Is school really school anymore? in My life both public and private!
- Sept. 4, 2020, 5:26 a.m.
- |
- Public
Our school has changed what and how we are going to do things at least 4 times in the last month. First it was 5 days a week. Then it would be 4 days with full class on all 4 days for all the students. Then it was 3 days a week with all the students. Now it is a hybrid with one set of students on Monday and Tuesday. Closed on Wednesday and another set of students on Thursday and Friday.
I have not been in the classroom for 4 years so it will also be a new experience for me. I will be teaching Kindergarten and will have one set of students on Monday and Tuesday from 9-12:45. I will also have 3 special needs children which means I will also have 3 full time aides. Then I will have another set of children on Thursday and Friday. There are no decorations allowed on any of the walls. Also no chalk and we can only use the white board. The desks have plexiglass on both sides and the front. The front piece has an opening to give out work and recieve it back. I will have 12 students in each class. No free play,gym, or group activities. We are still waiting to hear if we will be allowed to do any class trips.
My class is self contained so it has its own bathroom. When it has been used I am to contact the janitor and he has to come and clean it before it can be used again. This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. When 5 & 6 year olds have to go they can’t wait for the bathroom to be cleaned. I am sure this will have to be modified.
But at least we are opening. But of the infection rate hits a certain % we will close all the schools until November 9th. I will work with the child study team in the afternoon and help with prep time for other teachers.
Tennis will start on the 14th but the details are still a little fuzzy. Steve’s sxhool is also doing a hybrid opening. He works at a hs so they have students with the last name from A-M on Monday and Tuesday. Closed on Wednesday and N-Z on Thursday and Friday. He has more details about his tennis team but a lot of the details are still up in he air.
Now my rant. Why are teachers so privileged that they feel like they can set their own rules? Are we not essential workers? Our system is probably short 4-5 teachers. They asked my mom to come back and teach part time. She thought about it but my dad and I talked her out of it.
And my mom was so happy in Martha’s Vineyard with all her family around. Seeing baby Elijah made her so happy and seeing my brother sober also made her smile. It was great to see.
I will write an entry on Sunday. It will be FO and I will tlak about Steves wish list of sexual fantasys and which ones I agreed to.
Have a great Labor Day weekend all
Camdengirl ⋅ September 04, 2020
Here in Scotland we’ve been open since 15 Aug and I’d say in the first week, loads of stuff had to be tweaked, because they just didn’t know how it would all work in reality. In the month in the run up to school starting back (and our kids have been off since mid March with no schooling or childcare whatsoever) they went from a 2 day week, to an online blending learning model to full time school. Mostly because they realised their plans were completely unworkable.
Bre M Camdengirl ⋅ September 04, 2020
I am sure we will have many tweaks in the next few weeks. I don't think they really have a plan and are just going forward and will see what works.
Camdengirl Bre M ⋅ September 04, 2020
In some ways, I think thats probably the best policy
Elle ⋅ September 06, 2020 (edited September 06, 2020)
Edited
Yes and no. We are essential workers but not on the same level as nurses and doctors. I’m not a babysitter so I’m not an essential worker in that way. If I can do my job from home I may not be able to make my own rules but I can ask (and we have) my teacher union negotiate those rules for me. As it is I put my own money in to my classroom. I resigned myself to the fact that if there is a school shooter, I’m dying for my students. And now I’m being asked to put myself in harms way when, Unlike a school shooter, it is a known fact this virus is present and a constant threat every day. I think after all that I get to request my own rules as an essential worker for me, my family AND my students’ safety. However I do see the frustration of losing teachers. Although I’m teaching from home our small school went from 15 to 11 and it’s out a strain on all of us but I don’t blame the teachers. I blame the district that refuses to hire anyone to save money.
Bre M Elle ⋅ September 06, 2020
I agree but also I have had many parents say if they can risk working so can teachers. At the last zoom meeting we had with the Principal she said the rate of transmission from children to adults is minimal. I guess we will find out this week.
Elle Bre M ⋅ September 06, 2020 (edited September 06, 2020)
Edited
Even if that were true which I don’t think it has been proven, then i would still be worried about transmission between student to student. While I feel like I’m fighting for my safety and the safety of the people I live with I’m also fighting for the safety of my students. I’ve already had a student become ill and while he’s still recovering after several months, he lost the only parent he had and an uncle after losing his mother in December to a separate illness. Parents can choose to go back to work but that choice shouldn’t void my choice to teach safely from home. Good luck this coming week. Stay safe. Teaching at this moment either in person or virtually is going to be a challenge regardless but we’re all in the same boat.
colojojo ⋅ September 09, 2020
No play time or gym for kindergarteners? That just seems insane. That’s a huge chunk of class time, is it not? Learning through group activities etc? I can’t imagine how this year will affect so many young kids :/
Bre M colojojo ⋅ September 10, 2020
It is sad. My mom taught Kindergarten when she first got out of college in 1977. She said it was.always a year of fun and discovery. When I last taught Kindergarten we would make a big circle around the teacher and try to recognize words and phrases. I always say a shy child next to an outgoing one. This helped the shy child ooen up a little. Now it is.so regimented that we will lose a lot of the spontaneous fun times.