Schools reopening

[Teafor2]

Haha see?! She’s totally prepared then
I hope if you guys transition back to I person it goes smoothly. I’d say for us It’s not been too different from other years besides masks and some different seating.

 

[DobbyForever]

I forgot if you mentioned this, do you have your whole class? Or did they split the kids up into rotating small groups?

I'm just not holding my breath. People keep saying logically that we won't go back until at least January or not at all this year, but I know DL is taxing everyone so we'll see. We've transitioned back from saviors who do so much to ungrateful a**holes. It was nice while it lasted hahahaha

 

[Teafor2]

I have my whole class, but because I’m working at a small international school I only have 7 children this year, which makes the whole thing 100 x easier.

It makes me crazy when I see people complaining about teachers in this situation (or in general even). I really don’t understand how people can look down so much on the same people they would also expect to shield their children in the case of an active shooter in a school.

 

[DobbyForever]

Oh! That's cool! How are they handling it? I imagine if they're attending an international school it's because they are from other places/ have family elsewhere. We have a large Indian population, and the students are starting to piece together that their usual Thanksgiving/Christmas traveling may not be happening. That's so nice to have such a small class. Great for social distancing but also just in general for them to get a more personalized education.

It definitely is. I was just talking to a coworker about how we give so much of ourselves to our students that a lot of times we come home too burned out for our own kids. So don't come at me saying I'm not doing enough for your child when I literally neglected my own for yours. It's whatever. I try to just in one ear and out the other with most of the chatter. But then you hear about places where they are threatening violence against teachers and makes my skin crawl.

 

[Teafor2]

I think the kids got used to the idea that it’s not going to be easy to visit family outside of the country back in the spring/summer. We were actually able to talk about it in spring because we came back to school but the borders here were still closed. I was also supposed to visit family over the summer but our flights were cancelled.

I didn’t even know that people were threatening violence! That’s so insane. I think teachers can be such an easy group to take advantage of because we actually care about the kids. We are never going to not do our jobs to the best of our ability in the given circumstances because we know the kids will suffer.

 

[DobbyForever]

Yeah. Nuts. I heard a story on NPR that a parent was arrested for posting that teachers will only reopen schools when there’s a gun in their face but in a way that implied he should do just that. Makes me thankful that my biggest problem is a parent who ignores my emails then yells at me in that same email chain for not contacting them..... ..... .....

anyway in school reopening news, you probably know already, but PA’s board voted to go back 10/12! MV is telling teachers the earliest they will consider is Jan. I just think it’s crazy how totally against reopening the vast majority can be, both parents and teachers, but the school would reopen anyway. I get if parents were pushing for it, but yikes. Hoping they develop a safe system and soon. I get nervous of my sons self contained classroom of 8 with 3 set teachers. Can’t imagine potential classes at twice that size plus so many more classes on a campus at a time.

 

[Bevziibubble]

Saw a news article this morning that all primary schools apart from those in London will be going back next week. I just don't get it. There are so many restrictions which are impacting every part of people's lives, some people haven't seen their loved ones for months, yet they expect primary school kids who CANNOT socially distance to go back to school. Why can't we see loved ones but our kids can bring back "Covid germs" home to us from a bubble of 30 every day. I just don't see how they can expect people to stick to rules like this, put restaurants and other small businesses put of business. Around my area I see people just going about their daily lives, visiting whoever they want etc and it's just no wonder people aren't taking it seriously. Everyone was so strict about it at first and took it seriously, but the longer this has gone on the longer the rules just aren't making sense.

 

[AngelUK]

I agree, it is completely bizarre. I suppose people are just getting fed up with being locked away and are relying too much on how they themselves are healthy and will cope with getting the virus and selfishly not thinking about how they could pass the virus to vulnerable people. I really hope the vaccine will soon be in effect for all the vulnrable people.

 

[MrsKatie]

It’s crazy how the rules are different everywhere- I’m in Oregon and there’s no chance kids will go back this school year. I don’t even really have hope for fall 2021 at this rate!

 

[Twinki.930]

Sad thing is people are not taking it seriously anymore and the cases are rising daily , here where I live we were up to 9,000 new cases just today and our local hospitals is at max capacity. My kid sister has to go back next week and my mom isn’t happy about it because she didn’t have a say in it Honestly I think they should give parents a choice whether or not they want their kids going back to school especially if the child has a compromised immune system.

 

[AngelUK]

Oh I definitely agree with that!

 

[DobbyForever]

Bev, that's so frustrating. I'm sorry. I totally agree. It's asinine to send the kids back to school but then force quarantines and business closures. I feel you though. It's also emotionally hard when you're not seeing your family but the people around you are out living their best lives. Especially going through all the recent holidays without them.

I second pp that I'm in Cali, and I DOUBT we are going back. Newsom seems to think if he vaccinates the teachers in phase 1B (next phase) that we can go back in spring. And I'm just laughing because there are so many problems with that idea. You can't vaccinate kids. Families of teachers won't be vaccinated. There's no real substantial research about whether being vaccinated lowers your risk of being a vector/ transmitting it. Good luck getting that past teachers' unions.

 

[Babybump87]

Totally agree !! It’s crazy !!

there’s going to be a full national lockdown and all schools closed again . This is just going to go on because people ain’t bothered now about the rules and frankly lost confidence in the government !
Cases are also up in my area . I’m debating whether to even send mine back this week !

 

[Babybump87]

Sad thing is people are not taking it seriously anymore and the cases are rising daily , here where I live we were up to 9,000 new cases just today and our local hospitals is at max capacity. My kid sister has to go back next week and my mom isn’t happy about it because she didn’t have a say in it Honestly I think they should give parents a choice whether or not they want their kids going back to school especially if the child has a compromised immune system.

Agree and don’t fine those parents who keep their children off !

 

[Bevziibubble]

I still don't know if school is definitely open tomorrow. I received an email from the school last night saying that our local authority are asking the government to reconsider their decision to open schools this week but until they do, they have to follow the Department of Education guidance and open school again this week. There are rumours of a full lockdown again but they seem to be leaving it to the last minute as usual..

 

[monkee12]

Our schools are open, I’m not sending mine x

 

[Bevziibubble]

I don't blame you!

 

[loeylo]

I still don't know if school is definitely open tomorrow. I received an email from the school last night saying that our local authority are asking the government to reconsider their decision to open schools this week but until they do, they have to follow the Department of Education guidance and open school again this week. There are rumours of a full lockdown again but they seem to be leaving it to the last minute as usual..

Just announced full lockdown with school closure in Scotland. It’s mental if they aren’t following suit elsewhere in Britain given that Scotland actually has lower rates and transmission!
I’m a teacher and anyone who says secondary schools are safe have clearly not been in a classroom. Unsure of what the case is in primary schools, although my daughter is in primary 1 and has been in isolation for a month since August (she had covid but was fine)

 

[Bevziibubble]

Wow. I think Boris really needs to follow Scotland's lead then. I think he will but I think he will only do it at the last minute and after a lot of nagging. I think there's an announcement this evening so with any luck he will close schools before tomorrow..

 

[loeylo]

Wow. I think Boris really needs to follow Scotland's lead then. I think he will but I think he will only do it at the last minute and after a lot of nagging. I think there's an announcement this evening so with any luck he will close schools before tomorrow..

It’s such short notice. They announced a delay here just before Christmas, we were meant to go back on the 6th, instead they decided to extend holidays until the 11th and then do online learning until the 18th, and then today changed it to online only until February with a review on the 18th.
The amount of hate teachers are getting is an absolute disgrace. I’m answering emails at all hours of the day (literally!) trying to keep my kids calm so they can do as well as they deserve. The kids have been amazing.