We should open the schools, but with younger teachers.

[Kenny'sID]

For in-person schooling? Class sizes cut down to one third, maybe rotating between class and home learning. All students have masks. Improved ventilation in the classrooms. Plastic barriers where possible, or face masks. Sanitation stations at the entrance of every class.

I don't know of many schools that could do this.

We shall see, but judging from this thread, I doubt anything they do no matter how well it's done, will satisfy some.

 

[RDKirk]

I warmed up to younger teachers when I was in school. They weren't as 'parental' or threatening as were older teachers. And they hadn't yet lost their sense of humor as so many older teachers had.

When I think back on it, my oldest teachers (the ones who were old enough to have retired, but were still in it for the lolz) were as much fun as my younger teachers.

 

[RDKirk]

I think a good proportion of lower-wage parents (mothers or fathers, whichever) could actually stay home and homeschool if they looked at their finances clearly. And that's especially true with regard to daycare for younger children.

With regard to daycare, the total cost of going to work very quickly overcomes the benefit of low-end wages.

Moreover, homeschooling is actually very efficient. What a is covered in a classroom in 6 hours can be covered more effectively in two or three hours in a one-on-one situation.

However, what parents are getting now in terms of "distance learning" from public school systems is not efficient home schooling because nobody in the public school system knows how to do efficient home schooling. They're just streaming what they do in the classroom.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

For in-person schooling? Class sizes cut down to one third, maybe rotating between class and home learning. All students have masks. Improved ventilation in the classrooms. Plastic barriers where possible, or face masks. Sanitation stations at the entrance of every class.

I don't know of many schools that could do this.

I'm sure the people pushing for kids going back to school. Don't want their tax dollars paying for it.

 

[Caliban]

This story documents the suspension of two students for posting pictures of a crowded hallway. The school was "social distancing." It's not possible.
‘It was chaos!’ Students get suspended for posting pictures of packed halls — now the high school is closing after 9 people were infected"

 

[Isilwen]

This story documents the suspension of two students for posting pictures of a crowded hallway. The school was "social distancing." It's not possible.
‘It was chaos!’ Students get suspended for posting pictures of packed halls — now the high school is closing after 9 people were infected"

View attachment 282599

And now nine people including teachers have tested positive for Covid-19. They shut the school down for at least the next two days.

They were in school for a week?

This is why it's a bad idea for in-person learning right now, especially for areas where there are still thousands of positive cases each day.

 

[wing2000]

...just look at what happened in Israel when they opened schools.

 

[Caliban]

And now nine people including teachers have tested positive for Covid-19. They shut the school down for at least the next two days.

They were in school for a week?

This is why it's a bad idea for in-person learning right now, especially for areas where there are still thousands of positive cases each day.

There are people using critical thinking skills which are informed by epidemiological science, economics, patterns of social behavior, and then there are people who leave at least one of those out.

 

[Isilwen]

There are people using critical thinking skills which are informed by epidemiological science, economics, patterns of social behavior, and then there are people who leave at least one of those out.

Yep, because economics should be the last thing that should be thought about when opening up schools.

 

[TexFire316]

"As shown, deaths in young people (from babies to college students) are almost non-existent."

Younger, prettier? Heck, I wish we could figure out a way to make them less liberal. Or failing that, at least teach in the subjects that they mastered in, not subjects that they barely passed.

 

[eleos1954]

What!!! Where are you going to find qualified young teachers? There is already a huge shortage of teachers. I am one by the way. This cannot be a plausible solution. You would simply have babysitters at that point.

You would simply have babysitters at that point.

Pretty much the way it is now. ;o)

Since you are a teacher .... why are our educational systems failing so much?

 

[Caliban]

Since you are a teacher .... why are our educational systems failing so much?

Good question--complicated. This gets into controversial socio-political territory real quick. I'll try to avoid that.

1. The institution of education is strong (the might seem counter-intuitive at first). Any student willing and able to learn in nearly any school in America has access to a great education.
a. Some students are not willing: factors include laziness (very rare), broke family structures (most common), and some systematic cultural bias from teachers (controversial territory). Everyone is guilty of cultural bias. My students are 98% Hispanic. I teach English and do not speak Spanish. We have some significant cultural differences. When I first began teaching, I realized my concept of what is and isn't respectful behavior was different from my students. They were not trying to disrespect me, they just had a different cultural operating system. They thought I needed to earn their respect; I though teachers were already deserving of respect until they lost it. I got angry a lot before I figured that out. There are many examples like that. Most teachers are white, like me. When a white teacher has little cultural connection to diverse student populations, they often struggle to become great teachers. This is one reason older teachers are needed. However, most teachers leave the classroom after five years. Young teachers = struggling students.

2. Parents. Research is clear; students who grow up with forty or more books in the home are far more likely to achieve higher standards and attend university. These students have a strong advantage--that's great. Parents who read to their kids past childhood (adolescents) have an extraordinary advantage; this is equal to a private school education. Most students do not encounter this advantage from the home. Teachers cannot effect parental changes of habit. We can only work with what we've got.

3. Poverty. The struggle is real. Many students are what we call food insecure; they may only eat at school. This is sad. Parents often cannot afford school supplies and school budgets often cannot supply them either (consider Donor's Choose, as a tax exempt donation). This is me being political for a second--we need tax increases to better fund education--end political talk.

Actually the list of why the education system is failing--it isn't just the education system that is failing--Americans are failing our kids. We are all to blame--that's why I joined the fight. I got out of the military and now serve my country by being a teacher. Please help--the kids need all of us.


The students who have all these resources are doing great. It isn't a kids fault they were born with disadvantage. Sweden and Norway do well because they have less poverty. We need to help our students overcome poverty before we can expect them to thrive as scholars.

Sorry this is so long--trust me, it could be a lot longer. Please anyone--jump in with thoughts or a critique of what I said.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Here is a better chart to use.

 

[eleos1954]

Good question--complicated. This gets into controversial socio-political territory real quick. I'll try to avoid that.

1. The institution of education is strong (the might seem counter-intuitive at first). Any student willing and able to learn in nearly any school in America has access to a great education.
a. Some students are not willing: factors include laziness (very rare), broke family structures (most common), and some systematic cultural bias from teachers (controversial territory). Everyone is guilty of cultural bias. My students are 98% Hispanic. I teach English and do not speak Spanish. We have some significant cultural differences. When I first began teaching, I realized my concept of what is and isn't respectful behavior was different from my students. They were not trying to disrespect me, they just had a different cultural operating system. They thought I needed to earn their respect; I though teachers were already deserving of respect until they lost it. I got angry a lot before I figured that out. There are many examples like that. Most teachers are white, like me. When a white teacher has little cultural connection to diverse student populations, they often struggle to become great teachers. This is one reason older teachers are needed. However, most teachers leave the classroom after five years. Young teachers = struggling students.

2. Parents. Research is clear; students who grow up with forty or more books in the home are far more likely to achieve higher standards and attend university. These students have a strong advantage--that's great. Parents who read to their kids past childhood (adolescents) have an extraordinary advantage; this is equal to a private school education. Most students do not encounter this advantage from the home. Teachers cannot effect parental changes of habit. We can only work with what we've got.

3. Poverty. The struggle is real. Many students are what we call food insecure; they may only eat at school. This is sad. Parents often cannot afford school supplies and school budgets often cannot supply them either (consider Donor's Choose, as a tax exempt donation). This is me being political for a second--we need tax increases to better fund education--end political talk.

Actually the list of why the education system is failing--it isn't just the education system that is failing--Americans are failing our kids. We are all to blame--that's why I joined the fight. I got out of the military and now serve my country by being a teacher. Please help--the kids need all of us.


The students who have all these resources are doing great. It isn't a kids fault they were born with disadvantage. Sweden and Norway do well because they have less poverty. We need to help our students overcome poverty before we can expect them to thrive as scholars.

Sorry this is so long--trust me, it could be a lot longer. Please anyone--jump in with thoughts or a critique of what I said.

I've asked quite a few kids what they think about school (not college level) and the response that I receive mostly is .... It's boring and a waste of time.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

We started in class school today. with young and old teachers.

God bless you.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Some of these people don't care about the rise of infections. They don't read about it--they just watch the TV and click on websites that confirm their instincts and bias. It's as if the economy is all that matters to them.

How's this for confirmation bias. Nursing home residents/patients have an average lifespan of 2.1 years after admission. In other words they go there to die...with care. Many nursing homes lose a third or more of their residents each year.

I manage a large apartment building that was at one time filled with elderly tenants, many of whom eventually went to nursing homes. None survived more than a few months after admission.

It is also interesting that as Covid deaths increase among the elderly flu and other respiratory failure deaths decline. Many nursing home residents died of respiratory failure long before Covid. In fact it's a common cause of death among the elderly.

40 percent or more Covid deaths are those in elder care facilities. We are being held hostage by these deaths.

The media and others spoon feed statistics to us in order to keep us in a state of fear.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

When I think back on it, my oldest teachers (the ones who were old enough to have retired, but were still in it for the lolz) were as much fun as my younger teachers.

I had a couple of those too.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I think a good proportion of lower-wage parents (mothers or fathers, whichever) could actually stay home and homeschool if they looked at their finances clearly. And that's especially true with regard to daycare for younger children.

With regard to daycare, the total cost of going to work very quickly overcomes the benefit of low-end wages.

Moreover, homeschooling is actually very efficient. What a is covered in a classroom in 6 hours can be covered more effectively in two or three hours in a one-on-one situation.

However, what parents are getting now in terms of "distance learning" from public school systems is not efficient home schooling because nobody in the public school system knows how to do efficient home schooling. They're just streaming what they do in the classroom.

The teachers unions don't like homeschooling either.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Yep, because economics should be the last thing that should be thought about when opening up schools.

This is reminiscent of the school security issue. We were led to believe that there had to be a one-size-fits-all approach. After the furor died down it was discovered that individual school districts quietly fashioned their own security plans. We could take a lesson.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I've asked quite a few kids what they think about school (not college level) and the response that I receive mostly is .... It's boring and a waste of time.

That was my attitude as well back in the day.

"It's a horrible death, being bored to death." -Mark Twain