An idea to address in person teaching

[Anonymous]

I think most agree that DL doesn't work for younger kids. What if DCPS looked into utilizing high schools to create more opportunity for the younger kids to socially distance and use that as a way for in-person teaching?

Obviously more teachers would have to be hired, but if you can poll families to see who would return to in person school, it's not likely to be 100%

Maybe that's a way to keep class sizes smaller and the opportunity for more distancing - at least get the younger kids in front of a teacher. Just a thought....

[Anonymous]

I don’t want my kids inside a building with other kids for the foreseeable future. But this could work for people who are willing - only if the staff volunteer for it.

[Anonymous]

DCPS is going to be stretched too thin to organize something like this. It simply is not realistic. what you describe is complex and misses staffing. Custodians assigned to Wilson don't want to work to clean up after 4 year olds nor does that custodial staff want another school's custodial staff to come into their school. What you describe will not happen.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the issue is real estate - its human contact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS is going to be stretched too thin to organize something like this. It simply is not realistic. what you describe is complex and misses staffing. Custodians assigned to Wilson don't want to work to clean up after 4 year olds nor does that custodial staff want another school's custodial staff to come into their school. What you describe will not happen.

Maybe, but interesting that you point out that custodial staff won't want the work. Are those same staff that you speak of employed right now? Have they been laid off? If they've been laid off I'm sure they would want the work.

[Anonymous]

You should email the chancellor. I’m certain they haven’t thought of this already.

[Anonymous]

Yes this idea has been bandied about. Mary Cheh has told me she discussed it, along with outdoor classrooms, with the mayor. Unfortunately, it does appear that the logistical challenges are too great for DCPS to even attempt. I’m deeply disappointed but have given up hoping.

[Anonymous]

Hiring more teachers is likely a bigger hurdle than you imagine. Where will these teachers come from?

Also, are there enough buildings with classrooms that have adequate ventilation? And what about meals, when kids have to remove their masks? Will the schools have to buy new classroom furniture, because chairs and tables sized for teenagers are too big for first graders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hiring more teachers is likely a bigger hurdle than you imagine. Where will these teachers come from?

Also, are there enough buildings with classrooms that have adequate ventilation? And what about meals, when kids have to remove their masks? Will the schools have to buy new classroom furniture, because chairs and tables sized for teenagers are too big for first graders?

I’m the disappointed poster above. I agree hiring is a major challenge but seriously do you think it’s acceptable that our schools are run by people who can’t figure out the other questions. I mean seriously.

[Anonymous]

On the logistical side, they'd have to swap out the toilets for smaller ones (and for the younger kids there wouldn't be bathrooms in the classrooms)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the logistical side, they'd have to swap out the toilets for smaller ones (and for the younger kids there wouldn't be bathrooms in the classrooms)

Do you guys all have dual toilets at home? Have you heard of stools? I mean honestly, have we lost our minds? (I know this is a losing battle but I would just like to see some acknowledgement that we’ve just completely folded without even trying.

[Anonymous]

Look, this approach might be feasible in a small, largely homogeneous school system. But in DCPS? There is no way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hiring more teachers is likely a bigger hurdle than you imagine. Where will these teachers come from?

Also, are there enough buildings with classrooms that have adequate ventilation? And what about meals, when kids have to remove their masks? Will the schools have to buy new classroom furniture, because chairs and tables sized for teenagers are too big for first graders?

I’m the disappointed poster above. I agree hiring is a major challenge but seriously do you think it’s acceptable that our schools are run by people who can’t figure out the other questions. I mean seriously.

I feel like they could poll teachers and see if there are enough willing to be back in person for this age group. I bet if they tried to really make a plan they could do in person for the lower grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the logistical side, they'd have to swap out the toilets for smaller ones (and for the younger kids there wouldn't be bathrooms in the classrooms)

Do you guys all have dual toilets at home? Have you heard of stools? I mean honestly, have we lost our minds? (I know this is a losing battle but I would just like to see some acknowledgement that we’ve just completely folded without even trying.

If your child falls off the stool into the toilet in your home it’s not a huge deal. It it happens in school you’re going to need to fill out forms and deal with lawsuit threats from the parents. And then they don’t allow stools in the bathroom anymore and you spend bathroom break lifting children on and off the toilet, and you need another adult to be in the bathroom with you to make sure there’s no funny business.

Before you blame schools and teachers for not trying you need to understand the reason why where you see solutions we see problems. Litigious parents are why bees, sun, poor air quality, and heat are reasons why we can’t have class outside. Why stools in the bathroom are a no go. For every good out of the box solution there is a crazy person out there that will find a problem with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the logistical side, they'd have to swap out the toilets for smaller ones (and for the younger kids there wouldn't be bathrooms in the classrooms)

Do you guys all have dual toilets at home? Have you heard of stools? I mean honestly, have we lost our minds? (I know this is a losing battle but I would just like to see some acknowledgement that we’ve just completely folded without even trying.

If your child falls off the stool into the toilet in your home it’s not a huge deal. It it happens in school you’re going to need to fill out forms and deal with lawsuit threats from the parents. And then they don’t allow stools in the bathroom anymore and you spend bathroom break lifting children on and off the toilet, and you need another adult to be in the bathroom with you to make sure there’s no funny business.

Before you blame schools and teachers for not trying you need to understand the reason why where you see solutions we see problems. Litigious parents are why bees, sun, poor air quality, and heat are reasons why we can’t have class outside. Why stools in the bathroom are a no go. For every good out of the box solution there is a crazy person out there that will find a problem with it.

I’m sorry. I agree that our litigious society is a major problem, but again please just acknowledge that your argument that we can’t send our children to school in a pandemic is that they might fall into the toilets. We have some serious work to do as a nation.