Teachers not returning. MCPS to hire “Monitors” instead

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an unfair characterization of what is happening.
1. The school system is trying to bring back every student that elected in-person on the survey.
2. Every school has been evaluated for capacity within social distance guidelines.
3. Maintaining social distance will require fewer students in a classroom than are in a class.
4. Therefore students will be split into different classrooms to keep distance.
5. Teachers cannot be in two places at once. Even if every teacher returns, monitors will be needed.
6. There are equity issues yes of course. But please stop blaming the teachers for everything. Assume that everyone working on this wants the same things to educate children while stopping the spread of the disease.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is of course a group of teachers that are at higher risk due to underlying health conditions, and I fully support those teachers continuing to teacher remotely and a monitor "managing" those in person classrooms while students in the class and at home zoom the lesson. However, that is not the majority of teachers. Once MCPS returns to in person school (so cdc safety measures are in place like masking and distance), the majority of teachers should be in person in their classrooms 5 days a week, and the students who elected to stay full remote plus the portions of the in person cohorts that are learning at home on any given day should zoom into the lesson. This isn't that complicated and school systems all across the country have been implementing it since September.

Our teachers are coming back, regardless of the kind of in-person learning they're doing. Our ES doesn't have the technology to do that kind of concurrent learning (especially since it would require the teacher to stand in one spot the whole time to stay on camera). We can't fit all the kids who are coming back into one classroom because our building is small, and they are prioritizing keeping kids with their teachers. So you tell me how that can work.

Um, the teacher stands at the front of the room, camera on - if the teacher moves in the room, s/he takes laptop with them - the teacher periodically monitors the chat function on zoom. Seriously there are schools all over that have been implementing hybrid learning this way - there is no special technology required beyond a zoom account!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is of course a group of teachers that are at higher risk due to underlying health conditions, and I fully support those teachers continuing to teacher remotely and a monitor "managing" those in person classrooms while students in the class and at home zoom the lesson. However, that is not the majority of teachers. Once MCPS returns to in person school (so cdc safety measures are in place like masking and distance), the majority of teachers should be in person in their classrooms 5 days a week, and the students who elected to stay full remote plus the portions of the in person cohorts that are learning at home on any given day should zoom into the lesson. This isn't that complicated and school systems all across the country have been implementing it since September.

Our teachers are coming back, regardless of the kind of in-person learning they're doing. Our ES doesn't have the technology to do that kind of concurrent learning (especially since it would require the teacher to stand in one spot the whole time to stay on camera). We can't fit all the kids who are coming back into one classroom because our building is small, and they are prioritizing keeping kids with their teachers. So you tell me how that can work.

Um, the teacher stands at the front of the room, camera on - if the teacher moves in the room, s/he takes laptop with them - the teacher periodically monitors the chat function on zoom. Seriously there are schools all over that have been implementing hybrid learning this way - there is no special technology required beyond a zoom account!

Exactly. Our kids’ teachers do this. It is not complicated, does not require special technology and does not require hiring more people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very few of my low income families are returning to school. They cannot afford to get sick. The families who want to send their kids back are wealthy and white.

This is also the impression we got from the presentation in our daughter’s school. It’s just a statement of fact that the kids who will be doing in-person are mostly white and those that chose DL are mostly non-white and poor. No need to get offended.

Obviously this is not all. I don’t fit into your category and will be keeping my kids home to do DL for their safety, not because I’m poor or of a certain race.
We can afford to stay home and assist them. Your impression is a blanket statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is of course a group of teachers that are at higher risk due to underlying health conditions, and I fully support those teachers continuing to teacher remotely and a monitor "managing" those in person classrooms while students in the class and at home zoom the lesson. However, that is not the majority of teachers. Once MCPS returns to in person school (so cdc safety measures are in place like masking and distance), the majority of teachers should be in person in their classrooms 5 days a week, and the students who elected to stay full remote plus the portions of the in person cohorts that are learning at home on any given day should zoom into the lesson. This isn't that complicated and school systems all across the country have been implementing it since September.

Our teachers are coming back, regardless of the kind of in-person learning they're doing. Our ES doesn't have the technology to do that kind of concurrent learning (especially since it would require the teacher to stand in one spot the whole time to stay on camera). We can't fit all the kids who are coming back into one classroom because our building is small, and they are prioritizing keeping kids with their teachers. So you tell me how that can work.

Um, the teacher stands at the front of the room, camera on - if the teacher moves in the room, s/he takes laptop with them - the teacher periodically monitors the chat function on zoom. Seriously there are schools all over that have been implementing hybrid learning this way - there is no special technology required beyond a zoom account!

I’ve taliked to both parents and teachers in other parts of the country that are doing exactly this. Trust that it is not the most ideal situation, especially at first while teachers and students get use to it. And more often than not, the students in DL are not getting the same learning experience as they were prior to hybrid. And that point was noted by the Teacher’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS paraeducator here: teachers and support staff like me are not refusing to come back to work. Staff were asked to apply for any ADA or FMLA accommodations/leave they might qualify for, but everyone else is expected to report to work when buildings reopen. The monitors will be in addition to teachers, not instead of them.

A majority of the kids at the school I work at plan to return, and classrooms can hold about 12-15 per classroom depending on the room's size - meaning in some cases, one classroom may need to be spread out over two rooms. A classroom monitor could be very helpful here, and I'm guessing they're also being hired to help with lunchtime. In a normal school year, a cafeteria can hold 6-8 classes at a time and there are usually 2-4 adults monitoring. When we go back, at least at the elementary level kids will be eating in their classrooms - and I would guess there will be a monitor in every one of those rooms. We are also going to need more adults to help manage and spread out arrival and dismissal procedures since those will need to look different than they have in the past.

Thank you!! Part of my frustration, as an MCPS parent, is the lack of transparency on these issues. I don’t blame you or the teachers at ALL for that—it’s the BOE’s (continued) failure. It makes total sense to me that classroom monitors could be useful in the ways you describe, in addition to the teachers and paras who would be in the building.

My kids are at a learning hub (and thriving as much as they can), so I know there are real benefits to this model, and I also don’t have the weird paranoia around my kids being with non-teachers that some PPs seem to. It doesn’t work for kids with special needs and really young kids, but I’m hopeful this step will get us closer to a real return to in-person education in the Fall.

Again, thank you.

+1 This is the kind of information that parents need to hear to convince us that we’re not being offered fake news that will result in the rug being pulled out from under us.

People like you are the answer. Thank you!

+1 Didn't one of the presentations by MCPS have this info? Maybe I'm imagining it. lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is of course a group of teachers that are at higher risk due to underlying health conditions, and I fully support those teachers continuing to teacher remotely and a monitor "managing" those in person classrooms while students in the class and at home zoom the lesson. However, that is not the majority of teachers. Once MCPS returns to in person school (so cdc safety measures are in place like masking and distance), the majority of teachers should be in person in their classrooms 5 days a week, and the students who elected to stay full remote plus the portions of the in person cohorts that are learning at home on any given day should zoom into the lesson. This isn't that complicated and school systems all across the country have been implementing it since September.

Our teachers are coming back, regardless of the kind of in-person learning they're doing. Our ES doesn't have the technology to do that kind of concurrent learning (especially since it would require the teacher to stand in one spot the whole time to stay on camera). We can't fit all the kids who are coming back into one classroom because our building is small, and they are prioritizing keeping kids with their teachers. So you tell me how that can work.

Um, the teacher stands at the front of the room, camera on - if the teacher moves in the room, s/he takes laptop with them - the teacher periodically monitors the chat function on zoom. Seriously there are schools all over that have been implementing hybrid learning this way - there is no special technology required beyond a zoom account!

The teacher cannot focus on anyone or anything if they are doing this. They cannot work with either group well and someone is going to miss out.

Either way, you all can argue about return all you want but it comes down to numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has nothing to do with race. The plan is for teachers to go back but they will need help and the class sizes in person have to stay very low so the only way to do that is split up groups. We have 35 students in our MS classes.

Why is your life more important than a teacher or monitors life? That is the real question. You don't care about either. Monitors will be paraprofessionals who are always under paid.

It absolutely does have to do with race. And you know it. This looks really bad. MCPS should be ashamed. Sending poor minorities in to do the job of mostly white well to do teachers. Because the teachers are too special to return like all of the other teachers are doing across the country. Embarrassing and shameful!

They have become even more disrespected. I will go to the grocery store and make the stock boys and cashiers work for me, even though I can easily purchase groceries online. But I will not go in and teach my students because I can teach them on line. A double standard. Groceries stores, gyms, casinos, restaurants, etc.. have shown time and time and time again that they are more dangerous than schools.

Yet these teachers are literally trying NOT to go back so they can collect a paycheck for their part time work. They don't care about the students, their well being, them falling behind, how lonely some are at home while their parents work, or their mental health issues. NOT THEIR PROBLEM. I will never ever respect this occupation ever again. At least in Montgomery County. I have multiple family members that have been teaching back at school since Aug/Sept and have no issues, no outbreaks, and the kids are doing well.

And no - teachers are not a priority over health care providers, police officers, fireman, store employees, etc... The private school teachers that have been working bravely for months, yes. They should get them right now. Our teachers sitting at home. Nope. Nada. You only get one if you agree to go back as soon as the county is ready. All the ones opting out because they are selfish a-holes. You don't get a vaccine.

Private school teachers have claimed it is safe all along so no, they don't get priority when there are kids who really need to get back who cannot.

If you order groceries online, there are still workers being exposed to grocery shop for you and deliver you food.

All workers out of the home should go before teachers. Teachers can DL. Grocery Store workers have to be in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an unfair characterization of what is happening.
1. The school system is trying to bring back every student that elected in-person on the survey.
2. Every school has been evaluated for capacity within social distance guidelines.
3. Maintaining social distance will require fewer students in a classroom than are in a class.
4. Therefore students will be split into different classrooms to keep distance.
5. Teachers cannot be in two places at once. Even if every teacher returns, monitors will be needed.
6. There are equity issues yes of course. But please stop blaming the teachers for everything. Assume that everyone working on this wants the same things to educate children while stopping the spread of the disease.

the other issue is that in order to teach cohorts of 12 kids at a time you would need to put the remaining virtual students into bigger classes and you would end up in some cases with students in groups of 30 or 40. Mcps hired extra monitors not extra teachers

We already have 30-35 students in a classroom. So, what that means 50+ students for DL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

Yeah, probably that's a huge part of it, because for a lot of families, having young kids at home all day learning remotely is untenable. In our school, a huge portion of our population has parents who can't work from home. We've got older siblings (i.e. 4th graders) who can't focus on their zoom class because they have to help their younger siblings. We've got kids who need help and direct, engaged supervision, and parents who don't have the luxury of being able to provide it. These families don't have a ton of disposable income to lose by having a parent quit their job - they're single parent households, households that are already struggling. Having a place for their kids to go safely and get support for DL is going to be a godsend for them.

This is how we, as a society, set up our economy and our educational system. We don't provide a social safety net. We aren't willing to pay people to stay home, to give them affordable child care, to provide health care, to meet their basic needs so that they don't have to choose between staying home and keeping their homes. We created a system where we have to rely on schools both to educate and provide child care, because we don't give a lot of families another option.

So, you want to keep people from relying on schools to provide child care? Pass a living minimum wage. Support healthcare for all. Pay people to stay home -- direct payments that are enough to keep families fed and in their homes. But don't set up a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" system and then blame people for doing what they need to do to survive in that system.

MCPS has equity hubs to work with all those issues for families working. Your rant make no sense as we are providing that safety net. We also have medicaid, food stamps, food distributions, rental assistance, utility assistance and more.

[Anonymous]

You all can argue all you want about the requirements for return but MCPS has been clear it goes on numbers. So, for all you eating out, shopping, socializing in your fake social distancing groups, travel and anything non-essential outside of work and child care are to blame. If you want your kids back to school, look at your contribution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very few of my low income families are returning to school. They cannot afford to get sick. The families who want to send their kids back are wealthy and white.

This is also the impression we got from the presentation in our daughter’s school. It’s just a statement of fact that the kids who will be doing in-person are mostly white and those that chose DL are mostly non-white and poor. No need to get offended.

Obviously this is not all. I don’t fit into your category and will be keeping my kids home to do DL for their safety, not because I’m poor or of a certain race.
We can afford to stay home and assist them. Your impression is a blanket statement.

I said “mostly”. I also chose DL even though I don’t fit the category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very few of my low income families are returning to school. They cannot afford to get sick. The families who want to send their kids back are wealthy and white.

This is also the impression we got from the presentation in our daughter’s school. It’s just a statement of fact that the kids who will be doing in-person are mostly white and those that chose DL are mostly non-white and poor. No need to get offended.

Obviously this is not all. I don’t fit into your category and will be keeping my kids home to do DL for their safety, not because I’m poor or of a certain race.
We can afford to stay home and assist them. Your impression is a blanket statement.

I said “mostly”. I also chose DL even though I don’t fit the category.

Lower income communities where parents are service workers, health care workers, and other low income jobs have been much harder hit. They understand the seriousness. I don't think its a race thing as families who I know who want to go back are comfortable of all races.

Everyone wants to go back when its safe. MCPS has given us a clear expectation of when its safe to go back. People can complain all they want but until we hit those numbers we aren't going back. Those who are wealthy are part of the problem as they aren't willing to change their lifestyle to help stop the spread and bring in person is only going to contribute to the spread.

This has nothing to do with teachers vaccinations.

Low income can go into equity hubs so people demanding return are usually people who have tight budgets because they stretched on housing and other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is of course a group of teachers that are at higher risk due to underlying health conditions, and I fully support those teachers continuing to teacher remotely and a monitor "managing" those in person classrooms while students in the class and at home zoom the lesson. However, that is not the majority of teachers. Once MCPS returns to in person school (so cdc safety measures are in place like masking and distance), the majority of teachers should be in person in their classrooms 5 days a week, and the students who elected to stay full remote plus the portions of the in person cohorts that are learning at home on any given day should zoom into the lesson. This isn't that complicated and school systems all across the country have been implementing it since September.

Our teachers are coming back, regardless of the kind of in-person learning they're doing. Our ES doesn't have the technology to do that kind of concurrent learning (especially since it would require the teacher to stand in one spot the whole time to stay on camera). We can't fit all the kids who are coming back into one classroom because our building is small, and they are prioritizing keeping kids with their teachers. So you tell me how that can work.

Um, the teacher stands at the front of the room, camera on - if the teacher moves in the room, s/he takes laptop with them - the teacher periodically monitors the chat function on zoom. Seriously there are schools all over that have been implementing hybrid learning this way - there is no special technology required beyond a zoom account!

Exactly. Our kids’ teachers do this. It is not complicated, does not require special technology and does not require hiring more people.

The question of whether the two groups of kids are going to be getting an equal or equitable education is of course up for grabs but you know all the parents who want in person don't give a s*** about that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very few of my low income families are returning to school. They cannot afford to get sick. The families who want to send their kids back are wealthy and white.

This is also the impression we got from the presentation in our daughter’s school. It’s just a statement of fact that the kids who will be doing in-person are mostly white and those that chose DL are mostly non-white and poor. No need to get offended.

Obviously this is not all. I don’t fit into your category and will be keeping my kids home to do DL for their safety, not because I’m poor or of a certain race.
We can afford to stay home and assist them. Your impression is a blanket statement.

I said “mostly”. I also chose DL even though I don’t fit the category.

Lower income communities where parents are service workers, health care workers, and other low income jobs have been much harder hit. They understand the seriousness. I don't think its a race thing as families who I know who want to go back are comfortable of all races.

Everyone wants to go back when its safe. MCPS has given us a clear expectation of when its safe to go back. People can complain all they want but until we hit those numbers we aren't going back. Those who are wealthy are part of the problem as they aren't willing to change their lifestyle to help stop the spread and bring in person is only going to contribute to the spread.

This has nothing to do with teachers vaccinations.

Low income can go into equity hubs so people demanding return are usually people who have tight budgets because they stretched on housing and other things.

I've seen a lot of low income families who have elected to stay virtual as well at my school and it really sort of interrupts the "we must go back for the poor kids" narrative." The more higher income families there are in a school the more likely they want in person learning out anxiety that they can't compete with children who are in private school