The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: How is the first day of distance learning going? What’s worked, and what hasn’t?
Talk about it….
G-G-child doing Kindergarten here. I can only say between mom & child, the fight is on! But they did get through it in one piece. Hoping by the end of the week their mutual participation will smooth out.
My grandson is starting 2nd grade through Brentwood School Dist. I have to say, both of his parents and myself are quite impressed at how organized his school year has started. His teacher is amazing. He is doing well with the online and at home work. So far, so good. We can only hope that this continues to work well.
Sorry…to busy going over today’s lesson to go into detail.
ooof! Don’t ask. MDUSD stated that teachers are to provide 120 minutes/day of instruction. That means work for an hour, take a lunch break, work for another, then they’re done. Absolute BS.
It’s not that easy.
~Retired Teacher
A two hour teaching day versus a five hour teaching day is a joke.
@WhoDat Gurl
120 minutes of LIVE instruction is only part of it. Teachers also must plan for another 2 hours of work students can complete off line, plus meet with ELD learners 30 minutes every day along with providing additional instruction in smaller groups or 1 on 1 with students who need more support. Grading and feedback on assignments…. some teachers are putting in 12 hour days between teaching, planning, providing tech support, answering emails, conferencing with families…
@ ZZ
Thank you. Teachers are paid full time, right? So why aren’t they working full time?
@TeacherMom
It is easy; easier to do it myself than relying on a union-driven, liberal-minded anti-professional “profession” which does nothing but complain. No thanks.
@ whodatgurl;
The teachers are working “full time”. Prior to their online time with children, they are sending out weekly curriculum, receiving the work for the previous week, grading said work, planning for the next week, answering questions from parents, answering questions from students, etc.
Some teachers/educators are finding that they need to split their class in half for online learning. Half of the students who understand the online learning concept and have support from parents, and half who do not either understand or have supportive parents. This is twice the work, but not twice the pay. Yes, I get it, there is more parental involvement needed to make this work. But, we need to support our students in this very odd year.
Please be supportive of our teachers!
^
An expert on a subject they know absolutely nothing about. Your corny ‘moniker’ smacks of ‘clueless’.
@WhoDat Girl–Clearly you don’t realize the hours of preperation required to teach well and responsibly. If you think teaching is that easy, then you try it. Otherwise dial back on harping on what you know little about. Oh, and unconventional spelling doesn’t make you look cool, only uneducated–
please enlighten with detail what the average teacher’s day involves with this online stuff….
The naysayers may be surprised; or not.
Cellie, so you want someone to dial back on his/her opinions because he/she is not a member of a teacher’s union? Or is it that you just want the opinions of everyone dialed back because they differ from your own? Oh, and ending your sentence with a hyphen doesn’t make you look cool, only uneducated.
Teaching the same subjects/matters on repeat every month/year shouldn’t require “hours of preparation”. Only a union worker who is more interested in complaining than actually teaching would say these things.
Harping is defined as “repeatedly restating ones point of view”. I have not done so previously, nor do I intend to do so going forward. Therefore, you’re incorrect.
Lastly, my moniker is mine, and I choose to use it as I please. If it upsets you so, I suggest you find a more captivating issue to occupy your time, such as bickering with total strangers on social media or collecting toenail clippings.
I’ve spoken with a number of people from the area who have children on distance learning in schools that started before MDUSD; also spoke with 1 teacher. Their responses to “How is it going?” ran the gamut. From “we are very pleased and it’s going great” to “it’s a sh*t show, the school district is completely unprepared”.
Interestingly, no one said they thought students should now be physically in schools for live instruction. One parent went so far as to say that if schools had started with in-class learning, he was not going to let his high school age daughter attend.
I say that. They need to be in school.
Thank the gods for our teachers!!! Just think, a few weeks ago, the district was desperately pushing the “hybrid” package with fancy power point presentations and workflows – and somehow miraculously, they saw the light and made the right call for virtual learning. However, instead of supporting the teachers and local schools with all of the high dollar IT salary people and software they claim to need each year, the teachers were all able to set up their zoom accounts, their google classrooms, while the principles and admin were able to get Chromebooks and resources to the students who need it. Hats off to the teachers and the rest of the school staff. It’s tough enough to have to re-learn how to teach in this crazy world, but to do with such grace and with little to no support of the district – who by the way are still busy still looking up videos on YouTube on Contract Negotiation for Dummies. Hey MDUSD – just figured out your IT issue – take all those positions, eliminate them – and give that money to the teachers (yes, those kids make more money than the teachers do). The teachers knocked out all the virtual learning setup at any rate. Your IT people didn’t even pass out computers, the principles set that up. I’m thinking MDUSD admin is worried that there might be efficiencies gained out of virtual learning that will ultimately eliminate most of their roles. To recap: great job teachers! Well done.
So, what you’re saying is…, you have no idea what you are talking about. The IT Department provisioned every device at a moments notice. Had to deal with the back end of procuring said devices. Managed the Chromebook settings for the domain, security so little bobby, shaniqua don’t land on porn pages, constant updates to the dashboards, backend, back end.. You think the teachers and the admin team would be able to handle that? NO. Unfortunately, its people like you that need to be re-educated in how EdTech works. Maybe next time.
Joey – now come on, let’s think about what you are saying before we say it.
The devices you say were procured were not procured by IT techs, they were procured by MDUSD sourcing.
MDUSD IT doesn’t create software out of thin air, they deploy it. The devices were already at schools Joey, the principles handed them out. All of this was done, true enough hours before the school year started, after they decided to try and justify their jobs and have their voices heard by resetting everyone’s password, just to add further confusion – without providing details on the reset.
Meanwhile, in Gotham, the teachers deployed ZOOM, not IT – in fact, the district can’t afford a zoom license, or the ability to negotiate an enterprise license, which would be far cheaper, and far more effective then the IT techies from University of Phoenix, who will be practicing their putting game in their office on Carlotta.
The teachers have deployed apps within their zoom sessions to make screen share and lesson improvement a top priority – not IT. The teachers seem to meeting within departments to train each other on software – not IT.
So Joey, once upon a time, we all agreed not to leave any children behind…sorry – but it seems like you missed the bus.
unless of course, you’re holding their golf clubs on Carlotta.
@WhoDatGirl… You really don’t have any idea…MDUSD teachers are providing 2 hours of online instruction per day and have created lessons/ work for almost 2 more hours for students to do offline, as well as office hours at the beginning and end of the day to address concerns students or parents have including helping with independent offline work!
@Frustrated
**I** have no idea about my own opinion and the quality of education my children are receiving? Do Tell.
Prepare for domestic violence and child abuse to increase in households 🙁
@Aunt Barbara
Please explain. Is there a correlation between virtual learning and domestic violence?
I have worked as a trainer in the justice system for more than 25 years and I have worked on domestic violence caseload training and I may have missed the study that shows the correlation between virtual training and DV.
Yes children are now home with abusers 24/7. Is that enough correlation for you.
A large number of families from our public school are gathering with home school co-ops. This way, they at least this way they still get to socialize with some friends. When we are forced into distance learning, as caring parents we have to get creative.
Glad to hear it people are taking the initiative.
Face to face socialization is the most important aspect of education.
I cringe at the thought of children being raised to follow remote orders from a computer screen.
My daughter and two other like-minded moms have formed a POD to assist their children with virtual learning. It’s a great idea! It amazes me how many people talk as though this is a permanent situation or a plot by lazy teachers to get out of work. It is neither. Health matters. Please note what is happening in states that have tried to open. It is not working. Nobody said it would be easy but for now, this is what we can do. Please be supportive. It will end.
Well I have 3 kids in MDUSD 1 in high school 1 in middle & 1 elementary. It felt that the high & middle schools were a little better prepared the elementary had some glitch’s & problems but it was all fixed pretty quickly. I went into this year knowing it would have some issues & I was happy with the outcome this is something new to everyone so it may take a sec to get it right just remember these teachers went to college to teach not to be computer techs so there learning also . Lets give our teachers & children sometime to figure this out there trying getting mad or complaining won’t help us get through this it kinda just complicates it
Here’s your assignment, now go to work. Click..
Clearly you’re an idiot. It’s not as simple as “here’s your assignment…click.” Teachers have to not only teach online but now they have to spend EXTRA TIME and money (yes, they buy a lot of their own stuff) to create assignments online. So don’t act like teachers are lazy. This is something that was forced on them, not something they wanted to happen.
Not quite.. grading, meeting with students virtually, attending faculty meetings, recording while holding lectures… should I continue?
@Jess Not arguing that this wasn’t forced on them, because it was by this Marixst governor. Teachers are using Google classroom and they’re all familiar with it, it’s been in use for a few years. No money spent there by a teacher. No difference between creating assignments online or from a book or handouts. A lot of teachers already have used online assignments, nothing new. There’s no extra time here, business as usual. My argument is teaching time is down by hours a week and Independent study is not teaching.
@zz
Are you a teacher? Clearly not so stop assuming! I am actually a teacher currently and this year I’ve already spent over $300 of my own money on digital assignments because everything we used in the past is hard copies/PDF. I’ve also worked 7 days last week (way more than contract hours). The extra time when we aren’t teaching is used to grade (have you ever graded 30+ students assignments online and multiply that by at least 20 assignments a week?), to prepare lessons, to meet with individual students. Also, google classroom has been around but not many teachers used it before the March quarantine. Since you aren’t a teacher, don’t assume you know what is going on. My 10 minute break between Zooms is up so I have to go back to work Incase you think I’m not working right now (although I did waste my whole break responding to you). PS why don’t you try being a teacher? I bet you would quit before the day is over.
Yes I am a teacher, 30 years. I grade 150 students. Sounds like you’re one of those cry baby teachers, you know the liberal kind. Maybe you need to get a new job since you obviously can’t handle this one.
For college, we have 2 ways for online courses.
Option #1 – Some courses, we still have to meet at a specific time on Zoom for a 2 hour lecture for each course either Mon & Wed or Tues & Thurs. We have to appear on camera & on microphone.
Option #2 – No Zoom involved. Course materials are posted online & we just do the assignments & submit them and take quizzes & tests. There are deadlines but we don’t have to meet for lectures.
I prefer option #2.
Interesting you know this already… DVC doesn’t start until the 24th.
Why wouldn’t he/she know about it a week before school starts?
@susan ingram: this options were offered at the time when you registered for classes at DVC. Thank you.
@susan ingram, Online and virtual teaching have been around for years. By the way, DVC ended their semester with virtual teaching when the state was unnecessarily shut down in March.
S.I.never appears to be too sharp.
I wonder if on purpose just to troll and instigate?
Where I teach these types of details would be in a syllabus, not listed in a course schedule. We have the discretion to make exceptions on the way we deliver content based on student need.
Many of us also spent most of the summer (unpaid) to attend workshops on developing engaging content & pedagogy online. The student experience will be different then when we were told to SIP and had to transfer to online platforms.
Just because you don’t agree with me doesn’t make me a troll. Too bad Claycord has devolved, it used to be a great place to discuss ideas. I don’t post often anymore, S so I unless you are posting under a different name, I’m not sure how you can make that assumption.
@Susan Ingram – Of course, I know this already. We register for Fall semester in May so the schedule comes out in April, 1 month before we register so we can build our schedule. However, with Coronavirus the schedule came out in June…. 2 and a half months ago.
We would never see a syllabus until the 1st day of class when the instructor gives it to us. So it would be impossible to get “these types of details” on the days & times of class meetings from an instructor that we are not signed up for, nor registered in.
Every online course at DVC that does not have meeting times & regardless of the subject has the same format. Course materials are posted online & we do the assignments & submit them and take quizzes & tests.
Appreciate all teachers have done over the summer to prepare for online teaching, my teacher daughter included. No one asked for this. She would rather be in classroom getting to know her students. But til the covid numbers go to zero, our slick haired puppetmaster governor will continue pulling our strings.
Dubious at best.
My Clayton student was “in” class starting at 9:00. Logged into all of the appropriate sites. At 9:35, the computer voice called my cell, my wife’s cell, and the house phone to let us know that our child was not in school that day.
If they can’t properly figure out attendance, then what else are they screwing up?
I am so glad my children are grown and done with school. With that being said I wish the students, parents and teachers the best of luck. I know you will all get through this because all of you are smart and resourceful.
Best time in recent history to be a teacher!
2-5 hour days, work from home in your underwear while petting your cat! No need to discipline unruly children, no risk of being assaulted or shot if you worked in a dangerous city, no worries!
I envy the teachers, what an easy gig!
@Anon – A high school math teacher in San Jose got busted recently for not bothering with the underwear for a Zoom class.
@Anon. Anyone who thinks a teacher’s job is easy during this time is mistaken. Teachers are working very hard to create, navigate and engage students in distance learnin. If you could really see everything teachers are doing right now you might have a different viewpoint. Stop criticizing what you don’t know!
Correction to my previous comment..
My sentence should have said distance learning not learnin..
@hehaseesaw. I know a lot of teachers and don’t know any who are working less and enjoying it more.
I am a teacher. The place that I work is having a problem with students not showing up for classwork.
I wish the teaching unions would go back to supporting communist politicians I don’t like.
Well, the schedule is two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. So far with one and a half days in, there has been a total 3 hours barely. Averaging less and hour for the described 2 hours and ten minutes. Granted teachers aren’t our babysitters, but if you say two hours and ten minutes, parents make plans for two hours and ten minutes.
Two hours of instruction/day. California public schools are a joke and an embarrassment. Don’t forget to squeeze those ethnic studies into the 2 hour day now that its a CA requirement…’cause we all know that is more important than a firm grasp of reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic.
Do teachers work hard, yes. Are parents working hard, yes.
My only issue is teachers seem to need a lot of cheering, and oh how great we are (more so than any other profession), when they are actually doing a job they are paid to do. Many parents are working full time from home and have to spend 50% more time with their kids due to the teaching online. I say the parents are the outstanding ones at the moment. Does it inconvenience some of their coworkers who don’t have children, yes, they have to wait for responses until the evenings/early mornings when they have time, or schedule around school sessions with their children. Not a problem, but it’s different and we (parents and coworkers) probably work longer from home because of all the different circumstances, and no pay increases for anyone, and some even losing their jobs. Is it different and adding some inconvenience for teachers, yes, deal with it like the rest of us.
Better if we shutdown the schools, furlough the teachers? If not, do your job, make it work and move forward.
Zoom bombs and teachers getting cussed out by hackers. Going great so far!
I don’t know why schools are using Zoom.
Zoom is the most easily hackable video conferencing with hackers storming the Zoom session & showing provacative pictures & yelling over the instructors to down out their voice & hijsck their lecture.
Employers prohibit employees from using Zoom in the workplace due to it being hacked.
I’m unaware if Skype has a vulnerability like Zoom.