How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

CruelSummer · 04-09-2020 03:16PM

iguana wrote: »

Aircon is certainly an issue but primary school children are not wearing masks in Ireland. While some schools are choosing to avoid singing, others are still singing several times a day. 30 children in a not particularly large room singing together with no masks or visors is genuinely nuts right now. But it's daily life for a significant portion of our population.

The HSE is pretending that children of 13 and under can't spread it when we know that children of 10 and up spread at the same rate as adults. And children of 0-9 still spread it at about half that rate but that it is on a sliding scale based on age, and mainly reduced due to babies and toddlers. It's why the WHO now recommend masks from 6 and up. So nearly every primary child has close to same likelihood to infect as anyone else but we are just acting as if they don't really. With that kind of ostrich logic, the odds of this going well are extremely low.

This is what is wrong with the country today...young children wearing masks! Under no circumstances should this ever happen. Not only is it important for children to develop their speech & language appropriately, phonics, Reading, conversational skills. They also need to see faces to learn social & emotional skills. These problems before Covid were ever increasing. Not to mention young children cannot wear any mask/costume beyond 5 minutes & have more of a chance of being hit by lightning than being seriously affected by Covid.
Why on earth should we be blindly following the WHO? What have they achieved exactly in this pandemic besides ensuring it spread outside of Wuhan when Dr Tedros implied it would be ‘racist’ to restrict flights from China...

Cannot post the links atm but a quick google will give both sources.

Boggles · 04-09-2020 03:19PM

CruelSummer wrote: »

This is what is wrong with the country today...young children wearing masks! Under no circumstances should this ever happen. Not only is it important for children to develop their speech & language appropriately, phonics, Reading, conversational skills. They also need to see faces to learn social & emotional skills. .

Indeed, but they are learning none of that in school if their teacher is at home or in the hospital.

deiseindublin · 04-09-2020 04:11PM

Thanks for the ignore reminder. It's a head wreck to come in here to actually discuss getting/keeping schools opening and seeing the usual anti teacher rhetoric from a handful of posters.

Sammy2012 · 04-09-2020 04:33PM

First week down. It went well. Kids delighted to be back. I wear my mask when I am walking around the classroom but have a 2metre box taped off around the white board so I can teach with it off. Kids happy for the most part.

BonsaiKitten · 04-09-2020 04:34PM

PCros wrote: »

Kids singing in the classrooms is a bit crazy...that's something that should be stopped for the time being.

Just bring them outside and sing!

The school reopening guidelines encourage singing. I agree with you though, it is a bit mad!

JDD · 04-09-2020 04:51PM

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

The school reopening guidelines encourage singing. I agree with you though, it is a bit mad!

Yeah, singing indoors does appear to be really idiotic. One of the reasons why infections spread so widely in meat factories is because workers had to raise their voices over the noise of the machinery, so the virus travelled further. Teachers should be speaking to their Principal about that if singing is being encouraged in class or during assembly.

Our school usually holds one assembly on a Friday morning. They've now split it into three different mornings, and it's held outside - weather permitting.

Blondini · 04-09-2020 05:01PM

Another two covid scares in Dublin primary schools.

That's seven this week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/DublinLive/status/1301899676925521920?s=20

Warbeastrior · 04-09-2020 05:07PM

My friend who is a SNA has said the first week has been good but the guidelines cannot be stuck to. Baring in mind these are guidelines that arent considered safe for the general public.

He is working with SEN students that aren't wearing any masks or face coverings and regularly has to go within 1m of the student to explain work etc.

Some of the troublesome students (one group in particular) are constantly taking off masks, messing and will not adhere to social distancing unless constantly told to) Most are ADHD so their behaviour has been excused in the past.

People attacking teachers and SNAs a lot over the years but not many individuals have to work in those situations currently.
Its unfair they are being made to work like this. Its obvious that the government don't care about these workers and they have to just make do.

JDD · 04-09-2020 05:15PM

Warbeastrior wrote: »

My friend who is a SNA has said the first week has been good but the guidelines cannot be stuck to. Baring in mind these are guidelines that arent considered safe for the general public.

He is working with SEN students that aren't wearing any masks or face coverings and regularly has to go within 1m of the student to explain work etc.

Some of the troublesome students (one group in particular) are constantly taking off masks, messing and will not adhere to social distancing unless constantly told to) Most are ADHD so their behaviour has been excused in the past.

People attacking teachers and SNAs a lot over the years but not many individuals have to work in those situations currently.
Its unfair they are being made to work like this. Its obvious that the government don't care about these workers and they have to just make do.

Does he teach secondary school students? I think there's a case to be made for secondary SNAs to wear PPE. Maybe not the full garb of a hospital setting, but an N95 mask and visor should be provided. If I were him I wouldn't be holding my breath (literally) for the DoE to provide it. An N95 mask costs €40 and a visor €5.

combat14 · 04-09-2020 05:15PM

may be worth reviewing covid guidelines for students in light of university of belfast research

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/health-news/diarrhoea-vomiting-identified-coronavirus-symptoms-22627617.amp

downthemiddle · 04-09-2020 06:05PM

CruelSummer wrote: »

This is what is wrong with the country today...young children wearing masks! Under no circumstances should this ever happen.

I think if you open your eyes and look around you will much more serious issues in the country.
I don't think this is the thread to promote your anti Hallowe'en agenda!!!

Leftwaffe · 04-09-2020 06:19PM

Had four classes today, half day Friday. Took the mask off when at the top of the door as students 2m away. Windows and doors open.

Is it risky? I suppose if they're all wearing masks it shouldn't be? Whenever I head down the classroom I put the mask on.

Some teachers wearing Visors only I just thin ltheure rediculous tbh. Am I wrong? I listened to a very informative podcast about aerosol build up in rooms and after that a visor seems pointless. Your face is totally exposed.

All this ppe and procedures will start to slip in weeks to come, can see it already.

s1ippy · 04-09-2020 06:26PM

Lots of jobs being posted on EducationPosts.ie this week. Permanent ones, usually not seen in this volume.

ginoginelli · 04-09-2020 07:05PM

Redordeadqwwer wrote: »

Had four classes today, half day Friday. Took the mask off when at the top of the door as students 2m away. Windows and doors open.

Is it risky? I suppose if they're all wearing masks it shouldn't be? Whenever I head down the classroom I put the mask on.

Some teachers wearing Visors only I just thin ltheure rediculous tbh. Am I wrong? I listened to a very informative podcast about aerosol build up in rooms and after that a visor seems pointless. Your face is totally exposed.

All this ppe and procedures will start to slip in weeks to come, can see it already.

Visors look to be pretty useless. I get worried when I see teachers wearing them as it shows they are not educated on the virus.

I'm surprised they have not been banned yet.

2m may not be sufficient indoors either, so you may want to consider keeping mask on.

Ventilation seems vital so good job you had windows and doors open.

Bobtheman · 04-09-2020 07:33PM

Balagan1 wrote: »

If those of you incensed by certain posters would put them on your "Ignore List", then those of us with them already on our ignore lists would not have to suffer seeing any part of their posts as happens when you quote them in your reply to them. If you must engage, then please consider doing it in the private message facility. Pity to see a valuable forum fall apart. Just a suggestion!

Good point

Will Yam · 04-09-2020 07:46PM

Or 0.175%.

Will Yam · 04-09-2020 07:47PM

Blondini wrote: »

Another two covid scares in Dublin primary schools.

That's seven this week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/DublinLive/status/1301899676925521920?s=20

Or 0.175%.

But don’t worry about perspective.

99.8% have no Covid.

French Toast · 04-09-2020 07:50PM

Young lads getting on grand in classes but social distancing goes out the window in the yard at break/lunch.

Be interesting to see in 3-4 weeks time what effect schools returning will have on national numbers.

JP Liz V1 · 04-09-2020 07:50PM

Blondini wrote: »

Another two covid scares in Dublin primary schools.

That's seven this week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/DublinLive/status/1301899676925521920?s=20

So 4 Dublin schools with positive cases this week

Blondini · 04-09-2020 07:56PM

Will Yam wrote: »

Or 0.175%.

But don’t worry about perspective.

99.8% have no Covid.

Must show your workings (they're going to be wrong).

Not all children are fully back.

But don't worry about facts

Locotastic · 04-09-2020 07:58PM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

So 4 Dublin schools with positive cases this week

It's not clear now if whole classes are being sent home from these further cases or if that has already stopped. Q

Assessment from public health team carried out and close contacts identified and parents contacted.
If child has not been identified as close contact then they do not need test and attend school as normal.

Also a review of public health guidance has found that health screening measures, including temperature screening, are not recommended for schools.

Will Yam · 04-09-2020 07:59PM

Blondini wrote: »

Must show your workings (they're going to be wrong).

Not all children are fully back.

But don't worry about facts

Apologies. I took the number as % of all schools in the country.

Not sure how many are in Dublin but would hazard a guess at 1,300?

If so it means that 99.5% are Covid free.

Blondini · 04-09-2020 08:02PM

Will Yam wrote: »

Apologies. I took the number as % of all schools in the country.

Not sure how many are in Dublin but would hazard a guess at 1,300?

If so it means that 99.5% are Covid free.

You've personally tested them all?

Also, guesses are not sound mathematical methods when presenting statistics.

Good luck....

Will Yam · 04-09-2020 08:07PM

Blondini wrote: »

You've personally tested them all?

Also, guesses are not sound mathematical methods when presenting statistics.

Good luck....

No, I haven’t tested them all. I don’t have to. I take the number of schools where Covid has broken out ( or, more accurately schools where you claim Covid has broken out) as a % of all the schools in the area. (It’s known as basic maths, by the way).

And I revise my “guess” to an educated estimate, which is 33% of all schools in the country.

If my estimate isn’t correct do feel free to correct it, on the basis of logic please, rather than trying to make a point based on a vested interest.

Will Yam · 04-09-2020 08:09PM

markodaly wrote: »

Sorry, but I never said 'All teachers'. You accuse me of extrapolating a point, then perhaps you should actually read my posts for better accuracy and do the same yourself.

And, in fairness, there are not just one or two posters with that view point, it is many many more. These posts were always well received with many Thanks.

I posted about the ASTI rep before it was totally ignored by all the teachers on there. Why?
Why was a ASTI rep able to use the National media as a platform to scaremonger and create hysteria using unproven anti-science nonsense?

It should be called out.

Bi curamach.

Voices questioning the status quo are not tolerated here.

Gentleman Off The Pitch · 04-09-2020 08:28PM

In our local primary school visors are worn while teaching unless going face to face with pupils for one on one learning

Any teachers here not wearing masks while in class?

caveat emptor · 04-09-2020 08:32PM

Heard it through multiple sources of other schools not reported yet. The lack of transparency is terrible.

byhookorbycrook · 04-09-2020 08:35PM

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

In our local primary school visors are worn while teaching unless going face to face with pupils for one on one learning

Any teachers here not wearing masks while in class?

Visors alone are unsafe . As a high risk / very high risk teacher , I’m using masks and a visor and have a perpex screen at my table .

Locotastic · 04-09-2020 08:38PM

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

In our local primary school visors are worn while teaching unless going face to face with pupils for one on one learning

Any teachers here not wearing masks while in class?

Some teachers in our local secondary aren't wearing any PPE yet all the students have to :mad: students are allowed to alternate between visors and masks etc and get plenty of outdoor breaks.

Gentleman Off The Pitch · 04-09-2020 08:40PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Visors alone are unsafe . As a high risk / very high risk teacher , I’m using masks and a visor and have a perpex screen at my table .

Yeah, I'm aware visors offer little, which is why I was surprised to hear that about the local school. From speaking with a couple of teachers there, they know the risks but they said teaching with a mask on all day is not workable

How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

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