I'm so tired of the "think of the teachers and administrators" rhetoric on every thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay PP but where are we getting the teachers to replace those who decide not to turn to school in person? One of my colleagues has MS and he won't be returning in the fall. We can never get subs at our school and it seems like this year we won't be able to combine classes. Who will teach those students?

New hires? Just like any other time when teachers retire or otherwise leave the system?

A lot of kids who want to be teachers graduated this past year. Hire them.

In a normal year, they are a drop in the bucket and most won’t stay. In a year in which 20% of experienced teachers might leave? Welcome to class sizes of 45 under the direction of substitutes. Enjoy!

-What to do about teachers who quit/retire?
-Hire more teachers.
-No, that won't work.

I wish that all of the people who are going to so much trouble to explain why every possible idea for GETTING KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL is impossible, would instead go to the trouble of figuring out ways to get kids back in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think parents would be less annoyed if the distance teaching was more than an hour a day and actually felt like it wasn't making our kids fall far behind. Teachers have to understand any part time school solutions = layoffs and budget cuts. No way you can justify fulltime staff with what they've been doing to date.

I have read releases from most of the school districts in Maryland and they all have acknowledged that if there is DL in the fall, it will look much different and be better. All admit that they scrambled to put together the program when schools closed, and they started when they thought schools would reopen.

For teachers who don't want to return to F2F due to health concerns, which I completely understand, my question would be can you make childcare arrangements for your own kids to allow more synchronous learning? When we closed schools in the spring, many teachers said that they couldn't possibly work with their kids at home, and that alienated people who had to do their jobs full-time at home and cover educational material with their kids. Teachers always say that they shouldn't have to do anything that involves them getting childcare, and I understand that is the expectation for teaching. However, if you have a choice between providing greater availability via distance learning platforms with care for your own kids in place or returning to the classroom with limited health measures in place, which would you choose?

The childcare argument was often raised in connection with inability to provide synchronous learning. Frankly, I would be satisfied with recorded lessons. In our county, only a few teachers did any instruction at all. All the high school students got was the weekly check ins. I also thought that maybe certain teachers could be designated to do the lessons, either live or recorded, freeing up other teachers to interact with students virtually in smaller groups. Many kids, including mine, won't speak up or ask questions in a virtual class with 30 kids, but if there were 10, it might be a different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay PP but where are we getting the teachers to replace those who decide not to turn to school in person? One of my colleagues has MS and he won't be returning in the fall. We can never get subs at our school and it seems like this year we won't be able to combine classes. Who will teach those students?

New hires? Just like any other time when teachers retire or otherwise leave the system?

A lot of kids who want to be teachers graduated this past year. Hire them.

In a normal year, they are a drop in the bucket and most won’t stay. In a year in which 20% of experienced teachers might leave? Welcome to class sizes of 45 under the direction of substitutes. Enjoy!

-What to do about teachers who quit/retire?
-Hire more teachers.
-No, that won't work.

I wish that all of the people who are going to so much trouble to explain why every possible idea for GETTING KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL is impossible, would instead go to the trouble of figuring out ways to get kids back in school.

There’s a bit of a disconnect between people who work in schools and know how difficult it is to hire and people who think there are thousands of people ready to jump into the classroom. There’s a middle ground solution but it likely requires lots of money for incentives, while school districts have huge shortfalls. The federal government might need to step in for stimulus positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay PP but where are we getting the teachers to replace those who decide not to turn to school in person? One of my colleagues has MS and he won't be returning in the fall. We can never get subs at our school and it seems like this year we won't be able to combine classes. Who will teach those students?

New hires? Just like any other time when teachers retire or otherwise leave the system?

A lot of kids who want to be teachers graduated this past year. Hire them.

We’ve already hired them. The good ones are snatched upon the spring. No grads are left except the duds.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you get as worked up about other taxpayer professions that are now working from home — school HR departments, state government employees, Feds, etc.? Because it’s hard to read your anger as anything other than frustration that you have your kids at home. This bothers you because it affects you. That doesn’t mean you’re right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. Keep in mind those people are a small (yet vocal) minority. All the teachers that I know IRL want to go back into the classroom. (Of course, my friends and I are in the 25 to 50 year old set.)

I really hope that's the case.

I’m a 55 year old teacher and really want to go back. The ones who don’t want are more than likely the so called specialists or focus teachers who don’t really have much interaction with students to begin with.

How can you make that generalization? Of course Focus teachers and specialists have interactions with students!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay PP but where are we getting the teachers to replace those who decide not to turn to school in person? One of my colleagues has MS and he won't be returning in the fall. We can never get subs at our school and it seems like this year we won't be able to combine classes. Who will teach those students?

New hires? Just like any other time when teachers retire or otherwise leave the system?

A lot of kids who want to be teachers graduated this past year. Hire them.

We’ve already hired them. The good ones are snatched upon the spring. No grads are left except the duds.

How much hiring did MCPS do this spring, and how do you know?

[Anonymous]

"I hate my kids and I want them gone. Make it happen or I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the house that I chose to purchase, knowing what the taxes would be. If I don't like something, I demand that people to lose their jobs. Teaching is easy and fun, but being home with my one child is impossible and terrible. The children are being sacrificed to save a bunch of old people who should just die already! Also child abuse is your fault because you should be able to prevent people from hitting their kids in their own homes." - parents

[Anonymous]

I say, hire all the younger teachers or substitutes willing and able to come back. Pack all the kids whose parents can't control them and want them out, or who aren't able to supervise their kids because they are essential in-person employees, in those in person classes.

Let the all other teachers and kids who want to learn / can work independently telecommute and do distance learning. Win win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think parents would be less annoyed if the distance teaching was more than an hour a day and actually felt like it wasn't making our kids fall far behind. Teachers have to understand any part time school solutions = layoffs and budget cuts. No way you can justify fulltime staff with what they've been doing to date.

I have read releases from most of the school districts in Maryland and they all have acknowledged that if there is DL in the fall, it will look much different and be better. All admit that they scrambled to put together the program when schools closed, and they started when they thought schools would reopen.

For teachers who don't want to return to F2F due to health concerns, which I completely understand, my question would be can you make childcare arrangements for your own kids to allow more synchronous learning? When we closed schools in the spring, many teachers said that they couldn't possibly work with their kids at home, and that alienated people who had to do their jobs full-time at home and cover educational material with their kids. Teachers always say that they shouldn't have to do anything that involves them getting childcare, and I understand that is the expectation for teaching. However, if you have a choice between providing greater availability via distance learning platforms with care for your own kids in place or returning to the classroom with limited health measures in place, which would you choose?

The childcare argument was often raised in connection with inability to provide synchronous learning. Frankly, I would be satisfied with recorded lessons. In our county, only a few teachers did any instruction at all. All the high school students got was the weekly check ins. I also thought that maybe certain teachers could be designated to do the lessons, either live or recorded, freeing up other teachers to interact with students virtually in smaller groups. Many kids, including mine, won't speak up or ask questions in a virtual class with 30 kids, but if there were 10, it might be a different story.

Agreed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I hate my kids and I want them gone. Make it happen or I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the house that I chose to purchase, knowing what the taxes would be. If I don't like something, I demand that people to lose their jobs. Teaching is easy and fun, but being home with my one child is impossible and terrible. The children are being sacrificed to save a bunch of old people who should just die already! Also child abuse is your fault because you should be able to prevent people from hitting their kids in their own homes." - parents

"I love my kids and want them, and all of the other kids, to be in school learning, so that we don't ruin their future."

-parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I hate my kids and I want them gone. Make it happen or I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the house that I chose to purchase, knowing what the taxes would be. If I don't like something, I demand that people to lose their jobs. Teaching is easy and fun, but being home with my one child is impossible and terrible. The children are being sacrificed to save a bunch of old people who should just die already! Also child abuse is your fault because you should be able to prevent people from hitting their kids in their own homes." - parents

"I love my kids and want them, and all of the other kids, to be in school learning, so that we don't ruin their future."

-parents

Oh, please! I love my kids and I prefer their teachers & our family stay healthy. Their future will not be ruined by a few more months of distance learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I hate my kids and I want them gone. Make it happen or I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the house that I chose to purchase, knowing what the taxes would be. If I don't like something, I demand that people to lose their jobs. Teaching is easy and fun, but being home with my one child is impossible and terrible. The children are being sacrificed to save a bunch of old people who should just die already! Also child abuse is your fault because you should be able to prevent people from hitting their kids in their own homes." - parents

"I love my kids and want them, and all of the other kids, to be in school learning, so that we don't ruin their future."

-parents

Oh, please! I love my kids and I prefer their teachers & our family stay healthy. Their future will not be ruined by a few more months of distance learning.

I don't know about your kids, but the other kids in MCPS already missed more than 1/4 of last year. Now you're saying that it's ok for them to miss another 1/4 of next year - half a year of school? Or more? I don't think that's ok at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I hate my kids and I want them gone. Make it happen or I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the house that I chose to purchase, knowing what the taxes would be. If I don't like something, I demand that people to lose their jobs. Teaching is easy and fun, but being home with my one child is impossible and terrible. The children are being sacrificed to save a bunch of old people who should just die already! Also child abuse is your fault because you should be able to prevent people from hitting their kids in their own homes." - parents

"I love my kids and want them, and all of the other kids, to be in school learning, so that we don't ruin their future."

-parents

Oh, please! I love my kids and I prefer their teachers & our family stay healthy. Their future will not be ruined by a few more months of distance learning.

I don't know about your kids, but the other kids in MCPS already missed more than 1/4 of last year. Now you're saying that it's ok for them to miss another 1/4 of next year - half a year of school? Or more? I don't think that's ok at all.

If you are the same poster who can't let anything go, maybe the future of your children would be better if you chilled a little bit? My children's future isn't ruined, but I would guess that your children can sense your anxiety which is not healthy for them. Read a book with them or take a hike and chill. You can help them learn at home now instead of spending your day complaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I hate my kids and I want them gone. Make it happen or I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the house that I chose to purchase, knowing what the taxes would be. If I don't like something, I demand that people to lose their jobs. Teaching is easy and fun, but being home with my one child is impossible and terrible. The children are being sacrificed to save a bunch of old people who should just die already! Also child abuse is your fault because you should be able to prevent people from hitting their kids in their own homes." - parents

"I love my kids and want them, and all of the other kids, to be in school learning, so that we don't ruin their future."

-parents

Oh, please! I love my kids and I prefer their teachers & our family stay healthy. Their future will not be ruined by a few more months of distance learning.

I don't know about your kids, but the other kids in MCPS already missed more than 1/4 of last year. Now you're saying that it's ok for them to miss another 1/4 of next year - half a year of school? Or more? I don't think that's ok at all.

Your kids opted out of distance learning?