I feel so bad for DS’ teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really think kids are hitting a wall at this point. Almost five months of virtual school since Sept. That is countless hours staring at small squares on a screen. Can only imagine what this is doing to them developmentally. We really have nothing else to compare this to in educational history and have not given enough consideration to the consequences of it on a long-term basis. I appreciate these patient teachers for trying but it really is staring to feel fruitless.

Agree, and some kids are new to their schools so they don't even know who the kids on their screens are and may feel very "unseen".

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Teaching kids in 3rd grade remotely should only have been an option for those who with very high-risk conditions. Relying on these kids to pay attention while they are sitting in their bedroom, or in their house next to their dog, with their toys and iPad within reach, has never been set up for success.

I feel for all younger elementary teachers, but everyone has to get back in-person if that's their choice. It's the only way this will get resolved.

So put them away.

So harsh. many kids have parents that are working FT and cannot monitor every minute and have no choice of where these kids are doing schoolwork. Many families live in small apartments with no choice of what is within reach. Get them back to class and if you are a teacher, find another career because clearly, you have no sympathy for students.

NP. Why is this harsh? You don’t have to put EVERY toy out of reach but you could take some of the more distracting ones and the gaming systems and put them away or put them in your own line of sight until after school.

NP here. My kid doesn’t even need toys to get distracted. She’ll walk around and act out ridiculous one-woman shows and have a grand ole time with nothing but her imagination.

And how would the classroom change it?

I work and can’t sit with her all day. She does this when I’m in meetings and she’s unsupervised. She would not be unsupervised in school.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a typical third grade class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the teacher doesn’t have kids on his own and it’s hard for him to keep students engaged.

Nope, he is one of the best-respected teachers in the school. I feel really lucky that my kid got him.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:This is why virtual learning is completely worthless .

It's why it should be called distance teaching and not distance learning.

Not in all situations. My child is learning and his teacher is working hard to make it so.

OP here. My son is learning too, and while he is behind where he would be were he in regular school, I am not worried about him, mostly thanks to the dedication of his teacher. Overall I am worried about the achievement gap, but at the moment I am mostly just feeling so bad for the teachers.

I don’t think that distance learning (or teaching) is worthless, but dang it is rough on everybody.

It’s me the child development expert again. I have a current third grader doing distance-learning and I also taught third grade myself. Don’t worry about the teacher. You just don’t see what goes on in the classroom and there are behavior problems there too. This doesn’t mean I support distance-learning for all - I don’t - but I think you can cross this off your list of things to worry about.

I appreciate that, however, I still feel bad for him. Virtual classroom or no, teaching these kids would drive me insane.

[Anonymous]

This happens in a normal school year too which is even more frustrating since all of the students are sitting in the classroom right in front of me. There are no real distractions like there are now in DL.

[Anonymous]

If you think it is bad now, imagine how short the attention spans will be of kids in 5 yrs. They are being raised on one minute long TikTok videos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why virtual learning is completely worthless .

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This happens in a normal school year too which is even more frustrating since all of the students are sitting in the classroom right in front of me. There are no real distractions like there are now in DL.

It’s true. It feels more awkward online but it’s part of the job. It doesn’t bother me as long as my students are making adequate progress. Of course it’s more fun with active engagement.

[Anonymous]

He should teach in a classroom, problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Yeah our 5th grade teacher is an angel. So much patience!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe he should try a different approach...like use visuals (hold up the worksheet the kids need to work on, for example), not sound so monotone (does he have a drab voice?), do a quick reminder at the end of class (refresh), put a huge red Star (or something like that) on the online links/icons/whatever he wants the kids to complete.

maybe choose better timing too and engage better too.

She said he was a great teacher. Why are you trying to make him out as being the problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are facing a lot of extra challenges right now (understatement of the year, I know). Please share a positive word about his efforts with him and his principal. It will go a long way to provide him a little moral support during this time.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He should teach in a classroom, problem solved.

You know, that doesn't solve the problem. Because the kids who aren't paying attention on DL probably are the same kids who don't pay attention IRL. If you think I'm wrong then I will tell you that you haven't volunteered in elementary school classrooms as much as I have. You see a lot when you're a Room Mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why virtual learning is completely worthless .

Oh, look, this predictable response. Many third graders behave this way in person. It's often because of parents who don't enforce discipline at home.

--a parent of kids who are learning in DL and it is far from "worthless," thank you.