Virtual Learning - Why Not MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pro-virtual learning people just need to admit that they have anxiety about not seeing their kids doing SOMETHING that looks academic.

They don't care if the worksheets are busy work that doesn't lead to genuine learning.

They don't care if the kids' eyes glaze over from staring at the screen on Zoom for hours at a time.

Forcing their kids to perform school-like activities is more important than impact and outcome.

I disagree, obviously, but those parents should be honest that their panic is more about assuaging their own anxieties and not their kids' development and well-being.

It’s unfortunate you don’t prioritize academics. This is why kids are failing and struggling.

I prioritize GENUINE and EFFECTIVE instruction and learning. Which data thus far says happens best with in-person, face-to-face instruction.

Synthetic, virtual “learning” is not real education. It’s a crude imitation that yields weak academic results at best, and many emotional and developmental harms at worst.

Snow day virtual learning doesn't need to be comparitive to a real full day of instruction. It need to be compared to the alternative of a day tacked on to the end of the school year, which is notoriously just a daycare day. Both are subpar to a true instructional day, but those are the options for make up currently. So those are the options to compare and decide between.

There is another option though which I think is superior. Begin the school year earlier in August (no sense in adding those days on at the end of the year since time prior to state testing and AP testing is more useful). Then we can keep our breaks and have built in snow days, plus the students will have less of a gap in learning. 7 weeks of summer vacation is enough.

I don’t think you’re gonna have a lot of company in supporting a 7 week summer. In Georgia and other places that start in early August, students finish before Memorial Day.

Students in McPS currently have a 9 week summer vacation. In nearby Virginia, FCPS starts a week earlier in August, has more snow days built into the calendar, celebrates similar holidays as MCPS and its community didn’t die of horror over having 8 weeks of summer vacation.

Or you just accept that your child is unlikely to get 180 full days of school per year as required because even next year, MCPS only put 1 snow day into the calendar.

Every time I read your posts, I know it’s going to be some drivel that can’t see the forest for the trees.

[Anonymous]

Why not virtual learning? Because the vast majority of MoCo parents don't want it.
Simple as that.
End of thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not virtual learning? Because the vast majority of MoCo parents don't want it.
Simple as that.
End of thread.

Oh man. I think you’d be surprised if you actually gave people the choice between a virtual learning day or two to check a box and an extra week of school into late June to also check a box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

Our ES ignored the asynchronous day entirely. I'm sure they wouldn't do much more for a synchronous day. No one would join.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not virtual learning? Because the vast majority of MoCo parents don't want it.
Simple as that.
End of thread.

Oh man. I think you’d be surprised if you actually gave people the choice between a virtual learning day or two to check a box and an extra week of school into late June to also check a box.

Let them pick the other options in the calendar. No reason it has to be at the end of June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

Agree. And virtual learning did not fail all or most students in the summer. It failed the ones who had already failed courses and couldn’t be bothered to log on to do their credit recovery to get to graduation. Are we supposed to eliminate an entire option because our least engaged students, who are often chronic absentees for a variety of reasons, might not log on during a snow day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not virtual learning? Because the vast majority of MoCo parents don't want it.
Simple as that.
End of thread.

Oh man. I think you’d be surprised if you actually gave people the choice between a virtual learning day or two to check a box and an extra week of school into late June to also check a box.

Let them pick the other options in the calendar. No reason it has to be at the end of June.

I agree and I think they should use March 20 & April 15 and ask for a waiver first before tapping June. I do not support touching Spring Break. That would be a giant morale issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not virtual learning? Because the vast majority of MoCo parents don't want it.
Simple as that.
End of thread.

Oh man. I think you’d be surprised if you actually gave people the choice between a virtual learning day or two to check a box and an extra week of school into late June to also check a box.

Let them pick the other options in the calendar. No reason it has to be at the end of June.

I agree and I think they should use March 20 & April 15 and ask for a waiver first before tapping June. I do not support touching Spring Break. That would be a giant morale issue.

They need to use make-up days before they can seek a waiver. It's written poorly, but they might be able to seek one after adding three days. Two wouldn't be enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

Agree. And virtual learning did not fail all or most students in the summer. It failed the ones who had already failed courses and couldn’t be bothered to log on to do their credit recovery to get to graduation. Are we supposed to eliminate an entire option because our least engaged students, who are often chronic absentees for a variety of reasons, might not log on during a snow day?

Your privilege is showing. Your vacation is not more important than kids' education.

[Anonymous]

So much debate about something that is already settled in the law. They can’t do virtual learning because they never submitted a plan to the state, because they didn’t think it would work. It’s over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

Agree. And virtual learning did not fail all or most students in the summer. It failed the ones who had already failed courses and couldn’t be bothered to log on to do their credit recovery to get to graduation. Are we supposed to eliminate an entire option because our least engaged students, who are often chronic absentees for a variety of reasons, might not log on during a snow day?

Your privilege is showing. Your vacation is not more important than kids' education.

Oh you're on this thread too, attacking people's vacations. Jealous you can't take one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not virtual learning? Because the vast majority of MoCo parents don't want it.
Simple as that.
End of thread.

Oh man. I think you’d be surprised if you actually gave people the choice between a virtual learning day or two to check a box and an extra week of school into late June to also check a box.

Let them pick the other options in the calendar. No reason it has to be at the end of June.

I agree and I think they should use March 20 & April 15 and ask for a waiver first before tapping June. I do not support touching Spring Break. That would be a giant morale issue.

I don't think they can even take from Spring Break, they didn't label them as possible make up days. The options are March 20, April 15, June 18, and then the 22-25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

Agree. And virtual learning did not fail all or most students in the summer. It failed the ones who had already failed courses and couldn’t be bothered to log on to do their credit recovery to get to graduation. Are we supposed to eliminate an entire option because our least engaged students, who are often chronic absentees for a variety of reasons, might not log on during a snow day?

Your privilege is showing. Your vacation is not more important than kids' education.

Oh you're on this thread too, attacking people's vacations. Jealous you can't take one?

Next time wait until after the school calendar is fully over when you schedule your vacation. We all knew the one extra day built-in wouldn't be enough and they'd have to use make-up days. The problem you're finding yourself in is all on you and your poor decisions.

And I'm not the only one making these comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I know that there are some pandemic-era parents whose kids had a hard time and are kind of scarre from those days, but can y'all try to step back and be rational rather than react emotionally from a "I hated the COVID year" place? The rest of us are tired of our kids losing multiple days of education every year due to snow days and would like our kids to actually get some learning in rather than those useless last few days of school. We get it, not all kids learn well online, but you guys act like it's the end of the world .. pretty clearly some kind of trauma response, and again, I get it, but fake a breath and try to move through it.

You must be an online learner as you've failed to read this thread where it has been pointed out that:

1) Virtual learning didn't just fail during the pandemic. It also failed during summer school, which is why MCPS is dramatically scaling back on virtual summer school options this year
2) It tried to do an asynchronous learning day in the 2023-2024 school year. It went so poorly the state said MCPS cannot pivot to virtual instruction again with a robust, pressure tested, approved plan and structure to do so.

Insisting MCPS should do something, despite multiple failed attempts at doing so, just because you want them to is definitely a trauma response on your part. Or maybe it's just ignorance. I don't know. But you need to look in the mirror before you start psychoanalyzing anyone else.

Oh come on, you can't point to the asynchronous day two years ago as evidence virtual learning doesn't work. It was pretty clear it was supposed to work the same as the half-days in June, going through the motions of trying to count it as a day when it wasn't really going to be one. In our ES they just printed out a few worksheets and called it a day. Not at all comparable to teachers actually teaching regular lessons live over a computer.

Agree. And virtual learning did not fail all or most students in the summer. It failed the ones who had already failed courses and couldn’t be bothered to log on to do their credit recovery to get to graduation. Are we supposed to eliminate an entire option because our least engaged students, who are often chronic absentees for a variety of reasons, might not log on during a snow day?

Your privilege is showing. Your vacation is not more important than kids' education.

My kid will get more out of vacation than sitting in a hot school (because god forbid MCPS upgrades the HVAC in his school) for half days spent watching movies in a half empty classroom.