How is MCPS going to address the learning loss from teacher absences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be a much bigger problem with in-person than it would be with virtual. I was assured that we must avoid virtual at all costs because of learning loss. Ah, well.

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down
In Person = some kids who had to miss school may lose some instruction time loss

All kids losing some instruction is worse than some kids losing some instruction time.

No, see...

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down

In Person = many kids who had to miss school (at a greater rate than they'd have to miss virtual) will lose some instruction time

And

In Person = many kids who never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who have to spend much of their time catching up 10-30% of kids who were out last week (for several weeks)

And

In Person = many kids who missed or never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who are absent for much longer than they'd be if we had virtual (asymptomatic, close contacts, recovered from symptoms before they stopped being contagious)

And

In Person = (let's say "some") kids who missed or never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who are overwhelmed by increased disciplinary demands or who have to teach two classes at once because of a sub shortage. Oh, and specials in ES? If the teacher is out, the teacher is out.

Bottom line:

All kids losing some instruction time is better than most kids losing even more instruction time (maybe just "a little more"), and getting and spreading COVID in greater numbers (maybe only "somewhat" greater numbers), and all of the stress that comes with that.

But you'll never see it that way. Especially if your kid is one of the ones who isn't as affected.

DP, but you are grossly minimizing the negative consequences from virtual. The best case scenario is kids losing "some" instruction time. Fully, what 20%? 30% of kids don't log in to virtual AT ALL, so they get nothing. Probably another third or so log in minimally, have a lot of trouble, try to do it on their own, etc. So virtual is sufficient for, what, a third of kids at the absolute most? Get real.

You don't have to take my word for it, though. There are actual studies on DL, which show what an unmitigated failure it was. Trying to claim otherwise is unconscionable.

Parents need to step up and take responsibility and make sure kids are logging in and doing the work.

Please. Most families don't have an adult at home who can focus solely on supporting their kids during virtual. For elementary-aged kids, it's a TON of work. And older kids need more specialized support that many parents can offer.

Stop gaslighting parents into thinking virtual is a reasonable option and, moreover, that if it doesn't work, it's their fault. It's not.

How? Once my kids knew how to log on, that's all they needed to do. They did their work after dinner and on weekends. My mom helped them log on for the first few days but ended up going home early since they didn't need help after that.

Your mom? Please tell us about your solution and how it will scale across the district.

[Anonymous]

Use some of your $$$$$ and hire a babysitter. You might need to forgo one of your three vacations to pay for it though. Look, nobody at all will care one whit if your kid doesn't do virtual learning for a few weeks if it's too much for you.

[Anonymous]

So teachers who taught virtual were bad, evil people who allowed loss of learning. Now in person all year, teachers are bad people who get sick with covid ( or are home with sick kids) probably from sick kids in class and still responsible for learning loss.

Ok, got it. 👌

[Anonymous]

Substitute teachers were never an actual substitute for the teacher. This was true back in the 80s. Sub meant worksheets or independent work. There isn’t some magical unicorn ranch full of people qualified to teach AP Calc just waiting to be called in and save the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is in chaos right now. Utter and complete chaos.

Dr. McKnight is only focused on ticking off days on a school calendar versus finding solutions so students are actually being educated.

What was the contingency plan for a surge in Covid? None. Central Office didn’t plan before this school year and they all had an extra vacation when the surge was ramping up. Traveling and socializing over break allowed Covid to spread. There was no one monitoring the reports of Covid in Central Office to plan for the return of students on January 3rd.

Dr. McKnight does not show she has the leadership skills to be Superintendent. Many people under her at Central Office are equally incompetent.

The blame for traveling/socializing is on the parents, not MCPS.

MCPS had a plan. They said it over the summer. The plan was do nothing till the state shuts the down. They are following that plan per Hogan. Take it up with Hogan. We were warned this would happen. Many discussions here about it.

Isn't that because the state said classes had to be in person?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So teachers who taught virtual were bad, evil people who allowed loss of learning. Now in person all year, teachers are bad people who get sick with covid ( or are home with sick kids) probably from sick kids in class and still responsible for learning loss.

Ok, got it. 👌

Hard to miss the central point, which is "blame the teachers," isn't it?

Almost like the PP has an agenda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So teachers who taught virtual were bad, evil people who allowed loss of learning. Now in person all year, teachers are bad people who get sick with covid ( or are home with sick kids) probably from sick kids in class and still responsible for learning loss.

Ok, got it. 👌

I don't see people blaming the teachers. I see people saying there is an issue caused by lack of instruction and MCPS should have a plan to deal with it.

FWIW, I actually think it is unrealistic to expect such a plan at this point. But I would stop assuming that everyone that is concerned about the current situation in the schools is anti-teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be a much bigger problem with in-person than it would be with virtual. I was assured that we must avoid virtual at all costs because of learning loss. Ah, well.

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down
In Person = some kids who had to miss school may lose some instruction time loss

All kids losing some instruction is worse than some kids losing some instruction time.

No, see...

Virtual = almost all kids lose some instruction because the curriculum is paired down

In Person = many kids who had to miss school (at a greater rate than they'd have to miss virtual) will lose some instruction time

And

In Person = many kids who never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who have to spend much of their time catching up 10-30% of kids who were out last week (for several weeks)

And

In Person = many kids who missed or never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who are absent for much longer than they'd be if we had virtual (asymptomatic, close contacts, recovered from symptoms before they stopped being contagious)

And

In Person = (let's say "some") kids who missed or never missed school will lose some instruction time to teachers who are overwhelmed by increased disciplinary demands or who have to teach two classes at once because of a sub shortage. Oh, and specials in ES? If the teacher is out, the teacher is out.

Bottom line:

All kids losing some instruction time is better than most kids losing even more instruction time (maybe just "a little more"), and getting and spreading COVID in greater numbers (maybe only "somewhat" greater numbers), and all of the stress that comes with that.

But you'll never see it that way. Especially if your kid is one of the ones who isn't as affected.

DP, but you are grossly minimizing the negative consequences from virtual. The best case scenario is kids losing "some" instruction time. Fully, what 20%? 30% of kids don't log in to virtual AT ALL, so they get nothing. Probably another third or so log in minimally, have a lot of trouble, try to do it on their own, etc. So virtual is sufficient for, what, a third of kids at the absolute most? Get real.

You don't have to take my word for it, though. There are actual studies on DL, which show what an unmitigated failure it was. Trying to claim otherwise is unconscionable.

Parents need to step up and take responsibility and make sure kids are logging in and doing the work.

Please. Most families don't have an adult at home who can focus solely on supporting their kids during virtual. For elementary-aged kids, it's a TON of work. And older kids need more specialized support that many parents can offer.

Stop gaslighting parents into thinking virtual is a reasonable option and, moreover, that if it doesn't work, it's their fault. It's not.

How? Once my kids knew how to log on, that's all they needed to do. They did their work after dinner and on weekends. My mom helped them log on for the first few days but ended up going home early since they didn't need help after that.

Your mom? Please tell us about your solution and how it will scale across the district.

Also, if PP think that "all" kids needed to do with virtual was learn how to log on. Do they know that little about what the days on Zoom were like? The assignments? The switching to third-party websites or apps?

The grandma comment is painfully ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

My kids left Zoom on all day like the teacher told them. There were breaks and we set timers for them. They did work at night. Their teachers were just happy to get any work that they didn’t care when it was done. Standards were very low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So teachers who taught virtual were bad, evil people who allowed loss of learning. Now in person all year, teachers are bad people who get sick with covid ( or are home with sick kids) probably from sick kids in class and still responsible for learning loss.

Ok, got it. 👌

I don't see people blaming the teachers. I see people saying there is an issue caused by lack of instruction and MCPS should have a plan to deal with it.

FWIW, I actually think it is unrealistic to expect such a plan at this point. But I would stop assuming that everyone that is concerned about the current situation in the schools is anti-teacher.

Some are angry - not because teachers taught virtual, but because schools were unreasonably and unnecessarily closed to in-person learning for over a year, which harmed most students. Don't distort the parents' position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So teachers who taught virtual were bad, evil people who allowed loss of learning. Now in person all year, teachers are bad people who get sick with covid ( or are home with sick kids) probably from sick kids in class and still responsible for learning loss.

Ok, got it. 👌

I don't see people blaming the teachers. I see people saying there is an issue caused by lack of instruction and MCPS should have a plan to deal with it.

FWIW, I actually think it is unrealistic to expect such a plan at this point. But I would stop assuming that everyone that is concerned about the current situation in the schools is anti-teacher.

Some are angry - not because teachers taught virtual, but because schools were unreasonably and unnecessarily closed to in-person learning for over a year, which harmed most students. Don't distort the parents' position.

Huh? How was I distorting any parents' position? I was reviewing this thread and noting that nobody in it seemed to be blaming teachers, refuting the PP I responded to.

I feel like you think you are disagreeing with me, but are actually agreeing?

[Anonymous]

They can't come up with a plan to keep the kids from catching a preventable but dangerous disease.

Do you really think learning loss is on their radar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can't come up with a plan to keep the kids from catching a preventable but dangerous disease.

Do you really think learning loss is on their radar?

It’s call Montgomery County Public Schools - educating students should be their focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are so adamant about schools being open in person, well this means teachers are going to get sick and children might not get the best instruction for a few days. Teachers are sick now and going to continue to get sick.

Ok. So what’s the plan? Will the curriculum be taught? If so, how? And will they have time to take tests and quizzes before the end of the semester? Or is the grade they have now pretty much the grade they’ll have for the quarter?

They will be stuffed into overcrowded classrooms with other classes and gyms and nobody will learn anything, but hey, at least your kids will be warehoused and as we’ve heard again and again and again, that’s really all that matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are exhausting.

Seriously? Do you have a high school junior who is trying to put together as good as a transcript as they can for college applications? Life is still marching on and these things still matter.

Complaining parents need to step up and teach.

+1 everytime we screw up at work we just look at each other and say "complaining customers should step up and do it themselves "

I find comments along these lines hilarious. So, anybody can “step up and teach,” while at the same time, teachers are highly skilled professionals? Yeah, that makes sense.

OP, you’ll almost certainly need to look to tutoring or some kind of supplementation because MCPS isn’t going to make this lost work up. There are too many other issues and it’s too hard to do. I’m not saying that’s all right, but it is what it is. And no, virtual wouldn’t result in less learning loss; you people know there’s actual data on that, right?

Pretty much anyone can step up and do a substitute teaching gig. Is your body warm? Yep, you probably qualify! (Assuming no record of child endangerment). Maybe consider subbing? I think they’ll even pay you like $14/hour.

I have a full-time professional job, but thanks.

My point wasn't about subbing, it was about people screeching that parents need to do teachers' jobs while at the same time protesting that no one can do the job of a teacher, because they're so highly specialized. But also, a warm body isn't going to fill the gaps that are missing for kids' educations, and I think you know that.

Yes, we know. It doesn’t matter. Quit. Take leave. Nothing whatsoever is more important to you screamers than kids in buildings at all times at all costs, so go teach on a teacher’s salary and be part of the solution.

Thanks in advance. Enjoy that sweet, sweet teacher salary.