Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) Mod warning in OP 22/01

Hold My Hand · 14-01-2021 08:33PM

downthemiddle wrote: »

However closing schools is at the discretion of the DES and the HSE.

Good point!

jrosen · 14-01-2021 08:38PM

Hold My Hand wrote: »

I’m fierce impressed with some of the older siblings helping their younger siblings. I’m getting amazing video clips of the infants making words, playing bingo, painting pictures, etc. under the supervision of their brothers and sisters.

Isn't that so lovely.

I saw one of my neighbors today out with his little brother, had the window open so I could hear them and they were doing PE.

jimmytwotimes 2013 · 14-01-2021 08:57PM

Locotastic wrote: »

Are you serious?

Why would you want to exclude HCWs, or Gardai, Cleaners, Food supply/manufacturing and retailers, Delivery drivers, Hauliers, Firefighters, Pharmacy staff, Medical manufacturing and supply, essential Electricity, Water, Gas, Broadband supply functions, Animal Care workers and Veterinarians, Agri suppliers, Car garages and mechanics, Plumbers, Electricians, Transport staff......I could go on.

As I said not all parents work in an office or from home.

Are you serious?

Prioritise people at frontline or those who have large numbers of contacts thro work, or can't fully do job remotely.

Is a mechanic going to get covid off a car or a plumber from a sink?

Jesus wept

hesaidshesaid · 14-01-2021 09:04PM

The tone of that letter to schools is so patronising and divisive. Bold teachers, you didn't do what I said, now you'll be sorry.

Mrsmum · 14-01-2021 09:21PM

My friend is a resource teacher. She has been told by her principal that she is to be in every Wed to teach/look after/help out with (not sure which) the special needs class in their school. She voiced some displeasure to the principal but got a deaf ear from him.

Sammy2012 · 14-01-2021 09:24PM

Mrsmum wrote: »

My friend is a resource teacher. She has been told by her principal that she is to be in every Wed to teach/look after/help out with (not sure which) the special needs class in their school. She voiced some displeasure to the principal but got a deaf ear from him.

Who will be in the other 4 days?

Mrsmum · 14-01-2021 09:28PM

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Who will be in the other 4 days?

They are setting up a rota system. Her day was Tuesdays but another teacher swapped. From what I understand severe pressure from the principal.

amacca · 14-01-2021 09:31PM

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I think this bit of the letter is particularly egregious.

Aka: Funding? What extra funding? And distancing, shure ye must be mad. Look here see, it's not dangerous at all. Don't ye have your wonderful bubbles and pods to safeguard you... Don't mind us in our Convention Centre with 50metres between us, you'll be grand lads. Pinky promise.

Yeah...they are some weasels.

hesaidshesaid · 14-01-2021 09:34PM

Mrsmum wrote: »

They are setting up a rota system. Her day was Tuesdays but another teacher swapped. From what I understand severe pressure from the principal.

Can I ask if it is a special class with 6-8 kids? And does your friend usually teach this class?

Some schools have a 'special needs class' for children who struggle to cope with the mainstream classroom - usually there's a teacher and a couple of SNAs working in there.

Schools can also have teachers who are learning support/resource teachers - so children who struggle with maths/english/social skills come to them for sessions during the day, but they are separate to the special class.

Just wondered if you know which one applies to your friend?

downthemiddle · 14-01-2021 09:35PM

Mrsmum wrote: »

They are setting up a rota system. Her day was Tuesdays but another teacher swapped. From what I understand severe pressure from the principal.

Considering that no school has any detail of the phased reopening the principal is being premature in their decision making. Then there is the fact that many children with additional needs need routine and continuity. A different teacher every day could cause more problems than it solves.

sekond · 14-01-2021 09:38PM

Hold My Hand wrote: »

I’m fierce impressed with some of the older siblings helping their younger siblings. I’m getting amazing video clips of the infants making words, playing bingo, painting pictures, etc. under the supervision of their brothers and sisters.

My two don't always get along, but the1st year has popped her head into my office every day this week when she gets a break from her zoom classes to check how her sister (3rd class, sitting next to me doing her work) is getting on and does she need help. From a zoom call I overheard it seems that a lot of her classmates are doing the same. There's a lot of good kids out there.

Mrsmum · 14-01-2021 09:40PM

hesaidshesaid wrote: »

Can I ask if it is a special class with 6-8 kids? And does your friend usually teach this class?

Some schools have a 'special needs class' for children who struggle to cope with the mainstream classroom - usually there's a teacher and a couple of SNAs working in there.

Schools can also have teachers who are learning support/resource teachers - so children who struggle with maths/english/social skills come to them for sessions during the day, but they are separate to the special class.

Just wondered if you know which one applies to your friend?

It is a special needs class as you described, children with autism, but she does not normally teach that class. Her normal job is taking children out of every other class for resource work.

downthemiddle · 14-01-2021 09:48PM

Mrsmum wrote: »

It is a special needs class as you described, children with autism, but she does not normally teach that class. Her normal job is taking children out of every other class for resource work.

It sounds like the principal doesn't fully understand the needs of the children in the outreach class.

FishOnABike · 14-01-2021 09:54PM

Mrsmum wrote: »

It is a special needs class as you described, children with autism, but she does not normally teach that class. Her normal job is taking children out of every other class for resource work.

So if one pupil had CoViD then instead of one teacher having to isolate for fourteen days, all teachers on the rota would have to isolate for fourteen days?

It doesn't make much sense, surely the smart thing to do would be to minimise mixing and the number of contacts.

hesaidshesaid · 14-01-2021 09:54PM

Mrsmum wrote: »

It is a special needs class as you described, children with autism, but she does not normally teach that class. Her normal job is taking children out of every other class for resource work.

Wow. So essentially she is being asked to take on a completely new role. Added to this, the children in the class are not familiar with her. Kids with ASD thrive in situations which are familiar and routine-focused. It seems like a questionable decision on the principal's part. I wonder if he/she has consulted the parents.

Locotastic · 14-01-2021 10:21PM

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Are you serious?

Prioritise people at frontline or those who have large numbers of contacts thro work, or can't fully do job remotely.

Is a mechanic going to get covid off a car or a plumber from a sink?

Jesus wept

Just an example of the many many occupations that aren't working in an office (or from home) right now.

Frontline are already being prioritised?

amacca · 14-01-2021 10:23PM

downthemiddle wrote: »

It sounds like the principal doesn't fully understand the needs of the children in the outreach class.

Decisions like that are unlikely to be made to help meet the needs of the children

They are more likely to be made to meet the needs of the principal and whatever arms of the state will or already have started applying pressure ......so they can get the press release out and pretend they care.

downthemiddle · 14-01-2021 10:37PM

Josepha showing she isn't fit for her position.

https://www.independent.ie/news/minister-for-special-education-apologises-for-describing-children-without-additional-needs-as-normal-39970437.html

The Minister of State for Special Education apologised after a Dáil meeting where she referred to children without additional needs as “normal”.

dirkmeister · 14-01-2021 10:51PM

Who is this idiot on Prime Time?

No, I’m not on about John Boyle.

Locotastic · 14-01-2021 10:58PM

dirkmeister wrote: »

Who is this idiot on Prime Time?

No, I’m not on about John Boyle.

John Boyle doesn't seem to think that a return on 1st of February is out of the question.

Looks like it will be NPHETs call when the time comes.

Positivity rate has dropped a massive 11% in the last week so even by mid term things should be as good as possible to reopen.

Quantum Erasure · 14-01-2021 11:00PM

downthemiddle wrote: »

Josepha showing she isn't fit for her position.

https://www.independent.ie/news/minister-for-special-education-apologises-for-describing-children-without-additional-needs-as-normal-39970437.html

The Minister of State for Special Education apologised after a Dáil meeting where she referred to children without additional needs as “normal”.

"We all know that even for normal children remote teaching is difficult but for children who have additional needs it is particularly difficult."

I dont particularly see the problem here, 'special needs' kids are by definition not regular, not the norm

antgal23 · 14-01-2021 11:01PM

downthemiddle wrote: »

However closing schools is at the discretion of the DES and the HSE.

Not quite 100% accurate
A principal who doesn't have enough qualified staff has the right to close

byhookorbycrook · 14-01-2021 11:04PM

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

"We all know that even for normal children remote teaching is difficult but for children who have additional needs it is particularly difficult."

I dont particularly see the problem here, 'special needs' kids are by definition not regular, not the norm

They are not “ special needs kids ,” they are children with additional needs. And what’s normal , by the way ?

downthemiddle · 14-01-2021 11:07PM

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

"We all know that even for normal children remote teaching is difficult but for children who have additional needs it is particularly difficult."

I dont particularly see the problem here, 'special needs' kids are by definition not regular, not the norm

I really do not know how to make an appropriate response to such an ignorant post.

brookers · 14-01-2021 11:08PM

dirkmeister wrote: »

Who is this idiot on Prime Time?

No, I’m not on about John Boyle.

Jen Hogan, she kinda the voice of getting kids back to school, herself, mary mccarthy and jen o connell are always on about opening schools, get the kids back no matter what. Jen has 7 kids so must be pulling her hair out as she likes to write and so all these kids around her must be doing her head in. Im not a teacher but even I have the cop to know it is based on how well Ireland is doing and how much the virus is suppressed. She also comes up with crazy suggestions about not having mid terms or easter or summer holidays to make up for lost time. There is no way Im giving up those holidays.....im not a teacher.....

downthemiddle · 14-01-2021 11:08PM

antgal23 wrote: »

Not quite 100% accurate
A principal who doesn't have enough qualified staff has the right to close

Tell that to a certain principal in Claremorris.

Locotastic · 14-01-2021 11:28PM

downthemiddle wrote: »

Tell that to a certain principal in Claremorris.

Yes, the decision to close that school was swiftly reversed. He was forced to reopen despite nearly a third of the school students being in isolation due to covid or being a close contact.

Think only a handful of students went into school after it reopened.

“as the Board of Management are not health professionals, we cannot take this decision to close and do not have the advice from Public Health to close, therefore we cannot close the school and from Monday must re-open".

History Queen · 14-01-2021 11:32PM

There are some absolute animals out there. As if teaching and learning online isn't intimidating enough you have assholes like this crashing online lessons.

https://amp.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-alerted-after-inappropriate-men-got-into-online-class-for-school-children-39970606.html?__twitter_impression=true

A Law · 14-01-2021 11:42PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

They are not “ special needs kids ,” they are children with additional needs. And what’s normal , by the way ?

Don't really get the outrage over this myself. Would normal not be the kids who don't have additional needs, aka not the norm.

anais · 14-01-2021 11:48PM

Come into my prefab, one ageing laptop. No wifi. Please don't give us all that claptrap about 'being prepared'. They collected books on Monday, we prepped in school two days last week, online for one. Kids were shown how to use the platform before Christmas. I have 3 kids to homeschool , on my own. I work from 9 to 7, with breaks for meals. We are just surviving, like everyone else

Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) **Mod warning in OP 22/01**

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Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) Mod warning in OP 22/01