CHICAGO (CBS) – It is the first day of school for Chicago public school students, but the classroom is not in school because the year begins with distance education.
MUGo Odigwe of CBS 2 explains why Tuesday will inevitably be a little tricky for CPS students, parents and teachers.
When you think about the first day of school, there’s the thrill of bringing your teachers together and making new friends.
It’s a new global form of distance learning and, unlike last spring, the district is a new online page that will reopen to mark attendance this year. This means that attendance is mandatory.
Parents will need to take on more responsibilities by helping their children navigate distance learning. It’s a double task for parents like Joddecci Lozada, who attends college.
“I’m probably going to be distracted by drifting and looking not to pay attention,” Lozada said. “Then I’ll have to avoid what I’m doing so he can come back. “
For parents who want a position to leave their children while they’re at work, CPS has six tracking sites and more will be added in the coming weeks. The district said a staff member on the site will oversee the study rooms of up to 15 young people as they are informed online, socially est distanced and masked.
A father who dropped his kids off at Schubert Elementary School said it wasn’t what he looks like.
“A little nervous. They said they’re not certified. They’re not there to teach them, they’re just there to supervise,” Michelle Carrillo said.
Then there are the teachers.
“I know we’re bringing our game,” said Lauren Kullman, a theater instructor at SPC. “Our scholars are bringing him back. I have 4 monitors around me. I feel like I’m generating the Emmys. “
Some members of the Chicago Teachers Union met Tuesday morning to discuss their new normal; COVID-19.
“My fears are technology,” said Nina Hike, a chemistry teacher at CPS.
Special education has taken the time to convince parents about the uncertainty of things right now.
“I know we have more questions to answer, but I ask you,” said Paula Barajaras, a special education instructor at SPC.
Teachers and parents said Tuesday was the day when they would nevertheless be informed if the devices were working or if there were technical issues that made the information difficult, they said they would pay close attention when the district made the decision to switch to hybrid. be informed.
Parents will take on new roles to keep young people informed online. This is because all categories are distant. Participation is mandatory and scoring practices are returning to normal. @cbschicago https://t. co/5LPBQFp7K3
– Mugo Odigwe (@MugoOdigwe) September 2020
On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS Executive Director Janice Jackson said the day is going well and it’s vital that everyone shows up and starts.
“The purpose is to make this year a good fortune despite some of the demanding situations we face in distance learning,” Jackson said, adding that she herself wasn’t sure how the excitement of the first day of school would unfold. “We saw today that our teachers have still captured this moment. There’s a lot of excitement and I’m convinced it’s going to be a year. “
Mayor Lightfoot said it would take an organizational effort to make sure the school year is a success despite distance learning issues, especially with connectivity.
“The issues we want to emphasize to parents, guardians, and adults in the lives of our youth:making sure we leave no one behind. We want to make sure that each and every CPS student has the same opportunity to have a rewarding experience and Rewarding Learning delights as if they were physically in class.
The mayor added that the disorders will be maintained and resolved in a day, but that everyone is committed to making sure academics get what they want through online learning.
“It’s a day. It’s day after day. This constant effort to spread the word to schools in session. Learning is underway at the SPC,” he says.
Jackson said students will be marked as absent if they have linkage disorders or can’t connect to the Internet.
“We paint directly with our families, solving those technical problems. Our plan focused on flexibility,” Jackson said. “We were hoping for some of those things to happen. But other people are doing their best to connect our young people, and we are going to do everything we can to make sure not only are they in attendance, but they are also given access. to their teachers so they can learn. “
On training efforts, Lightfoot responded to President Donald Trump’s risk of withdrawing the budget from school districts that incorporate Project 1619 into his curriculum. It is the collection of essays that won The New York Times Pulitzer Prize and was published in the New York Times magazine before. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in the colony of Virginia.
“It’s just more hot air. We are a democracy. And in a democracy, we don’t hide our race, our history. Project 1619 was followed by Dr. Jackson and the CPS. We believe it is incredibly vital that our young people of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds perceive this vital component of American history,” Lightfoot said. “And know that the president doesn’t have the authority to withdraw cash from a school district, and if he does, obviously, we’ll see him in court.