Why no single platform?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that important right now to let the teachers use the platform they are most comfortable with? I don’t get to choose my own platform at work. That’s a joke. These are kids and the teachers are the adults.

It sure seems like a sensible idea to me, yes.

If it is what those teachers have already used with their classes Sep to mid-March, it is also what their students are comfortable with. I thought about switching since my subject area promised to push out new content once a week, but my students know where everything is on Google Classroom. Making them learn a new platform and new content now seemed cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

Google and Apple are different companies, actually.

But you can read your gmail on an iPhone, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are expecting the middle school students to check in to both platforms multiple times a day to see if the teacher has scheduled a zoom call or assigned work.

C’mon MCPS - we don’t have to do that in the work place! They also just had them set up their own zoom accounts. Get it together with a shared calendar at least so the kids know when their calls are and when to expect work assignments.

Did your child's teachers not use Google classroom or MYMCPS classroom before the pandemic? Why does your kid have to check multiple times a day? Any updates would be pushed down to their mcps email.

My 6th grader doesn’t have email on her phone. She is a kid. Therefore she has to check in multiple times per day on both platforms to see what’s going on. MYMCPS has a calendar but Google classroom doesn’t feed into it. Ridiculous.

My 7th grader doesn't have email on phone either. Doesn't stop him from checking MCPS gmail account on tablet or laptop. I told him to keep gmail open. All myMCPS messages and google classroom messages will show up in your daughters email. Does she have a tablet, laptop or chromebook that she can stay logged in to her mcps gmail account?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So MCPS and the union went for what was easier for 13,000 teachers rather than the 166,000 students. Got it.

For parents trying to keep on top of school for our children, it sucks.

Parents are the only ones who aren't familiar with the platforms. The teachers and the students have been using the platforms and are familiar with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So MCPS and the union went for what was easier for 13,000 teachers rather than the 166,000 students. Got it.

For parents trying to keep on top of school for our children, it sucks.

Parents are the only ones who aren't familiar with the platforms. The teachers and the students have been using the platforms and are familiar with them.

+1 my kid is not confused. None of his teachers changed platforms. Business as usual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

Are you a luddite or someone's grandmother?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

They can borrow a Chromebook and set it to chime when there’s a notification. I did this on my old Acer before I had a smartphone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

Are you a luddite or someone's grandmother?!

I’m a mom. I work at a high tech company. The problem is the calendar. DD missed a zoom call today and we feel terrible. She checked the MYMCPS platform but not the Google classroom. They need a calendar with links. She is smart and understands the platforms. We’ll get this. Not everyone will.

PS I don’t get to pick my own platform. I use what I am told to use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High school teacher here. I hate My MCPS Classroom and did not use it before all of this. However, I've been pushing a few things out on that platform since all of this happened because it seems that parents can see those items more easily.

Bottom line is that MCEA, our union, worked with MCPS to let teachers use the platform they are most comfortable with, which makes complete sense given the extraordinary circumstances we're living through right now.

If you're getting information on multiple platforms, it's probably because we're trying to cover our butts and make sure everyone has access to the information we're putting out there.

MCEA is a big part of our problem. Not interested in the needs of students or families at all.

Of course they're not. Their mandate is to help teachers. They're a union. They advocate for what is best for their members, not non-members.

Remember this at the board of education elections in a few months. MCEA comes out with an "Apple Ballot" of who they endorse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

They can borrow a Chromebook and set it to chime when there’s a notification. I did this on my old Acer before I had a smartphone.

Really? This is what we expect kids to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

Are you a luddite or someone's grandmother?!

I’m a mom. I work at a high tech company. The problem is the calendar. DD missed a zoom call today and we feel terrible. She checked the MYMCPS platform but not the Google classroom. They need a calendar with links. She is smart and understands the platforms. We’ll get this. Not everyone will.

PS I don’t get to pick my own platform. I use what I am told to use.

I agree. Usual MCPS incompetence, though this one seems to be the fault more of the union. I dont' care which platform you pick -- just pick one and stick to it. It makes zero sense to require kids to check two platforms -- how is that ever a good idea?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

They can borrow a Chromebook and set it to chime when there’s a notification. I did this on my old Acer before I had a smartphone.

Really? This is what we expect kids to do?

DP. Yes, why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are expecting the middle school students to check in to both platforms multiple times a day to see if the teacher has scheduled a zoom call or assigned work.

C’mon MCPS - we don’t have to do that in the work place! They also just had them set up their own zoom accounts. Get it together with a shared calendar at least so the kids know when their calls are and when to expect work assignments.

Did your child's teachers not use Google classroom or MYMCPS classroom before the pandemic? Why does your kid have to check multiple times a day? Any updates would be pushed down to their mcps email.

My 6th grader doesn’t have email on her phone. She is a kid. Therefore she has to check in multiple times per day on both platforms to see what’s going on. MYMCPS has a calendar but Google classroom doesn’t feed into it. Ridiculous.

My 7th grader doesn't have email on phone either. Doesn't stop him from checking MCPS gmail account on tablet or laptop. I told him to keep gmail open. All myMCPS messages and google classroom messages will show up in your daughters email. Does she have a tablet, laptop or chromebook that she can stay logged in to her mcps gmail account?

Or MCPS can develop a calendar. Not that hard. Do you schedule out your day at work or do you just spend all day reacting to emails?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. What do the kids do who don’t have an iPhone?

Are you a luddite or someone's grandmother?!

I’m a mom. I work at a high tech company. The problem is the calendar. DD missed a zoom call today and we feel terrible. She checked the MYMCPS platform but not the Google classroom. They need a calendar with links. She is smart and understands the platforms. We’ll get this. Not everyone will.

PS I don’t get to pick my own platform. I use what I am told to use.

I agree. Usual MCPS incompetence, though this one seems to be the fault more of the union. I dont' care which platform you pick -- just pick one and stick to it. It makes zero sense to require kids to check two platforms -- how is that ever a good idea?

Kids have been doing this all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are expecting the middle school students to check in to both platforms multiple times a day to see if the teacher has scheduled a zoom call or assigned work.

C’mon MCPS - we don’t have to do that in the work place! They also just had them set up their own zoom accounts. Get it together with a shared calendar at least so the kids know when their calls are and when to expect work assignments.

Did your child's teachers not use Google classroom or MYMCPS classroom before the pandemic? Why does your kid have to check multiple times a day? Any updates would be pushed down to their mcps email.

My 6th grader doesn’t have email on her phone. She is a kid. Therefore she has to check in multiple times per day on both platforms to see what’s going on. MYMCPS has a calendar but Google classroom doesn’t feed into it. Ridiculous.

My 7th grader doesn't have email on phone either. Doesn't stop him from checking MCPS gmail account on tablet or laptop. I told him to keep gmail open. All myMCPS messages and google classroom messages will show up in your daughters email. Does she have a tablet, laptop or chromebook that she can stay logged in to her mcps gmail account?

Or MCPS can develop a calendar. Not that hard. Do you schedule out your day at work or do you just spend all day reacting to emails?

PP, my advice is to redirect your energy from complaining on DCUM to helping your kid figure out the schedule.