Anyone else seeing significant drop off in motivation to do DL schoolwork 2nd semester?

[Anonymous]

Teen has hit a brick wall. Spring 2020 and fall 2020 no issue me with DL. Now it’s a battle. The kid is mentally bogged down. He has been doing is outdoor team sport and joined a 3-musician ensemble masked up with a single instructor (in a room about the size of an ES cafeteria). He goes outdoors to exercise. Occasionally meets outdoors with a friend who he trusts to maintain distancing. He’s an introvert, so he isn’t missing big group gatherings but does miss seeing teachers and other friends in person.

Making matters worse are most teachers not giving grades / feedback on homework/quizzes/tests in a timely manner. Friday one teacher finally provided grades from the first week of February. At this point it is difficult (not impossible) to take corrective steps. It’s like I have to do my kids homework every day, hope I get the answers right, and check his work because teacher feedback (in grade book) doesn’t happen until ... just before end of quarter. WTH? Only one teacher provided an interim grade.

Anyone else seeing their kids really checking out after a solid start this SY?

[Anonymous]

No one willing to cop to challenges?

[Anonymous]

We didn’t have a solid start. She has struggled for a full year now. I’m the one who is now hitting a wall. DL has been awful here.

Teachers also seem to be hitting a wall. We have the same as you where they are not posting grades.

[Anonymous]

No, we had a strong start. Slight dip when an extended family member died. Seeing a strong finish. These two have always been that sort of kid. I know my oldest would have struggled so much with both Zoom school and the loss of dances, pep rallies, etc.

[Anonymous]

Definitely less motivation, but mine is a senior who has already been accepted to college. I think this would be happening even without a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Yes my 9th grader. It’s hard.

[Anonymous]

PP here same with no grades posted and than playing catch-up with homework to get grades up for final grade

[Anonymous]

Yes definitely falling off of attention, interest, motivation. Feels like from the teachers as well. DL was meant to be a temporary solution. It’s not working anymore. The

[Anonymous]

My senior says “I came this far, I’m not screwing it up now.” It’s clear that DL is causing mental and physical strain, though, so without that motivation, I’m fairly certain that I would be seeing a lot less effort at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes my 9th grader. It’s hard.

My 9th grader too. And he flipped out when choosing classes for next year, which will be more challenging.

[Anonymous]

Hybrid is helping with this some, but yes.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We moved a month or so ago and my children's learning space went from being in an open (sort of monitored) space to a room with a door. I just got an email from the teacher saying that my child is clearly distracted and has been for a few weeks, and she is worried because it is SO unlike him. Turns out he's watching YouTube. I'm honestly surprised that it took this long into the school year for this to happen. I would have been a TERRIBLE distance learning student if I had all the stuff available to me that kids do now.

[Anonymous]

Teacher and parent here. My students are submitting less work, not responding to messages and I think a lot sign in during class then leave. Some that come to class are engaged but so many are checked out. We recently went back and it is difficult to keep the attention of many seniors in the second semester in a normal year.

My own DC is not attending all online classes. I keep getting the automated FCPS attendance alerts for certain classes. He says the teacher is mistaken but I’m sure he’s watching YouTube most of the day. Or logged on and sleeping. .

We need a normal, in person school year next year.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. This isn’t making me feel better. My kid says he feels worse about himself because he no longer has the desire to do any of the work. He wants me to yell at him. (I don’t want to.) He’s dead serious about that too. In a moment of exasperation today, I raised my voice about newly discovered incomplete assignments. (Teacher just posted grades from beginning of February this weekend.) He gave me a big hug and thanked me!!! I don’t want that kind of dynamic. He says he needs it. Sob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher and parent here. My students are submitting less work, not responding to messages and I think a lot sign in during class then leave. Some that come to class are engaged but so many are checked out. We recently went back and it is difficult to keep the attention of many seniors in the second semester in a normal year.

My own DC is not attending all online classes. I keep getting the automated FCPS attendance alerts for certain classes. He says the teacher is mistaken but I’m sure he’s watching YouTube most of the day. Or logged on and sleeping. .

We need a normal, in person school year next year.

+1. Even my very-motivated 8th grade DD, who responded well to distance learning, is losing her drive lately. When class started she would have already been up and ready, sitting at her desk and ready to go. Now she's lying in bed until seconds before log in time and then she just grabs her Chromebook and does it in bed, wrapped in a blanket, half paying attention.

We're sending her to a small, private HS next year that intends to be open five days in-person.