Schools closed until undetermined date - was March 29th

spurious · 12-03-2020 3:15pm #1

OK, we will try this again.

This thread is ONLY to be used for queries regarding closures, or to share information on methods of 'remote working' etc.

There are already schools that were closed last week, does anyone know how are they managing, what are they doing, what is working, what isn't etc, are there any lessons that they have learned that can be shared?

If anyone knows of specific actual GDPR issues, please post them here too.

We have lots of expertise on here regarding different ways of using IT to help in situations like this, please let the thread develop on those lines.

It is NOT for

moaning about teacher's wages
moaning about teacher's holidays
moaning about teachers in general
moaning about having to use our own IT equipment - I know, along with many other things, teachers should not have to fund these, but we do and it's not going to change before tomorrow, so however valid, that is an argument for another day.

Please keep posts helpful.

TheValeyard · 12-03-2020 6:55pm

I've a feeling the amount of teachers using the learning programs, that they will probably come under some strain

Bobtheman · 12-03-2020 6:59pm

Personally I think teachers should stick to using school emails . Student school email.
I'd be wary of using video or Skype because that can end up being manipulated. Screen shots et
Perhaps goggle classroom but to be honest I ain't that familiar with it.
Hopefully can locate it on my Gmail. Work it from home

cmssjone · 12-03-2020 7:20pm

For people who have tablets with a stylus I would recommend explain everything. You can make and publish videos to Google classroom etc as well as import, annotate and send back homework.

mirrorwall14 · 12-03-2020 7:49pm

iPads and iPhones have a screen record function (not sure whether androids do). You can have your slide showing or notes will let you draw on the screen. Then talk and record. You aren’t visible at all.

Steps
1. Turn on the screen record in settings->control centre->customise
2. Bring up the control panel by swiping
3. Hold down the new button (round circle) and tap on microphone off to turn it on
4. Then just tap start.

I use it a lot for recording maths videos but also useful for talking over PowerPoints

km79 · 12-03-2020 8:15pm

I found today to be a confusing , scary and emotional day
I am absolutely mentally exhausted .
The constant sniping about “2 more weeks holidays “ from people I know has also worn me down . Nobody else is expecting to give up annual leave while they work from home but yet they think we should .

Going to watch a kids movie with my youngest and appreciate what I have .
Stay safe everyone .

Motherof123 · 12-03-2020 8:18pm

Does anyone have any info on home tuition for special needs I rang them and they said wait for an email.

Postgrad10 · 12-03-2020 8:21pm

It was one long tough day all right. The general consensus in local schools was using Microsoft teams to keep in contact and put up resources for all years.

I saw on twitter last night that an English department in a UK school each took a particular year group and made work booklets to suit topics they had done/were doing. These were made available to students in person and online. Good example of how teamwork actually works.

Treppen · 12-03-2020 10:17pm

km79 wrote: »

I found today to be a confusing , scary and emotional day
I am absolutely mentally exhausted .
The constant sniping about “2 more weeks holidays “ from people I know has also worn me down . Nobody else is expecting to give up annual leave while they work from home but yet they think we should .

Going to watch a kids movie with my youngest and appreciate what I have .
Stay safe everyone .

That's the most sensible thing I've heard this month.

Although, I wound up playing Fortnite with them untill their friends told them to kick me out cos I wasn't good enough. So I went to plan my lessons for tomorrow. #sad_and_old

Think I'll just stick to email and keep the work minimal to start. A lot of the older students reckoned teachers' expectations of how much they could do were unreal. Essays and chapters being assigned left right and centre today... With more to follow.

Start small

Cliona2012 · 12-03-2020 10:27pm

Any idea how casual substitutes will be affected by the closure in the short and possible long run?

jimbobaloobob · 12-03-2020 10:29pm

Can I ask here what other teachers subbing do From tomorrow onwards? Do you have to visit social welfare office or can it be set up through MyGov.ie ?

godtabh · 12-03-2020 10:35pm

Postgrad10 wrote: »

It was one long tough day all right. The general consensus in local schools was using Microsoft teams to keep in contact and put up resources for all years.

I saw on twitter last night that an English department in a UK school each took a particular year group and made work booklets to suit topics they had done/were doing. These were made available to students in person and online. Good example of how teamwork actually works.

Teams is very useful and I believe is free?`

We use it in work to share screens with people across Europe. Not sure how many people can go online but if lesson plans are available as powerpoints or something similar its very easy to share.

Alex86Eire · 12-03-2020 11:32pm

Are some schools open to staff still? We were told we had to out by 6pm and it would be closed to everyone for the two weeks.

Second question - if a child sends me a photo of an exam paper question he completed for example, is there any way I can correct and draw on his photo and send it back to him with comments? What would be the easiest way to do this?
We're using google classrooms. I have a chromebook and an iphone.

jimbobaloobob · 13-03-2020 12:05am

Alex86Eire wrote: »

Are some schools open to staff still? We were told we had to out by 6pm and it would be closed to everyone for the two weeks.

Second question - if a child sends me a photo of an exam paper question he completed for example, is there any way I can correct and draw on his photo and send it back to him with comments? What would be the easiest way to do this?
We're using google classrooms. I have a chromebook and an iphone.

You could edit or scribe on it with PDF editing edition

mirrorwall14 · 13-03-2020 12:08am

Alex86Eire wrote: »

Are some schools open to staff still? We were told we had to out by 6pm and it would be closed to everyone for the two weeks.

Second question - if a child sends me a photo of an exam paper question he completed for example, is there any way I can correct and draw on his photo and send it back to him with comments? What would be the easiest way to do this?
We're using google classrooms. I have a chromebook and an iphone.

On iphone (I'm a macbook/apple person so can't help with chromebook) you can either
1. Set up an assignment in google classroom and have the student upload their image there. You go to the assignment and click on the students name from the list. You will see their attachment. Tap on it. WHen loaded you will see a pen on the top right of the screen. Tapping that will open the editing screen and you can write on it. When finished just hit save and thats it. Google Classroom does the rest
2. Have the student email you the picture. Tap on the image. You will see a pen up on the top right that will allow you write on it. Hit done when finished and reply to the student

TBH I can't see any reason why step 1 wouldn't work on a chrome book if it has the google classroom app

Postgrad10 · 13-03-2020 12:30am

Cliona2012 wrote: »

Any idea how casual substitutes will be affected by the closure in the short and possible long run?

No pay unfortunately. Then less accrued holiday pay in the summer. Very unfair. You can apply to the DSP for job seekers but they make it very difficult for people.

Postgrad10 · 13-03-2020 12:32am

godtabh wrote: »

Teams is very useful and I believe is free?`

We use it in work to share screens with people across Europe. Not sure how many people can go online but if lesson plans are available as powerpoints or something similar its very easy to share.

I believe it is. And it is easy to use. Ed modo was another one mentioned they were using.

Alex86Eire · 13-03-2020 1:05am

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

You could edit or scribe on it with PDF editing edition

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

On iphone (I'm a macbook/apple person so can't help with chromebook) you can either
1. Set up an assignment in google classroom and have the student upload their image there. You go to the assignment and click on the students name from the list. You will see their attachment. Tap on it. WHen loaded you will see a pen on the top right of the screen. Tapping that will open the editing screen and you can write on it. When finished just hit save and thats it. Google Classroom does the rest
2. Have the student email you the picture. Tap on the image. You will see a pen up on the top right that will allow you write on it. Hit done when finished and reply to the student

TBH I can't see any reason why step 1 wouldn't work on a chrome book if it has the google classroom app

Thanks guys, super helpful! Will try both tomorrow and see how I get on.

jimbobaloobob · 13-03-2020 1:46am

Alex86Eire wrote: »

Thanks guys, super helpful! Will try both tomorrow and see how I get on.

PDF allow you do 30 day trial it's 18 month otherwise. Very effective and useful though.

acequion · 13-03-2020 1:46am

I second that thanks to jimbobaloobob and mirrorwall14 for very usual tips and info. I also want to assign work that I can then correct online with comments, annotations etc. I've never done it before but I use Google classroom all the time and have all my classes up. So am eager to get started on that tomorrow.

Another question that someone might have an answer to please? A very anxious little second year came to me at the end of the day asking if I could somehow continue teaching them Romeo and Juliet via Google classroom. Apart from me directly teaching via video, which I'm not sure about, any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Anxious times for us all but let's keep the morale!

jimbobaloobob · 13-03-2020 1:47am

Postgrad10 wrote: »

No pay unfortunately. Then less accrued holiday pay in the summer. Very unfair. You can apply to the DSP for job seekers but they make it very difficult for people.

Just found an into circular there that covers subs in a school on a long term basis. So future looks little brighter

bobbyss · 13-03-2020 1:48am

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.

Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

Postgrad10 · 13-03-2020 8:44am

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Just found an into circular there that covers subs in a school on a long term basis. So future looks little brighter

The person that asked the question asked about casual substitutes. It’s not bright for them or their families.

Postgrad10 · 13-03-2020 8:46am

bobbyss wrote: »

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.

Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

Most teachers I know also printed out revision booklets for students in case broadband failed.

Bobtheman · 13-03-2020 8:56am

I'm going to try to set up goggle classroom for my senior pupils. I have a second year group who unfortunately I didn't get time to get emails as we were in middle of CBAs.
It was a bit haphazard the flip flopping on closure. I got impression tue it would be next week.
Can anybody assist with goggle classroom if I need it ?

TheDriver · 13-03-2020 10:25am

Bobtheman wrote: »

I'm going to try to set up goggle classroom for my senior pupils. I have a second year group who unfortunately I didn't get time to get emails as we were in middle of CBAs.
It was a bit haphazard the flip flopping on closure. I got impression tue it would be next week.
Can anybody assist with goggle classroom if I need it ?

There's a lot on YouTube and Google themselves have good resources.

acequion · 13-03-2020 11:38am

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Most teachers I know also printed out revision booklets for students in case broadband failed.

That's great for you and all those other teachers who managed to get so organised ahead of the closures which at the end came at lightening speed.

Spare a thought for all those teachers, like Bobyss who you replied to, who, for all sorts of very justifiable reasons, are struggling with this unprecedented step.

acequion · 13-03-2020 11:43am

bobbyss wrote: »

How are those teachers coping whose students don't have lap tops, don't have ipads, who say they have nò credit for mobiles and who say will not be doing any work for the duration? (It is reaching the business end of the Champions' League after all) And whose parents aren't really bothered about it anyway.

Challenging students who have no interest, no study skils and no suppport at home and who'd tell you to F... off as soon as look at you may enjoy the break.

Two weeks off? I am heartbroken.

bobyss, there is little you can do when up against the attitude emboldened above. All stocked up against you there. All you can do is what you can and no point in worrying about what you can't control.

We all hate this and especially when not only will we all work away through this, we'll also probably be expected to make up the lost contact time.

Horrible times but like everything, it will pass. Chin up!

km79 · 13-03-2020 11:52am

[quote="acequion;112817285"

We all hate this and especially when not only will we all work away through this, we'll also probably be expected to make up the lost contact time[/quote]

There needs to be a circular issued clarifying this immediately
No other professional who is working from home is being asked to do so AND use annual leave to do so
There would be uproar
And yet .......

acequion · 13-03-2020 12:10pm

km79 wrote: »

There needs to be a circular issued clarifying this immediately
No other professional who is working from home is being asked to do so AND use annual leave to do so
There would be uproar
And yet .......

Totally agree km79 and this is something we all need to fight against. Our principal is already bombarding us with emails about getting our asses on google classroom asap and basically following the daily timetable there, while also quite explicitly reminding us that we'll be making up the contact time. My blood boils.:mad:

I have no problem spending my days at my computer connecting with my students through out this crisis, I'd go mad otherwise if I was doing nothing and want to keep as close to normality as possible. But expecting us to work on the double by making up the face to face time is a step too far. And you're so right when you say that no other group is expected to do it.

spurious · 13-03-2020 12:22pm

Can any Principal, or language or Home Ec./Music teachers clarify what they have been told about the JC practicals and LC orals that were due to be held in the weeks March 23rd to Friday 3rd April?
Have alternative dates been set?

Schools closed until undetermined date - was March 29th

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