The way forward for LC2021

Also sometimes people's comments suggest they think LC students are in some bubble that the Covid pandemic doesn't affect, that they should just keep their heads dow, keep their focus on learning and just get in with it. As if they don't live in families were Covid is discussed constantly regarding how it is affecting their families. Some of them will have parents on the frontline and therefore they will know more about the horrors of Covid than most of us. Some will have beloved grandparents that died, some will be worried sick about immune compromised parents or siblings or themselves, some will be minding younger siblings while parents work, some will see their parents newly at war with each other due to the stress of it all, some of them are now receiving remote teaching in environments of domestic abuse and addictions, some will have been out of school with Covid or self isolating or have their teacher/s out sick. Some of them have poor broadband and remote learning isn't working out well. All of the above they are forced to co exist with because of Covid and is the lived experience of the LC students over and above previous normal years stresses. On top of that no plan for the road ahead and the adults in charge running around like headless chickens, maybe this, maybe that but hey just stay focused.

Here’s a tweet that should be shared based on the latest info and the lack of clarity:

59% of today's cases are under the age of 45, with a median age of 39. So the age of the majority of our teachers
@MichealMartinTD @NormaFoleyTD1 #LeavingCert2021 #wewantanoption #giveusachoice #saveourteachers

History Queen wrote: »

That's startling, for me anyway. I haven't been following breakdowns of numbers etc.

Add to that the fact that the majority of transmission is coming from 18 - 24 year olds and the CMO has written to the Minister for Health express concern ‘it will become increasingly difficult to maintain the level of suppression of Covid-19 that has been achieved since the New Year’.

I wonder are folks looking at the bigger picture and joining the dots here rather than looking at it myopically, focusing on purely figuring out the LC based on what is happening with missed school time and school closures v the full picture.

Wombatman wrote: »

I think it is a little more nuanced than that.

The LC is tough for every year and as a student, you want to make the most of your time and effort. Students are revising right now. If they had more information on what format the 'new' amended exam might look like, they could target their revision better and NOT learn something that won't be examined, which would be a disheartening waste of time.

We've been through this many many times before with changes in courses and students and teachers worrying about what "format the 'new' amended exam might look like".

No matter what, the students will look to you for guidance, and take their cue from you, as much as you and I wish , you can't throw your hands up and say you don't know and it's all terrible, you put on a brave face and get them back to learning asap.

From my perspective it seems as if there's students giving up in the hope that it'll be cancelled and left to teachers to sort out fairly (cue the Ciara Kelly brigade ) We hear parents feeding into this too saying that they don't know what to do with their kid who's given up because of uncertainty, as I said, at the very very least get them through the mocks, its only a few weeks away.

Wombatman wrote: »

This group of LCs are much worse off than last years.

It's all worse for every year, what about the 3rd year's who didn't sit the JC. Last year's 6 th years cheated out of grades the ones still waiting on re-sit results, competing with a whole new cohort this year with a whole new exam structure. The TYs who did TY at home, the first years who haven't even seen most of anyone's faces, said goodbyes at primary or had any sense of new school life with assemblies and mingling.
Or the 6th classes who's lost a tonne of crucial learning they need before secondary.. and down along to Junior Infants.

I don't think since last year anyone has a monopoly on how bad they have it in education or how bad they will have it when it comes to their leaving cert (cycle!) In the future.

Comparison is the thief of joy, in this case.

Wombatman wrote: »

They lost a big chunk of last year. When they went back to school that were working under Covid restrictions. Now that are expected to spend every hour that God sends in their rooms focusing on and thinking about the LC.

The last thing they deserve is your learn or don't learn hard line, or your dismissal of the fact that all the change and uncertainty is upsetting for some.

I'm not dismissing it, I'm saying that in a crisis situation you can only control the things you can control, right now that is to assume the plan is the plan is the leaving cert, they must keep trying right up until the minister says otherwise. That's what I told my students last year and that's what I'm saying this year.

I'm not implying that you are telling your students to give up btw I know we're all still trying our best to keep the learning going. I'm just saying that it's " all equally bad " but the course needs to be covered , leaving cert or not. That is the certainty they can be given.

Kind of unrelated but I've heard of a few cases of terminally ill students who still insisted on coming into school and doing the classes the exact same as their peers as it gave them a focus and routine/normality , or students who have unstable home lives that find solace in school. Maybe it's not so much about the "learn or don't learn" but just carrying on as normal and settling into a routine of whatever they can do. But ya the settling in isn't easy... or equitable.

shesty wrote: »

What exactly do you view as being the full picture....?

I assume closures are dragging on because someone feels they should, not purely because of the LC.

Agreed. Yet the narrative is all around the immediacy of opening schools regardless and doing the traditional LC regardless. The points I shared above do not seem to support it.

Then who is stepping back and looking at it over the course of this year and longer term rather than the immediacy.

Let’s assume (big assumption) most are inoculated as planned by the end of August then let’s plan for that and the Academic year returning to whatever a new normal is. The discussion on Leaving Cert reform should be progressed but will take time to implement.

That leaves the problem of this years and nexts state exam candidates. Clearly something different (not necessarily or likely the same) has to be done. Call that now and confirm more options will be provided even if the plan is still to be confirmed, they can even share the options being considered. Make it clear that they recognise the uncertainty and that saving even one more life is worth it, talk to the bigger picture and how those factors as well as what has already happened are influencing thinking. They are not going to put teachers, students or their families at risk to solve one problem - not the traditional LC or JC but having a mechanism to enable this years cohort transition to college or the workplace. That they are going to figure it out.

Heck, I’m not sure I’ve even seen confirmation schools are not opening tomorrow - I know I am assuming they aren’t based on all we know and have heard but again lack of clarity.

That clarity is not there (even if some of the intent may be in having these meetings or some of the options discussions). Bringing that clarity is part of what leadership is about, both that and framing (& doing) it in terms of the bigger picture is missing.

Wombatman wrote: »

Nothing about their current experience, as LCs, matches a traditional year. The "wasted" time you talk about is taking the bus with their friends, socialising and having the craic, a key component in positive development. No sport, no mocks yet, no extra circular activities, no debs, no meeting up with their friends or parties. Healthy school life is about more than school work.

Of course some of them are going to find it tough. I'm much happier that this is acknowledged by media. Much better than turning a blind eye and firing off the mantra 'just get on with it'. I though we had moved on from sweeping things like this under the carpet.

I'm no fan of Bojo but when he cancelled the traditional GCSEs he said "it’s not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer, as normal". While it may be possible and correct to go ahead with exams here, we need to ensure fairness to the student.

So far, the absence of communication, or miscommunication, and the obvious lack of planning and preparation is unfair on the student. Yes we are in the middle of a pandemic, but it wouldn't be difficult to serve the students better in this area.

Take a closer look at what is happening in England. They are doing exams and teachers are correcting them for nothing.

Just watched the 1pm news there.

Looks like they are paving the way for a combination of a written exam with some PGs, and looking like the orals and practicals will be cancelled. This is not good for music students, who are banking on an excellent practical to achieve a high grade in this subject.
I don't see why they couldn't go ahead with orals and practicals, perhaps delayed until late April/May to give students time with their teachers to work on their repertoires, etc.

I'm not sure how teachers of languages would feel about this?

I feel like I’m always negative about everything, but I’m weary of what’s coming out in the media at the minute.

My students are not in a good position to make a call on whether to go for predictive grades or sit exams. Who would they go to for advice? Their teachers? Everything we say to them now will be mulled over for ages afterwards.

Orals aren’t due to happen to April anyway, I wouldn’t have a problem with them being pushed out to May.

Yes, mental health will be awful with this.

Just how can we expect 17 and 18 year olds to decide this? It's horrendous for them, and I'm wondering if it's just a way for us all, (students, teachers, parents, and unions), to accept that we're stuck with CG again this year.

Just picture the conversation.

Student: do you think I should go for predictive grades?
Teacher: no I think you should do the exam.
Student: so you won’t give me a good grade?

Or
Student: do you think I should go for predictive grades?
Teacher: yes, I think it’s the best option for you.
Student: you know I need a H2?

Horrendous.

I wonder would the calculated grade be inclusive of work done up to Easter and is then submitted over Easter and decided and shared with the student in May. They then have a month to decide whether to sit the exam in the subject. This way they are focused on learning and delivering up to Easter and in a normal year would be revising & preparing for the exam after easter anyway. So its somewhat normal in that regard.

Any Teacher would be mad to give predictive grade without any mocks.

PoolDude wrote: »

I wonder would the calculated grade be inclusive of work done up to Easter and is then submitted over Easter and decided and shared with the student in May. They then have a month to decide whether to sit the exam in the subject. This way they are focused on learning and delivering up to Easter and in a normal year would be revising & preparing for the exam after easter anyway. So its somewhat normal in that regard.

And can you imagine if they are offered a predicted grade in May that they are not happy with?? Then there will be claims that the lower than expected grade is a distraction from the real thing. Not to mind calls from parents.

History Queen wrote: »

Judging by the reaction of some students on twitter to ASTI and TUI supporting a written exam I would have no faith in any system where teachers have further contact with their students if they are to calculate grades for them.

From talking to some students they want a choice between predicted grades or exams. If they are not happy with PG then they can do the exams.
What's gonna happen in August when they get their results the ones that picked PG are not happy with them. What then they can hardly sit an exam that they have missed the rest of the course. As they can't attend school to facilitate a fair and unbiased grades. Their view that they get their PG sooner so then if they are not happy they can do their exams in June.
The teachers would need time to do the grades but also have to teach the students that have chosen to do the exams. I think some students haven't thought out fully issues around PG that may arise and them missing out in teaching time when they were waiting for their results. The teacher won't have time to go back and bring these students up to speed and they can hardly stop now for the ones that want to sit an exam it wouldn't be fair.