The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
We’ve been doing new material, along with what they were currently working on, ever since the closure. The first week was basically lesson plans given to the parents to teach, then written work and quizzes to be scanned and sent in.
This week we have started Google Classroom and Zoom, which has made things A LOT easier on parents, but still a ton of work for us and the kids.
I’m not a 4th grade Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, PE, Music, Spanish teacher, but I had to become one overnight (as did parents across America). Half of the time (or more than half) I’m using the assistance of YouTube and google after T goes to sleep, so I can relearn some of this stuff myself, prior to the next days lessons and assignments. We receive the next day’s itinerary by 7pm the night before.

Is it new work for every subject every day? We were told to plan for a new lesson every other day and for it to be about 30-40 minutes worth of work which is fair for students at home. If it was that much everyday that might be too overwhelming, and way too much for our kids with IEP's.
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Is it new work for every subject every day? We were told to plan for a new lesson every other day and for it to be about 30-40 minutes worth of work which is fair for students at home. If it was that much everyday that might be too overwhelming, and way too much for our kids with IEP's.

We are very different. It’s 4-6 hours per day. Assignments due daily, some same day, most are due by 9am the following day.. though a few are “due by the end of the week”. For example yesterday was written work and a new lesson in Science, today was a quiz on Google Classroom for that material.
Example of entire week- Religion is the Stations of the Cross right now, they are supposed to write reflections every day, had to turn one in on Google Classroom, but the whole packet isn’t due until Friday.

I need to add that the 4-6 hours is the daily work assignments, not including studying for tests or reports that they’re currently working on. That’s in addition.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
This is worrisome to me. What are your thoughts?

I hate the idea but I can see where it is coming from. The reasoning is that students didn't have the opportunity to obtain missing work or do retakes to reach a passing grade in the time we have been off. I think that if a student was maybe at a 45% or more this is okay reasoning as they might have been able to get to passing at a 60%. But if a student was lower than than 45% they realistically wouldn't have been able to raise their grade to passing, and they probably didn't care enough to anyway. I'm hoping that the 4th quarter work we are doing online will be graded and students and parents take it seriously. With high school students these grades do matter for further schooling and scholarships.
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
I hate the idea but I can see where it is coming from. The reasoning is that students didn't have the opportunity to obtain missing work or do retakes to reach a passing grade in the time we have been off. I think that if a student was maybe at a 45% or more this is okay reasoning as they might have been able to get to passing at a 60%. But if a student was lower than than 45% they realistically wouldn't have been able to raise their grade to passing, and they probably didn't care enough to anyway. I'm hoping that the 4th quarter work we are doing online will be graded and students and parents take it seriously. With high school students these grades do matter for further schooling and scholarships.

Our teachers are grading and counting the same. Last week they emailed back with the grade of an assignment or quiz This week we can view them thru Goggle Classroom when assignments are done thru there.

It’s still not as accurate as it should be, students could use parents or the internet to find answers and get 100% on everything.. I don’t know if any 4th grader would think of that, T hasn’t mentioned it.. but I’m sure the older kids may do it.
 

Rista1313

Well-Known Member
We are supposed to be preparing lessons with new content as well. I am planning to use google classroom mostly for giving out classwork and sharing slides that I already have with new content. But I am also looking into using hang outs or google meet if students are interested in a group gathering. I might post a video once in awhile too but that would be posted in google classroom. The problem is we have all called parents/students this week about technology and reliable internet and there is a number of students that do not have reliable internet (rural area) so a lot of what we do still needs to be paper based and sent home that way.

Is your district still planning on grading work and having normal grades? Communication on that hasn't been communicated clearly to us. My principal just let us know today that for 3rd quarter all students will be given a passing grade or at least a P for pass no matter what standing they were in before the closure.
Google Hangouts is super easy, you just need your students email addresses to invite them. I use it to have virtual knit nights with my out of state knitting friends.

ETA: I can help you do a trial run as practice if you want. Just let me know!
 

SteveBrickNJ

Well-Known Member
We are supposed to be preparing lessons with new content as well. I am planning to use google classroom mostly for giving out classwork and sharing slides that I already have with new content. But I am also looking into using hang outs or google meet if students are interested in a group gathering. I might post a video once in awhile too but that would be posted in google classroom. The problem is we have all called parents/students this week about technology and reliable internet and there is a number of students that do not have reliable internet (rural area) so a lot of what we do still needs to be paper based and sent home that way.

Is your district still planning on grading work and having normal grades? Communication on that hasn't been communicated clearly to us. My principal just let us know today that for 3rd quarter all students will be given a passing grade or at least a P for pass no matter what standing they were in before the closure.
I'll answer you on the Private Message. I think professionally I've shared as much as I can on this public forum.
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Just a general fyi to the school teachers, etc.-- MA Governor has just announced all schools in the Commonwealth to be closed through April. At this point, an opening date of May 1 is tentative only.

I think I’ve said this before., but, my heart is breaking for the 8th graders and 12th graders across America, especially those with extended closures or not returning at all.
When I look back on my life, those were 2 of my best years. I have such fond memories of those times. I can’t imagine having that taken away. :(
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
O.k. So I drove to a nearby city this morning to go to one of the two (only) bank branches, that had an actual lobby open for customers. (My regular branch was just drive-through and ATM only.)

Got up to the bank door, and it has all kinds of disclaimer signs on it, and entered first the ATM lobby. I had my deposit slip already filled out and a check to deposit, so I go to the (inside bank) lobby door and it was locked -- a security guard inside came over an unlocked it for me. (That was interesting . . .). :rolleyes:

I was the only customer at the time, and there were 3 tellers working. They all looked at me like I was Typhoid Mary, and none said anything. :hilarious:

I finally just walked over to one of them, and the guy had on plastic gloves. Then I noticed the sign on his window to step behind the rug, while transaction was being processed (rug was about 6 feet back from the teller window). This entire experience was like banking, in the Twilight Zone. :p
 

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