How will schools be able to go back in September?

Deeec wrote: »

I agree online doesn't work for everybody. I think the easiest approach is to forget about live online teaching. It doesn't work for teachers, children or parents. I posted on this forum a few days ago a simple approach which I think some of the suggestions could work ( not online based ) . I would just love to see every school using the same approach to homeschooling so everyone knows what is expected of them. If it was kept simple I think it would work for everybody.

And once again back to the department for them to do their job.

Deeec wrote: »

Its very frustrating that they cant come up with some plan and solutions for each scenario. Us parents cannot plan ahead for what is happening In September. Im guessing teachers cannot plan ahead either.

Everyone is in the dark. I suspect that the IT are probably currently sitting on the scoop of what is to be announced.

Deeec wrote: »

That's what I mean by standard - every school should be offering the same.

Exactly.
A we all know we want school to return in a school environment safely.
The problem is that if and when physical school cannot return, I cannot understand how anyone can try to justify not supplying taught material videos, more interactive lessons and anything else possible to parents to help the children out.
Someone else said scandal- absolutely.

NelRom wrote: »

Exactly.
A we all know we want school to return in a school environment safely.
The problem is that if and when physical school cannot return, I cannot understand how anyone can try to justify not supplying taught material videos, more interactive lessons and anything else possible to parents to help the children out.
Someone else said scandal- absolutely.

Huh ?

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Everyone is in the dark. I suspect that the IT are probably currently sitting on the scoop of what is to be announced.

It's really disgraceful the amount of leaks coming from the department. Article today in the Indo https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/education-department-at-centre-of-storm-as-anxiety-among-parents-and-pupils-grows-39377730.html had referred to rumours citing different 'sources' and politicians about 5 times. Can't people in the Department of Education just keep their mouths shut after a meeting. AS soon as a minister makes a decision the mandarins start to drip feed whatever story they like to control the outcome and scupper the Minister. Also it painted the picture of her just trying to appease unions the most as she was a former teacher etc. You can see where this **** show is going to go, and with silly season around the corner it's just going to get sillier.

Im not expecting much clear guidance from the dept tbh. It will be largely left at the door of the school to sort out.

What I think we will be doing in our school is rotating the days certain year groups are in school. Teachers will remain on premises for the day. Teach those at home online when not teaching physical class group. Problem is, the dept won’t provide adequate tech for this. It’s not enough to rely on an iPad for this. Proper webcam needed.

Students with cameras off and mics muted. Hand up function in use. Random questioning from teacher to check for engagement.

I’ve just bought a new computer & monitor in the event the school gets closed and we’re working from home completely. I’ve started adapting resources for online use also (mainly because I have a bit of time on my hands coincidently).

i didnt do any live classes during lockdown just used email. worked well for history, its all notes and questions and reading anyway. threw up some youtube documentaarys too. wrks grand in history but science, maths , languages not a hope. wouldnt be keen on doing geography either that way.

It seems schools and teachers should not receive constructive advice from forum members.

Scoondal wrote: »

It seems schools and teachers should not receive constructive advice from forum members.

I suggest you write to the department of education with this constructive advice seeing as they seem to be unable to put together any.

Dickie10 wrote: »

i didnt do any live classes during lockdown just used email. worked well for history, its all notes and questions and reading anyway. threw up some youtube documentaarys too. wrks grand in history but science, maths , languages not a hope. wouldnt be keen on doing geography either that way.

I done a mixture of live and recorded lessons. One live class per week and recorded videos for other periods. Live class was kind of a checking in period.

I know many like yourself and say they got good results too. It all depends on your own style and the students you have. No perfect formula. Can see how some teachers just see it as a path to doing f all though. I’m relatively new to teaching so the fire is still there.

Scoondal wrote: »

It seems schools and teachers should not receive constructive advice from forum members.

What are you basing this on?

Scoondal wrote: »

It seems schools and teachers should not receive constructive advice from forum members.

Scoondal, I have been a member on bords on and off since 2007 and teaching is the only job that gets mega threads where people slag it off, teacher bash, troll and are very spiteful about teaching and it all seems to centre on perceived hours and holidays.

Constructive criticism is welcome but there are some who are obvious about teacher bashing and others who coat it in eloquent phrases or subtlely like the posts of the teacher bashers and hope it isn't noticed. Since March there have been at least 6 of these threads and yet no other job gets that treatment. Never in my time on boards have I seen a career slated so much and so many people bitter about it.

Some of it has occured in the last week and can be seen by anyone who scrolls back. There have been some great suggestions put forward here by non teachers on how to improve things, or how to get schools open, but there have also been suggestions that weren't great and if a teacher disagrees or points out why it wont work , they are slagged off as inflexible. It is never considered that we may actually have relevent experience to know this.

If I gave an explanation on how to take an ABG as a nurse, I would not get 20 people jumping on me telling me I dont knwo how to do my job. Primarily because most people would not have that level of knowledge of nursing. But everyone has been in a school so feel free to jump on teachers.

You have made some good points and mentioned homeschooling as an alternative and I genuinely was interested in you doing a diary as I felt it could teach us something. But timmy mallet made my comment into something it was not, which really upset me and I reported it and nothing was done.

By all means people can criticise but dont turn an explanation of why something might not work into an attack on teachers being inflexible and then tell us what a drain we are on the tax system and that we pracitically dont work. I have worked in the private sector and also elsewhere in public and honestly teaching is tough enough without the battering I have seen on here.

Oh please dont use spelling against me I am not a typist

cwboy wrote: »

Older Children Spread the Coronavirus Just as Much as Adults, Large Study Finds
The study of nearly 65,000 people in South Korea suggests that school reopenings will trigger more outbreaks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/18/health/coronavirus-children-schools.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

I may be wrong (usually am) but is this the first large scale study to examine transmission rates amongst children?

I don't dispute the results at all, but it just shows how unknown this all is that a potential reason for children under 10 not being so important a factor in spreading, is that they're short! And thus not exhaling at a height to reach into adult airways.
Mad, Ted.

But if it's right that children from 10+ are as contagious as adults then how can there be any argument for placing 30 plus teachers crowded together into a typical Irish sized classroom? A full return will be impossible.

Not sure what to think on this one. I was all for it, but if pubs can't open, then schools must be under threat. Kids are like young drinks, especially the smaller ones.

I think they have to try. It's not healthy for kids to not have school (or on parents sanity) and they can't stay closed forever. But then a short dose of normality and then back to closure might be as bad.

Very difficult situation all round.

Creches have been open a few weeks with no large uptick (or none attributed to creches). There should be almost two months of data on that by Sept

So maybe its just a bite the bullet approach.