Anonymous wrote:I know of 10 students who podded up in one 5th grade class. So that's 10 out of 25 total students.

Wow. I wouldn’t want 10 kids in my house on a daily basis. Even if they’re switching off houses, it’s got to be pure hell when it’s your turn to host...

I teach 2nd grade in a ward 3 school, the number seems very small so far. Most of my students are in their own quiet workspace, maybe they are in some sort of pod where they have their own space. One of my students shows up with a mask and has to keep his microphone muted almost the whole time because of all the background noise. There is person that randomly shows up and aims and shoots one of those no touch thermometers from time to time at him.

I'm going to estimate about 10-15% of the first graders I teach.

Anonymous wrote:Its for child care or for parents who want a break from their kid.

So....? Are those bad reasons?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are in a pod but not telling everyone....no need to.

Everyone knows and is talking about it behind your back.

What? We are at a bilingual charter and know a few families that are working together in our kids' grades. (We are sharing a babysitter with another family a few afternoons a week ourselves.) And we know others in bilingual charters that have pods with 3-4 families total. While there are certainly issues with equity and who can and who can't afford help, there is no gossip and or talking behind backs. Everyone understands that everyone has to make life work right now however than can.

Maybe I love our charter partly because the judgmental crap is kept to a minimum?

There are many layers of equity. All around us families are podding up. My child is traditionally is included in the birthday parties, play dates , sports teams etc - but has a learning disability. We are not quite about it as naming it has provided power. "I am dyslexic - my brain works differently". I had reached out to some classmates parents and got the - we are not sure what we are doing responses. It is really isolating as the pod kids are all socializing not only through the school day - but also by default on the "pod" designation beyond that.

Anonymous wrote:OP here...thanks everyone. I was just curious. We aren’t because we’ve done nannyshares before and while that worked for the time we did it, I’m thankful to not be doing that again (mixing money, work schedules, child rearing philosophies...potential for catastrophe!).

We're in a pod involving several families on Capitol Hill. We've known the other two families well for years. The kids are clearly much happier and more motivated to do their school work than they were in the spring, when they were feeling isolated, while the parents are motivated to make the pod work. Our pod isn't a secret, but we don't broadcast the arrangement. I'm not seeing potential for catastrophe, but who knows. We take it day by day, week by week and hope for the best. Tough situation all around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My PK4er is in a pod in Upper NW. He needed socialization.

Haha. Of course he did. Because most PK-4's don;t need socalization...SMH

F off. He was copying his older sibling’s behavior who is on the autism spectrum, so yes he needed it.

No, he didn't need it, you wanted it.

Its for child care or for parents who want a break from their kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are in a pod but not telling everyone....no need to.

Everyone knows and is talking about it behind your back.

What? We are at a bilingual charter and know a few families that are working together in our kids' grades. (We are sharing a babysitter with another family a few afternoons a week ourselves.) And we know others in bilingual charters that have pods with 3-4 families total. While there are certainly issues with equity and who can and who can't afford help, there is no gossip and or talking behind backs. Everyone understands that everyone has to make life work right now however than can.

Maybe I love our charter partly because the judgmental crap is kept to a minimum?

+1 exactly. We are at an immersion charter and was approached to join a pod as soon as the class list came out. We declined because we will be away all fall. But no judgement or ill will against families who do have them if that is what will work best for their families.

I don’t get why people are putting families down who need pods or being so judgmental. Maybe this happens more at the DCPS schools EOTP where there is a wider disparity of socioeconomic classes. Even so, it achieves nothing and will just drive these families away.

The blame for this mess is not the families forming the pods. It’s this administration who failed to have a national plan. It’s the mayor who opened the bars and restaurants and failed to have any semblance of a DL plan from the getgo for DCPS schools, not ordering enough chromebooks in a timely manner, not giving the teachers enough training and time to prepare, etc.., etc...

The. way you said it sounded like you wanted to be a part of that selective group. Had you explained that there were serious influences that were affecting his behavior in a negative manner, I may have had a different reaction. In an anonymous forum, it's all in how you say it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My PK4er is in a pod in Upper NW. He needed socialization.

Haha. Of course he did. Because most PK-4's don;t need socalization...SMH

F off. He was copying his older sibling’s behavior who is on the autism spectrum, so yes he needed it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are in a pod but not telling everyone....no need to.

Everyone knows and is talking about it behind your back.

What? We are at a bilingual charter and know a few families that are working together in our kids' grades. (We are sharing a babysitter with another family a few afternoons a week ourselves.) And we know others in bilingual charters that have pods with 3-4 families total. While there are certainly issues with equity and who can and who can't afford help, there is no gossip and or talking behind backs. Everyone understands that everyone has to make life work right now however than can.

Maybe I love our charter partly because the judgmental crap is kept to a minimum?

Anonymous wrote:My PK4er is in a pod in Upper NW. He needed socialization.

Haha. Of course he did. Because most PK-4's don;t need socalization...SMH

OP here...thanks everyone. I was just curious. We aren’t because we’ve done nannyshares before and while that worked for the time we did it, I’m thankful to not be doing that again (mixing money, work schedules, child rearing philosophies...potential for catastrophe!).

4 families on my block are in pods / learning groups for at least one of their kids