Schools closed until February? (part 3)

TheCrank wrote: »

I just think it is sad that we can't extend the school year. Why insist on substandard home schooling and laggy zoom meetings when we could call it a holiday and use the summer for school?

I reckon we are going to miss 7 weeks. Make up one at Easter and keep going until mid July. Primaries will still be a bit short but it isn't that big of a deal at that age. Obviously my cunning plan falls apart if the closure extends well beyond 7 weeks.

Primary school age in particular start to get pretty ratty by the end of each term and need that week of mid-term along with the other breaks to recharge their batteries. The school breaks are for them, not the teachers.

hesaidshesaid wrote: »

Thank you. A great response. It really illustrates why the DES should have set out some kind of standard approach for remote learning so that we could follow that. Your real life examples above clearly show how teachers will struggle to please everyone. And I didn't know Seesaw worked on Kindles!

I should clarify it's a Kindle tablet (Fire for Kids) and not your usual kindle reader. Sorry!

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

A lot of principals push live lessons

They are often also the ones who think parents sit on their holes all day and can land up to the school at the drop of a hat to discuss the most mundane of reasons. Thankfully we don't have one of those at our school.

numbers among young adults rising rapidly..

R value now above 2, how far above not estimated yet


its clear now that this govt is a disgrace sending young adults back into schools in this environment

Stateofyou wrote: »

What other "civilised countries' would that be? I have family in the US and Canada and they are all remote since September.

And I believe the answer to your "why" is we have one of the worst outbreaks in the world right now, our health system is challenged and only getting worse. Again, why do you always seem to need the obvious pointed out to you?

Well let's see

England

Schools and colleges: Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will move to remote learning - except for the children of key workers and vulnerable children

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-schools-close-immediately-how-new-lockdown-rules-affect-students-across-the-uk-12178833

Scotland

However, schools will still be open for the children of key workers who cannot work from home, and for vulnerable youngsters.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2021/01/04/stay-at-home-lockdown-and-school-closures-announced-for-scotland-for-january/

Wales

Will schools be open to any learners?
Schools and colleges will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners, as well as for learners who need to complete essential exams or assessments.

https://gov.wales/schools-coronavirus-guidance

Northern ireland

Schools
Pre-school education settings, primary and post primary schools will be providing remote learning to pupils until the half term break in mid-February.

Vulnerable children and children of key workers will have access to schools for supervised learning. Only one parent/guardian is required to be a key worker.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-schools-colleges-and-universities

I'm sure that all those countries have one of the worst outbreaks in the world right now, their health system is challenged and only getting worse.

Yet their teachers and SNA's are working and have done since the Covid crisis happened

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Fair play to you

That's an incredible achievement

Unfortunately that's not the experience of lots of kids and schools in Cork

Remote learning was next to useless

Did you contact the school with your concerns?

Given all it says it schools are closed.

Is there any reason to believe distance learning will be put in place at all? and it wont just be an extended holiday?

And thats not teacher bashing, thats as a partner of one who is trying to determine who minds the kids

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

Given all it says it schools are closed.

Is there any reason to believe distance learning will be put in place at all? and it wont just be an extended holiday?

And thats not teacher bashing, thats as a partner of one who is trying to determine who minds the kids

The headlines are that all schools are closed - this means remote learning from Mon unless special ed or LC

Stateofyou wrote: »

The other poster said "most civilised countries."

By the way, other examples you may or may not find aren't in the same situation we're facing into here.

What's different about the situation we're facing here and the UK?

Are teachers getting paid their full salary for the period of closure or do they go on PUP?

rob316 wrote: »

Well done and I do appreciate your efforts, I owe alot to my sons teachers and SNA's.

It just didnt work for us and the feedback from other parents was the same. I am deeply concerned at the prospect of him missing anymore school.

A friend's son is autistic and is in 2nd class in a mainstream school. She got hardly any additional help from the school during the first lockdown. Her son is a lovely affectionate little fella, but you could definitely see the tantrums kicking in again and the fact that he was getting more withdrawn over the summer. I went to her house over Christmas and it was lovely seeing him back to his old self.

His school obviously won't be opening for him this time around. There's no way of avoiding regression in children with additional needs without face-to-face learning or a massive effort from the school's SNA's and without individual plans for each child, along with a parent who has the time to implement these plans. Unfortunately I can see most schools will just be trying to keep their heads above water, and won't have the resources to put into the kids with additonal needs.

Pigeon Chaser wrote: »

Are teachers getting paid their full salary for the period of closure or do they go on PUP?

There's a subtle clue in the Acronym PUP.
You might not have noticed.

Pigeon Chaser wrote: »

Are teachers getting paid their full salary for the period of closure or do they go on PUP?

Why would they be on PUP they are working from home remote classes for all students. Unless DES gets their way and LC go in but wont happen imo. They aren’t on holiday or being temporarily laid off.

Barry Cowen on Newstalk now looking for education sector to be prioritised for vaccine.

Tippex wrote: »

Why would they be on PUP they are working from home remote classes for all students. Unless DES gets their way and LC go in but wont happen imo. They aren’t on holiday or being temporarily laid off.

OK. Of course. Thanks.