How is MCPS going to address the learning loss from teacher absences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:they aren't. You will be on your own. Just like we all have been with the learning loss from virtual for 1.5 years.

Strange. My kids have been in virtual for two years and no learning loss.

I'm not worked up about 3 days, but at least for high schoolers there actually is a bit of learning loss over the past two years. It is a bit different for elementary and middle school.

I feel like some parents hyperfocus on “learning loss” because it’s easier to cope with and to blame schools than admit that ANY kid going through their formative years of development in the chaos engendered by a pandemic is going to have massive impact on them in many ways. Like I really just think this fixation on “learning loss” is a coping mechanism, something some people grab onto like well I’d my kid didn’t experience THAT their life would have otherwise been completely normal. And it wouldn’t have. This is a generation growing up in a pandemic. The “learning loss” is quite literally the least of the impact.

PP you quoted and I don't disagree with you. But there is a difference between "hyperfocusing" on it and simply acknowledging it is real. In lower grades you can miss that unit on the Lewis and Clark expedition or whatever and it have no impact. In high school many students have to pass tests that cover standardized topics regardless of whether they received actual instruction on that topic, and those tests have impact on college admission and beyond. The learning loss is real. That isn't to say that it is unique or that there aren't other impacts from the pandemic. But it is real.

(Again, the three days so far in January does not concern me.)

And as a teacher I can tell you a lot of kids’ brains are in crisis mode right now even if their physical body isn’t in crisis mode and they don’t appear to be experiencing a crisis at the moment. And when their brains are in crisis mode, they cannot learn and retain information as effectively, whether in person or online. Elementary or high school. They are growing up in a once a century pandemic that has wreaked havoc on every aspect of life and that will show up no matter what.

I'm sure this is true for some. But I'm not sure how it is relevant. Do you say it to refute learning loss, or just as an additional thing that impacts kids?

My children are not in crisis. They WERE in the Spring of 2020, but things have been largely fine for them since the beginning of this school year. They are in class, seeing friends, participating in sports and ECs, traveling to an extent. The only remaining impacts are wearing the mask, missing things like large concerts and of course some fear of contracting COVID. But given where we are with vaccines and the like, it is no longer a "crisis inducing" issue.

And to be clear, I do think kids can learn virtually, especially older ones. This isn't about in person or virtual to me. The learning loss I am referring
g to was in those many months in the early days when there was no instruction for stretches, "asynchronous learning days", and so many tech problems that classes just didn't happen. It can be done, and I'm optimistic that if we have to we an do it again (for a short time).

My kid is mostly freaked out by going to a school where so many kids with covid. This is traumatizing to them. Online school was a breeze by comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be a much bigger problem with in-person than it would be with virtual. I was assured that we must avoid virtual at all costs because of learning loss. Ah, well.

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down
In Person = some kids who had to miss school may lose some instruction time loss

All kids losing some instruction is worse than some kids losing some instruction time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My kid is mostly freaked out by going to a school where so many kids with covid. This is traumatizing to them. Online school was a breeze by comparison.

Both my kids are freaked out about having to go virtual again. Does that cancel your kid out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are exhausting.

Seriously? Do you have a high school junior who is trying to put together as good as a transcript as they can for college applications? Life is still marching on and these things still matter.

Complaining parents need to step up and teach.

+1 everytime we screw up at work we just look at each other and say "complaining customers should step up and do it themselves "

I find comments along these lines hilarious. So, anybody can “step up and teach,” while at the same time, teachers are highly skilled professionals? Yeah, that makes sense.

OP, you’ll almost certainly need to look to tutoring or some kind of supplementation because MCPS isn’t going to make this lost work up. There are too many other issues and it’s too hard to do. I’m not saying that’s all right, but it is what it is. And no, virtual wouldn’t result in less learning loss; you people know there’s actual data on that, right?

Pretty much anyone can step up and do a substitute teaching gig. Is your body warm? Yep, you probably qualify! (Assuming no record of child endangerment). Maybe consider subbing? I think they’ll even pay you like $14/hour.

I have a full-time professional job, but thanks.

My point wasn't about subbing, it was about people screeching that parents need to do teachers' jobs while at the same time protesting that no one can do the job of a teacher, because they're so highly specialized. But also, a warm body isn't going to fill the gaps that are missing for kids' educations, and I think you know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be a much bigger problem with in-person than it would be with virtual. I was assured that we must avoid virtual at all costs because of learning loss. Ah, well.

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down
In Person = some kids who had to miss school may lose some instruction time loss

All kids losing some instruction is worse than some kids losing some instruction time.

I agree with you, but I actually think that is what some people are advocating for. In the name of equity. Which isn't really equitable because in virtual, some kids do worse than others.

[Anonymous]

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CAGLAK04F954/$file/Mitigating%20Learn%20Disruption%20220113.pdf

Above is at least part of the information to be presented to the board regarding Learning Loss plans and implementation. Anyone wanting more details, I suggest you send your questions to the board and/ or Office of Curriculum And Instruction PRIOR to the new board meeting.

I for one would want to know the following:
- What external vendors/ resources have been hired and what was the contracted amount?

- When are the external vendors anticipated to be in place?

- Why can’t extended day interventions/tutoring be offered both in person and virtual (since schools are open)?

- How many schools faced inability to hire staff to support tutoring/intervention and how many students are still waiting to be aligned with the appropriate tutor/intervention?

- Maybe shared previously but what do fall MAP and other assessments indicate at a district level? Since we are conducting Winter testing when will district data be available to help forecast if we are on track for 15% improvement? Are these assessments or other work that can be eliminated to allow for more time and focus on actual learning and skill development?

- What plans are being put in place now to continue this work over summer for students?

[Anonymous]

They haven’t fully addressed the learning loss from last year and any meaningful measures for closing that.

My kids do Khan academy and now I’ve hired a tutor to cover the massive amount of math my older DC didn’t get in school last year. So many of my kids’ classmates don’t have that support. Parents working full time jobs and can’t swing a tutor. Hardly hoping our hope that MCPS will take any action to close the gaps from this year. If they’d planned effectively they might have had a contingency in the event of teacher shortages but other than “let’s just close schools!!!” don’t expect any solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be a much bigger problem with in-person than it would be with virtual. I was assured that we must avoid virtual at all costs because of learning loss. Ah, well.

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down
In Person = some kids who had to miss school may lose some instruction time loss

All kids losing some instruction is worse than some kids losing some instruction time.

I agree with you, but I actually think that is what some people are advocating for. In the name of equity. Which isn't really equitable because in virtual, some kids do worse than others.

Not to mention for young children this is not a developmentally appropriate way to learn. My poor kindergartener and 1st grader in front of Zoom classes for 18 months 6.5 hours a day. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, this was a problem before the pandemic and has only gotten worse. Backup for teachers with chronic absenteeism for whatever reason doesn't not exist. If your child has a teacher who is dealing with an illness, or the illness of a family member, or even one who is absent for any other reason (including maternity leave), your child will fall behind. The biggest problem with this as a parent is that you don't get to plan for this and you often don't have information about the extent of the problem as it is unfolding.

The obvious answer is that you, as a parent, should arrange for extra help for your child, whether it is a private tutor, Khan Academy, Outschool, or other resources. However, this assumes the means and ability to make arrangements for this supplementation, which not everyone has.

In a perfect world, which we obviously don't live in, there would be oversight of classes in which a teacher is chronically absent. Some schools, especially in elementary school, have regular long-term subs who can fill in for maternity leave or other longer-term leave. However, it's pretty difficult in high school to make up for teacher absences.

[Anonymous]

We should be brutally honest here. If your kid can't learn on their own, they aren't going anywhere in life anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They haven’t fully addressed the learning loss from last year and any meaningful measures for closing that.

My kids do Khan academy and now I’ve hired a tutor to cover the massive amount of math my older DC didn’t get in school last year. So many of my kids’ classmates don’t have that support. Parents working full time jobs and can’t swing a tutor. Hardly hoping our hope that MCPS will take any action to close the gaps from this year. If they’d planned effectively they might have had a contingency in the event of teacher shortages but other than “let’s just close schools!!!” don’t expect any solutions.

I just wanted to suggest Beast Academy or Art of Problem Solving (for older kids). There's a self paced option in BA. Our kids have been doing this and it has actually made a world of difference over the last 1.5 years. It costs about $150 for the year for my two kids.

[Anonymous]

Given that we will be living with covid for many more years to come, it would make sense to drastically change the calendar. Make winter break longer. Summer break shorter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are exhausting.

Seriously? Do you have a high school junior who is trying to put together as good as a transcript as they can for college applications? Life is still marching on and these things still matter.

Complaining parents need to step up and teach.

+1 everytime we screw up at work we just look at each other and say "complaining customers should step up and do it themselves "

Didn't realize being sick with covid from being forced into work was "screwing up" but okay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be a much bigger problem with in-person than it would be with virtual. I was assured that we must avoid virtual at all costs because of learning loss. Ah, well.

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down
In Person = some kids who had to miss school may lose some instruction time loss

All kids losing some instruction is worse than some kids losing some instruction time.

No, see...

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down

In Person = many kids who had to miss school (at a greater rate than they'd have to miss virtual) will lose some instruction time

And

In Person = many kids who never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who have to spend much of their time catching up 10-30% of kids who were out last week (for several weeks)

And

In Person = many kids who missed or never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who are absent for much longer than they'd be if we had virtual (asymptomatic, close contacts, recovered from symptoms before they stopped being contagious)

And

In Person = (let's say "some") kids who missed or never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who are overwhelmed by increased disciplinary demands or who have to teach two classes at once because of a sub shortage. Oh, and specials in ES? If the teacher is out, the teacher is out.

Bottom line:

All kids losing some instruction time is better than most kids losing even more instruction time (maybe just "a little more"), and getting and spreading COVID in greater numbers (maybe only "somewhat" greater numbers), and all of the stress that comes with that.

But you'll never see it that way. Especially if your kid is one of the ones who isn't as affected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given that we will be living with covid for many more years to come, it would make sense to drastically change the calendar. Make winter break longer. Summer break shorter.

This is actually a great idea for many reasons (including flu and so on, but for other reasons as well).

I'd have to work out the impact on parents and childcare, but I guess it's just shifting a couple of weeks of that from the summer to winter.

I'd be very interested in a break that extends from ~Dec 18 to Jan 15 or so. 4 weeks or longer.