Fellow teachers - How are we supposed to teach with masks on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teaching young students letters and sounds without seeing their mouths and they can't see mine?? Yikes. It's huge that they see what my mouth looks like when I make a letter sound, and that I can see theirs to check how they're forming their letter sounds. And learning to blend words ("r-u-g") with little masks on? This will be interesting to say the least. Not to mention students and teachers with hearing impairments that rely on lip-reading. Schools need to provide masks with clear plastic over the mouth, or face shields.

Children all around the world have Adapted to this in the last few months. Have some faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOmeone posted a link to the humanity shield. It’s expensive but I’ll try that if my district says it’s okay. I’ll deduct it from my taxes.

That’s not how taxes actually work. You get a $250 teacher credit max for classroom supplies.

And it will be a classroom supply this year.

I always spend at least $250 on school supplies for a school year... so this would be too expensive out of my own pocket.

Same. I guess the PP doesn’t so the shield fits in her budget. That $60 is a lot of stuff I’m not buying that my students won’t get from home.

You’re going to go on strike over 60 dollars? Have some pride, Jesus

[Anonymous]

I have asked for DL but I will do Hybrid if I have to for my student population. However, not only am I teaching with a mask but my husband is building a standing 3-sided Plexiglass contraption (with a lid, no less!!!) that I will put across the front of the room. My HEPA air purifier thing will be inside the Plexiglass thing with me. And kids will wear masks 100% of the time. Fun times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I am also not buying a microphone and speaker for my class and figuring out how to rig that up with a mask on-just stop. I'm done with the expectation that teachers sacrifice money, time, their health, basic necessities like bathroom breaks-it's enough already. We need to stop coming to the rescue and let people see what their taxes actually fund. Period.

I can understand your frustration, but you know very well that it will be on you if the students can't hear you and thus fail to understand the lesson. Get a pop-star style mic that clips on your head, or the earbuds that have a mic in the cord.

The solution isn't going to be me making more purchases. The buck stops here. Teachers need to take stand-the government needs to fund education. Not teachers.

+1 If the school system purchases it then I will use it. Otherwise kids are SOL if they need to see my mouth. I posted above. I'll wear a mask, I'll be inside the Plexiglass thing my husband is building, and I'll have my HEPA air purifier. These are all things to keep me safe. Everyone else is on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOmeone posted a link to the humanity shield. It’s expensive but I’ll try that if my district says it’s okay. I’ll deduct it from my taxes.

That’s not how taxes actually work. You get a $250 teacher credit max for classroom supplies.

And it will be a classroom supply this year.

I always spend at least $250 on school supplies for a school year... so this would be too expensive out of my own pocket.

Same. I guess the PP doesn’t so the shield fits in her budget. That $60 is a lot of stuff I’m not buying that my students won’t get from home.

You’re going to go on strike over 60 dollars? Have some pride, Jesus

Where do you see anything about a strike? Happy hour is not your friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m having a hard time picturing how this will work. We’re going to be teaching in front of a class of kids with our voices muffled by a mask? I’m also a bit concerned as to what it’s going to feel like wearing a mask all day while talking. When I’m wearing a mask out in public, I’m generally not talking much except for short conversations with a clerk. Even then, there are a few times I’ve caught myself pulling my mask down to speak more clearly, of course as soon as I’ve realized what I’ve done, I pull my mask back up, but that just shows me how uncomfortable it is to talk with a mask on that I would naturally do this. Are other teachers concerned about what talking all day with a mask on is going to be like?

I am assuming you’d be able to remove your mask when standing 6 ft away from the kids. You should have that choice

Catching up and assume this has already been said but to echo if it has...no you shouldn’t, not indoors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOmeone posted a link to the humanity shield. It’s expensive but I’ll try that if my district says it’s okay. I’ll deduct it from my taxes.

That’s not how taxes actually work. You get a $250 teacher credit max for classroom supplies.

And it will be a classroom supply this year.

I always spend at least $250 on school supplies for a school year... so this would be too expensive out of my own pocket.

Same. I guess the PP doesn’t so the shield fits in her budget. That $60 is a lot of stuff I’m not buying that my students won’t get from home.

You’re going to go on strike over 60 dollars? Have some pride, Jesus

Where do you see anything about a strike? Happy hour is not your friend.

It’s an expression. You were making it sound like this 60 dollar expense was some in-achievable thing. No, I’m not drunk on a Monday evening....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m having a hard time picturing how this will work. We’re going to be teaching in front of a class of kids with our voices muffled by a mask? I’m also a bit concerned as to what it’s going to feel like wearing a mask all day while talking. When I’m wearing a mask out in public, I’m generally not talking much except for short conversations with a clerk. Even then, there are a few times I’ve caught myself pulling my mask down to speak more clearly, of course as soon as I’ve realized what I’ve done, I pull my mask back up, but that just shows me how uncomfortable it is to talk with a mask on that I would naturally do this. Are other teachers concerned about what talking all day with a mask on is going to be like?

I am assuming you’d be able to remove your mask when standing 6 ft away from the kids. You should have that choice

Catching up and assume this has already been said but to echo if it has...no you shouldn’t, not indoors.

+1 This exactly. Masks need to be on 100% of the time regardless of distance when you're talking about small classrooms with inadequate air flow and filtering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am also not buying a microphone and speaker for my class and figuring out how to rig that up with a mask on-just stop. I'm done with the expectation that teachers sacrifice money, time, their health, basic necessities like bathroom breaks-it's enough already. We need to stop coming to the rescue and let people see what their taxes actually fund. Period.

+1000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s just a matter of getting used to it. Medical personnel do it all the time. My family has been working on wearing them more for when the kids go to school and we have all built up to a few hours comfortably in one week’s time.

I don’t understand the constant comparison to medical professionals. Pretty sure doctors and nurses aren’t walking around delivering lectures, projecting their voices to classrooms, reading aloud, teaching young children phonics, etc while wearing masks.

My coworkers and I have been caring for groups of infants, toddlers and preschoolers for months while wearing face masks. We are not medical professionals. Trust me, you'll be fine.

Those talking about them falling down-you do know you have to change them every so often, right?

You don't have to project your voice to lecture to babies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s just a matter of getting used to it. Medical personnel do it all the time. My family has been working on wearing them more for when the kids go to school and we have all built up to a few hours comfortably in one week’s time.

I don’t understand the constant comparison to medical professionals. Pretty sure doctors and nurses aren’t walking around delivering lectures, projecting their voices to classrooms, reading aloud, teaching young children phonics, etc while wearing masks.

My coworkers and I have been caring for groups of infants, toddlers and preschoolers for months while wearing face masks. We are not medical professionals. Trust me, you'll be fine.

Those talking about them falling down-you do know you have to change them every so often, right?

You don't have to project your voice to lecture to babies.

It’s not called lecturing, it’s called self-talk, parallel talk, expansion, reading aloud... and so on. We do it all.day.long. You’ll be alright.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I am also not buying a microphone and speaker for my class and figuring out how to rig that up with a mask on-just stop. I'm done with the expectation that teachers sacrifice money, time, their health, basic necessities like bathroom breaks-it's enough already. We need to stop coming to the rescue and let people see what their taxes actually fund. Period.

I can understand your frustration, but you know very well that it will be on you if the students can't hear you and thus fail to understand the lesson. Get a pop-star style mic that clips on your head, or the earbuds that have a mic in the cord.

The solution isn't going to be me making more purchases. The buck stops here. Teachers need to take stand-the government needs to fund education. Not teachers.

Our district keeps pointing out that the CARES funding doesn't offset the proposed education cuts in the state of MD, because CARES funding can only be used for one time covid related purchases. It sounds like talking to your principal or districta bout using some of that CARES money for microphones might be a good idea. And I've seen studies where teachers in mic'd classrooms actually have better behavior and participation even when we're not in a pandemic, so it could be a good long term investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s just a matter of getting used to it. Medical personnel do it all the time. My family has been working on wearing them more for when the kids go to school and we have all built up to a few hours comfortably in one week’s time.

I don’t understand the constant comparison to medical professionals. Pretty sure doctors and nurses aren’t walking around delivering lectures, projecting their voices to classrooms, reading aloud, teaching young children phonics, etc while wearing masks.

If my kids camp counselors can manage it outside all summer I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Actually, my 13yo keeps his on about half the day if he feels the activity puts him too close to other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s just a matter of getting used to it. Medical personnel do it all the time. My family has been working on wearing them more for when the kids go to school and we have all built up to a few hours comfortably in one week’s time.

I don’t understand the constant comparison to medical professionals. Pretty sure doctors and nurses aren’t walking around delivering lectures, projecting their voices to classrooms, reading aloud, teaching young children phonics, etc while wearing masks.

1) get a clear mask , and 2) as a peds physician I spent most of my day talking to patients parents while their kids scream in their laps, so yes, I have learned to project my voice.

It’s really not the same. How do people not get this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s just a matter of getting used to it. Medical personnel do it all the time. My family has been working on wearing them more for when the kids go to school and we have all built up to a few hours comfortably in one week’s time.

I don’t understand the constant comparison to medical professionals. Pretty sure doctors and nurses aren’t walking around delivering lectures, projecting their voices to classrooms, reading aloud, teaching young children phonics, etc while wearing masks.

My coworkers and I have been caring for groups of infants, toddlers and preschoolers for months while wearing face masks. We are not medical professionals. Trust me, you'll be fine.

Those talking about them falling down-you do know you have to change them every so often, right?

You don't have to project your voice to lecture to babies.

It’s not called lecturing, it’s called self-talk, parallel talk, expansion, reading aloud... and so on. We do it all.day.long. You’ll be alright.

You’re not doing it to a class full of kids, who are expected to understand what you are saying and show their understanding in some way that they are graded on. Simply having a normal conversation in a mask is not the same thing as giving a presentation in front of a group of people where you need to project your voice and be heard clearly.