Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:33     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think that’s 6-7 kids per group...

Our school classes are around 20 so 26 would larger, for us. Did they say what the max size would be?


They're aiming for 24 kids, but laws allow up to 35 for the older Elementary kids, and 30 for the younger ones.


We were told to expect a max out of the 30/35. I know they want to try to go smaller in a Title I.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:31     Subject: Re:Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:I'd this much different that what they get in person?

If so, then our kids are getting shortchanged to begin with.


I definitely will be if when go back to all DL. Hybrid classes will also meet 4x a week, but with 24 kids, not 34.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:29     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:I think that’s 6-7 kids per group...

Our school classes are around 20 so 26 would larger, for us. Did they say what the max size would be?


For DL they are saying they will fill classes up to the state quota. It can be up to 29 in K with an IA (24 without), 30 kids in 1-3, 35 kids in grades 4-6. Plus, they Also have look at average class size. Hybrid kids are capped because of social distancing at 24 per teacher in most ES classes. Title 1 schools will also bring the average down.

I wish people really looked at each plan carefully and stopped listening to the DL only teachers union. You are being given unrealistic expectations.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:20     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our principal confirmed last night that each child will receive 2.5 to 3.5 hours of live instruction every day. So the PP above is incorrect. If your principal is not providing that, definitely push back.


does that include small group time (when you child presumably will not be receiving instruction when they are not a part of the group), or is there just no small group time? If the total time for a day is 3.5 hours, and there is any break out time, your child will not receive 3.5 hours


I think most people would be OK with less than 3.5 hours if their child’s math and language arts small group met with the teacher daily.


It depends on class size. They say virtual will be bigger. If they get 30-32 kids into 6 reading groups, and teacher can do 15 min with each every other class. So twice a week. I know the say they will state within state guidelines, but my third grader was in a class of 33 with no IA.

The in school cohort will likely also have daily reading groups. But only 12-15 kids. So, three groups with daily instruction, which also ends up at twice a week.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:17     Subject: Re:Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:I actually really love this plan. I think it's consistent, realistic and teacher-directed (without having superfluous or unnecessary screentime).


+1
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:15     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our principal confirmed last night that each child will receive 2.5 to 3.5 hours of live instruction every day. So the PP above is incorrect. If your principal is not providing that, definitely push back.


does that include small group time (when you child presumably will not be receiving instruction when they are not a part of the group), or is there just no small group time? If the total time for a day is 3.5 hours, and there is any break out time, your child will not receive 3.5 hours


+1. Younger kid have the attention span of gnats and need a mix of large groups, small groups, individual help and frequent breaks. They can’t since and listen to an online math lesson for an hour. They can do a 15 minute lesson the work on something in small groups in breakout rooms with the teacher popping in to check on their progress. It looks like FacPs will do a mix of large and small, then use office time for individual groups.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:13     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:Agree, or if what was being provided was very high quality, innovative, engaging, effective. No one wants their kid staring at a screen watching 30 minutes of show and tell and positivity project and teachers playing videos of other teachers doing read alouds.


Yup. DD's teachers did a really good job with something like 1:15 of instruction time (yes, including small groups on occasion), and if the DL teachers did the same, but with even an extra 30 minutes of instruction, they can more than adequately cover the curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:11     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:I think that’s 6-7 kids per group...

Our school classes are around 20 so 26 would larger, for us. Did they say what the max size would be?


They're aiming for 24 kids, but laws allow up to 35 for the older Elementary kids, and 30 for the younger ones.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:10     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:So what you are saying is there is no minimum amount of time a child is required to be taught under the virtual model? Here, there is only 50 minutes of instruction by the classroom teacher, 20 minutes of morning meeting, and 30 minutes of specials (which may or may not be live, but we will count them). That’s 100 minutes at most of the child doesn’t have small group meetings. Less than 2 hours. Even the small group meetings would only add maybe 20 more minutes of time with the teacher. So that gets your child to 2 hours, total. Far less than 3.5.

If you are saying this plan was described from the perspective of the school system (staff will be teaching 3.5 hours each day), and not from the perspective of the student (child will receive 3.5 hours a day of instruction).....well, that was an odd choice by FCPS.


It isn’t if you remember that FCPS will be signing contracts with the teachers that state how much time they work each day, and how much is student contact. So, they need a standard for teachers— x amount of face time, x amount of office hours, x amount of planning.

They don’t sign a contract with you guaranteeing anything.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:10     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
If full time in school provided a good education, how many hours can you shave off and still expect similar results? DL right now puts them in school for half the hours that they used to be (best case). You can get creative with scheduling all you want, but with half the hours to work with, I don't foresee good results
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:08     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
I think that’s 6-7 kids per group...

Our school classes are around 20 so 26 would larger, for us. Did they say what the max size would be?
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:06     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our principal confirmed last night that each child will receive 2.5 to 3.5 hours of live instruction every day. So the PP above is incorrect. If your principal is not providing that, definitely push back.


does that include small group time (when you child presumably will not be receiving instruction when they are not a part of the group), or is there just no small group time? If the total time for a day is 3.5 hours, and there is any break out time, your child will not receive 3.5 hours


I think most people would be OK with less than 3.5 hours if their child’s math and language arts small group met with the teacher daily.


I don't see any chance of that happening - there just aren't enough hours allotted


A class of 26 students, 4 small groups? Off the top of my head-

10 min morning attendance/meeting
25 min math lesson
60 min math groups-10-15 min check for understanding, students who need more help attend office hours
20 min ELA lesson
80 min for reading groups/book clubs
20 minute ss/science
30 minute special
= 215 minutes plus office hours for the classroom teacher and 30 min for the specials teacher. Each student gets a small group
Math and reading group 4 x a week.
This is a bare bones schedule that doesn’t include any extras but gets the basics taught.


is 8 kids a small group and is 26 a reasonable number- I thought the intent was for DL classes to be larger
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 12:02     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our principal confirmed last night that each child will receive 2.5 to 3.5 hours of live instruction every day. So the PP above is incorrect. If your principal is not providing that, definitely push back.


does that include small group time (when you child presumably will not be receiving instruction when they are not a part of the group), or is there just no small group time? If the total time for a day is 3.5 hours, and there is any break out time, your child will not receive 3.5 hours


I think most people would be OK with less than 3.5 hours if their child’s math and language arts small group met with the teacher daily.


I don't see any chance of that happening - there just aren't enough hours allotted


A class of 26 students, 4 small groups? Off the top of my head-

10 min morning attendance/meeting
25 min math lesson
60 min math groups-10-15 min check for understanding, students who need more help attend office hours
20 min ELA lesson
80 min for reading groups/book clubs
20 minute ss/science
30 minute special
= 215 minutes plus office hours for the classroom teacher and 30 min for the specials teacher. Each student gets a small group
Math and reading group 4 x a week.
This is a bare bones schedule that doesn’t include any extras but gets the basics taught.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 11:52     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:Agree, or if what was being provided was very high quality, innovative, engaging, effective. No one wants their kid staring at a screen watching 30 minutes of show and tell and positivity project and teachers playing videos of other teachers doing read alouds.


Yeah, we saw that show in the spring and don’t want any reruns on that.
Anonymous
Post 07/09/2020 09:53     Subject: Virtual Learning for Elementary School-Description by Our Principal
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our principal confirmed last night that each child will receive 2.5 to 3.5 hours of live instruction every day. So the PP above is incorrect. If your principal is not providing that, definitely push back.


does that include small group time (when you child presumably will not be receiving instruction when they are not a part of the group), or is there just no small group time? If the total time for a day is 3.5 hours, and there is any break out time, your child will not receive 3.5 hours


I think most people would be OK with less than 3.5 hours if their child’s math and language arts small group met with the teacher daily.


I don't see any chance of that happening - there just aren't enough hours allotted