We're losing 2 of our best teachers because they cannot find childcare. The cost of a nanny is high enough that it just makes sense for teachers to take a year's leave.

No reasonable person is expecting perfection. Everyone is doing the best they can under difficult circumstances. Understanding and good faith on the part of all - administration, teachers, and parents will be required. I am happy that these issues are being considered, rather than hearing some teachers on social media saying that their childcare arrangements are none of anyone else’s concern.

I know a number of teachers in HoCo. They are all struggling to find ways to handle their home situations. I know a few who have relatives who live nearby or who have brought relatives to live with them for the fall to watch their kids when they (the parents) are holding classes. I know a few who have found daycares open for essential workers. And I know two teachers (and their spouses) who put their kids together and the four parents are going to tag team and support the three kids through school around their respective schedules.

Yes, it is reasonable to required that teachers have adequate care for their children during times when the teachers are supposed to be teaching on-line so that their own children do not interrupt their teaching time. That said, we have to be as tolerant as possible because some teachers are going to have a very hard time finding care as there isn't enough care to go around.

The teachers I know agree with the requirement, they are just stressed trying to find the solutions for their individual situations. If they don't adhere, it isn't because they don't agree or support the requirement, it is just a failure to find a solution.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The message said teachers have to be able to give their full attention to live teaching and that if they need to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to do that they should. It did not say they weren’t allowed to have their kids home.

Does anyone think that request is unreasonable?

Not even a little bit.

I think they can only use what childcare is available and when an appropriate or affordable carer is not available, parents will quit. And they won’t be easy to replace since there’s an existing teacher shortage. So that awesome K teacher with an infant might be replaced by an uncertified LTS.

I also wondered if it is possible that they are starting the process of feeling out whether teachers will need extra supports for their own families?

Another option discussed in thread weeks ago might be to team teachers together if there are insurmountable childcare needs. I mean a K teacher with an infant would have had some childcare for the baby regardless. Maybe instead of a daycare setting they use an high school or college student? Why should they be able to care for their infant and teach at the same time? I don't understand.

Forget the infant, let’s say the teacher had a 4 and 6 year old that will now be home. If the requirement is that they have childcare while they teach, and they can’t find it, they’ll need to quit. Childcare is increasingly difficult to find due to increased demand, and it's expensive. These are the same issues that all working parents are facing. My office has allowed us more flexible hours (including being able to make up hours on the weekend) but I think that would be difficult to do for teachers because of the set schedules.

I hope all our employers/coworkers/clients/students/parents are kind to each other this fall, it’s going to be a rough one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The message said teachers have to be able to give their full attention to live teaching and that if they need to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to do that they should. It did not say they weren’t allowed to have their kids home.

Does anyone think that request is unreasonable?

Not even a little bit.

I think they can only use what childcare is available and when an appropriate or affordable carer is not available, parents will quit. And they won’t be easy to replace since there’s an existing teacher shortage. So that awesome K teacher with an infant might be replaced by an uncertified LTS.

I also wondered if it is possible that they are starting the process of feeling out whether teachers will need extra supports for their own families?

Another option discussed in thread weeks ago might be to team teachers together if there are insurmountable childcare needs. I mean a K teacher with an infant would have had some childcare for the baby regardless. Maybe instead of a daycare setting they use an high school or college student? Why should they be able to care for their infant and teach at the same time? I don't understand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The message said teachers have to be able to give their full attention to live teaching and that if they need to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to do that they should. It did not say they weren’t allowed to have their kids home.

Does anyone think that request is unreasonable?

Not even a little bit.

I think they can only use what childcare is available and when an appropriate or affordable carer is not available, parents will quit. And they won’t be easy to replace since there’s an existing teacher shortage. So that awesome K teacher with an infant might be replaced by an uncertified LTS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The message said teachers have to be able to give their full attention to live teaching and that if they need to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to do that they should. It did not say they weren’t allowed to have their kids home.

Does anyone think that request is unreasonable?

Not even a little bit.

Anonymous wrote:The message said teachers have to be able to give their full attention to live teaching and that if they need to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to do that they should. It did not say they weren’t allowed to have their kids home.

Does anyone think that request is unreasonable?

The message said teachers have to be able to give their full attention to live teaching and that if they need to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to do that they should. It did not say they weren’t allowed to have their kids home.

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a teacher, but I heard the same rumor. I would think that if this is even partially true, the message would not be that kids had to be in daycare, but that they would need to have childcare arrangements in place at least during synchronous teaching hours. Could be a sibling, spouse, grandparent, babysitter, etc. I don’t think it is unreasonable for administration to ask that teachers give some thought to how they will handle synchronous learning and small group meetings with kids at home. If they don’t at least ask questions, administrators are inviting parent complaints and outrage.

That makes sense

I’m not a teacher, but I heard the same rumor. I would think that if this is even partially true, the message would not be that kids had to be in daycare, but that they would need to have childcare arrangements in place at least during synchronous teaching hours. Could be a sibling, spouse, grandparent, babysitter, etc. I don’t think it is unreasonable for administration to ask that teachers give some thought to how they will handle synchronous learning and small group meetings with kids at home. If they don’t at least ask questions, administrators are inviting parent complaints and outrage.

A friend just told me that her friend who is a teacher in Hoco was sent an email that if she has young children she needs to send them to daycare for the hours she will be teaching DL. Does anyone know if this is true? And how can they force it?