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Originally Posted by graciegirl
What is your personal opinion on schools opening?
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I am an actively employed 25-year middle school teacher and a part-time online AP world history teacher in Hawaii researching retirement options, maybe early retirement. I can personally attest educators want to see their kids in the classroom. Most teachers teach because it is important work, not for the salary. Online instruction does not work for every student. Motivated, intelligent students do well. If a student has special needs, lacks support at home, is homeless, and/or lacks motivation, online learning can be challenging. Online instruction takes more time to prepare than face-to-face instruction and many teachers had to be trained because it is different. Many teachers had to teach from home while their own kids were at home competing with computer use, just as any working parent had to do. Nothing beats face-to-face instruction. Parents depend on schools being open so they can go to work. Kids need to socialize with each other. It is not healthy being in front of a screen most of the day. Safety is a huge issue.
We plan on rotating students in secondary schools. We will split the classes - one group attends Mon. and Wed., the other group attends on Tues. and Thurs. When one group is at school, the other half are online. Friday is for students who have special needs or need other interventions, IEP meetings, etc. We do not have the physical space for social distancing. Our class sizes have always been too large. We do not have enough personnel. We have always had a teaching shortage, especially in Hawaii. Believe me, there are not enough people who want to substitute teach, let alone choose a teaching career. We do not have enough resources. I purchase my own disinfectant, tissues, and other supplies yearly and will no doubt increase that this year. Schools are germy Petri dishes. We require 6-foot distancing and masks at stores, but aren't our kids and teachers important too? What happens if, no when, a teacher gets sick and is out for a minimum of 2 weeks? What happens when teachers and students bring the virus home to an at-risk family member? Our COVID numbers are low in Hawaii - totaling approximately 1,100 in the entire state, 19 deaths. The numbers will go up when the 14-day travel quarantine is lifted and tourists from the hot spots visit. I hope to teach 2-5 more years until I retire - hopefully to the Villages. My husband is healthy but had a kidney transplant. He is staying with his 93-year-old mom on the mainland. I suggested he stay there until we have a vaccine because I do not want to risk his health when I return to school in 3 weeks. Be safe everyone. I am praying for a vaccine, it's our only solution right now as opposed to survival of the fittest. Sorry this is so long but thought you may want to hear a working teacher's perspective.