As if Zoom Kindergarten isn't difficult enough

[Anonymous]

My DD's teacher recently left on maternity leave and things have been pretty brutal with the long term substitute. She isn't fluid with the computer so lots of time is lost as she tries to go back and forth between things. We are also having audio tech issues that we didn't have before, leading me to think she may have inadequate wifi to run these calls. She seems to be reading off of a script and doesn't adapt well to any sort of variation. She speaks in a very soft, monotone voice that is very hard to stay engaged with. Finally, she has a very thick accent that is hard for me to understand and even more difficult for the kids. This is particularly problematic because a lot of K is learning letters and what sounds they make and that is much harder with the accent. Obviously, there is nothing the teacher can do about he accent and it isn't her "fault," but it is going to make it really hard for the kids to learn.

Before this, things had been going . . . ok. To her credit, DD was able to more or less stay engaged despite the ours in front of a screen and the difficulty of doing remote learning as a 5-yr old. I doubt she was learning as much as she would have in real school, but it wasn't worthless. Now, she is already growing really frustrated about not being able to understand or be understood. She has gotten extremely fidgety and is no longer engaged the way she was when the teacher was (frankly) far more engaging.

I guess this is just a vent. I have no delusions that there is anything we can do about it. I just hope the regular teacher actually returns as planned because, if I knew it was going to be like this the whole year, I don't know that I would keep her in the class.

[Anonymous]

Plan for the whole year to be like this, OP.

[Anonymous]

Why are you keeping her enrolled in that school? It is so easy to homeschool kindergarten. Or find a preschool that is offering kindergarten. With what you are describing it seems pointless to continue.

[Anonymous]

Can you swing private kinder at a daycare type place? Some even follow the MCPS curriculum. I looked at Bethesda country day but we decided to hold back in preschool. BCD is about 1400 a month.

[Anonymous]

Oof, I went through this last year. My kiddo's kindergarten teacher was literally 2 months from retirement when the pandemic hit. She was wonderful, seasoned, and beloved in person, but it was PAINFUL to watch her struggle with DL. I felt so bad. She went from best teacher to nonexistent, and it was rough for the kids.

I'm sure this sub had no idea what she was in for, either. Would it be possible to reach out to the school for support?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oof, I went through this last year. My kiddo's kindergarten teacher was literally 2 months from retirement when the pandemic hit. She was wonderful, seasoned, and beloved in person, but it was PAINFUL to watch her struggle with DL. I felt so bad. She went from best teacher to nonexistent, and it was rough for the kids.

I'm sure this sub had no idea what she was in for, either. Would it be possible to reach out to the school for support?

What kind of support do you think the school could/would provide? I can't imagine that they could get a different sub. Even if someone else is available, I assume for political and other reasons it is near impossible to have someone replaced. They aren't going to let us join the classes of the other K teachers, even though that is slightly more conceivable than it would be with in-person school.

I'm not even sure what I would ask for, assuming I wanted to limit asks to things that were plausible.

[Anonymous]

Subs are hired by the principal. Take it up with admin.

[Anonymous]

Why are you keeping her enrolled in that school? It is so easy to homeschool kindergarten. Or find a preschool that is offering kindergarten. With what you are describing it seems pointless to continue.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Why are you keeping her enrolled in that school? It is so easy to homeschool kindergarten. Or find a preschool that is offering kindergarten. With what you are describing it seems pointless to continue.

+100

Neither of those are that easy to accomplish. Homeschooling would make work even harder than it is now. The cost of a private preschool isn't completely prohibitive, but it sure ain't nothing. And that assumes that we could find one with an open space at this point and that we would be comfortable sending her in person. I guess we could do remote private K, but it seems really hard to justify the cost of tuition for remote learning, even if it is better than the sub.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why are you keeping her enrolled in that school? It is so easy to homeschool kindergarten. Or find a preschool that is offering kindergarten. With what you are describing it seems pointless to continue.

+100

Neither of those are that easy to accomplish. Homeschooling would make work even harder than it is now. The cost of a private preschool isn't completely prohibitive, but it sure ain't nothing. And that assumes that we could find one with an open space at this point and that we would be comfortable sending her in person. I guess we could do remote private K, but it seems really hard to justify the cost of tuition for remote learning, even if it is better than the sub.

It takes about 90 minutes a day to homeschool a kindergarten student. Just post on homeschooling topic and with a few hours people will post good curriculum choices like Singapore math, all about reading, handwriting without tears. Add a couple of fun online outschool classes and you are all set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD's teacher recently left on maternity leave and things have been pretty brutal with the long term substitute. She isn't fluid with the computer so lots of time is lost as she tries to go back and forth between things. We are also having audio tech issues that we didn't have before, leading me to think she may have inadequate wifi to run these calls. She seems to be reading off of a script and doesn't adapt well to any sort of variation. She speaks in a very soft, monotone voice that is very hard to stay engaged with. Finally, she has a very thick accent that is hard for me to understand and even more difficult for the kids. This is particularly problematic because a lot of K is learning letters and what sounds they make and that is much harder with the accent. Obviously, there is nothing the teacher can do about he accent and it isn't her "fault," but it is going to make it really hard for the kids to learn.

Before this, things had been going . . . ok. To her credit, DD was able to more or less stay engaged despite the ours in front of a screen and the difficulty of doing remote learning as a 5-yr old. I doubt she was learning as much as she would have in real school, but it wasn't worthless. Now, she is already growing really frustrated about not being able to understand or be understood. She has gotten extremely fidgety and is no longer engaged the way she was when the teacher was (frankly) far more engaging.

I guess this is just a vent. I have no delusions that there is anything we can do about it. I just hope the regular teacher actually returns as planned because, if I knew it was going to be like this the whole year, I don't know that I would keep her in the class.

How dare her prioritize having her own child over yours!! What's is wrong with these people!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD's teacher recently left on maternity leave and things have been pretty brutal with the long term substitute. She isn't fluid with the computer so lots of time is lost as she tries to go back and forth between things. We are also having audio tech issues that we didn't have before, leading me to think she may have inadequate wifi to run these calls. She seems to be reading off of a script and doesn't adapt well to any sort of variation. She speaks in a very soft, monotone voice that is very hard to stay engaged with. Finally, she has a very thick accent that is hard for me to understand and even more difficult for the kids. This is particularly problematic because a lot of K is learning letters and what sounds they make and that is much harder with the accent. Obviously, there is nothing the teacher can do about he accent and it isn't her "fault," but it is going to make it really hard for the kids to learn.

Before this, things had been going . . . ok. To her credit, DD was able to more or less stay engaged despite the ours in front of a screen and the difficulty of doing remote learning as a 5-yr old. I doubt she was learning as much as she would have in real school, but it wasn't worthless. Now, she is already growing really frustrated about not being able to understand or be understood. She has gotten extremely fidgety and is no longer engaged the way she was when the teacher was (frankly) far more engaging.

I guess this is just a vent. I have no delusions that there is anything we can do about it. I just hope the regular teacher actually returns as planned because, if I knew it was going to be like this the whole year, I don't know that I would keep her in the class.

How dare her prioritize having her own child over yours!! What's is wrong with these people!

Yes, that is clearly what that post is saying. Where is there any criticism of the teacher who left on maternity leave?

[Anonymous]

I never went to k. Back in the day a lot of kids didn't. I did very well academically.

If I could do things over, I would stress so much less over the elementary years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oof, I went through this last year. My kiddo's kindergarten teacher was literally 2 months from retirement when the pandemic hit. She was wonderful, seasoned, and beloved in person, but it was PAINFUL to watch her struggle with DL. I felt so bad. She went from best teacher to nonexistent, and it was rough for the kids.

I'm sure this sub had no idea what she was in for, either. Would it be possible to reach out to the school for support?

What kind of support do you think the school could/would provide? I can't imagine that they could get a different sub. Even if someone else is available, I assume for political and other reasons it is near impossible to have someone replaced. They aren't going to let us join the classes of the other K teachers, even though that is slightly more conceivable than it would be with in-person school.

I'm not even sure what I would ask for, assuming I wanted to limit asks to things that were plausible.

Someone (probably a para) can be assigned to help her with the technology. This could be possible if enough parents have the same issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oof, I went through this last year. My kiddo's kindergarten teacher was literally 2 months from retirement when the pandemic hit. She was wonderful, seasoned, and beloved in person, but it was PAINFUL to watch her struggle with DL. I felt so bad. She went from best teacher to nonexistent, and it was rough for the kids.

I'm sure this sub had no idea what she was in for, either. Would it be possible to reach out to the school for support?

What kind of support do you think the school could/would provide? I can't imagine that they could get a different sub. Even if someone else is available, I assume for political and other reasons it is near impossible to have someone replaced. They aren't going to let us join the classes of the other K teachers, even though that is slightly more conceivable than it would be with in-person school.

I'm not even sure what I would ask for, assuming I wanted to limit asks to things that were plausible.

Someone (probably a para) can be assigned to help her with the technology. This could be possible if enough parents have the same issue.

Or the principal could ask a more experienced teacher to help mentor this sub. They can’t help if they don’t know there’s a problem.