How is first day going for DCPS kids?

[Anonymous]

Started great for my 7 year old but going downhill fast. She is boucing off the walls and bored. the sound on the DCPS device sucks. The teachers all had terrible echos as well. I know the school has put a lot into this but this is a terrible way for 2nd graders to learn. I am looking for a pod, kid has got to be around other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Missed the first 15 minutes of the day because no one told us (or a lot of others in my kid's class) that you had to re-sign in to Teams to join a meeting. They just said to click on the link out of Canvas and you're in, so we sat there waiting to get let in to the meeting until another parent figured it out.

The teacher also didn't turn off the chat function so half the class (4th grade, WOTP school) clearly was tuning her out and just chatting amongst themselves.

The kids need some random chat time. Like sitting together at lunch or snack. Kids in pods will get this. Kids solo not so much. I know we want them away from screens but I think it could be fun if kids/Families could do a rotating lunch bunch. Doesn't have to be through teams. Zoom/parent monitored. They need random social interaction.

[Anonymous]

That's the goal. Fun tech after school
Or on weekends preferably.

[Anonymous]

Fifth grader is doing well. Engaged and happy to be there.

Kindergartner *hates* it. Nobody mutes. All this mic feedback. Too many kids talking. Instruction way too long. I let her sit in my lap for a lot of it, and she still wasn't paying attention, kept wondering off to go play. Teacher loses kids every minute. Teacher is really trying but I just don't think live DL works for some very little kids.

[Anonymous]

1st grader. Meltdowns twice because didn't have enough time to finish drawing in 30 minute instruction and share block. I think it's a lil rushed. Reached must be exhausted.

NOTE TO ALL: Make sure you have good lighting
And consider slinging/casting to a tv or larger screen.

[Anonymous]

Does the teacher not have the ability to mute everyone like ok Zoom? That seems really basic and needed

[Anonymous]

4th and 8th grade so far so good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3rd grade. It’s going ok, but I can already tell the day is too long. They need to cut the morning meeting to 5-10 minutes and get rid of the after-lunch period unless its small groups. Live instruction needs to be over by lunch.

This. Why in the world isn’t this obvious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First day - lots of happy faces and chatter and getting to know each other activities. Seemed to go very well. The teacher went through the schedule, the materials that were sent home (books, guides, all kinds of supplies) and the links and online programs that will be used.

I started to get excited about this school year last week when my child received a "gift box" from her teacher with books, games, art supplies and more. I am really impressed with what was given on top of the laptop and offer of internet support (we didn't need this as our internet is sufficient). Plus my kid acted like she was getting a second birthday when the box arrived.

There will be live instruction every day with morning and afternoon sessions Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and morning only on Wednesday.

The bad and ugly are that many families don't have great internet at home and there are kids who desperately need to be in person more than others. Out of 20 kids or so online, at least 3-4 had bad reception, lots of static and couldn't hear or couldn't be heard. There was one kid who just hated being online but stayed on and participated with his parent at his side.

Overall, I want school to reopen in person but, so far, the school's response is better than expected.

Did all school send books and whatnot home? Ours has not sent anything (WOTP DCPS).

My northwest charter school did. We received a summary curriculum guide for english and math, english and math workbooks, graphic organizer, two storybooks, some kind of blocks for math, kid scissors, construction paper, molding clay and colored markers.

[Anonymous]

First day for my Wilson ninth grader has gone quite smoothly. She’s beyond excited to see old friends, and the teachers are all very encouraging.

Fingers crossed.

[Anonymous]

3rd grade - its been mixed. Canvas is not working right so links to the various teams live lessons are being circulated among the parents. I have no idea why they are using Canvas instead of just directly going to Teams like we did in the Spring. Seems like they have just added confusing steps and prevents us from going back into Teams after class to check on the instructions the teachers put in the chat. But at least my kid got on with her teachers. She has been asked so many times by several different teachers how she's feeling about all this is just getting to be comical. All the kids are tired and bored listening to their friends say the same thing over and over again. They have live classes till 3:15 and its way to long. The kids look like zombies on the screen.

[Anonymous]

Deal 8th grade was great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First day - lots of happy faces and chatter and getting to know each other activities. Seemed to go very well. The teacher went through the schedule, the materials that were sent home (books, guides, all kinds of supplies) and the links and online programs that will be used.

I started to get excited about this school year last week when my child received a "gift box" from her teacher with books, games, art supplies and more. I am really impressed with what was given on top of the laptop and offer of internet support (we didn't need this as our internet is sufficient). Plus my kid acted like she was getting a second birthday when the box arrived.

There will be live instruction every day with morning and afternoon sessions Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and morning only on Wednesday.

The bad and ugly are that many families don't have great internet at home and there are kids who desperately need to be in person more than others. Out of 20 kids or so online, at least 3-4 had bad reception, lots of static and couldn't hear or couldn't be heard. There was one kid who just hated being online but stayed on and participated with his parent at his side.

Overall, I want school to reopen in person but, so far, the school's response is better than expected.

Did all school send books and whatnot home? Ours has not sent anything (WOTP DCPS).

My northwest charter school did. We received a summary curriculum guide for english and math, english and math workbooks, graphic organizer, two storybooks, some kind of blocks for math, kid scissors, construction paper, molding clay and colored markers.

Our EOTP DCPS had a big pacakge ready for each kid, we picked up last week. Books, materials...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First day - lots of happy faces and chatter and getting to know each other activities. Seemed to go very well. The teacher went through the schedule, the materials that were sent home (books, guides, all kinds of supplies) and the links and online programs that will be used.

I started to get excited about this school year last week when my child received a "gift box" from her teacher with books, games, art supplies and more. I am really impressed with what was given on top of the laptop and offer of internet support (we didn't need this as our internet is sufficient). Plus my kid acted like she was getting a second birthday when the box arrived.

There will be live instruction every day with morning and afternoon sessions Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and morning only on Wednesday.

The bad and ugly are that many families don't have great internet at home and there are kids who desperately need to be in person more than others. Out of 20 kids or so online, at least 3-4 had bad reception, lots of static and couldn't hear or couldn't be heard. There was one kid who just hated being online but stayed on and participated with his parent at his side.

Overall, I want school to reopen in person but, so far, the school's response is better than expected.

Did all school send books and whatnot home? Ours has not sent anything (WOTP DCPS).

My northwest charter school did. We received a summary curriculum guide for english and math, english and math workbooks, graphic organizer, two storybooks, some kind of blocks for math, kid scissors, construction paper, molding clay and colored markers.

Our EOTP DCPS had a big pacakge ready for each kid, we picked up last week. Books, materials...

EL Haynes PCS also distributed materials along with tech. For my younger child, in prek, it included construction paper, headphones, pencils, markers, crayons, paint/paintbrush, counting manipulatives, an egg shaker, and some other things. For my older child, still paper, markers, pencils and headphones, but also course books for Fundations, math modules through the end of the first quarter, the first books they will read for literacy and science, and specials supplies - tennis balls, jump rope, sheer scarf squares, drum sticks, paint...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3rd grade - its been mixed. Canvas is not working right so links to the various teams live lessons are being circulated among the parents. I have no idea why they are using Canvas instead of just directly going to Teams like we did in the Spring. Seems like they have just added confusing steps and prevents us from going back into Teams after class to check on the instructions the teachers put in the chat. But at least my kid got on with her teachers. She has been asked so many times by several different teachers how she's feeling about all this is just getting to be comical. All the kids are tired and bored listening to their friends say the same thing over and over again. They have live classes till 3:15 and its way to long. The kids look like zombies on the screen.

BuT wE wAnT mOrE lIvE iNsTrUcTiOn. Teachers tried to say kids can’t sit on a computer that long. But enough of you complained to Dcps about how terrible it was and now here we are. 6, 7 and 8 year olds on a screen for multiple hours a day exhausted.