Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The LCPS one is worse. A 30 minute “morning meeting” plus two 45 minute blocks “synchronous instruction.”

A block for small groups that most kids don’t qualify for, and 1 special per day that can be synchronous OR asynchronous.

That’s it. And people are lining up for it. I don’t get it.

Correct my math but this is a lot more instructional time then OPs post.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HAHAHAHA. What do you people think happens in school? Do you REALLY think your kid is getting constant time with the teacher??

No one is going to be focusing on science or social studies either in person or DL.

You don’t realize that more half of the school day is doing work on your own, and getting it checked?

You really want your kid to spend that much time online staring at the teacher because to you that means learning? There is a practice element too.

Thanks for posting though OP because I too find this schedule icky. There is way too much time on the computer and I don’t want my kid to do “specials” which just adds more screen time to the day. We will probably home school.

They have to cover all the material from last year and this year. 3.5 hours including specials of teaching/class time is what was promised.
Practicing skills on your own is called homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They only promised 2.5 hours for ES. It was 3.5 only for students who needed extra services like ESL or special ed.

Btw, thanks for sharing the schedule, it helps me compare the two options better. At least the DL teacher doesn't have to waste time repeatedly telling the K-2 age kids to keep their masks on or not fiddle with it.

I’m pretty sure it was 2.5 hours for k-2, 3.5 hours for grades 3-6, and then extra time for esol and special ed.

I teach MS but this is what we were told in a staff meeting for ES as well.

[Anonymous]

“Teachers provide” 3.5 hours of instruction to include small groups. Not every kid will receive small groups on the same day apparently. This is what happened in the spring to us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I would push back on your principal. This seems wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Teachers provide” 3.5 hours of instruction to include small groups. Not every kid will receive small groups on the same day apparently. This is what happened in the spring to us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I would push back on your principal. This seems wrong.

I am in agreement that kids should be getting more than 2.5 or 3.5 hours of instruction, although I do think it will be hard for kids to attend to computer instruction for much longer—giving choice boards and independent work gives them a chance to do some work on their own without having to try to engage constantly. Additionally, kids NEED to do work on their own; I am not just dumping knowledge in their heads, I am teaching them to apply it, so they need application opportunities. I would rather see the independent work time bracketed by lessons so they return to the teacher and can be a little more accountable.


Of course kids won’t get small groups on the same day; they don’t in the classroom, either. If I have 60 minutes for guided reading and do 20-minute groups, I can only fit in 3. The other kids have independent reading work I have assigned. Kids also need that independent time—they have to practice reading on their own to get better at it, and not just for homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Teachers provide” 3.5 hours of instruction to include small groups. Not every kid will receive small groups on the same day apparently. This is what happened in the spring to us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I would push back on your principal. This seems wrong.

I am in agreement that kids should be getting more than 2.5 or 3.5 hours of instruction, although I do think it will be hard for kids to attend to computer instruction for much longer—giving choice boards and independent work gives them a chance to do some work on their own without having to try to engage constantly. Additionally, kids NEED to do work on their own; I am not just dumping knowledge in their heads, I am teaching them to apply it, so they need application opportunities. I would rather see the independent work time bracketed by lessons so they return to the teacher and can be a little more accountable.


Of course kids won’t get small groups on the same day; they don’t in the classroom, either. If I have 60 minutes for guided reading and do 20-minute groups, I can only fit in 3. The other kids have independent reading work I have assigned. Kids also need that independent time—they have to practice reading on their own to get better at it, and not just for homework.

I think 3.5 hours of live instruction is more than enough, but that’s not what the schedule posted by OP provides. It’s much less! I also agree there needs to be practice time, but that work needs to be reviewed by a teacher in small group time. That didn’t happen last year and it was awful to make our kid do all fo the assignments but never get any feedback. We don’t want to grade his work! He hates us as teachers lol. That’s your job, we are too mean.

[Anonymous]

In the sample schedule, let’s assume each child has either a math or a reading small group each day, that brings the hours of instruction received by a student up to 3 hours. Still falls short. That 1.5 hour “specials” block is interesting. Wonder what that will look like. Probably two specials a day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Teachers provide” 3.5 hours of instruction to include small groups. Not every kid will receive small groups on the same day apparently. This is what happened in the spring to us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I would push back on your principal. This seems wrong.

I am in agreement that kids should be getting more than 2.5 or 3.5 hours of instruction, although I do think it will be hard for kids to attend to computer instruction for much longer—giving choice boards and independent work gives them a chance to do some work on their own without having to try to engage constantly. Additionally, kids NEED to do work on their own; I am not just dumping knowledge in their heads, I am teaching them to apply it, so they need application opportunities. I would rather see the independent work time bracketed by lessons so they return to the teacher and can be a little more accountable.


Of course kids won’t get small groups on the same day; they don’t in the classroom, either. If I have 60 minutes for guided reading and do 20-minute groups, I can only fit in 3. The other kids have independent reading work I have assigned. Kids also need that independent time—they have to practice reading on their own to get better at it, and not just for homework.

I think 3.5 hours of live instruction is more than enough, but that’s not what the schedule posted by OP provides. It’s much less! I also agree there needs to be practice time, but that work needs to be reviewed by a teacher in small group time. That didn’t happen last year and it was awful to make our kid do all fo the assignments but never get any feedback. We don’t want to grade his work! He hates us as teachers lol. That’s your job, we are too mean.

PP- laughing at everyone here. I agree the kids need feedback on their work, they will get that with DL as work will be graded. They do NOT need to have the teaching looking at them while doing the work. I honestly wonder if most of the posters here went to school. Do you not remember working on work at your desk? That doesn’t need to be done on a camera. If your child needs that much face time with a teacher in the 6th grade, you should be looking at an IEP. Your 6th grader is either in middle school or headed there and needs to take charge of their own learning. They absolutely should be able to get directions from the teacher, attempt to follow up and be able to email the teacher or ask questions during office hours. IF they can’t, you should be concerned about middle school.

[Anonymous]

Im guessing all you outraged never volunteered at school or worked there? This isn’t college where people stand lecturing the whole class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im guessing all you outraged never volunteered at school or worked there? This isn’t college where people stand lecturing the whole class.

It’s also ludicrous they think their elementary kids can developmentally HANDLE more than 3.5 hours a day. You understand that’s why recess, specials, lunch, etc is built into their schedule AT the school right? Your children’s brains cannot handle 7 hours of DL just because you’re used to them physically being in a school building that long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Teachers provide” 3.5 hours of instruction to include small groups. Not every kid will receive small groups on the same day apparently. This is what happened in the spring to us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I would push back on your principal. This seems wrong.

I am in agreement that kids should be getting more than 2.5 or 3.5 hours of instruction, although I do think it will be hard for kids to attend to computer instruction for much longer—giving choice boards and independent work gives them a chance to do some work on their own without having to try to engage constantly. Additionally, kids NEED to do work on their own; I am not just dumping knowledge in their heads, I am teaching them to apply it, so they need application opportunities. I would rather see the independent work time bracketed by lessons so they return to the teacher and can be a little more accountable.


Of course kids won’t get small groups on the same day; they don’t in the classroom, either. If I have 60 minutes for guided reading and do 20-minute groups, I can only fit in 3. The other kids have independent reading work I have assigned. Kids also need that independent time—they have to practice reading on their own to get better at it, and not just for homework.

.

I think 3.5 hours of live instruction is more than enough, but that’s not what the schedule posted by OP provides. It’s much less! I also agree there needs to be practice time, but that work needs to be reviewed by a teacher in small group time. That didn’t happen last year and it was awful to make our kid do all fo the assignments but never get any feedback. We don’t want to grade his work! He hates us as teachers lol. That’s your job, we are too mean.

PP- laughing at everyone here. I agree the kids need feedback on their work, they will get that with DL as work will be graded. They do NOT need to have the teaching looking at them while doing the work. I honestly wonder if most of the posters here went to school. Do you not remember working on work at your desk? That doesn’t need to be done on a camera. If your child needs that much face time with a teacher in the 6th grade, you should be looking at an IEP. Your 6th grader is either in middle school or headed there and needs to take charge of their own learning. They absolutely should be able to get directions from the teacher, attempt to follow up and be able to email the teacher or ask questions during office hours. IF they can’t, you should be concerned about middle school.

I didn’t say the work needs to be done on camera. I said it needs to be reviewed, preferable in small groups so the child actually gets feedback on areas where they might struggle. Also we are talking about elementary school, not middle school. At least in my case, 3rd grade. 3.5 hours is plenty, like I said. 3 is okay, I’m assuming the office hours make up the extra 30 in the sample. I don’t think it’s a bad schedule if each kid gets one small group and access to office hours every day.

[Anonymous]

If the schedule had each child meeting as part of a small group with math and with reading each day, and maybe a book club each day, AND science AND social studies, I would be fine with it even if it was less than 3.5 hours and included homework time. This is not that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im guessing all you outraged never volunteered at school or worked there? This isn’t college where people stand lecturing the whole class.

It’s also ludicrous they think their elementary kids can developmentally HANDLE more than 3.5 hours a day. You understand that’s why recess, specials, lunch, etc is built into their schedule AT the school right? Your children’s brains cannot handle 7 hours of DL just because you’re used to them physically being in a school building that long.

Who said that? This is less than an hour of instructional time with the classroom teacher on the days your child isn't part of the short small group meetings. No one is asking for more than the 3.5 hours planned BY FCPS as part of the documents shared with parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Teachers provide” 3.5 hours of instruction to include small groups. Not every kid will receive small groups on the same day apparently. This is what happened in the spring to us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I would push back on your principal. This seems wrong.

I am in agreement that kids should be getting more than 2.5 or 3.5 hours of instruction, although I do think it will be hard for kids to attend to computer instruction for much longer—giving choice boards and independent work gives them a chance to do some work on their own without having to try to engage constantly. Additionally, kids NEED to do work on their own; I am not just dumping knowledge in their heads, I am teaching them to apply it, so they need application opportunities. I would rather see the independent work time bracketed by lessons so they return to the teacher and can be a little more accountable.


Of course kids won’t get small groups on the same day; they don’t in the classroom, either. If I have 60 minutes for guided reading and do 20-minute groups, I can only fit in 3. The other kids have independent reading work I have assigned. Kids also need that independent time—they have to practice reading on their own to get better at it, and not just for homework.

.

I think 3.5 hours of live instruction is more than enough, but that’s not what the schedule posted by OP provides. It’s much less! I also agree there needs to be practice time, but that work needs to be reviewed by a teacher in small group time. That didn’t happen last year and it was awful to make our kid do all fo the assignments but never get any feedback. We don’t want to grade his work! He hates us as teachers lol. That’s your job, we are too mean.

PP- laughing at everyone here. I agree the kids need feedback on their work, they will get that with DL as work will be graded. They do NOT need to have the teaching looking at them while doing the work. I honestly wonder if most of the posters here went to school. Do you not remember working on work at your desk? That doesn’t need to be done on a camera. If your child needs that much face time with a teacher in the 6th grade, you should be looking at an IEP. Your 6th grader is either in middle school or headed there and needs to take charge of their own learning. They absolutely should be able to get directions from the teacher, attempt to follow up and be able to email the teacher or ask questions during office hours. IF they can’t, you should be concerned about middle school.

I didn’t say the work needs to be done on camera. I said it needs to be reviewed, preferable in small groups so the child actually gets feedback on areas where they might struggle. Also we are talking about elementary school, not middle school. At least in my case, 3rd grade. 3.5 hours is plenty, like I said. 3 is okay, I’m assuming the office hours make up the extra 30 in the sample. I don’t think it’s a bad schedule if each kid gets one small group and access to office hours every day.

This is way less than 3 hours though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the schedule had each child meeting as part of a small group with math and with reading each day, and maybe a book club each day, AND science AND social studies, I would be fine with it even if it was less than 3.5 hours and included homework time. This is not that.

I agree with this. This schedule is the most basic minimum checking-the-box, with no attempt at creativity or engagement. They have to cover everything not taught last year (our school did not teach new material) and all of this year--plus build a classroom community, give students time to work together in groups or pairs on projects, etc etc.