APS: Splitting hybrid and virtual classes Jan 15th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain how the concurrent model works logistically? Will the teacher be sitting at his/her desk in front of their computer (with mask on) and teaching from there to both the hybrid and DL students?

Yes. We display the class meet to the smart screen. Kids in class watch it there. Kids at home participate via device as always. In theory the kids in room respond to the chat and the kids at home respond out loud and everyone hears because of the computer being hooked up to the speaker in the room. When it’s time for activities kids do them on their device as always. Maybe at home kids go to breakouts and in person kids are a group. More likely, since most of my in person sections have 2-3 kids they all just do their work on their device.

We can’t break 6 feet so I can’t go to their desk, work right alongside them, etc. At best the difference is I can see them screwing off and make them get back on task. But I’m still answering DL kids via the chat and whatever the in person kids ask I can respond to them. Otherwise activities and instruction remain the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No switching???? They asked parents to pick in October, completely erased the metrics, virus rates are sky high and they just drastically changed the model. Parents should have a fit!

That's what the ATS principal said at the PTA meeting this week. No switching. Not pleased to hear that certain other schools are allowing it. Where is the CONSISTENCY of policies across schools? Ugh. APS you suck.

Umm you should complain to APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain how the concurrent model works logistically? Will the teacher be sitting at his/her desk in front of their computer (with mask on) and teaching from there to both the hybrid and DL students?

Yes. We display the class meet to the smart screen. Kids in class watch it there. Kids at home participate via device as always. In theory the kids in room respond to the chat and the kids at home respond out loud and everyone hears because of the computer being hooked up to the speaker in the room. When it’s time for activities kids do them on their device as always. Maybe at home kids go to breakouts and in person kids are a group. More likely, since most of my in person sections have 2-3 kids they all just do their work on their device.

We can’t break 6 feet so I can’t go to their desk, work right alongside them, etc. At best the difference is I can see them screwing off and make them get back on task. But I’m still answering DL kids via the chat and whatever the in person kids ask I can respond to them. Otherwise activities and instruction remain the same.

People will be quick to say this sucks but there is a lot of value to the kids being in an environment that isn’t their home and with their peers who are all doing what they’re supposed to be doing. In terms of staying on task, etc.

But yes it is imperfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain how the concurrent model works logistically? Will the teacher be sitting at his/her desk in front of their computer (with mask on) and teaching from there to both the hybrid and DL students?

Yes. We display the class meet to the smart screen. Kids in class watch it there. Kids at home participate via device as always. In theory the kids in room respond to the chat and the kids at home respond out loud and everyone hears because of the computer being hooked up to the speaker in the room. When it’s time for activities kids do them on their device as always. Maybe at home kids go to breakouts and in person kids are a group. More likely, since most of my in person sections have 2-3 kids they all just do their work on their device.

We can’t break 6 feet so I can’t go to their desk, work right alongside them, etc. At best the difference is I can see them screwing off and make them get back on task. But I’m still answering DL kids via the chat and whatever the in person kids ask I can respond to them. Otherwise activities and instruction remain the same.

Thank you for this explanation. It sounds incredibly challenging for a teacher to manage this (even though most teachers are miracle workers). Curious too how this might work at schools where there are frequent issues with smart boards. This could be technologically challenging. I hope APS is planning to increase the on site tech help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No switching???? They asked parents to pick in October, completely erased the metrics, virus rates are sky high and they just drastically changed the model. Parents should have a fit!

That's what the ATS principal said at the PTA meeting this week. No switching. Not pleased to hear that certain other schools are allowing it. Where is the CONSISTENCY of policies across schools? Ugh. APS you suck.

Umm you should complain to APS.

I did- to engage, SB and Superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m ready to pick virtual at this point just so this crazy train is over for my kid. I think virtual is sub par and I’d like to see her go back in when it’s safer, which really could be this year. But if they force the issue now, I guess she’s virtual the rest of the year.

This is what many of us already did. We weren’t die hard DL types but forced into it by APS’s insistence that you couldn’t switch. It sucks. And it’s not good for kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain how the concurrent model works logistically? Will the teacher be sitting at his/her desk in front of their computer (with mask on) and teaching from there to both the hybrid and DL students?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain how the concurrent model works logistically? Will the teacher be sitting at his/her desk in front of their computer (with mask on) and teaching from there to both the hybrid and DL students?

Yes.

I wish they could film it from the back of the class like they do with college classes so the teachers don’t have to go back and forth from looking at the camera to looking at the class. Or is that not a big deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain how the concurrent model works logistically? Will the teacher be sitting at his/her desk in front of their computer (with mask on) and teaching from there to both the hybrid and DL students?

Yes. We display the class meet to the smart screen. Kids in class watch it there. Kids at home participate via device as always. In theory the kids in room respond to the chat and the kids at home respond out loud and everyone hears because of the computer being hooked up to the speaker in the room. When it’s time for activities kids do them on their device as always. Maybe at home kids go to breakouts and in person kids are a group. More likely, since most of my in person sections have 2-3 kids they all just do their work on their device.

We can’t break 6 feet so I can’t go to their desk, work right alongside them, etc. At best the difference is I can see them screwing off and make them get back on task. But I’m still answering DL kids via the chat and whatever the in person kids ask I can respond to them. Otherwise activities and instruction remain the same.

People will be quick to say this sucks but there is a lot of value to the kids being in an environment that isn’t their home and with their peers who are all doing what they’re supposed to be doing. In terms of staying on task, etc.

But yes it is imperfect.

Ha. Yes. Imperfect. Thanks APE!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m ready to pick virtual at this point just so this crazy train is over for my kid. I think virtual is sub par and I’d like to see her go back in when it’s safer, which really could be this year. But if they force the issue now, I guess she’s virtual the rest of the year.

This is what many of us already did. We weren’t die hard DL types but forced into it by APS’s insistence that you couldn’t switch. It sucks. And it’s not good for kids.

100% this. We chose virtual because we saw the writing on the wall. It sucks, and there were only about 12 kids in a grade of 80 who did. I’m not pushing teachers back when it’s not safe, and you know it’s not safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m ready to pick virtual at this point just so this crazy train is over for my kid. I think virtual is sub par and I’d like to see her go back in when it’s safer, which really could be this year. But if they force the issue now, I guess she’s virtual the rest of the year.

This is what many of us already did. We weren’t die hard DL types but forced into it by APS’s insistence that you couldn’t switch. It sucks. And it’s not good for kids.

100% this. We chose virtual because we saw the writing on the wall. It sucks, and there were only about 12 kids in a grade of 80 who did. I’m not pushing teachers back when it’s not safe, and you know it’s not safe.

Yes. We are part of the 20% minority at our school. Didn’t want DL for the year but didn’t like the way APS kept being shifty about metrics. Now, we are stuck in DL for the year. But preferable to being forced in with virus spinning out of control. Really a nightmare. This is how teachers, who have no choice, feel too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m ready to pick virtual at this point just so this crazy train is over for my kid. I think virtual is sub par and I’d like to see her go back in when it’s safer, which really could be this year. But if they force the issue now, I guess she’s virtual the rest of the year.

This is what many of us already did. We weren’t die hard DL types but forced into it by APS’s insistence that you couldn’t switch. It sucks. And it’s not good for kids.

100% this. We chose virtual because we saw the writing on the wall. It sucks, and there were only about 12 kids in a grade of 80 who did. I’m not pushing teachers back when it’s not safe, and you know it’s not safe.

Sorry but who saw the writing on the wall in October that they were going to force going back in person in the peak of the pandemic? I guess you are smarter than me. They droned on for months with their metrics. They were consistently incredibly conservative. To a fault.

I would be fine if they transparently talked about the change in approach and then asked people to pick again.

[Anonymous]

I picked DL once I heard the APE advocate at my school PTA arguing that metrics didn’t matter and everyone wanted back no matter how bad it got in the winter. Knew APS might blow in the wind.

[Anonymous]

We chose virtual too. Not sure of the hybrid/virtual numbers at our school. Looked on the APS website but can’t find them. Does anyone know where to find them? TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m ready to pick virtual at this point just so this crazy train is over for my kid. I think virtual is sub par and I’d like to see her go back in when it’s safer, which really could be this year. But if they force the issue now, I guess she’s virtual the rest of the year.

This is what many of us already did. We weren’t die hard DL types but forced into it by APS’s insistence that you couldn’t switch. It sucks. And it’s not good for kids.

100% this. We chose virtual because we saw the writing on the wall. It sucks, and there were only about 12 kids in a grade of 80 who did. I’m not pushing teachers back when it’s not safe, and you know it’s not safe.

Yes. We are part of the 20% minority at our school. Didn’t want DL for the year but didn’t like the way APS kept being shifty about metrics. Now, we are stuck in DL for the year. But preferable to being forced in with virus spinning out of control. Really a nightmare. This is how teachers, who have no choice, feel too.

Except up until about 5 minutes ago, the teacher's choice was THE main factor. That's why we didn't go back in person at all in August. Not enough of them wanted to do it. That was really the only reason. What other profession had that kind of choice? Look at the list of frontline essential workers grouped in 1b vaccine. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/191/2021/01/Phase-1b-In-Depth.pdf
All people who have been doing their jobs in person since March 2020. All people who genuinely can't stay 6 feet from others while doing their jobs.

I think teachers were too unreasonable and now their bluff is being called and it sucks for all of us. This whole situation was mishandled. The kids could have been back safely for part of the Fall and everyone could have stayed home now. But now lots of these kids are failing, the assessments came in and make everyone look REALLY bad, and they're panicking, which they kind of should be.