Teachers: Has Distance Learning Changed your View of your School?

[Anonymous]

As we are winding this all down, I am really just blown away at how it seems like every school had a different plan. And a different plan that kept changing. I think some schools, with strong leaders have come out looking great! While others have really struggled to get off the ground.
Much talk has been given to the parents take and experiences. I am interested in how distance learning has changed teachers views of their school.

I'll start. My 'great' school lacks leadership. The teachers have seen it for the entire year and now the parents see it as well. The parents are mad but I am relieved. They finally see what we have been dealing with for the past two years. Once the parents can figure out that we have a common mission, to restore strong leadership, I think it will be a great thing for our school community.

[Anonymous]

My perspective hasn't really changed. We have no leadership, we have a wanna be crisis manager who can't think ahead. Inside the building and remotely.

[Anonymous]

I teach at Oyster Adams and the leadership under Principal Cruz has been nothing short of phenomenal. Even before distance learning. She takes teaching and learning very seriously but also gives her staff and families a lot of support and encouragement. High expectations with positive leadership, every step of the way. She never wavers. We are in great hands. I hope our families are fully aware of how lucky we are. Every student at Oyster Adams now has a laptop device and internet access. The community has raised funds for families in need. It's a very supportive community.

I can do my job without the anxiety of ineffective leadership. I have heard this is not the case at many schools.

[Anonymous]

I think our school rose to the occasion and leadership is doing the best they can given the situation.

Interacting with parents has been the absolute worst part of the DL experience. May 29th can't come soon enough. Although we are in quarantine, I cannot stomach another parent email/weekend phone call/ text about mundane nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Families love the way my school is doing distance learning, however teachers with their own kids are not. Once again, leadership has shown that when you don’t have kids of your own, you have no idea what it’s like for someone who does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Families love the way my school is doing distance learning, however teachers with their own kids are not. Once again, leadership has shown that when you don’t have kids of your own, you have no idea what it’s like for someone who does.

what's your school's schedule? just curious.

i think there will be a lot of issues in the fall if we have to stick with 100% online learning--teachers need childcare to teach (virtually or in-person). parents are going to expect much more robust online presence. it just isn't going to work.

[Anonymous]

We were all social justice warriors fighting for equity before. Now we are just doing the bare minimum because “we are part of a system and this is what we were told to do.” When nothing is measured nothing matters. We got a pass for the year and we are taking it.

[Anonymous]

My perspective hasn’t changed, leadership has always required more out of us than some other schools. It’s probably one of the reasons we are such a successful title 1 school. What I don’t like is being micromanaged, we have to choose at least 2 trainings a week to complete on something like Lexia, playposit, etc. It should be optional. They also have lots of check ins for staff wellbeing, glad to see that hasn’t changed.

I will say I fear the requirements they will drop in the fall, I teach self contained and most of my students really can’t sit at the computer too long. I also have a 3 year old but luckily being a sped teacher has really helped me develop activities she can do near me for 2 hours at a time and not get bored.

Honestly I can’t complain, this is less stressful in some ways. I teach from 12-2pm 1 on 1 lessons and 1 30 min whole group everyday. I also can’t be hit and nothing will be knocked over on bad days, I just now have to coach parents. It’s just as much work and more sometimes just the stress factor has diminished. Anyway rambling but I think my school is doing excellent we were also able to distribute laptops to every student who needed one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were all social justice warriors fighting for equity before. Now we are just doing the bare minimum because “we are part of a system and this is what we were told to do.” When nothing is measured nothing matters. We got a pass for the year and we are taking it.

I don’t think it’ll stay this way for long though. I’m already planning distance learning and hybrid learning lessons for the fall and teaching my paras how to take data while you are working with a student on Teams. 100% accountability and as a sped teacher I see the needs of my kiddos are huge in this current model. I hope to make interactive tools that students can take home like task boxes, and morning tubs. Just have to find cheaper methods to store them since I can’t afford to give them my nice classroom boxes for fear they will not ever return lol.

If anyone has more ideas, please share! Parents what would you like to see?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were all social justice warriors fighting for equity before. Now we are just doing the bare minimum because “we are part of a system and this is what we were told to do.” When nothing is measured nothing matters. We got a pass for the year and we are taking it.

This is true on so many levels regarding school right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Families love the way my school is doing distance learning, however teachers with their own kids are not. Once again, leadership has shown that when you don’t have kids of your own, you have no idea what it’s like for someone who does.

what's your school's schedule? just curious.

i think there will be a lot of issues in the fall if we have to stick with 100% online learning--teachers need childcare to teach (virtually or in-person). parents are going to expect much more robust online presence. it just isn't going to work.

We have class Monday-Thursday and office hours on Friday. They switched to four classes per day so it’s a block scheduling. We still have to do everything else as usual (lesson planning, grading, team meetings, staff meetings, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think our school rose to the occasion and leadership is doing the best they can given the situation.

Interacting with parents has been the absolute worst part of the DL experience. May 29th can't come soon enough. Although we are in quarantine, I cannot stomach another parent email/weekend phone call/ text about mundane nonsense.

I'm sure they feel the same way and have noticed how badly you've checked out.

[Anonymous]

My school is truly a warm, loving place to be. We are an early childhood building only. We are super data driven, in the respect that no one or nearly no one falls through the cracks. But at the same time, kids and their little hearts come before data. I've seen my colleagues do amazing things. Our families? Absolutely phenomenal. Our kids? Omg, the best around. We are not perfect and we know that, we are looking for ways to improve as much as possible for next year. While online learning is not great for young kids, it is and will be all we have come next year. We're going to keep trying to reach every family. And my principal, as far as I'm concerned, she walks on water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My school is truly a warm, loving place to be. We are an early childhood building only. We are super data driven, in the respect that no one or nearly no one falls through the cracks. But at the same time, kids and their little hearts come before data. I've seen my colleagues do amazing things. Our families? Absolutely phenomenal. Our kids? Omg, the best around. We are not perfect and we know that, we are looking for ways to improve as much as possible for next year. While online learning is not great for young kids, it is and will be all we have come next year. We're going to keep trying to reach every family. And my principal, as far as I'm concerned, she walks on water.

So good to hear! What school? I want to enroll my little one there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach at Oyster Adams and the leadership under Principal Cruz has been nothing short of phenomenal. Even before distance learning. She takes teaching and learning very seriously but also gives her staff and families a lot of support and encouragement. High expectations with positive leadership, every step of the way. She never wavers. We are in great hands. I hope our families are fully aware of how lucky we are. Every student at Oyster Adams now has a laptop device and internet access. The community has raised funds for families in need. It's a very supportive community.

I can do my job without the anxiety of ineffective leadership. I have heard this is not the case at many schools.

+100 - Cruz is amazing!