Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As a teacher I can tell you the most critical issue with virtual isn't socialization, it's academics. A large percentage of students cannot learn the same content & skills at home.

Schools have have to reach & teach all kids, not just the ones with no disabilities & involved parents & good Internet access.

I would agree with you that largely it's academics. I think that and socialization can blend together though depending on the situation.

For the upcoming school year and this past Spring I think the largest issue for parents when they brought up socialization is that their students already had the traditional school experience and then were abruptly being shifted to something completely and utterly different AND they were not supposed to see their friends in-person especially in April/May and parts of June if school year went that far. Parents were worried on behalf of their children just how that would impact them. Now that fall sports is on the line, marching band and the like on the line (not that there isn't a reason for that) I can understand how parents even with in-person being an option in places will make them feel like the socialization will take a hit. The downside is obviously each time you take the school from in-person to hybrid to virtual/remote (depending on the definition being used) that socialization can be impacted there. No-win here.

 

[RamblingMad]

As a teacher I can tell you the most critical issue with virtual isn't socialization, it's academics. A large percentage of students cannot learn the same content & skills at home.

Schools have have to reach & teach all kids, not just the ones with no disabilities & involved parents & good Internet access.

I think it’s the learning pace. If you look at the numbers Sal Khan has posted, you’ll see that given a class of students, some will learn some content at different paces. But if you give them extra time to learn, they’ll catch up and perform faster on other topics. You really need to utilize the learning metrics available versus a calendar approach.

 

[Renarr]

Also, a teacher here, and to add my two cents, one of the bigger issues with virtual is motivation.

For students who are generally self-starters, motivated individuals, they tend to look after their needs and seek out methods for getting their questions answered no matter what environment they're in.

But there are other students for whom getting started on the task, especially challenging tasks, doesn't come as easily for whatever reason. In physical classrooms, there are measures you can take to help increase the likelihood that these students will take care of these tasks that are hard to replicate in the virtual environment.

For instance, just the act of standing near a student will increase the likelihood that students will take the time to ask you a question. If they have to physically get up and walk to your desk in front of their peers, the likelihood goes down. Not in all students, but in some, and in my experience, disproportionately so with struggling students. Generating that proximity presents challenges in the virtual world (and to be honest, will present some challenges in the physical classroom, too), but easier.

Determining which students are on-task is also easier in the physical environment, and that can allow you to redirect student attention in a number of manners. My district allows students to determine whether their cameras will be on, the vast majority keep theirs off, and so determining off-bask behaviors are a lot more difficult. And those off-task behaviors are often more prevalent in struggling students as an avoidance mechanism.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Home schooling now seems smart, or virtual classrooms, etc. But for parents that home schooled before Covid, what was the reason. Personally I loved school . It exposes you also to many different people, experiences, cultures, etc., etc. At least my school did. Why do people home school (not including Covid). Are their schools in a bad areas? Do they not want their kids to experience other things and control their world views? Do they think school is bad and what do they feel is bad about it? Just curious, not judging. Do you worry it is limiting or lonely for your children? Personally never knew anyone that was home schooled or home schooled their kids so that was why I ask.

 

[KittyKitty]

Got the schedules today.Here is elementary. Middle and High School don't start till 9am. Bet the students are excited about that! We are all remote till at least Nov. 12. We start on Sept. 9.

 

[monsterkitty]

Daycare for school-age kids, because they aren't allowed to go to in-person school? Logic, I miss you.

Actually what they are doing is really well thought out. None of these kids go to our district, obviously, as we are in school. The school aged-kids will be doing their remote lessons assigned by their classroom teachers in the "daycare" with a certified teacher from our district. The pre-k and younger will also be with certified staff so they can begin working on concepts that will help them when they get into school. The "daycare" is being run out of our early childhood development center.

So it is logic because these kids will have structure.

It's actually more of learning pods instead of a daycare.

 

[RamblingMad]

Interesting question on Bloomberg I heard at lunch time. Why is it okay to send kids back to school, but it’s not safe to go to the gym or a movie theater?

 

[monsterkitty]

Interesting question on Bloomberg I heard at lunch time. Why is it okay to send kids back to school, but it’s not safe to go to the gym or a movie theater?

My hair stylist works in a shop that is twice as big as my DH's classroom. It's bigger than my old classroom and I taught band. They can only have 5 stylists with 1 customer each, no one else is allowed in the shop. Yet my DH will have 25 kids in a classroom with crappy ventilation, no AC, and fans are not allowed.

All kids are required to wear masks in the district regardless of age. But still, it makes you scratch your head.

 

[KittyKitty]

Why is it okay to send kids back to school, but it’s not safe to go to the gym or a movie theater?

Nevermind, I was thinking students, not adults.

 

[lanejudy]

What is the difference between these home schooled kids and kids being virtually taught?

"Home school" and "virtual learning" are two entirely different animals -- particularly with regards to the remote learning many experienced last spring.

Home schooling is intended to be done at home, usually with mom or dad as the teacher, using the home as a classroom as well as venturing out into the community. Sometimes home school families get together with other home school families to co-teach or swap kids for certain subjects, or to provide socialization opportunities; they may work with a subject-matter professional in the community (i.e., music lessons, fitness instructor, local extension service, etc.). There is usually considerable in-person interaction with folks outside the home - be that other home school families, local libraries, extra-curricular activities through the school district, and others in the community. It is not all "virtual" through the Internet, much of it may be hands-on learning in-person.

Depending on how the "virtual learning" is designed, it can literally be hours on end of Zoom calls or watching videos on Google Classroom, or just lots of old-school worksheets. There may be minimal teaching or direct contact with the actual teacher; usually very little supervision unless mom or dad is available to help. There may be little to no contact with classmate or peers. There is NO in-person connection at all. Much of it may be self-directed, which works great if you have a student who is motivated, organized and able to manage much of the learning on their own.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Actually what they are doing is really well thought out. None of these kids go to our district, obviously, as we are in school. The school aged-kids will be doing their remote lessons assigned by their classroom teachers in the "daycare" with a certified teacher from our district. The pre-k and younger will also be with certified staff so they can begin working on concepts that will help them when they get into school. The "daycare" is being run out of our early childhood development center.

So it is logic because these kids will have structure.

It's actually more of learning pods instead of a daycare.

The way I looked at it wasn't that it's not the concept of daycare for what I suppose would be a parallel to essential workers back with the stay at home orders. Rather the taking care of kids all together when so much has been spotlight on kids in a room and spreading which is the reason many are doing remote. It's not a bad idea as it means those teachers have childcare taken care of but at least to me ironic.

I wouldn't consider it learning pods because you said ages 1-12. That's daycare and is being used I assume because the teachers are working during the day. Now the kids that have actual schooling may get some academics but the primary reason is to take care of children that most would consider too young to supervise themselves (I assume that's why it went up to age 12). But if you personally were going to consider a learning pod then that would be along the same lines as what others have maligned which is using school as a daycare and makes for an interesting discussion. How would it okay for the teachers to have their children looked after by a teacher from the school but obviously care-taking of kids but not okay for the concept of parents by necessity relying on their children to be in school during the day while they work. Someone is taking care of the children's needs in both situations while the parent is working.

 

[DisneyOma]

What did we do as a society before public schools? Right now the majority of the population seems to think public schools are free babysitting, recreation providers, social centers, meal providers, and behavioral correctors, on top of academic instructors. Where did kids get all of this before public schooling? All I hear in my area is that schools need to open because parents don't know what to do with their kids. I'm beginning to think maybe they shouldn't have had kids to begin with?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Interesting question on Bloomberg I heard at lunch time. Why is it okay to send kids back to school, but it’s not safe to go to the gym or a movie theater?

Most of these questions posed by articles such and such aren't really that interesting IMO because they are just intended to elicit a certain response. The answer is neither is fully safe nor is most of our activities. We work with what we have and make concessions for things here and there and try to make things safer.

In the case of movie theaters many theaters are able to block off rows and seats. They can require masks just like Costco or the like can without respects to working with governmental aspects. They can become cashless and more easily clean and sanitize between the movies. Where their main risk comes into play is their ventilation system since you are sitting in one place for a while indoors. These types of things aren't equivalent to school as what activities you are doing aren't the same. I'd place a gym more on the lines of school in terms of risks.

But going to the gym and watching a movie in an actual theater are also not on the same galaxy as discussing education which comes with far more complexities than should a gym or movie theater being open. It's a tough discussion to have but shouldn't be reduced to bloomberg or the like asking a very leading question of if one is okay why isn't the other.

 

[mjkacmom]

Interesting question on Bloomberg I heard at lunch time. Why is it okay to send kids back to school, but it’s not safe to go to the gym or a movie theater?

Can’t go to the gym or theater here.

 

[monsterkitty]

The way I looked at it wasn't that it's not the concept of daycare for what I suppose would be a parallel to essential workers back with the stay at home orders. Rather the taking care of kids all together when so much has been spotlight on kids in a room and spreading which is the reason many are doing remote. It's not a bad idea as it means those teachers have childcare taken care of but at least to me ironic.

I wouldn't consider it learning pods because you said ages 1-12. That's daycare and is being used I assume because the teachers are working during the day. Now the kids that have actual schooling may get some academics but the primary reason is to take care of children that most would consider too young to supervise themselves (I assume that's why it went up to age 12). But if you personally were going to consider a learning pod then that would be along the same lines as what others have maligned which is using school as a daycare and makes for an interesting discussion. How would it okay for the teachers to have their children looked after by a teacher from the school but obviously care-taking of kids but not okay for the concept of parents by necessity relying on their children to be in school during the day while they work. Someone is taking care of the children's needs in both situations while the parent is working.

It's learning pods because the kids are broken up by ages and placed in the appropriate classroom. The age span of those who are accepted into the program are from 1-12.

They are not putting 1-year olds with 12-year olds.

 

[DisneyOma]

Can’t go to the gym or theater here.

I asked my union leader why the school committee here was pushing to send the kids back to school, but the committee themselves were having a zoom meeting to discuss it? They couldn't meet in person, but the kids could?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What did we do as a society before public schools? Right now the majority of the population seems to think public schools are free babysitting, recreation providers, social centers, meal providers, and behavioral correctors, on top of academic instructors. Where did kids get all of this before public schooling? All I hear in my area is that schools need to open because parents don't know what to do with their kids. I'm beginning to think maybe they shouldn't have had kids to begin with?

We didn't have the education system that we have now. I consider it a progression in that way. What did we do as a society before public schools? Well for one women were largely not educated as well as minorities the poor often as well, you had menial work which often meant you didn't get a high education, you dropped out and worked on the farm or factory and that was that.

Your point about people having children is IMO not at all connected to what did we do as a society before public schools. It's not that I don't think it's a thought provoking one though.

 

[RamblingMad]

Most of these questions posed by articles such and such aren't really that interesting IMO because they are just intended to elicit a certain response. The answer is neither is fully safe nor is most of our activities. We work with what we have and make concessions for things here and there and try to make things safer.

In the case of movie theaters many theaters are able to block off rows and seats. They can require masks just like Costco or the like can without respects to working with governmental aspects. They can become cashless and more easily clean and sanitize between the movies. Where their main risk comes into play is their ventilation system since you are sitting in one place for a while indoors. These types of things aren't equivalent to school as what activities you are doing aren't the same. I'd place a gym more on the lines of school in terms of risks.

But going to the gym and watching a movie in an actual theater are also not on the same galaxy as discussing education which comes with far more complexities than should a gym or movie theater being open. It's a tough discussion to have but shouldn't be reduced to bloomberg or the like asking a very leading question of if one is okay why isn't the other.

Looking at virus spread, I think, it’s more than equivalent. If you sit near someone in a theater for an extended period of time versus sit at a desk near someone for an extended period of time. How is this any different when talking about virus spread?

 

[RamblingMad]

I asked my union leader why the school committee here was pushing to send the kids back to school, but the committee themselves were having a zoom meeting to discuss it? They couldn't meet in person, but the kids could?

Sounds like privilege to me.

 

[lanejudy]

What did we do as a society before public schools? Right now the majority of the population seems to think public schools are free babysitting, recreation providers, social centers, meal providers, and behavioral correctors, on top of academic instructors. Where did kids get all of this before public schooling? All I hear in my area is that schools need to open because parents don't know what to do with their kids. I'm beginning to think maybe they shouldn't have had kids to begin with?

People keep saying this, and it's really an unfair and unacceptable comparison. It is absolutely unrealistic to compare 2020 to the 1800's; there is just no comparison in all of life between today and back then.