COVID-19, Part VIII - heading into flu season

[Reds Freak]

You'll find a community of like-minded folks over at Urban Ohio, if you aren't already familiar with it. They're very passionate (perhaps obsessive) about championing urban design. The folks there will be eager to help you transition your interest into local action.

Like you, I'm a cheerleader on the sidelines when it comes to these sorts of issues. I would like to do more, but there's only so much time in one day.

Thanks! I've lurked on the Urban Ohio board for years to keep up with local development and politics news, even though I haven't lived in Ohio in about a decade. I don't have much to add to the conversation as most folks there are way more knowledgeable about those issues than I could ever pretend to be, but it's always interesting reading.

[Redhook]

100% of our students are in school in-person. I did not realize 79% of the parents were so disappointed/upset by this.

That’s because it’s not an accurate number. It’s 100% complete garbage. Parents around the country are thrilled and thankful to get their kids out of the house. If parents were really upset, do you think all of their kids would be in school? No, they’d be home with remote learning. But, how many are remote learning? Very few.

In our county which comprises of 330,000 people, 82% of parents voted for our children to go back to school full-time. That’s a real number from real people. And, I know a lot of families in neighboring large counties who said the results were very similar. The VAST MAJORITY of parents want their kids in school full-time.

Parents, in general, are not scared of their kids catching this virus. If it happens, it happens, but they’ve/we’ve made the decision they need to learn and live their lives as close to as normal as possible while wearing masks inside, etc.

[Redhook]

As long as it’s safe, and an overwhelming percentage of teachers and parents don’t feel as if it is safe enough right now.

The biggest problem is that unfortunately, too many like yourself have turned the debate into “back to school” or “lock the kids in the house.” The real debate should be “how do we make the schools safe enough so students can return in person.” It can be done, but it takes time, money and a lot of work. But we aren’t having that conversation.

You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to.....do you have kids? Much of what you’re saying and quoting isn’t what I’m seeing/experiencing on a daily basis. My neighborhood has 110,000 people. Schools/kids everywhere! I teach nearly 300 kids a year and have only had 7 sit out due to the virus and no one has sat out over the last 4 months. In the trenches, families want their school learning in-person and away from the screen. Additionally, I haven’t met or heard of a single teacher who’s scared to go back.

[BernieCarbo]

You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to.....do you have kids? Much of what you’re saying and quoting isn’t what I’m seeing/experiencing on a daily basis. My neighborhood has 110,000 people. Schools/kids everywhere! I teach nearly 300 kids a year and have only had 7 sit out due to the virus and no one has sat out over the last 4 months. In the trenches, families want their school learning in-person and away from the screen. Additionally, I haven’t met or heard of a single teacher who’s scared to go back.

He doesn't. And when I read things like "For many, the virtual is preferable, more comfortable to the real", that's just crazy. Kids aren't that dumb, and want to feel and touch and hear the real thing. My kid is skipping his senior year because of the disruption to normal daily life in school.

Of course, the real issue is the grownups. There are a lot of school teachers and support staff that are very vulnerable to covid, and we need to put them on temporary disability or something. Schools are not equipped to handle this, and it's a given that it will spread. Heck, I was just driving through Middletown on Friday and met a bus stopped on the railroad tracks, and the driver had her mask pulled under her chin. I really don't care, but you know that when the kids see that the driver doesn't wear a mask, they won't either. It's going to spread through the schools, period.

[757690]

He doesn't. And when I read things like "For many, the virtual is preferable, more comfortable to the real", that's just crazy. Kids aren't that dumb, and want to feel and touch and hear the real thing. My kid is skipping his senior year because of the disruption to normal daily life in school.

I’m a teacher. Over 25 years experience. I have more experience with kids than most of you, and definitely more experience with teaching during regular this pandemic. I am in touch with dozens of teachers, some principals, and I am teaching virtually now and have been for months.

The kids I teach and that I hear about love virtual teaching. They miss the social part of school, like us all, but it’s not effecting their learning. In fact, before this pandemic, most teachers were incorporating virtual learning in their classrooms as much as possible, because the students do best with it.

[BernieCarbo]

I’m a teacher. Over 25 years experience. I have more experience with kids than most of you, and definitely more experience with teaching during regular this pandemic. I am in touch with dozens of teachers, some principals, and I am teaching virtually now and have been for months.

The kids I teach and that I hear about love virtual teaching. They miss the social part of school, like us all, but it’s not effecting their learning. In fact, before this pandemic, most teachers were incorporating virtual learning in their classrooms as much as possible, because the students do best with it.

Until you have kids, you have no experience with kids. It's a 24/7 job, and school is a minor part of that.

[757690]

You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to.....do you have kids? Much of what you’re saying and quoting isn’t what I’m seeing/experiencing on a daily basis. My neighborhood has 110,000 people. Schools/kids everywhere! I teach nearly 300 kids a year and have only had 7 sit out due to the virus and no one has sat out over the last 4 months. In the trenches, families want their school learning in-person and away from the screen. Additionally, I haven’t met or heard of a single teacher who’s scared to go back.

I think it depends on where you are. I am in Los Angeles. We were experience a big Covid wave when school started. We also have large class sizes, as many as 40 kids in some classes. The wealthier districts were able to handle it faster and better than the ones I serve. I imagine smaller cities should be able handle this better as well.

Again, I want students back in schools, but only when it’s safe. It’s safe in many places, not so safe in many others. Hopefully we can get to where it’s safe everywhere.

[757690]

Until you have kids, you have no experience with kids. It's a 24/7 job, and school is a minor part of that.

We aren’t discussing raising them. We are discussing teaching them right now during a pandemic. I have plenty of experience with that.

[Redhook]

The kids I teach and that I hear about love virtual teaching. They miss the social part of school, like us all, but it’s not effecting their learning. In fact, before this pandemic, most teachers were incorporating virtual learning in their classrooms as much as possible, because the students do best with it.

So, you’re teaching older students. Younger kids need the interaction. It’s a necessity. High school kids can get away with virtual learning and, of course they love it. I would too if I was a teenager.

[BernieCarbo]

We aren’t discussing raising them. We are discussing teaching them right now during a pandemic. I have plenty of experience with that.

You act like my wife and I didn't teach them. We taught them all the time.

[BernieCarbo]

So, you’re teaching older students. Younger kids need the interaction. It’s a necessity. High school kids can get away with virtual learning and, of course they love it. I would too if I was a teenager.

My gf's daughters say that everyone is sharing homework and tests online and it's a joke. Of course, they are 16 and 18, and I'd be doing the same thing.

[757690]

So, you’re teaching older students. Younger kids need the interaction. It’s a necessity. High school kids can get away with virtual learning and, of course the love it. I would too if I was a teenager.

I hate to say this, but you’re out of touch with reality of what it’s like to have kids in school.

I am teaching 5th grade right now. Most of the teachers I am talking to are elementary school teachers. All kids love computers and prefer that to learning from a person in a room. I mean, when we were kids we loved it when the AV cart got rolled into the classroom, lol.

I agree in person is better, but it’s not like online learning doesn’t also get the job done. Of course, that depends on how sophisticated your online program is. Like with everything, it’s going to be different depending on where you are. If you are using AOL or Compuserve programs, it’s probably not going to do a good job.

[Redhook]

I think it depends on where you are. I am in Los Angeles. We were experience a big Covid wave when school started. We also have large class sizes, as many as 40 kids in some classes. The wealthier districts were able to handle it faster and better than the ones I serve. I imagine smaller cities should be able handle this better as well.

Again, I want students back in schools, but only when it’s safe. It’s safe in many places, not so safe in many others. Hopefully we can get to where it’s safe everywhere.

Why is not safe? 40 kids in a class is about 15 too many, but is that why you feel it’s unsafe? What have other schools done to feel safer?

[757690]

You act like my wife and I didn't teach them. We taught them all the time.

Dude, the discussion is about online teaching vs. in person classroom teaching. It’s not about what kids are like at home

[757690]

Why is not safe? 40 kids in a class is about 15 too many, but is that why you feel it’s unsafe? What have other schools done to feel safer?

The classrooms aren’t big enough to handle 40 students, sitting 6 feet away from each other. The schools that have 25 students classes have rooms big enough.