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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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wirelessdude01

beggars_bush wrote: »

How about families that don't have devices for these lessons?

Or who only have a few and all kids need to be online at the same time for there lessons? Live lessons in my opinion on create such an amount of stress for parents and/or grandparents. Houses and families are upsidedown at the moment.

Treppen

Any teachers on here being asked for their thoughts on May exams for the Junior Cycle/Cert?

What format do you think your school will go for?

jrosen

Genuinely curious how anyone in 2020 doesn't have a lap top? If you have been though college did you not need a lap top in college? Access to the internet?

BonsaiKitten

jrosen wrote: »

Genuinely curious how anyone in 2020 doesn't have a lap top? If you have been though college did you not need a lap top in college? Access to the internet?

I did back then, yes. That was 6 years ago now - a long time of not needing a laptop!

jrosen

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I did back then, yes. That was 6 years ago now - a long time of not needing a laptop!

Ok, but if you needed one for college how do you not need one for work? Or at least access to one? How do you research stuff? Lesson plan? Contact parents, type up the school reports? Or does your school still hand write reports and only use the phone to contact parents?

BonsaiKitten

jrosen wrote: »

Ok, but if you needed one for college how do you not need one for work? Or at least access to one? How do you research stuff? Lesson plan? Contact parents, type up the school reports? Or does your school still hand write reports and only use the phone to contact parents?

I have access to a PC - in work! That is where I do my planning and preparation. I know some teachers like to do that work at home but I have always preferred to leave work in the building. If I really need to, I can have a laptop from school to bring home on a short loan (and that is how it would have to be, I wouldn't be funding that myself). A lot of schools don't have that available for staff.

Reports can be done on a tablet, emails sent on a tablet also (but emails to parents happen via my school computer - so again, done in the school building). I don't know why someone not needing a personal laptop is so surprising.

An Ri rua

jlm29 wrote: »

No, but it is a bit mental to think that someone who works in education has no access to a tablet or laptop in this day and age, as many are claiming. I work in education myself, and I couldn’t be without a laptop.

What good is a laptop? Will you gather the students around you in a huddle?

Surely broadband is the main issue. And lots of teachers have sh1t broadband, just like many citizens which also includes KIDS. All this green Jersey bullsh1t, if an employer needs an employee to do a job, they provide s game plan and the equipment. That's universal in the private sector, except in the ****t1est of sh1t jobs. Laptops and mobiles are exempt from BIK, so they're provided aplenty.

All of this teacher bashing is getting ridiculous.

As for parents being in the background of Zoom sessions, that is reprehensible. No professional could operate with non professionals floating around and being a nuisance before, during and after a client session.

A number of teachers are figuring out ways to teach online. Great! But it's the job of the Dept, and teaching advisory bodies and unions, to figure out what's possible and then the T&C's.

jlm29

An Ri rua wrote: »

What good is a laptop? Will you gather the students around you in a huddle?

Surely broadband is the main issue.

if an employer needs an employee to do a job, they provide s game plan and the equipment. Laptops and mobiles are exempt from BIK, so they're provided aplenty.

All of this teacher bashing is getting ridiculous.

Lack of a laptop has been mentioned a number of times on the thread as a barrier to giving work to students. An earlier poster mentioned that his eyes are hurting from looking at his phone screen to try and give and correct work. This person is using their own personal device. I just find it unusual that someone has no access whatsoever to either a laptop or a tablet.
Broadband is definitely an issue in many homes.
The DoE could purchase hundreds of laptops, they would be funded by the tax dollar, and a large percentage of them would probably never or rarely be used again once kids are back at school.
I’ve never bashed teachers, I’m perfectly happy with the amount of work being sent home, and the communication from the school. I’ve got one school going child, and I’d rather see him out playing tbh, he’s 8. Realistically, anything they do now will have to be covered again anyhow, to make sure everyone is Up to speed. Plenty kids, for whatever reason will do no work, whether Its uploaded to google classroom, delivered via zoom, or sent with hedwig the owl. In the case of younger primary school children, the work is being sent home to keep parents happy, and so that teachers don’t need to be redeployed.

khalessi

jlm29 wrote: »

Lack of a laptop has been mentioned a number of times on the thread as a barrier to giving work to students. An earlier poster mentioned that his eyes are hurting from looking at his phone screen to try and give and correct work. This person is using their own personal device. I just find it unusual that someone has no access whatsoever to either a laptop or a tablet.
Broadband is definitely an issue in many homes.
The DoE could purchase hundreds of laptops, they would be funded by the tax dollar, and a large percentage of them would probably never or rarely be used again once kids are back at school.
I’ve never bashed teachers, I’m perfectly happy with the amount of work being sent home, and the communication from the school. I’ve got one school going child, and I’d rather see him out playing tbh, he’s 8. Realistically, anything they do now will have to be covered again anyhow, to make sure everyone is Up to speed. Plenty kids, for whatever reason will do no work, whether Its uploaded to google classroom, delivered via zoom, or sent with hedwig the owl. In the case of younger primary school children, the work is being sent home to keep parents happy, and so that teachers don’t need to be redeployed.

Definitely not why teachers are doing it. We are doing it because it is our job. It is gas we either are not doing enough or we are doing it because we dont want to be deployed, maybe and just maybe and this could be a stretch for some, but maybe - and bear with me here- we are doing it because we are teachers. Mind blowing I know!!

jlm29

khalessi wrote: »

Definitely not why teachers are doing it. We are doing it because it is our job. It is gas we either are not doing enough or we are doing it because we dont want to be deployed, maybe and just maybe and this could be a stretch for some, but maybe - and bear with me here- we are doing it because we are teachers. Mind blowing I know!!

I’ve said already that I don’t have an issue with what’s being done by my child’s teacher. I can’t speak for anyone else.
I know you are teachers and you’re paid to teach. My point is that it all kids won’t do it. So when kids go back to school, it will probably, in most cases have to be done again. So maybe it’s a bit pointless, in some, but perhaps not all, cases. But if anyone said that, and said “hey teachers, don’t send home any work”, then obviously some people would complain that “hey, the teachers are being paid to be at home, and they’re not teaching”. So then there would be a suggestion to redeploy the teachers. And there would almost certainly be a level of dissatisfaction with that plan.

glack

beggars_bush wrote: »

How about families that don't have devices for these lessons?

I work in a DEIS school so this is certainly an issue. I have 3 students that either I or their learning support teacher are posting work to or emailing once a week. I also check in when I can by phone.

I have another 5 that don't really engage, but this is not due to a lack of device as they do log into classroom sometimes, they just don't do anything! But you will always have that issue. The parents are also avoiding my phone calls so there isn't a whole lot more I can do there.

I make sure that what I do can be accessed on a phone as this is the most common access to the internet my students have - most of them are using their parents phone as they don't have their own (third class).

glack

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I have access to a PC - in work! That is where I do my planning and preparation. I know some teachers like to do that work at home but I have always preferred to leave work in the building. If I really need to, I can have a laptop from school to bring home on a short loan (and that is how it would have to be, I wouldn't be funding that myself). A lot of schools don't have that available for staff.

Reports can be done on a tablet, emails sent on a tablet also (but emails to parents happen via my school computer - so again, done in the school building). I don't know why someone not needing a personal laptop is so surprising.

It's the same in our school - we have desktops, not laptops. Main reason is they are more robust and last far longer in better quality. Teacher's who don't have a personal device or don't wish to use their personal laptop/tablet for work do all of their work in the school building. This was never an issue until now!

teachinggal123

An Ri rua wrote: »

As for parents being in the background of Zoom sessions, that is reprehensible. No professional could operate with non professionals floating around and being a nuisance before, during and after a client session.

A number of teachers are figuring out ways to teach online. Great! But it's the job of the Dept, and teaching advisory bodies and unions, to figure out what's possible and then the T&C's.

This sums up the attitude of the teachers in my school.

"Not my job figure out this online teaching stuff, and I'm going to wait until someone tells me exactly what to do and gives me laptop/tablet/broadband/training/software/etc etc etc before I'm going to do anything".

Teachers can deny it, but this is the attitude I'm hearing from my colleagues.

JimmyVik

Ive just been on a zoom session my daughter had with her class for their Monday morning catchup.

Holy Mother of God. It was just nuts. I can see why they only do it once a week and for 10 children at a time. I couldnt even handle 3 at a time.

Kudos to teachers in controlling that rabble

I much prefer getting the work to do and then doing it with the kids. I know it leads to parental stress, but by god it is easier than a bunch of kids on a call.

I like sitting down and helping them with the work and then sending it back to the teacher. Its a nice experience. But other parents in the whatsapp group are showing the stress. Some of them bitching about the lack of effort from the teachers etc. Its clear these people are losing it.

This is a messed up situation for parents, children AND teachers. We are all in it together. Its difficult for everyone, and everyone has different ways of dealing with it. Usually the first manifestation of stress anywhere is bitching and moaning that others are the problem. Calm down everyone. We are all together.

It might help if the teachers gave every parent a call for a few minutes and let them know that this is difficult for every part of the equation and only to be expected. Might calm some people down.

teachinggal123

JimmyVik wrote: »

It might help if the teachers gave every parent a call for a few minutes and let them know that this is difficult for every part of the equation and only to be expected. Might calm some people down

Some of the teachers in my place are refusing to use their own personal phones for work. Just like the teaches on this thread are refusing to use their own laptops for work.

GDPR implications etc.

BonsaiKitten

teachinggal123 wrote: »

Some of the teachers in my place are refusing to use their own personal phones for work. Just like the teaches on this thread are refusing to use their own laptops for work.

GDPR implications etc.

I presume the poster means on Zoom or Google Voice. I sure as hell wouldn't be ringing parents with my own phone! Giving them that kind of access to you 24/7 would be a stupid decision, some think teachers should have no boundaries.

jlm29

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I presume the poster means on Zoom or Google Voice. I sure as hell wouldn't be ringing parents with my own phone! Giving them that kind of access to you 24/7 would be a stupid decision, some think teachers should have no boundaries.

They could block their number

Edited to add. I don’t expect or need a phone call. I don’t think a phone call is necessary. I’m just pointing out that that isn’t really an issue.

krissovo

The last two weeks our kids (6 & 10) school has really stepped up to the plate and I can only give praise, its been really impressive. School work is now sent out digitally on Friday using aladin with a link to padlet that has tasks and video links, a recorded video now starts the week from their teacher(s) which our kids find really inspiring. Assignments are sent back and feedback is given by a recording. There are a number of zoom sessions that kids need to attend one of them and rather than a lesson its a informal session talking about what they are learning, its done webinar style where the kids have to raise their hands. The benefit is that they can see their friends and class mates are doing ok.

I have spoke with both my kids teachers, they are struggling in general like the rest of us and also coming to terms with getting over being camera shy and the intrusion into their homes but they are getting over their challenges.

JimmyVik

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I presume the poster means on Zoom or Google Voice. I sure as hell wouldn't be ringing parents with my own phone! Giving them that kind of access to you 24/7 would be a stupid decision, some think teachers should have no boundaries.

I know first hand from experience in my company.
Always have a company supplied work phone and if you give out a number, only ever give that one. I made the mistake once of letting a client get my personal number. Not only were they hassling me, they even gave other clients my number. Never again.

Keep work phine number separate and if work wont supply one, their problem.

JimmyVik

jlm29 wrote: »

They could block their number

Edited to add. I don’t expect or need a phone call. I don’t think a phone call is necessary. I’m just pointing out that that isn’t really an issue.

Its true I think if the teachers could talk to parents they might have a calming effect on some of them. I think a one on one zoom call would be great for even 5 minutes.

s1ippy

I call parents after arranging a mutually agreeable time with my number on private. I've had seriously heavy conversations covering all sorts of medical information and the generally awful things people are dealing with right now. It's been eye-opening but I've found that most of them really appreciate the contact.

lulublue22

I’m a primary school teacher. I have phoned parents but found it difficult to contact one or two. The same one or two who have not engaged with online learning nor responded to numerous emails re same ðŸ˜‰ However for the rest we are now in a routine and contact is now via email/ online. It seems to suit my parents very well. Email allows parents to contact when necessary in their own time and to suit their circumstances. I make it a habit to check for parent emails through out the day so response time is quick enough and all genuinely seem happy.

jrosen

Teacher bashing implies people are complaining for the sake of complaining. I totally agree this happens and i have seen it and heard it from some parents, but in my experience they are the parents who will never be happy. They could have the best teacher on the planet but it will never be good enough.

If your a teacher with no lap top then you still need to provide a level of work for your students. You need to figure that out. Just like every other person who is now at home trying to figure out how they are going to do their job to the best of their ability. If you cant do your job from home due to broadband issues or tech issues then you need to be speaking with your principal to find ways this can be remedied. Otherwise your students miss out which is not acceptable. Its not acceptable to just shrug your shoulders.

This is crappy for a large portion of parents. Most are trying to work full time, supervise and care for their children and also help "teach" or guide or manage school work. A lot of my friends are starting their day at 7 and still working well after 10 to try and get through their work because they need to take so many breaks during the day to manage family life.

Our secondary has really upped its game and im really impressed with their open minded approach in contacting parents and asking where we feel there could be improvements, where we feel things are working best. The teachers have open dialogue with the students, contactable for questions. Not all teachers but a lot. It was a slow start but I cant fault them now. Our primary has really gotten into the swing of things this week too. Very happy parent and I will make sure to voice my positive feedback when we return to school.

khalessi

jrosen wrote: »

This is crappy for a large portion of parents. Most are trying to work full time, supervise and care for their children and also help "teach" or guide or manage school work. A lot of my friends are starting their day at 7 and still working well after 10 to try and get through their work because they need to take so many breaks during the day to manage family life.

This is similar to myself. I am teaching from home, single parent, minding children, trying to get their schoolwork done, the book stuff they do while I am working the online stuff gets done in the evening as I am online with students from 8am until 5pm. I get the dinner then finish my kids online work before correcting planning and uploading work for the next day which can take until 11ish depending. Some of my children's school work does not get done until weekend to accomodate my students as one of my kids also attends learning support and as such gets a lot of work. It is hard going parents and teachers are in the same boat in this regard

jrosen

khalessi wrote: »

This is similar to myself. I am teaching from home, single parent, minding children, trying to get their schoolwork done, the book stuff they do while I am working the online stuff gets done in the evening as I am online with students from 8am until 5pm. I get the dinner then finish my kids online work before correcting planning and uploading work for the next day which can take until 11ish depending. Some of my children's school work does not get done until weekend to accomodate my students as one of my kids also attends learning support and as such gets a lot of work. It is hard going parents and teachers are in the same boat in this regard

Yes a lot are in the same boat in that regard.

Marcusm

AmberGold wrote: »

Re tech yes you can, in this day and age as rare as unicorns!

If you think that 20% of the population are unicorns, your statement might have some grounding. The attached survey may not be representative but this is concerned only with broadband access not tech availability.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/education/one-in-five-secondary-school-pupils-lack-reliable-broadband-1.4229850%3fmode=amp

I think teachers should do as much as they can but I’m realistic to realise that there is a significant cohort of students who, even with broadband access, would lack the ability to study effectively at home.

wirelessdude01

teachinggal123 wrote: »

This sums up the attitude of the teachers in my school.

"Not my job figure out this online teaching stuff, and I'm going to wait until someone tells me exactly what to do and gives me laptop/tablet/broadband/training/software/etc etc etc before I'm going to do anything".

Teachers can deny it, but this is the attitude I'm hearing from my colleagues.

Tell us what you do so?

Stewie Griffin

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Tell us what you do so?

I asked this question of this poster on Friday, and I am politely awaiting a reply.

An Ri rua

jlm29 wrote: »

Lack of a laptop has been mentioned a number of times on the thread as a barrier to giving work to students. An earlier poster mentioned that his eyes are hurting from looking at his phone screen to try and give and correct work. This person is using their own personal device. I just find it unusual that someone has no access whatsoever to either a laptop or a tablet.
Broadband is definitely an issue in many homes.
The DoE could purchase hundreds of laptops, they would be funded by the tax dollar, and a large percentage of them would probably never or rarely be used again once kids are back at school.
I’ve never bashed teachers, I’m perfectly happy with the amount of work being sent home, and the communication from the school. I’ve got one school going child, and I’d rather see him out playing tbh, he’s 8. Realistically, anything they do now will have to be covered again anyhow, to make sure everyone is Up to speed. Plenty kids, for whatever reason will do no work, whether Its uploaded to google classroom, delivered via zoom, or sent with hedwig the owl. In the case of younger primary school children, the work is being sent home to keep parents happy, and so that teachers don’t need to be redeployed.

OR

They could lease the equipment and redeploy it once this crisis has passed. Its the employer's place to provide appropriate equipment and WFH facilities. This is all covered by the HSA. Laughably so, in fact. Ensure to adjust your chair for ergonomics purposes. What do they suggest one does with a kitchen chair? Put a phonebook on it? Or saw the legs??
This the job of Depts, to provide frameworks, advice and, ultimately, equipment.

teachinggal123

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Tell us what you do so?

Why do you want to know this?

I have a feeling that whatever I answer will be wrong. I've already had teachers trawling through my post history in an attempt to discredit me. Is this what you are up to as well or do you genuinely want to know?