole months come September.

Those that closed schools are opening back up again across Europe already.

Guy:Incognito

Teach30 wrote: »

Why Can’t they cope with email instruction alone? I am doing my job that way.

If thats the case, why do we need teachers at all so?
Maybe 1 teacher for each year can just bang together an email for every child in the country and all kids can learn from home.

I really thought teachers would be on the side of championing face to face learning to some degree . N one s saying be on the computer for the whole day teaching the class. Short 1 to 1 calls, some prerecorded stuff etc.

As it stands, so teachers seem to be trying to make the case that they are not needed at all........

Teach30

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

If thats the case, why do we need teachers at all so?
Maybe 1 teacher for each year can just bang together an email for every child in the country and all kids can learn from home.

I really thought teachers would be on the side of championing face to face learning to some degree . N one s saying be on the computer for the whole day teaching the class. Short 1 to 1 calls, some prerecorded stuff etc.

As it stands, so teachers seem to be trying to make the case that they are not needed at all........

Totally out of context.

My issue is with internet access. I can only only email work. I don’t have to capacity to upload videos or live stream myself.
Should a situation arise where I can access better internet I have no problem with streaming myself. My point was that teacher home situations do not always lend themselves to live teaching. Same for students what if they can’t access laptop for live teaching at a particular time?

Email work is secure, there for them to access at any time and contains the same explanations I would include when in the classroom. They can send me questions should they have any.

This zoom teaching is only a novelty.

Dr Turk Turkelton

Downlinz wrote: »

Some of the toxic attitudes towards teachers during this pandemic have been really eye opening, I thought dealing with kids was the most difficult part of a teacher's job but it might actually be dealing with their parents.

I don't think the "toxic attitudes" are towards teachers- just the lazy, workshy, full of excuses ones.
I have praised both the headmaster and my kids senior infants teacher to the high heavens here and in the class group chats with other parents.
It is the attitude of the second class kids teacher who seems to think a thrown together email with a few links and a couple of words of encouragement once a week is sufficient work for her salary.
That's the only attitude that stinks.

Jim Root

munsterlegend wrote: »

Surely when schools reopen they will have to cover the work missed anyway in whatever plan is devised.

As if, this is the poor unfortunate teachers we are talking about

Windorah

teachinggal123 wrote: »

According to my colleagues this will never happen. And if it is forced on teachers they will stop working now.

But dont believe me ... let's ask the teachers on here a simple question: would you be prepared to work during the Summer?

Those of us in special Ed already do! We work July every year.

Foweva Awone

Windorah wrote: »

Those of us in special Ed already do! We work July every year.

But you get paid extra for that, no? And I thought it was optional?

Windorah

Foweva Awone wrote: »

But you get paid extra for that, no? And I thought it was optional?

For four weeks work I get approximately 8 days pay every year so it's certainly not a money spinner from my perspective. Add in childcare for my own kids and we're in negative figures.
Absolutely it is optional but I am not going to leave my cohort without the hours they are entitled to. Believe it or some teachers genuinely want to help and care about the students in front of them.

heldel00

Christ almighty I don't know.
One side is saying they are happy enough with the plan for the week that they can do at their own pace.
The other side wants day to day interaction and a bit of a chat with class teacher.
One teacher is applauded because she sent out free postcards (which btw I don't think I'd be too happy with my address lying around some teacher's house).
Another is great because she left Easter eggs on her pupils doorsteps.
Can't do right for doing wrong.