Thursday, May 28, 2020

NYC Public School Parents: Problems with remote learning from the perspective of a NYC student and a NYC teacher

NYC Public School Parents: Problems with remote learning from the perspective of a NYC student and a NYC teacher

Problems with remote learning from the perspective of a NYC student and a NYC teacher


First, here is testimony from Joshua Applewhite, NYC high school student, at yesterday's City Council hearings, who said that because of remote learning, "I feel like a robot. As a matter of fact, I feel like this whole situation is handled like we’re robots and we’re not humans with different feelings and different circumstances and different situations.” 

More on the findings from these hearings here and here, including the fact that the city’s summer school plan for remote learning calls for only one counselor or social worker for every 1,045 students and only one teacher for 30 struggling students.

Below this video is a piece by Ronit Wrubel, a NYC teacher, who points out another big problem  with remote learning - it's difficult for teachers to see their students' eyes.



DON'T FORGET THE EYES by Ronit Wrubel


Exactly 10 years ago, in April of 2010, I wrote an essay called "Don't Forget The Eyes".
I had been teaching using a document camera where I projected images onto a pull-down screen and showed most of my lessons using slides, photos, and various worksheets that had been transferred onto clear acetate pages. I used colored write on/wipe off markers to share my teaching points. I found value in the interactivity of this ‘teaching tool’.
My document camera was positioned behind my class meeting area in order to properly project what we were learning. The children would look at the screen while listening to CONTINUE READING: NYC Public School Parents: Problems with remote learning from the perspective of a NYC student and a NYC teacher