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

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

Really hope the GAA camps are on this year....

Thats great you (and your kids) have managed to stay on top of it and are not suffering. From speaking to my wife, it is those that haven't that are falling further and further behind.

Perhaps a something similar to the July provision could work, but alot broader - and focused on the work completed during lock-down/remote learning. I would think teachers should be paid extra for it as well, and with the prospects of holidays etc possibly off the tables many might jump at the chance.

Do you think there will be many teachers who will take up the offer of working in the summer.?... I know my two (secondary school adult teachers) in Dublin won't be.....

Hurrache wrote: »

I disagree. And people have to stop taking any criticism of how schools functioned over the lockdowns as a personal criticism of the teaching industry.

Primary schools were broadly pretty poor overall. There was relatively little personal interaction with kids outside of recorded videos and maybe a once a week call. During the first lockdown most of the work was generic tasks taken from websites, not personalised for either Irish schools or the class. There was a slight improvement on subsequent ones, but still poor enough, the department of ed had time for plan on how to have a more effective approach.

I don't want to hear anything about how teachers have kids and have to work too, we're all in the same boat, teachers are no exception to that. I wasn't expecting full interaction over regular school hours, but certainly much better than it was. Secondary schools were that much better in comparison.

Obviously depends on the quality of the school then.
But the school our kids go to and the ones their friends go to it was the following (that's 5 different schools):


930 Live call with the teacher for an hour to go through the plan for today
1030 break time
1045 Start to their work etc
12 Lunch
1-2 Live call with the teacher going through the homework etc
2-230 PE exercises for the kids to do


Later in the day a call or email to the parents asking if there is any way they can improve on things and how is the kid

Locotastic wrote: »

What are you on about? I don't want to be a teacher nor do I think the conditions are amazing. A fair amount of teachers consistently complaining on boards so can't be all that great.

I think expecting students to take another 3 months off shortly after going back is demonstrative of the lack of imagination or appetite our government has shown throughout.

Sure just lock everyone down and let's not dare have an original idea that might work.

I don't think you've thought this through at all. Teachers are online, teaching remotes and in person now in some cases.

Also how do you account for the students who have worked unbelievably hard during lock down (the silent majority by the way).....they don't deserve their holidays? Anyone dealing with large numbers of kids will tell you that the summer holidays will definitely be needed. The kids love being back, as do I by the way but the pandemic has them shattered, physically and emotionally, They will need time to rebuild. Ideally a few weeks of normality before the holidays would certainly do most the world of good but asking a child who has been online every day, producing excellent work and engaging fully to do more school because a few students (generally the same who aren't engaged in class and who's parents won't pick up a phone call) might need it is insane.

Summer schools run by the department targeted at SEN and DEIS students will suffice, maybe lobby the government for extending them? Though with the attitude online towards teachers I can't see a lot of volunteers.

Hurrache wrote: »

Of course we did, as a group of parents. But parents shouldn't have to and it's wild to expect them to even consider it.



And therein lies the problem. Take any private company, you expect every employee to be working from the same plan implemented by the company to manage as best they could. But they haven't done that with schools.

The school academically is good, but poor over the lockdown. And they're far from alone.

In every private company there is slackers during lockdown, usually the same slackers in the office. They don't log on time, log off early and don't respond to emails.


No company is full of perfect employees. Did you bring your issue up with the principal?

Hurrache wrote: »

Of course we did, as a group of parents. But parents shouldn't have to and it's wild to expect them to even consider it.



And therein lies the problem. Take any private company, you expect every employee to be working from the same plan implemented by the company to manage as best they could. But they haven't done that with schools.

The school academically is good, but poor over the lockdown. And they're far from alone.

Did you write to the Board of Management, generally if you get nowhere with principal this is the avenue to take? People aren't always aware of that avenue

Doesn't help most teachers to have this going on either, someone will inherit that class next year and have a serious job as a result.

penny piper wrote: »

Do you think there will be many teachers who will take up the offer of working in the summer.?... I know my two (secondary school adult teachers) in Dublin won't be.....

I have no idea to be honest

And the lack of outside the box thinking (or even in the box thinking) by the Department means we will never know

A number of teachers work July Provisions every year

penny piper wrote: »

In my experience if you don't raise anything with anybody over any issue nothing gets done/changed....maybe it was the way you went about it....possibly idk...

In daughters class (4th class) every parent complained ( every childs parent!!) - nothing changed. You may think raising an issue forces change but a lot of times it doesnt. In our case I think the principle was powerless to enforce the teacher to do videos or live lessons if she didnt want to do them. She ticked the box apparently by emailing us every day - which met the DES standard. One social zoom class per week was arranged by the principle also.

I would also like to add that this is a good school during normal times.

Hurrache wrote: »

I can't say this enough, I've said it a few times before, it's a widespread problem across schools. It's not unique to the school I'm dealing with, far from it.

It's nothing to do with slackers, which in the private company you mention would be quickly identified and dealt with.

Why are everyone responding projecting back on to the parents and wondering why they didn't do this, that and the other, instead of acknowledging the failure with the department of education and the schools?

How do you expect people to improve things if you don't tell them....you are the parent responsible for your child ....let the school know...it's your failure as a parent imo....and it's not happening in all schools...

Hurrache wrote: »

I can't say this enough, I've said it a few times before, it's a widespread problem across schools. It's not unique to the school I'm dealing with, far from it.

It's nothing to do with slackers, which in the private company you mention would be quickly identified and dealt with.

Why are everyone responding projecting back on to the parents and wondering why they didn't do this, that and the other, instead of acknowledging the failure with the department of education and the schools?

Basically its back on the parent as you are the customer. So if us parents don't complain, things can't change.


If you in are in a restaurant, you get cold food, you would complain.


Now in fairness, us Irish are bad at addressing issues we face

Why are you all ignoring the fact that there was no plan drawn up, or implemented, in coordination with the Dept of Ed and the schools on how best to approach a lockdown, instead of constantly asking who people complained to?

Eoinbmw wrote: »

Have you contacted your "children's" school to complain about their working conditions? Or are you failing them?
Get over yourself your such a condescending Know it all whinger I've a pain from reading your tripe!

Thanks for your comment have a nice day...

Hurrache wrote: »

Why are you all ignoring the fact that there was no plan drawn up, or implemented, in coordination with the Dept of Ed and the schools on how best to approach a lockdown, instead of constantly asking who people complained to?

Having worked in education for years I am well aware of the unfortunate fact that the department will not issue clear guidelines because no one in the department has a clue how to deal with this scenario. There is a complete dearth of joined up thinking and they depend on principals and management in schools to simply figure it out on the ground, thankfully the standard is still high enough that this generally works but this isn't a coherent plan in a pandemic. I would hazard most teachers would come up with a better plan. Complaints to department officially might put pressure on, I've been writing letters, emails and making complaints for years and they don't care what teachers think, maybe if a rake of parents got involved that would help.

I'd have loved some clear guidance from the department but given I've never had any before I assume, as usually, I needed to sit down with staff and come up with a plan.

If something doesn't work, and the people inside have complained, then the next obvious step is for voters (which is what parents are) to put political pressure on. Ask any teachers if the dept could literally care less about our opinion, or just ask about the shambles that is the JCT. The lack of a coherent plan is not down to teachers, thats like blaming the nurses in Temple St because Paul reid pretended the pandemic wasn;t happening.

Eoinbmw wrote: »

Have you contacted your "children's" school to complain about their working conditions? Or are you failing them?
Get over yourself your such a condescending Know it all whinger I've a pain from reading your tripe!

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SusanC10 wrote: »

Does anyone know why they closed the Primary School in Carrick on Suir ? Seems excessive for 1 positive case.

I think it's to do with the strain involved.

penny piper wrote: »

How do you expect people to improve things if you don't tell them....you are the parent responsible for your child ....let the school know...it's your failure as a parent imo....and it's not happening in all schools...

Mod

Dont post in this thread again.