Mayor Says Schools Won’t Reopen This Academic Year But Governor Undecided; How is Remote Learning Going for You?
Public schools will be closed through the end of the academic year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Saturday. That means remote learning is scheduled to continue through the end of the school year in late June.
“There’s nothing easy about this decision,” Mr. de Blasio said during a news briefing Saturday morning, according to the Times. “Lord knows, having to tell you that we cannot bring our schools back for the remainder of the school year is painful. I can also tell you is the right thing to do. It will clearly help us save lives.”
Update: The governor now says the schools decision is up to him, and he hasn’t made a final decision.
We’ve heard mixed things about remote learning — it’s tough for teachers and many students, some of whom don’t have access to equipment or wi-fi. We’d love to hear some success stories from local schools. If you’re a teacher who wants to discuss a strategy that’s worked for your students (other than muting them all on group chats!), or a parent who wants to give props to a teacher, let us know in the comments or at westsiderag at gmail.
The best story I’ve heard: School buses carrying WiFi hot spots and grab and go meals for kids.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2020/04/06/sunnyside-unified-using-buses-wifi-hotspots-around-tucson-area/2945179001/
I’m no big fan of DeBlasio but he’s 100% correct in keeping the schools closed.
And 100% incorrect for causing chaos by announcing a decision that is currently out of his jurisdiction, which he knows full well since the state made the order to close schools. This is not leadership, is very frustrating, and disregards all those affected by whatever the actual decision will be. And yeah, I voted for him.
I am a high school teacher doing remote learning on the UWS.
My attendance hovers around 50% each day. Some students have not even logged on yet.
We’ve run away to Florida in mid-March, and have been doing remote learning since. It’s great: my child (a six grader) says that the workload is the same as it used to be, but it takes 1/3 of the time to complete because only kids who actually study are logging in on a regular basis. Half of our cohort dropped off completely; many haven’t been seen in online classes at all.
Before you rush to lament the supposed lack of access to technology that prevents the other 50% from studying remotely, consider this. Those kids have friends who tell us that they’re still playing Fortnite, making TikToks, and logging lots of Minecraft hours from home. They simply don’t want to study even in regular times. Now the pandemic has thrown society into disarray, and removed the last shreds of incentive to participate in schoolwork.
For us this is a prolonged open-ended vacation in Florida. We will return to NYC when – and if – schools resume regular classes. Until then remote learning is fine, and is a great change of pace.
I don’t doubt it at all. I have two kids in UWS public schools (1st grade and Universal Pre-K) and both schools have been great with remote learning. The parents that care about their kids’ education are the ones that have their kids logging on every day and making sure they do their assignments. I see many that don’t log on at all. I don’t know why anyone would want their child to fall behind, especially in this highly competitive school system. It’s beyond me…
How do yo uknow which kids log in? my kids is in 6th and logs in everyday, but not sure how anyone would know if other log in?
You are making a lot of assumptions about other parents and their level of care/concern for their children’s education. Mind your own business, reserve your disbelief that others don’t have the same privilege that you do, and think about in impact of what you post on a public website.
The fact that you are worried about “highly competitive school system” with your kids in preK and 1st makes you a perfect nyc parent. Good luck with the rat race, I have a feeling you will “win”!!!!
You should report the other half of the story which is Cuomo saying this is only deblasio’s “opinion”
Remote learning has generally gone very well. We have two kids at an UWS public elementary school. Teachers have been very dedicated. I think that we are particularly lucky that our teachers don’t have families of their own so have more time to dedicate. One of my children’s classes has a public sign-in sheet and it appears that the whole class signs in every day. But we are at one of the more upper middle class schools in the area.
Our older child can largely fend for herself. Our younger child requires more attention. I think that for kids who are roughly third grade and up, parents don’t have to be too involved. With younger children, parents have to be involved, regardless of how engaged of a student you have. If both parents are working, either at home or out of the home, this can be very challenging. It is a challenge that I am willing to take on to make sure my child continues her education, but it is not easy.
In a tough situation we are impressed with how PS333 is handling it.
Youse aksed how remoat lurning is for me?
Not so gud, as youse can sea i has trubble wif my wryting and comas and periots and all kindza stuf i’m better at maf, doe, and i really lykke hiztoree well gotta go uhnothar lessin startingsoon by for now
There was a closing of schools in the late sixties due to a teacher’s strike. How did that affect students?
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/story-new-york-city-two-month-teacher-strike-article-1.808131
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_teachers%27_strike_of_1968
YES, there WAS a 1960 teachers’ strike, led by the then-new United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in response to abuses like:
1.forcing female teachers, after giving birth, to take 2 YEARS UNPAID maternity leave;
2.allowing a more-unprincipled Principal to fire teachers unchallenged;
and more.
The 1960 strike lasted just ONE DAY, but, as a result, the UFT became the Collective Bargaining Agent for school employees and has fought constantly for ALL teachers, union-members or not.
The students easily survived the work-stoppage and NYC teachers today enjoy decent salaries and the dignity they deserve.
I’m referring to the strike that lasted 35 days in the article cited.
Studying at home can be low in efficiency, as my work performance goes down when working at home. But if the COVID-19 outbreaks in a school, it would be super terrible!Im still waiting for my N95 from epidemiology.amotx.com, and hope they can be delivered.
I appreciate Andrew Cuomo taking the time to remind everybody that he’s still a schmuck.
We are not a computer friendly family! So this remote learning is terrible for us. We actually gave up. I asked his teacher of we could get physical worksheets in which she wanted us to do some zoom thing. My son already failed 3rd grade last year. Just hoping they can not fail him again.
There were some tutors on this list at some point. You could also request a tutor. If you have a computer (even though you’re not computer friendly) they may be able to walk you through the steps and help you and your son.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18s5cuHJeksRAaFGbcTUlh0KHYjc62RouF_tRTtOxPvk/edit?fbclid=IwAR0HQp6jkK3zAo0VNG4_bqMUIT2PA7LPjjycsGPnknZmWutzKxfUQMSpKNs#gid=0
How about working on the increase in crime up double digits in the last month.
There is nothing more entertaining than watching DeBlasio get slapped down every time he thinks he’s in charge.
The same people who gave the Mayor heat for not closing the schools fast enough now say that he does not have the authority to keep them closed.
Open everything. The models were wrong. The hospitals are not overwhelmed. If you have a pre-existing condition be careful. The flu killed 57K people last year in the US. So far this is small in comparison. There will be a 2nd great depression if we do not open things soon. It may already be too late. More people will die from the economic impacts of our response than the actual virus. Wash your hands and stay home if you are sick
It’s miss misinformed people LIKE YOU who are going to get inncocent people killed. 4,500 People in New York State die from a flu season annually… 10k people in a matter of 4 WEEKS died form COVID-19… funny, this is a post about education. Speaking of education since our Government officials took so long closing down the schools now 50 DOE workers are dead.
EDUCATE AND INFORM YOURSELF. STOP COMPARING THIS TO THE FLU AND DOWNPLAYING THIS.