Remote Learning, tell us about your experiences

I'm somewhat fortunate since I have a sitter who has a daughter in the 2nd grade and gets along well with my grandson. It can't be easy for her, Cindy, to not only watch her daughter with remote learning, but watching kindergarten "Manny" too!
......on Chromebook's most of the day. My grandson is remote learning every other week. Cindy's daughter was able to do that for less than a month but the Aurora School District recently has 1st grade and up back again on total remote. PreK and Kindergarten kids are still able to get some "in school" hands on learning. The main reason obviously is the "attention span" issue with kids 5 years old and younger. I'm able to work all through this Covid crap because of Cindy. I've known her and her husband for years so that helps. Not everyone is lucky to have that. I have to log into Manny's Chromebook on Saturday for Kindergarten homework for about an hour. Damn...Math...5...#5.....match five apples with #5. Letters....B. .match the letter B with pics of things that begin with the letter B..and so on. Never thought I'd be doing this again at almost 65. Post up your experiences!

 

Frankly? It sucked. LOL

My son happens to attend a small private school where we live; and for the last 2 months of last year, they did the remote learning thing. My son's grades already weren't that great (we realized last year we'd need to hold him back, as we'd gotten him started too early), but EVERYONE'S grades freakin' tanked at the time. When the smartest girl in the class barely gets low B's and C's, something's wrong.

And it's not for lack of assistance either. We worked from home at the same time period, and I'm one of those huge nerds who got straight A's in school, and I know my son's learning style; there are times I've been able to help him get complex subjects that the teacher wasn't quite sure how to proceed with. But it wasn't simply his learning style. They expected 6th graders to sit in front of a computer for 7 hours, and then do 3 hours of homework. LOL

I think we're seeing nationwide how that's turning out. Without getting political, suffice it to say that nationwide distance learning is NOT working all that well.

 

We tolerated it for a week and have been homeschooling ever since.

 

Mine are at the other end - in college. My son hasn't seen a B in several years, and had a 4.0 last year with Calculus II and III, Physics I and II, Differential Equations, and other pre-Electrical Engineering classes. Granted, he does have a tough schedule this semester, but the online thing is killing him. He tells me that there is no way he can get a 4.0 this semester, and he completely blames the online learning mode. He has MUCH less access to professors and barely knows his classmates, both of which are critical to success in tough courses.

 

Y'know, that's another thing that I find interesting. SO many people shat on homeschooling...UNTIL forced virtual learning became a thing.

 

Agreed 100%. When I got my dual bachelor's degrees in 2013, yes, I was able to do about 1/2 of the classes online...but we *HAD* to have teleconferences, chat rooms, phone calls, etc. Some like learning online, but everyone's learning style is different.

 

I was down the street and saw SWAT walking into one of my sons classmates house. Full tactical gear. Called my wife to see what she could see on his zoom class call. Could hear stuff in background, but nothing on the screen.

 

Comcast has charged me as much as $50/month for excessive internet usage and my kids have taken over the front living room and dining room with their work spaces. I have 3 kids from first-sixth grade that have anywhere between 5-11 Zoom video conferences per day. The struggle is real.

 

The poor kid probably had a Call of Duty poster on his wall and the teacher freaked out.

 

Indeed. I think it will be a good thing in the long run, for that reason. People have realized (including my wife and I) that we can very well provide a better, individualized learning experience that plays to our children’s strengths. No more one size fits all. No one slowing them up or leaving them behind.

 

My kids’ ISD said absolutely no online learning will be offered. Absolute all stars. The district across town has a bunch of teachers threatening to walk out because they’re being stretched entirely too thin having to deal with online learning plus classroom stuff.

 

We are “lucky” in this situation. My kids are in 3rd and 5th grade. Last year my youngest would have all his class work done in 30 minutes.
This year there is more structure to it. They don’t get homework but they do have online all day with scheduled breaks and a lunch. I work graveyard so try to sleep while they are doing school work and check on them every couple of hours.

As for returning to the classroom....well I’ll keep those remarks to myself so this thread doesn’t get locked and I don’t get a ban lol.

 

Yeah, I've been biting my tongue on this thread A LOT!

 

It drove me to drinking....more

 

My wife has been teaching virtually all year. Teachers are stretched so thin and working their asses off. She is teaching two grade levels. They are doing there best. Teachers are not tech wizards- keep that in mind. I know this is hard on parents though too. Kids, teachers, admin,parents- nobody is really winning with this, but it is what it is, everybody wants things to go back to normal. We just gotta get through it.

Also, for her sake, I’m quite grateful we moved to a smaller more rural community where the majority ( obviously not all) students at least have a decent home life and she knows at least they are safe at home and have parents who at least somewhat care and try. She used to work in a much lower income and rougher school district- I have no idea how virtual learning is going there- but I pray at least those kids are getting fed.

 

There is just too much to be relayed...

One thing for sure is that not all remote learning is/was created equal...

 

Had to replace a Chromebook AC adapter already. My sitters dog somehow got it and buried it in the backyard somewhere. $20.