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

Dickie10 wrote: »

anyone elses school making teachers go in all day every day, even if they dont have 6th years?
i have anecdotely heard this happening,

I have friends in quite a few schools
No

Is there any chance the Easter or summer holidays will be cut short to catch up on lost time? Would the teachers be willing to work, would the unions allow them to work? Honest question not looking to cause trouble.

meath4sam wrote: »

Is there any chance the Easter or summer holidays will be cut short to catch up on lost time? Would the teachers be willing to work, would the unions allow them to work? Honest question not looking to cause trouble.

Not at this short notice and no because teachers have been working all along.

History Queen wrote: »

Not at this short notice and no because teachers have been working all along.

Short notice for Easter but not for summer.
I do understand teachers have been working remotely, but there have been weeks over the last year when they were not working. Example extended Xmas holidays we got no school work until a week later. First couple of weeks of first lockdown no school work. During school my kids school closed for a 2 weeks due to outbreak no school work.
Reason for post I have 2 kids in school one in 4th class who I am not worried about, but one in senior infants who is miles behind and struggling with letter sounds still and should be starting to read at this stage.
Again not here to cause trouble just looking for a valid solution.

meath4sam wrote: »

Short notice for Easter but not for summer.
I do understand teachers have been working remotely, but there have been weeks over the last year when they were not working. Example extended Xmas holidays we got no school work until a week later. First couple of weeks of first lockdown no school work. During school my kids school closed for a 2 weeks due to outbreak no school work.
Reason for post I have 2 kids in school one in 4th class who I am not worried about, but one in senior infants who is miles behind and struggling with letter sounds still and should be starting to read at this stage.
Again not here to cause trouble just looking for a valid solution.

Low post numbers yup
Not wanting to cause trouble yup


I think we know where this is going.

The simple answer and valid solution has been given and it is no.

meath4sam wrote: »

Low post numbers ???? I have been on boards for about 10 years

Where is it going?

Ok I understood the answer is no but looking for a valid reason to back it up.

Can u explain the solution?

The valid reason has been given

khalessi wrote: »

The valid reason has been given

Short notice ? So it is the department of education faults for not looking into this option sooner?

meath4sam wrote: »

I’m looking for options here. Not here to have a go at teachers. I understand most have worked hard trough this and given 110% I understand there was issues at the start but that was always going to be teething problems in a situation like this.
Looking for a valid solution to suit kids and teachers.
I’m a concerned parent of a child who should be reading and is not....

Have you talked to your child's teacher about your reading concerns? That would generally be the first port of call.

meath4sam wrote: »

I have yes and working with her on this, thank god she is back in school now.
I found it very hard to keep a 6 year olds attention during home schooling. Don’t think I was the only parent with this concern. My home school hours where limited due to both parents working.

Submersed in Irish didn’t help the confusion

And does the teacher share your concerns with regards to reading?

meath4sam wrote: »

Yes she didn’t score well in a test on letter sounds.
This was also highlighted in school report. We have concluded that there is an element of shyness to it but she will monitor now she is back in school.
She has the ability but it just trying to get it out of her.

I would try not to worry too much about your child "being behind". I really hate that phrase. All kids learn at different speeds and your child will catch up at some stage.

However also bear in mind that your child and all children in Senior infants have not completed a full year of schooling yet. They won't now until First class, all going well. There are a lot of issues going to come up for these kids during the next academic year. But there are also many children who are not experiencing these issues.

Schools won't be open during the summer holidays and as a parent of children in both Junior infants and 1st class neither would I want them to be. I am hopeful that this summer we will be able to go places and do things that my kids have missed out on this last year. And that life will return to some sort of normality. And I want my kids to have the freedom to enjoy it, not stuck inside a classroom when hopefully the weather will be nice.

We have a spiral curriculum at primary and all things will be recovered again next year, especially phonics/sounds. Yes it be will be at a faster pace than when they were in infants but it will be repeated. I taught senior infants for many years so if you would like to PM me feel free and I could give you some tips to help your child but it sounds like their teacher is aware and is putting things in place to help them out.

meath4sam wrote: »

Why

You are asking is there a chance easter holidays will be cut short, I am saying there isnt. It is three weeks to the easter holidays, the DES would not be able to coordinate something that fast. simple as!

noplacehere wrote: »

I have a senior infant and I do not want school in the summer. Hopefully there will be some loosening of restrictions and there is a world of lost time I want him to get to make up tearing around the countryside when we get to go to to the grandparents.

I’m not a primary teacher so I’m afraid I can’t help with phonics much. The teacher should be able to give you hints and tips to help bring her on at home

All valid points thanks.

The response I am getting here is a no to to extending into July for maybe 2-4 weeks to do a re cap of the last two years , but I’m sure a lot of parents would send kids to school given the option.

Positive
Kids can try catch up
Will not effect the following year as much.
They will still have up to 4 weeks off
Home schooling was not a substitute for real school but the best in the situation we had.



Negative
Kids won’t get to enjoy full summer holiday ( looks like no foreign holidays anyway )
Teachers holidays effected
Possible extra pay for teachers to be agreed
Possible increased risk spread of covid

meath4sam wrote: »

No I understand Easter is to soon, but there must be enough time to sort something for the summer or a mid term break.

The same answer stands unfortunately, the DES had a whole year to organise how the leaving cert could be sorted out and they couldn't do it. Three months so organise extending the school term? There are so many variables that would have to be sorted for that to happen.

But regardless of that, the holidays are needed, students will be exhausted by the end of the school year, they are not going to learn well when they are tired. Also, it would feel like a punishment to them.

They will all catch up, everyone is in the same boat, classes over the next following years will be adapted to ensure students have not missed out significantly. Teachers have been trained in how to adapt lessons based on the varied abilities of the students in the room, they are good at that, just trust them to do it.