The School at my Dining Room Table Sucks

[Don'tlikekoolaid]

My heart goes out to you all, it really does.  I have no advice that doesn’t include wine or edibles.  Not very helpful I know,  but I’m thinking of all the parents and children and wish you all the best.

[kmachete14]

@HereComesTreble

My guess is they don't see education the way we do. They aren't trying to get their kids into real colleges, their daughters don't even need real schooling, and they have limited education themselves. If you follow those homeschooling moms, you'll notice the kids do a lot of rote book work independently. They memorize and read the Bible. They do character education. History takes way less time because they are just learning stories about white male heroes & that the Earth is only 8000 years old. They put little stock in Science and just learn the basics. A lot of time is spent on handwriting. Many homeschooling moms count gardening, raising animals, doing the laundry, and cooking as "unschooling" learning. They often make the older children be tutors/babysitters for the younger children instead of doing it themselves. 

Now, non-fundie homeschooling is of course much different -- most of the time they are using online curriculums, check in with online tutors, may take community college classes for HS credit, participate in a co-op, etc. 

 

[Sweet Caroline]

Fourth grade teacher here. Let’s just remember we are all trying to do our best in a very unusual situation. When I said good-bye to my students on March 13th, I had no idea we would still be apart today.

My district has been pretty strict with what we give our students. They are given assignments in 9 different subjects. The students must do math and reading, and choose work from four other subjects. The reading I assign is a minimum of 40 minutes and the math is about an hour. That is per day. We are required to go live or record a video at least 4 times per week. We are to be available to our students from 8-3:00. I am pretty much glued to my laptop all day, checking emails, responding to texts, grading assignments, creating new lessons, etc. I would much rather be back in the classroom. 

Parents, do the best you can. Some of you feel like the teachers aren’t doing enough or too much. As a teacher, I could say the same about some of my parents. Some want more work, others have vocalized that their child will not be participating in online learning at all.

If anything, this situation has made us look at each other in a new light. Healthcare workers, police officers, paramedics and fire fighters, grocery clerks, postal workers, truck drivers, etc. have suddenly gained more appreciation. I hope after this, my students’ parents appreciate me more. One mom told me today she has never had more respect for teachers until now. I know that I have a lot of respect for parents put in a situation they were not prepared for.  It will be interesting to see where we are when this finally comes to an end. 

[LilMissMetaphor]

I feel like I have the worst of both worlds at the moment.

I was homeschooled, and could easily homeschool my fourth grader if I wanted to.  I don't want to.  I sent him to school on purpose.  (Our personalities don't mix.  He's needy.  I'm authoritarian.)

Now that his teacher is sending him online stuff, it's a huge battle because he can now argue with me about whether or not it's relevant, whether it's too easy or too hard, how it is so boring, etc. etc.  And it wastes my time because I have to upload pictures of all the things he's doing and hold his hand through much of it.

A math assignment earlier this week was for ME to label cupcake liners with money amounts (they were supposed to be challenging, so higher numbers), then provide a crapton of coins for my kid to use and fill the tins with. Because I have that many coins lying around my house? I don't even know how much time that took us to set up, set out, take pictures of, and put away.  Way too much. 

Don't even get me started on the online forms that aren't fillable so that when you have to do a page of multiplication exercises, you'd be better off copying them on to a separate piece of paper, taking a picture of THAT fucker, uploading it, etc....

And I only have one kid that I need to do this for.  (The teenager can do it all on her own.) 

 

 

[HereComesTreble]

And our stupid Kracklezam passwords never work.

[Ozlsn]

So Lawrence Leung, who is an Australian comedian, wrote this piece on parenting small children during lockdown. While it's not technically covering homeschooling it did have a lot I related to, particularly:

"It's like being trapped in a disease-themed escape room filled with high-maintenance Tamagotchis."

[Mrs Ms]

My 11yo gets an amazing curriculum sent through daily from his wonderful class teacher. All I need to do is download it, check it at the end of the day and send her an occasional photo. 

When he first started school, I homeschooled him for a bit over a year with a pretty good curriculum but with way more input/effort needed from  me.

You would think this would be easy for us. It’s not. It REALLY sucks! 

The only way I can get him to sit down, kinda concentrate and half-arse do his work is by making up a fucking homeschool thing for the 4yo and 2yo and make them sit at the table with him. He still hogs 90% of my attention.

At least this week he has finally managed to get all the work done (doing the absolute utter minimum) though he has made it take 8 hours each day instead of 3 1/2 to 4 that it should take. 

Maybe next week I can get a chance to keep up with the housework instead of holding his hand    ?

[Someone Out There]

2 hours ago, Mrs Ms said:

At least this week he has finally managed to get all the work done (doing the absolute utter minimum) though he has made it take 8 hours each day instead of 3 1/2 to 4 that it should take.

Does he realise that he's only hurting himself by taking all that time to do the work?  If he did take 3.5-4 hours to do the work that would leave a lot more time for him to do things that he actually wanted to do rather than school work.

Also I'm not sure if this would help anyone? https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-27/coronavirus-homeschool-learning-through-play/12167528

There's also a podcast with some parental tips (and one episode with some advice about home schooling) https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/parental-as-anything-with-maggie-dent/ .  I would note I haven't listened to these (and I'm thankful I don't have kids particularly at this time), but they are some things that I've come across.

[Ozlsn]

2 hours ago, Mrs Ms said:

Maybe next week I can get a chance to keep up with the housework instead of holding his hand

If it makes you feel any better my housework died completely last week. I can't attempt to work full time, do distance ed and get any housework done whatsoever. Between husband and myself we got the dishes done and the washing done, and swept the floor maybe twice. I was doing a video call with my son's teacher and belatedly realised there was paper absolutely everywhere. 

[TeddyBonkers]

How am I JUST NOW stumbling upon this thread???

Friends, I have a 5th grader and a 7th grader. My 5th grader knocks out her school work in about 45 minutes and spends the rest of the day coming up to me every 20 minutes asking if she can watch a video. For the past 3 weeks, my 7th grader has been saying "yeah, mom, I got this" as she does her homework on the laptop. Spoiler alert- she had NOT GOT THIS. I got a phone call last night from her algebra teacher. She's 2 weeks behind, and not just in algebra.

So the problem is that she isn't doing all of the assignments. She understands the material (thank Rufus), but there is SO MUCH on so many different platforms for all of her classes. I had to sit down with her and show her how to submit assignments for history and english.

I'm working from home, Mr. Bonkers is an essential worker (and don't get me started on the stress he is under at work) and my BIL has been living with us for a month while he dries out. My dining room table has been turned into a makeshift sewing room, and when I'm not working, I'm sewing face masks. We eat and have clean dishes. Please don't look at my baseboards. Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I just want ONE DAY where I can relax.

*sorry, it got a little ranty at the end.

[EyesOpen]

Oh wow I’m glad to have found this thread too! Hang in there everyone! W43 struggling. I have a 4th grader, a 1st grader and a 4 year old who we. Ow just let run feral. The kids aren’t motivated to do all this stuff. Husband and I are trying to work too... we just do what we can with them. Some gets done some doesn’t. My husband can’t multi task like... at all... and I end up not focused at work and sometimes I just send them out back to play. My mother in law god bless her keeps sending me fun science experiments and stuff to do but if we attempt anything like that, it basically takes a whole half a day I can just duck out of work completely. By evening we can’t expect them to do a structured activity after school work during the day. It’s a mess but we’re slogging through!

[Someone Out There]

2 hours ago, EyesOpen said:

Oh wow I’m glad to have found this thread too! Hang in there everyone! W43 struggling. I have a 4th grader, a 1st grader and a 4 year old who we. Ow just let run feral. The kids aren’t motivated to do all this stuff. Husband and I are trying to work too... we just do what we can with them. Some gets done some doesn’t. My husband can’t multi task like... at all... and I end up not focused at work and sometimes I just send them out back to play. My mother in law god bless her keeps sending me fun science experiments and stuff to do but if we attempt anything like that, it basically takes a whole half a day I can just duck out of work completely. By evening we can’t expect them to do a structured activity after school work during the day. It’s a mess but we’re slogging through!

As a question, do either you or your husband have flexibility in the times you can work?  So for example one of you can do some stuff with the kids in the morning while the other focuses on work, the other does some stuff with the kids in the afternoon while the other focuses on some work.  Then you can both finish up work in the evening or some such if necessary and they just run wild.  That way you both get focus time while your husband doesn't need to even attempt to multitask.

There is also nothing wrong with sending them out back to play.  Kids learn a lot through play (and they learn better with play).

[Mrs Ms]

13 hours ago, Someone Out There said:

Does he realise that he's only hurting himself by taking all that time to do the work?  If he did take 3.5-4 hours to do the work that would leave a lot more time for him to do things that he actually wanted to do rather than school work.

Also I'm not sure if this would help anyone? https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-27/coronavirus-homeschool-learning-through-play/12167528

There's also a podcast with some parental tips (and one episode with some advice about home schooling) https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/parental-as-anything-with-maggie-dent/ .  I would note I haven't listened to these (and I'm thankful I don't have kids particularly at this time), but they are some things that I've come across.

He doesn’t have any learning difficulties and has perfectly normal intelligence. He SHOULD get it and I hope him having an actual weekend might make the penny finally drop! 
The first link is what we tried to do when everything got shut down and the Easter holidays were moved forward. Wish it had worked better. I will listen to the podcasts in the link tonight. Many thanks! 

 

13 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

If it makes you feel any better my housework died completely last week. I can't attempt to work full time, do distance ed and get any housework done whatsoever. Between husband and myself we got the dishes done and the washing done, and swept the floor maybe twice. I was doing a video call with my son's teacher and belatedly realised there was paper absolutely everywhere. 

Stumbled across a meme which perfectly sums up my life right now “cleaning the house with everyone at home is like trying to brush your teeth while eating Oreos” 

I have never been more thankful that I am still a SAHM. Anyone working from home with kids at the moment deserves knighthood as far as I’m concerned.

[apandaaries]

I’ve got some personal info here, so I’m going to use a spoiler. 
 

Spoiler

I teach at a community college. They’ve just decided this week that we’ll still be doing emergency remote teaching for the fall. 
There was just no feasible way to figure out sanitizing everything along with maintaining social distance. Only classes which require campus time (welding, driving, certain labs, etc) will be meeting in person. Handling that sounds like a nightmare to me.

Thankfully, this will give us the summer to train on all these platforms, and hopefully the programmers out there can get more of the bugs out.

We’ve also been encouraged to be as sensitive as possible to our students and their different situations. We’re supposed to be holding our normal classes over zoom, but there have obviously been issues.

No one expected this. Our spring break was extended for a week so we could attend webinars remotely to figure this stuff out. Some teachers who didn’t feel comfortable with computer usage either gave up their classes (to other instructors) or have adapted to a slightly different distance learning situation. 

Basically, we’re all doing our best under incredible strain. I’m buying more used books for my high school kid and asking her to set aside time for reading daily, along with other school work. 
But none of this is easy. 
If you’re still feeding and taking care of your kids, you’re doing great! (And miles ahead of JRod.)

Stay home and stay safe, folks!

[Ozlsn]

On 5/10/2020 at 10:39 AM, Mrs Ms said:

Stumbled across a meme which perfectly sums up my life right now “cleaning the house with everyone at home is like trying to brush your teeth while eating Oreos” 

Oh my God yes. I just want them all to leave so I can mop the damn floors, but I might have to wait for it not to be hailing first...

My son's teacher has had feedback that the other parents only want fortnightly check ins, and I have no idea why. Personally I'd prefer daily if it'd help normalize things for him. 

[apandaaries]

4 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

 

My son's teacher has had feedback that the other parents only want fortnightly check ins, and I have no idea why. Personally I'd prefer daily if it'd help normalize things for him. 

That’d be so nice...and so difficult to implement. 
if, as a US high school teacher, you have 30 kids per classes, (I and lets be generous with only 5 classes), that would About  150 daily emails.

Trachers are struggling these days too. Sad fact( but still true.

Edited May 11, 2020 by apandaaries

[hollyandivy]

33 minutes ago, apandaaries said:

That’d be so nice...and so difficult to implement. 
if, as a US high school teacher, you have 30 kids per clues, and lets be generous with only 5 classes), that would Nd -50 daily emails.

Trachers are struggling these days too. Sad fact( but still true.

And I feel for the teachers who try to teach remotely, have to take all the different life situations into consideration and need to get the curriculum across!  However, I have no patience for the teacher that doesn't try at all!

 

[apandaaries]

Just now, hollyandivy said:

And I feel for the teachers who try to teach remotely, have to take all the different life situations into consideration and need to get the curriculum across!  However, I have no patience for the teacher that doesn't try at all!

 

These are such hard times. I’ve got students who study remotely and their only quiet space is their bed. Even then, they mute zoom and have no pix up because it’s all so new.

But try having a class discussion under those circumstances. It sucks. ? 

[PsyD2013]

Some districts in Iowa have made distance learning optional, which I think is going to harm a lot of students.   The district my son attends indicated that grades will stand as of March 13, 2020.  Students have the opportunity to complete enrichment assignments that will not count towards grades nor will any credit for the assignment  be given.  My 16 year old decided no grades/credit what was the point of completing them?   He's doing an on-line class college class right now, but has WAY too much time to watch Faux news.  I have the utmost respect for parents and teachers who are facilitating remote learning.

[JermajestyDuggar]

We only have ten more days of homeschooling! 

I think I might be more excited that the kids 

[JanasTattooParlor]

High school math teacher here! I wanted to reiterate what was said above about Khan Academy being amazing for helping with videos of how to do math problems. If the school has it, DeltaMath and IXL are also great for those drilled skills that students need. This is definitely been the hardest year I’ve ever had with my school deciding that we need to teach new material still, only give 30-45min of work everyday, still administer online tests and quizzes, think about and try to touch base with students who have no internet access, and our 3rd and 4th quarter grades are being made into one huge semester grade. However, some students, because they’ve heard  about other states and districts doing it, think that they’re grade can’t drop past what it was March 13th despite the fact that I’ve been putting new grades in for two months now and now that we’re reaching the end they are emailing me demanding that I change their grade. Part of me really hopes that all of this creates a newfound respect for teachers, but I’m already hearing that other states are going to be furloughing teacher next year, so it would appear not. 
 

Kudos to all the parents who are now having to supervise their kids while they complete assignments from their teachers, I know how hard some kids are to have in class so I don’t imagine they’re much better at home. I know y’all are trying your best and I know us teachers are trying our best with the little information we’re given from higher ups. Hopefully, despite what @apandaaries said above, we will be able to find some way to go back to regular schooling in August. For students, I can’t imagine starting a new school year with a teacher you’ve never met before and then learning from them. 

[HereComesTreble]

4 hours ago, PsyD2013 said:

Some districts in Iowa have made distance learning optional, which I think is going to harm a lot of students.   The district my son attends indicated that grades will stand as of March 13, 2020.

I’ve heard of school districts offering this option.  I’m with ya—it’s worrisome.  As hard as homeschool has been for us; I couldn't let them go without school for 5-6 months.  

I get it though.  A lot of families are really struggling right now and homeschool may be just too much.  Still, the idea that some kids are going be so far behind others just plain sucks.

[WiseGirl]

7 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

We only have ten more days of homeschooling!

I'm jealous and I'm a teacher. Less than a month though. I think everyone will hear me cry if we have to start next year with virtual teaching.  

[JermajestyDuggar]

24 minutes ago, WiseGirl said:

I'm jealous and I'm a teacher. Less than a month though. I think everyone will hear me cry if we have to start next year with virtual teaching.  

May 29th was supposed to be the last day but they made it May 22nd. I’m so glad they did. 

[Ali]

8 hours ago, PsyD2013 said:

Some districts in Iowa have made distance learning optional, which I think is going to harm a lot of students.   The district my son attends indicated that grades will stand as of March 13, 2020.  Students have the opportunity to complete enrichment assignments that will not count towards grades nor will any credit for the assignment  be given.  My 16 year old decided no grades/credit what was the point of completing them?   He's doing an on-line class college class right now, but has WAY too much time to watch Faux news.  I have the utmost respect for parents and teachers who are facilitating remote learning.

I am a high school teacher. My district is having us look at the March grade and the grade combined with the home learning grading period at the end of the semester. I will give each student the higher of the two grades as their final grade. They also have the option to request pass/fail. It is depressing how little work I have to grade. Most of my students are low income and come from bad home environments.