The New Jersey School Boards Association has just released a report that addresses the issues of virtual learning. The report highlights four areas of concern on the part of the districts surveyed. Please read the article and let us know if you agree or disagree with the findings. Why do you agree? Why do you disagree? Is there anything else that you would like to add to the concerns expressed here? Is there something that the NJSBA is missing?
https://www.nj.com/education/2020/10/online-learning-isnt-going-away-can-nj-make-it-better.html
In addition, you may wish to react to the article that introduces us to our new boss. Any comments? Any suggestions? Any words of advice for the new leader?
https://www.nj.com/education/2020/10/nj-gov-phil-murphy-to-name-new-education-commissioner-how-to-watch-live-today-oct-20-2020.html
I do agree with the findings talked about in this article. I feel that the state should be doing more in order to help teachers by providing more professional development workshops that help teachers learn how to educate students more effectively online. I also think it is important to assess how far behind students are in their learning, starting from the end of last school year, so that teachers can better address their learning needs. There also should be a way to figure out how to ensure that all students are able to get online in order to attend class and complete their work. While there could be the option of sending paper copies home, that doesn't mean schools should avoid fixing any computer problems students are experiencing. To some degree I also agree that classes should not go back to normal. While I don't think that schools should have to continue with complete online instruction, I think this will open doors to incorporating more technology in the classroom. Technology is a huge part of society now, so it is only logical that teachers should start including it in the classroom more as well. Teachers are learning so much about technology right now that they will hopefully be able to successfully start incorporating it more into a regular classroom (once this is all over).
ReplyDeleteWith regards to the article about our new boss, I am a little concerned. It doesn't say anywhere whether or not she has ever been a teacher or worked with students in a classroom setting. How am I supposed to take advice or listen to someone who hasn't been a teacher before?
I find myself torn about some of the things mentioned in the article. First, I do think more needs to be done to help teachers prepare. Providing inservice and workshops on online tools is not enough. I think teachers need help re-imagining how to deliver instruction in multiple modalities. All virtual is very different from hybrid. Teachers are left figuring it out as they go. I do think access continues to be problems for every district. We take for granted access to devices and internet. Not everyone has both and understands to use it and what to do when its not working. I do agree that once we are able to move past most of the restrictions, it will provide an opportunity to reflect on how we taught before the pandemic, what worked during the pandemic and how to move forward. One of the things I know I took for granted beforehand was the social emotional importance of attending school in person. I don't think online learning can or will replace it. - Kathleen
ReplyDeleteI agree with what the article had to say. I think it is easy for the state to say remote learning is going well when they have no idea what goes on during the remote day and for hours after it. We had little to no preparation for what to expect and how to navigate all the different scenarios that come with remote learning. For me, I believe the days are too long and the curriculum was not made to be taught remote. The state needs to be more lenient so that schools can put less pressure on teachers and students as to what is expected. Each day, internet access is in and out causing a ton of lost minutes on what is meant to be taught. We are pushing students along when they aren't understanding the concepts just to stay on task with the curriculum pacing. While we may address these issues to our principals who all agree with us, it is hard to enforce change when the state is still demanding so much.
ReplyDeleteCori Lardieri