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Tuesday, February 2, 2021

TOO MANY THREADS – Dad Gone Wild

TOO MANY THREADS – Dad Gone Wild
TOO MANY THREADS




“What we learn from history is that no one learns from history”
― Otto von Bismarck

 

Keeping up with everything that is going on in the education world is getting a little difficult. As the moves keep escalating and demands grow exponentially.

In regard to MNPS, the COVID-19 tracker has remained under 7 all weekend and currently sits at 6.9. Today at 3:30 Dr. Battle will hold a press conference to announce a likely return to school. It’s an announcement that will elicit mixed reactions.

While virtually everybody longs for the re-opening of schools, there is a difference of opinion on whether it can be done safely or not under current conditions. Let’s dive deeper.

RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS

Since mid-Summer, Commissioner Schwinn, at the urging of Governor Lee, has been pushing for schools to re-open for in-person learning, even when doing so might be considered unsafe for teachers and students. There was some lip service paid to a commitment to improving remote instruction, along with some aid in securing technology, but the focus has remained squarely on opening school buildings.

The TDOE did produce some opportunities for teachers to get guidance and PD on remote learning, but most of the offerings were broad and general, with only some of the information applying to local LEAs. Instead, teachers were left to rely on each other and local district offerings which varied greatly in quality, while every effort was made to increase in-person learning opportunities.

In an effort, to pressure schools to return as quickly as possible, Schwinn and Lee issued a clarion call on the dangers of learning loss. This is where they first touted the dire prediction of students CONTINUE READING: TOO MANY THREADS – Dad Gone Wild