DC teachers - how are you feeling about DL

[Anonymous]

It looks like DCPS will be DL in the fall at least. I know most teachers are for this for safety reasons. So how are you feeling now that it is a reality? It is so much harder to plan and teach this new way. And your students parents, at least in elementary school, will be there to witness it. And expectations from parents will be very high. Are you getting support from DCPS about how to do this?

[Anonymous]

Since it’s not a reality yet, no, there has not been support from a DCPS. We may all believe we’ll be DL but that doesn’t make it true yet.

That being said, I haven’t done anything meaningful to get ready. I’ve given a lot of thought to some things I would like to do and how I would ideally like to support parents and families. DCPS is pushing the use of Canvas (requiring, really) and I’ve explored a little some features and how to make it fun for kids. I always send my kids post cards over the summer and will do the same in the next week or so. Probably do an online meet the teacher event and offer online “home visits” since I found talking with families before school super helpful. One bonus is we don’t take notes during home visits and I forget so much after so many. On a video call it will be less awkward. I’m not worried about parents watching me and judging me. I invite feedback but rarely get it, not because parents aren’t involved but because they really trust the teachers at my school.

Honestly my biggest concern for teaching DL is I live in a small apartment and my seating options caused me significant back pain in the spring. My husband insists if we do DL that I get an actual office chair but we have no space for it other than using it as a kitchen table chair, and even then it’s in the middle of our tiny apartment. Overall I would feel very relieved health wise to be home, but also terribly sad that I couldn’t set up my classroom and meet my kiddos for real. And I always HATE the anxiety of the first day of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since it’s not a reality yet, no, there has not been support from a DCPS. We may all believe we’ll be DL but that doesn’t make it true yet.

That being said, I haven’t done anything meaningful to get ready. I’ve given a lot of thought to some things I would like to do and how I would ideally like to support parents and families. DCPS is pushing the use of Canvas (requiring, really) and I’ve explored a little some features and how to make it fun for kids. I always send my kids post cards over the summer and will do the same in the next week or so. Probably do an online meet the teacher event and offer online “home visits” since I found talking with families before school super helpful. One bonus is we don’t take notes during home visits and I forget so much after so many. On a video call it will be less awkward. I’m not worried about parents watching me and judging me. I invite feedback but rarely get it, not because parents aren’t involved but because they really trust the teachers at my school.

Honestly my biggest concern for teaching DL is I live in a small apartment and my seating options caused me significant back pain in the spring. My husband insists if we do DL that I get an actual office chair but we have no space for it other than using it as a kitchen table chair, and even then it’s in the middle of our tiny apartment. Overall I would feel very relieved health wise to be home, but also terribly sad that I couldn’t set up my classroom and meet my kiddos for real. And I always HATE the anxiety of the first day of school.

Seripusly? No prep yet so far into the summer? And didnt schools close 3 weeks early this spring for 'training'? Not blaming individual teachers here, but you'd think DCPS would have organized some yrainig/prep by now.

[Anonymous]

No support form DCPS yet.

However self contained teachers had meetings with OSSE a while ago. Nice knowing at least we are planning a little ahead.

Not worried about parent expectations, I always knock it out. Mostly I’ll be correcting things I received feedback on as well as focusing on training parents after school (when they can make it)

Now that my lessons will partially rely on a facilitator, I can’t have parents giving their child the answer or interrupting me when I speak. I won’t be able to get accurate data and move kids forward.
It’s interesting how so many get embarrassed when their child gets the answer incorrect, it’s not a big deal it’s part of learning.

I hope more protocols are put in place to help mitigate the spread so we can have at least a little hybrid, I imagine starting the year meeting kids virtually is going to suck. I’m afraid they won’t connect with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since it’s not a reality yet, no, there has not been support from a DCPS. We may all believe we’ll be DL but that doesn’t make it true yet.

That being said, I haven’t done anything meaningful to get ready. I’ve given a lot of thought to some things I would like to do and how I would ideally like to support parents and families. DCPS is pushing the use of Canvas (requiring, really) and I’ve explored a little some features and how to make it fun for kids. I always send my kids post cards over the summer and will do the same in the next week or so. Probably do an online meet the teacher event and offer online “home visits” since I found talking with families before school super helpful. One bonus is we don’t take notes during home visits and I forget so much after so many. On a video call it will be less awkward. I’m not worried about parents watching me and judging me. I invite feedback but rarely get it, not because parents aren’t involved but because they really trust the teachers at my school.

Honestly my biggest concern for teaching DL is I live in a small apartment and my seating options caused me significant back pain in the spring. My husband insists if we do DL that I get an actual office chair but we have no space for it other than using it as a kitchen table chair, and even then it’s in the middle of our tiny apartment. Overall I would feel very relieved health wise to be home, but also terribly sad that I couldn’t set up my classroom and meet my kiddos for real. And I always HATE the anxiety of the first day of school.

Seripusly? No prep yet so far into the summer? And didnt schools close 3 weeks early this spring for 'training'? Not blaming individual teachers here, but you'd think DCPS would have organized some yrainig/prep by now.

Pp that training was on canvas.
Also things teachers, I hope already know like trauma informed practices, department specific things to better your teaching practice,etc.

There were actually a lot of trainings on hybrid...not so just DL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since it’s not a reality yet, no, there has not been support from a DCPS. We may all believe we’ll be DL but that doesn’t make it true yet.

That being said, I haven’t done anything meaningful to get ready. I’ve given a lot of thought to some things I would like to do and how I would ideally like to support parents and families. DCPS is pushing the use of Canvas (requiring, really) and I’ve explored a little some features and how to make it fun for kids. I always send my kids post cards over the summer and will do the same in the next week or so. Probably do an online meet the teacher event and offer online “home visits” since I found talking with families before school super helpful. One bonus is we don’t take notes during home visits and I forget so much after so many. On a video call it will be less awkward. I’m not worried about parents watching me and judging me. I invite feedback but rarely get it, not because parents aren’t involved but because they really trust the teachers at my school.

Honestly my biggest concern for teaching DL is I live in a small apartment and my seating options caused me significant back pain in the spring. My husband insists if we do DL that I get an actual office chair but we have no space for it other than using it as a kitchen table chair, and even then it’s in the middle of our tiny apartment. Overall I would feel very relieved health wise to be home, but also terribly sad that I couldn’t set up my classroom and meet my kiddos for real. And I always HATE the anxiety of the first day of school.

Get the chair!

[Anonymous]

I'm a Deal teacher with more than a decade of experience.

I do not know how often I will have synchronous vs asynchronous classes. I do not know how many assignments students will have to submit a week. I do not know how attendance will work. I do not know how grading will be done (will we have 300% again?). I do not know what system we will be using (canvas or teams or both?). I do not know whether kids will have access to see their completed work. They didn't in the spring. I do not know how I will give them feedback on their work. Until I know these things I cannot possibly lesson plan.

Overall, I'm not good.

[Anonymous]

Deal PP here-
I know a lot is still up in the air. However, most of these questions can be and should be answered without us knowing for sure that we are DL. Admin should make a plan for DL without knowing about our commitment to DL.

[Anonymous]

I’m the one who hasn’t started planning. The training was mostly self care, theories on catching kids up, social emotional learning, and teachers leading webinars showing how they used different programs. The time with my school team was planning day by day how to catch kids up—we planned for 100% in person every day all day. Clearly we were optimistic. I did 8 hours of Microsoft certification training that I found basic and useless.

Keep in mind it’s summer so we don’t get paid to work. The union’s argument against us submitting the intent form was literally that we can’t be compelled to work, and submitting the form is work. So no, DCPS doesn’t make us do anything and I don’t feel particularly motivated to do any meaningful work planning until I know what exactly I’m planning for. I’m not doing double work. I’ve also been teaching a long time and am very into tech so I’ve got a lot of tools in the tool box and it won’t be hard for me to hit the ground running.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Deal teacher with more than a decade of experience.

I do not know how often I will have synchronous vs asynchronous classes. I do not know how many assignments students will have to submit a week. I do not know how attendance will work. I do not know how grading will be done (will we have 300% again?). I do not know what system we will be using (canvas or teams or both?). I do not know whether kids will have access to see their completed work. They didn't in the spring. I do not know how I will give them feedback on their work. Until I know these things I cannot possibly lesson plan.

Overall, I'm not good.

They explained in June training that attendance for online learning will be taken through Canvas. Once someone logs into a student’s Canvas account it syncs with aspen to record attendance. I’m personally hoping we get more guidance on how to count participation because I imagine a lot of parents logging in to get their child credit for attendance but doing nothing.

[Anonymous]

NP here. I am absolutely fine and excited about 100% DL. I just wish that DCPS would make the decision so we could really start planning. The hybrid version would be interesting but again something new to learn and manage, and the off days would be hard to manage as I would be at school. I believe all teachers now have experience with DL and can improve on it. I can't believe what I am reading from other teachers. No training? All DCPS teachers had three weeks of PD after school finished. Canvas will be used for attendance and the landing site for all students K-12. On canvas you will put links to teams and clever and other websites.

[Anonymous]

DCPS has hired 150 Curriculum Fellows that are digitizing all of the curriculum and preparing Canvas pages for teachers with units, materials and resources pre-loaded on them. Teachers will then be able to go in, edit, modify and tailor to the specific needs of their students and style.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I am absolutely fine and excited about 100% DL. I just wish that DCPS would make the decision so we could really start planning. The hybrid version would be interesting but again something new to learn and manage, and the off days would be hard to manage as I would be at school. I believe all teachers now have experience with DL and can improve on it. I can't believe what I am reading from other teachers. No training? All DCPS teachers had three weeks of PD after school finished. Canvas will be used for attendance and the landing site for all students K-12. On canvas you will put links to teams and clever and other websites.

My issue with planning is I know nothing about the delivery or schedule for this fall. Will I see students for 45 minutes a day? 90 minutes every other day? 2 days in person and 3 days hybrid? Once I know details I'll plan. I've been teaching a long time and I spent my time during the summer planning too many times during my early career to then be told a week before school I was teaching something different. Not wasting my time anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I am absolutely fine and excited about 100% DL. I just wish that DCPS would make the decision so we could really start planning. The hybrid version would be interesting but again something new to learn and manage, and the off days would be hard to manage as I would be at school. I believe all teachers now have experience with DL and can improve on it. I can't believe what I am reading from other teachers. No training? All DCPS teachers had three weeks of PD after school finished. Canvas will be used for attendance and the landing site for all students K-12. On canvas you will put links to teams and clever and other websites.

My issue with planning is I know nothing about the delivery or schedule for this fall. Will I see students for 45 minutes a day? 90 minutes every other day? 2 days in person and 3 days hybrid? Once I know details I'll plan. I've been teaching a long time and I spent my time during the summer planning too many times during my early career to then be told a week before school I was teaching something different. Not wasting my time anymore.

Deal PP- ditto

[Anonymous]

I totally agree. It is tough not knowing, yet I understand the reason behind the wait. Even more so, DCPS should have stated 100% DL at the start and then slowly introduce in-person days if and when the data and health conditions allow.