OT: Poll: What month will your school/district go 100% online?

[Chin Diesel]

Interesting scenario:

There are usually three teacher desks in the room where I teach. My desk is normally facing the windows that can open and they overlook the field. It's been my desk for 10 years.

I just got the offer of my own office for this year. No good sight lines, but it's large, decorated well, has a couch, water cooler and no meetings or students are allowed in there this year. Also, I'm friends with the teacher whose classroom I have to talk through to enter the office. Also, I'm away from the annoying people who I usually share the classroom with.

It's a no brainer to take the office, right?

1. Take the office
2. I wouldn't ever have a meeting with a student one on one in a private office.
3. Burn the couch and get your own.

 

[John]

1. Take the office
2. I wouldn't ever have a meeting with a student one on one in a private office.
3. Burn the couch and get your own.

teacher, coach, youth group leader, scout leader, religious leader - never ever be alone with a kid.

 

[Chin Diesel]

teacher, coach, youth group leader, scout leader, religious leader - never ever be alone with a kid.

I wouldn't be alone with 2 or 3 of them in an office.

In today's world I watch which situations could put me alone with peers I don't yet know well.

 

[NJHusky]

I wouldn't be alone with 2 or 3 of them in an office.

In today's world I watch which situations could put me alone with peers I don't yet know well.

You’re right but that’s a sad statement about society now

 

[Peacefrog]

Schools opened here last week. 25% chose an all-virtual experience upfront. The rest go to school one day a week based on last name with every Friday being virtual. In other words, less than 25% capacity. Already three schools in the county were shut down due to outbreaks and one staff member is in the ICU.

 

[August_West]

After three days of meetings and setting up my classroom, tomorrow starts my first full week at school with kids coming in on Wednesday.

In light of both the Danbury spike and our school announcing on Friday afternoon that a co-worker is now in quarantine (no result on whether that person is a positive case), I feel like I'm entering a void of mystery. There's this illusion that we're projecting to students and parents, but the reality is online learning full-time will happen.

Without getting too existential, I'm curious when you think the school district in your area will go to 100% online.

My mind is thinking mid-October, but after the news co-worker friends of mine now think September.

It should be september, but it will be October because of indecision/slow decision. They actually shouldnt open (and I want them to open)

 

[ZenConn]

Schools opened here last week. 25% chose an all-virtual experience upfront. The rest go to school one day a week based on last name with every Friday being virtual. In other words, less than 25% capacity. Already three schools in the county were shut down due to outbreaks and one staff member is in the ICU.

What state is this?

 

[Lefty2one]

My wife's first day back in the classroom is a week from today, then students return on 9/2. All in, no hybrid. Only a handful of students opted for remote learning. No testing requirements. This is going to be a trainwreck. Oh, and my wife is pregnant. She's going to be essentially wearing a hazmat suit to work. I can't wait for her district to pull the plug on this farce and go full-time remote.

 

[temery]

Except for transportation cost and scheduling dismissal and arrival so as to decrease interaction, thus cutting even more time from the day. Add that to parents need to work, child care, etc...and half day and half day becomes untenable in today's day.

the hybrid model is far worse according to parents in my district.

 

[lange10]

the hybrid model is far worse according to parents in my district.

Curious how equitable it is across the state as well. Some districts, such as my new district in NY, are live streaming the teacher all day for the students that are at home. Not quite sure all districts will be able to afford to do this ultimately forcing their hand to go fully remote or all in-person.

 

[temery]

Curious how equitable it is across the state as well. Some districts, such as my new district in NY, are live streaming the teacher all day for the students that are at home. Not quite sure all districts will be able to afford to do this ultimately forcing their hand to go fully remote or all in-person.

The problem is a good education is rarely achieved with a teacher at the front of a class telling student what they need to learn. The students would be better off three days in school, and three days off, with a teacher assigned to online tutoring for those needing help.

Most of what is being considered is little more than tofu education.

 

[Peacefrog]

What state is this?

North Carolina

Edit: sorry, my wife corrected me. the staff member is not in ICU but is hospitalized with serious symptoms.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I answered Never for my daughter’s private school. Our town schools are starting full remote, going hybrid only later. MA positive test rate is now 1.1% so I don’t know what they are waiting on really.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

My wife's first day back in the classroom is a week from today, then students return on 9/2. All in, no hybrid. Only a handful of students opted for remote learning. No testing requirements. This is going to be a trainwreck. Oh, and my wife is pregnant. She's going to be essentially wearing a hazmat suit to work. I can't wait for her district to pull the plug on this farce and go full-time remote.

Two co-workers of mine are pregnant and my school is in same situation. 100% in person teaching with at-home kids logging on from home. No testing requirements.

I hope your wife's school is better prepared than ours: today we had meetings where we were supposed to group-think procedures and protocols for when the students are in school. We need to be told what to do, not figure it out ourselves. I entered the day stressed but focused, but the whole staff went ape-poop after that meeting. As the middle school's leadership rep, I had to tell our HOS that the collective opinion is that that we are not prepared to have students returning on Wednesday. What's odd about it is that our school changed its schedule so we arrived 1.5 weeks earlier than what was previously on the schedule.

Back to your wife and all pregnant teachers out there, I can’t ever have enough sympathy for them and I hope your school pulls the plug soon for their sake.

One thing I’ve learned is that as each day passes more kids are opting to online only. As those ratios increase, I do think that would preclude schools moving to online only.

 

[temery]

I have a special needs kid, I get it. However, some in school is better than zero. The younger the kids, the less likely they will be able to control the spread. We either continue to control the spread, or we give up and shut back down again, your choice. Ct has a .6-.8 positive rate BECAUSE we have been careful. Throwing that out the window just so we can jam as many kids in a confined space doesn't seem all that smart to me. I have 5 school age kids, I'd totally prefer that they don't bring that stuff home and infect us or grandma. But that's just me. 2 days a week seems fair iyam. It won't be all year unless it explodes. Can't go 0-100 right out of the gates.

The union in my district fought for full time in school for students with significant special needs, and a phased in schedule for all there. The school committee said no.

 

[coloradohusky]

The union in my district fought for full time in school for students with significant special needs, and a phased in schedule for all there. The school committee said no.

That's a bit crazy for them to say no to. Severe special needs aren't a big population to begin with. My kid has Asperger's, but has a very high IQ. He actually asked for remote learning...I opted for hybrid (the only other option to full remote). My big fear is the kids spreading this to at risk family and possibly losing a parent for a few weeks or in rare cases forever. I have to think that is more dangerous than a few months not sitting in class.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I work just outside of Danbury in Redding. Danburys first day was today and they immediately changed to all distance learning until at least October. I think we may not make October. The hybrid model is a disaster.

 

[HeGotGame]

After three days of meetings and setting up my classroom, tomorrow starts my first full week at school with kids coming in on Wednesday.

In light of both the Danbury spike and our school announcing on Friday afternoon that a co-worker is now in quarantine (no result on whether that person is a positive case), I feel like I'm entering a void of mystery. There's this illusion that we're projecting to students and parents, but the reality is online learning full-time will happen.

Without getting too existential, I'm curious when you think the school district in your area will go to 100% online.

My mind is thinking mid-October, but after the news co-worker friends of mine now think September.

I hope never. My kids start school in person here in Mass on the 9th and I hope they never have to do remote learning again.

 

[husky429]

I do not know what to do with elementary-aged kids. Or lab-based hs courses. I teach high school English. No reason I can't do it online totally.

Read, write, get 1: feedback. Have discussions about said writing. Do it again and again. Most anything else in the classroom isn't nearly as useful as people make it out to be.

 

[Greedo]

I do not know what to do with elementary-aged kids. Or lab-based hs courses. I teach high school English. No reason I can't do it online totally.

Read, write, get 1: feedback. Have discussions about said writing. Do it again and again. Most anything else in the classroom isn't nearly as useful as people make it out to be.

Honestly, I teach biology and besides the labs my class is basically virtual even when we’re in school. Everything is on computers. My direct instruction is done through pear deck online so it’s interactive for the kids (and is the same process if they’re at home). And most labs have a virtual alternative that can be found online. Obviously losing the hands on lab component sucks but it’s not the end of the world. Elementary is definitely the real problem. But as someone who operates a very modern classroom, moving virtual is pretty seamless.

 

[Minicoop69]

Honestly, I teach biology and besides the labs my class is basically virtual even when we’re in school. Everything is on computers. My direct instruction is done through pear deck online so it’s interactive for the kids (and is the same process if they’re at home). And most labs have a virtual alternative that can be found online. Obviously losing the hands on lab component sucks but it’s not the end of the world. Elementary is definitely the real problem. But as someone who operates a very modern classroom, moving virtual is pretty seamless.

I agree with that. I teach calculus and other higher level math courses and I have been using a flipped teaching model for 3 years. Works well. I didn't have near the complications that other teachers did when we all of a sudden went virtual.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I teach in Danbury and we just made the move to 100% online yesterday until at least mid-october.

 

[Lefty2one]

today we had meetings where we were supposed to group-think procedures and protocols for when the students are in school. We need to be told what to do, not figure it out ourselves.

Good grief this is insanity. What in the hell? I give your school three weeks before it switches to full-time remote.

 

[Excalibur]

In CT, it will be later, but it will happen, mainly because of people being dumb and traveling to busy tourist destinations as summer draws to a close, and they will bring the virus back with them.

 

[M.S.G.]

I do not know what to do with elementary-aged kids. Or lab-based hs courses. I teach high school English. No reason I can't do it online totally.

Read, write, get 1: feedback. Have discussions about said writing. Do it again and again. Most anything else in the classroom isn't nearly as useful as people make it out to be.

Yeah I'm definitely of the same belief. With this hybrid concept we're "trying" I think this really does bring in the Common Core concept of the education model because the teachers are more or less guides. I'm against live-streaming my class and will avoid it at all costs by pre-recording 5-10 minute videos where I talk about what the task is and let the remote students what their task is - while I think teach the cohort that's in the room.

Then on Wednesday when we're all home, it's a 5-10 minute video with 2 paragraph response questions with the ability to hop into our Google Meet for extra help, guidance, or support.

I'm just so against the invasive nature of live-streaming classes, and as I mentioned in another thread, it opens up a Pandora's Box that will change the face of education as we know it (as if it isn't changing anyway(