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Post by Merge on Apr 20, 2021 18:50:49 GMT
Eh, it’s ok. Distancing not really possible as we have 75% in person. Mask compliance is fair/good. Online families are not getting the same experience as in person because teachers are stretched too thin doing both. My district says unequivocally that online learning will only be through a separate online academy next year - teachers will not be teaching both ways.
Most teachers are vaccinated now and every parent and student over 16 who wants to be has had the opportunity to be.
The kids overall do well with continuous mask use. Just like adults, they get used to it, unless they have sensory issues that make it unusually difficult.
As far as I know, contract tracing is not really being done in our schools any more. We have free testing available monthly in school and the city offers drive through free testing every day.
I am returning to more normal teaching, including singing and games that were forbidden last fall. I really really hope we don’t have to have masks next year because it’s so exhausting to teach from behind one and difficult to hear the kids’ voices.
Parents hoping for a hybrid option next year should be aware that teachers are *done* with this mode of teaching. Lots will quit rather than teach this way again next year.
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Post by peasapie on Apr 21, 2021 0:00:19 GMT
My grandsons (elementary school) far prefer going to school in masks to staying home. They have adjusted to wearing masks everywhere and at this point, it's second nature for them.
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Post by iteach3rdgrade on Apr 21, 2021 0:22:01 GMT
We’ve been fine at school. Our district has done an excellent job with the protocols put in place. More quarantining took place in 6-12. Our town has had very few cases so that may be why we e kept out of school so well.
I’ve kept my 8th grader home. I decided not to send him back this year since he’s been out all year. He has enjoyed a break from the mean kids and drama. It’s been tough getting work done and it’s only one year I can manage after teaching all day. I’m ready to be done, but it has been a good experience for us.
He will return next year. He learns best with the interaction at school.
I’d feel more comfortable if masks were required next year, but I doubt they will be. If we keep other protocols in place then I’m sure it’ll be fine.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,448
Jun 25, 2014 23:25:39 GMT
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Post by katybee on Apr 21, 2021 0:30:05 GMT
We’ve had our ups and downs. January and February were dicey, with a lot of positive cases. But numbers in our community are down and we have not had a positive case in over a month. I am fully vaccinated (as are most of the teachers) and feel safe at school. We cannot socially distance much, but we all wear masks (with no complaints form the kids) and wash hands/sanitize as much as we can. Other than that, it feels pretty normal.
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Post by kraft4fun on Apr 21, 2021 1:23:47 GMT
I don't have kids at home anymore, but I do have a grandson in 1st grade who preferred being at home rather than in school. VPK4 yo granddaughter that loved being home more as well. However, I feel my daughter has a lot to do with that honestly. I had mine home from when they were in K, 2nd and 4th until they were in 7th, 9th and 9th. They loved homeschooling and so did I. They went to school when their dad and I split up and I was going to be working full time. However, we learned real quick it does not take 7 hours to "do school". We actually did not have "set times". Unit studies were a hit. When they did actually go back to school they had no problems adjusting and all graduated on time, they all now have Bachelor Degree's they received scholarships for and one is even working on her masters. No complaints from this mom. When schooling at home attempts to replicate schooling at school with 30 min the classroom and teachers having to stop every couple minutes to remind someone to stay on task, that is why school takes all day. A math page with 10 problems that can be done in 15 minutes, should not be required to keep attention for 30 minutes just because that is the way the schedule is set up. Let it be 15 minutes or 10 minutes whatever it takes and then relax, move on to the next subject or move on to the next day work for that class. My girls knew their assignments for the week on Monday and sometimes would get it all done in 2 days, while other times were finishing to have it in their folder by 6pm Sunday night (only deadline I had). That way I could check it all and see if there was anything we needed to go over again before moving on. It worked for us.
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Post by annie on Apr 21, 2021 1:47:20 GMT
I'd send your kids back. It's going well. We've been in person all year. Kids stay with their classroom cohort for contact tracing purposes. Masks on. You get used to it. (I wear a mic now to project through my mask better.) I think the kids are better off in-person now, and I don't think you need to worry as much as you did previously when we didn't know as much about Covid.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 21, 2021 1:51:05 GMT
- If homeschooling it going well for you, I would seriously consider another year. Why not?
I wish we could. Our district put it out there initially as potentially an option and asked for parents to opt in if that was their choice. We did, but not enough other families did so it’s a no go. They said it would be way too expensive for the district to offer it as an option the way they did this year with so few families wanting it, so they’re not doing it. I was really pleased with how our district handled the 100% virtual. The teachers who were teaching the virtual classes ONLY taught virtual kids and the teachers doing hybrid ONLY had those kids (each class was split into two 12-13 student cohorts, half learning in person and half learning at home, then they would switch). I think my kid doing virtual actually has had the better, more consistent learning experience this year and her teacher has been awesome. I would have loved it if she could have had the same experience next year but they’re not going to offer it.
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Post by Merge on Apr 21, 2021 2:52:04 GMT
If you love online schooling and your kid did well with it, there are any number of online academies available for homeschoolers.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 21, 2021 4:02:41 GMT
If you love online schooling and your kid did well with it, there are any number of online academies available for homeschoolers. I know that, but I also really love our district overall and the teachers my kid has had have been exceptional for the most part. She has gotten a great education and has made some great friends in spite of the handful of mean little turds who like to stir up trouble.
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,381
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Apr 21, 2021 15:21:25 GMT
Our district decided last night to go to four days a week for hybrid (Weds. everyone is still virtual) so all the parents pushing for back-to-normal started cheering and then realized it's only for K-5, 6th and 9th grades. So anyone with multiple kids probably has one kid going two days a week, and one kid going four days a week... (I would have two and two if we weren't virtual).
Parents are not happy.
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