COVID-19 Coronavirus News and Updates

[LittleJerry92]

True, I had forgotten home-schooling is at least an alternative solution. Still, it's absolutely crazy with everything going on right now. I only hope seniors graduating high school this year can at least still have their proms and graduations.

 

[Oscarfan]

Schools are doing all they can to teach kids at home. And since so many kids have iPhones and tablets the switch doesn’t seem that severe.

I mean, yes, that's possible. But there's also a lot of homes that may not have that kind of tech, or strong even internet to support a live stream thing.

Also the fact that teachers really didn't have a plan for online teaching when the decision to close school was made. They were expected to throw something together quickly and that's not easy.

 

[LittleJerry92]

I feel bad for my niece. Every year the 8th grade takes a class trip to Washington DC, to see all the monuments, the Smithsonian, that whole deal. They’ve been fundraising all year, and they had to shelf it.

That’s too bad. I went on a school trip to DC for a weekend when I was in 11th grade. Quite a fun experience so to say.

 

[D'Snowth]

That’s what I’m saying! At the end of the day, there are jobs people need to go to, kids who need an education, etc

Depending on what state you live in, evidently, losing your job or income because of COVID-19 is grounds for filing for unemployment, because we still don't know who in America will qualify for Trump's monthly $1,000 check.

 

[cjd874]

Schools are doing all they can to teach kids at home. And since so many kids have iPhones and tablets the switch doesn’t seem that severe.
I don’t know if they still dissect frogs in Biology like when I was that age, but just about every subject can be taught at home.
What you can’t replicate at home is the social interaction- eating lunch, playing sports, going to the prom.

Exactly, Brian! I'm doing the online teaching thing in my district...like, it's VERY difficult to teach band when my kids aren't in front of me. I can't diagnose technique issues, correct their posture, and worst of all---I can't smile, compliment them, or give them high-fives when they do a good job. I miss seeing them when they come into the band room at 3:15 to get their instruments and music. I miss seeing them outside on the blacktop, and in the lunchroom, and in the hallways.

True, I had forgotten home-schooling is at least an alternative solution. Still, it's absolutely crazy with everything going on right now. I only hope seniors graduating high school this year can at least still have their proms and graduations.

Not to mention students graduating from elementary and middle school.

Also the fact that teachers really didn't have a plan for online teaching when the decision to close school was made. They were expected to throw something together quickly and that's not easy.

A thousand thumbs up to that. That's why teaching is such a heroic profession in my opinion...the undertaking that we have is pretty massive. Our teachers, administrators, and superintendents are still trying to figure out a long-term plan for teaching should the closure last until June. Not to downplay the amazing work that doctors and restaurant workers are doing, but still...we're all in it now. There's no going back.

 

[D'Snowth]

Not to mention students graduating from elementary and middle school.

I keep forgetting elementary and middle graduations are things now.

 

[LittleJerry92]

They are, but in all honesty they aren’t much to write at home about.

 

[MuppetsRule]

A thousand thumbs up to that. That's why teaching is such a heroic profession in my opinion...the undertaking that we have is pretty massive. Our teachers, administrators, and superintendents are still trying to figure out a long-term plan for teaching should the closure last until June. Not to downplay the amazing work that doctors and restaurant workers are doing, but still...we're all in it now. There's no going back.

We finally live in a world where grocery store workers, restaurant workers, nurses and doctors, and teachers are more important than celebrities and sports stars.

 

[MWoO]

We finally live in a world where grocery store workers, restaurant workers, nurses and doctors, and teachers are more important than celebrities and sports stars.

We always lived in that world, only now people actually are realizing it. But, much like what happened after 9/11, it will all go back to normal and we won't give a **** about them soon enough.

I swear, when Kobe died everyone I worked with was so upset and I was just like.... how does this effect me exactly? Yeah, it was sad, but people acted like their world ended.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Exactly, Brian! I'm doing the online teaching thing in my district...like, it's VERY difficult to teach band when my kids aren't in front of me. I can't diagnose technique issues, correct their posture, and worst of all---I can't smile, compliment them, or give them high-fives when they do a good job. I miss seeing them when they come into the band room at 3:15 to get their instruments and music. I miss seeing them outside on the blacktop, and in the lunchroom, and in the hallways.


Not to mention students graduating from elementary and middle school.


A thousand thumbs up to that. That's why teaching is such a heroic profession in my opinion...the undertaking that we have is pretty massive. Our teachers, administrators, and superintendents are still trying to figure out a long-term plan for teaching should the closure last until June. Not to downplay the amazing work that doctors and restaurant workers are doing, but still...we're all in it now. There's no going back.

You remind me so much of my music teacher from 5th to 7th grade, Mr. Gill. I started out playing drums, and along the way he taught me basic piano.
But he was also a mentor, a friend, and he let me borrow records from his own library. He had thousands of every type of music. He turned me on to ragtime, classical, jazz, and even introduced ten-year-old me to this weirdo named Frank Zappa. Probably never amounted to anything.
Mr. Gill was also a Muppet fan. Around this time the Muppet Movie came out, and as soon as he got the sheet music, our little orchestra was playing “Rainbow Connection”.
We surprised him for his birthday. We chipped in and got him a Schwinn bicycle, with a little Kermit in the basket. He was moved to tears.
He’s in his 80s, but still around. He plays cocktail lounge piano, and one of the nicest guys I ever met. And he fully embodies what it is to be a teacher.