Posts by urbantinker8

Drew Johnson2 said:Since there isn't sufficient space, does that mean they don't necessarily have to sit for the exam at that specific high school?
Let the Department of Education pick up the tab; honestly, what's the issue? Besides, if someone has recovered within a three-month window, they're generally considered immune from getting sick again. Given the supposed tidal wave of COVID sweeping through schools lately, I highly doubt they could even find a single teacher left without antibodies...
If they truly can't find anyone, I’d be more than happy to volunteer my services free of charge. I don't work in a school setting, but I do hold a teaching degree, so I imagine I could grasp the protocols quite easily...

God, you all are just so sweet, offering to pull proctoring duty like that.🤣🤣
Look, just send them an email to the district office, maybe they'll actually take you up on it.👍
And as for this talk about compensation, there isn't any pay involved, neither for the required staff nor for the volunteers.
It’s perfectly logical that there aren't enough rooms because, just to give you some context, besides the standard exams, schools also have to run "extended testing" for students with individualized learning plans. For instance, during a language exam, every one of those kids needs their own separate classroom. Usually, there are somewhere between 10 and 15 of them per grade level, sometimes more, which means you have to set aside 10 to 15 classrooms and assign 20 to 30 proctors just for them.😉
And when you consider there might be 150, 200, or even 300 students in a single grade, and everyone is testing at once...😁
That's how it works in every school, leaving absolutely zero room to host students from other districts—especially not in a place like Los Angeles, where half the schools are still dealing with structural issues from past disasters.
So, by all means, feel free to go ahead and organize it.🍿

Susan James said:And you can clearly see how 🤣

I find it pretty interesting how they handle things. When a student tests positive in a classroom, the teacher doesn't even step foot inside—at least not for 48 hours, which is what the CDC guidelines suggest should happen. They cite masks, open windows, and social distancing as reasons. But then, if it’s a student who was just told to self-isolate because they tested negative, that same teacher wouldn't be allowed to stand near them either, even at a much greater distance.
Looking back at some posts from October 2020, teachers were constantly working in rooms where at least one person was infected, all while walking through hallways filled with crowds of people. I honestly don't see the difference between that and protecting a healthy student who has been ordered to stay home. 🤔
All this is just going to make people overthink every single interaction. By May 25th, we're probably going to have a massive group of graduates who have moved out into their own apartments just to avoid contact. 🤣

well, here we go again with the stalking behavior, how sweet🙂

I hope you realize that professors don't actually have the authority to just mandate self-isolation whenever a student tests positive, and I guess that specific scenario doesn't really hold much water compared to a situation involving intentional, conscious contact with someone who is required to isolate but still has to show up for an exam no matter what.
if that's still not clicking for you, maybe we should go back to the basics of addition and subtraction.🕺

Drew Johnson2 said:And what exactly would be the issue with the protocol if we simply had those students use a dedicated entrance to access a separate area, where they could work under the supervision of someone who actually has antibodies and isn't at any risk...

Well, I suppose there are a few hurdles, maybe. For one, there might not be enough "dedicated rooms," or perhaps the school doesn't even have a "separate entrance" to begin with. Then there's the matter of how many of these students there actually are—it could be a significant number. Plus, I wonder if there are even enough staff members available to supervise them across all three to nine SAT sessions, not to mention how many students fall into this category. And honestly, I can't help but wonder who is supposed to foot the bill for antibody testing for entire faculty departments across the whole country just to figure out who the lucky winners are?

Lord Byron said:Maybe someone who is stuck in self-isolation calling sick people unfit for work should probably have their professional credentials revoked.

People in isolation are potentially sick and contagious, I suppose.
And honestly, if you don't grasp that, you might not be the sharpest tool in the shed.

Morgan Peterson said:Exactly.
To deny a child who has spent years grinding and studying the chance to take their exams just because of a quarantine period is nothing short of utter nonsense—it’s a blatant form of discrimination.
And no, it is absolutely not the same thing to just "try again next year" for your preferred university; that shouldn't even be a point of debate. Not everyone has an extra year to spare, nor do they all possess the nerves, the cash, or the patience to rot at home just because they were barred from a single day of testing.
If we treat this like a pandemic for children, then we must treat schools and universities with the same logic: they need to step up and organize. Schools should implement makeup exam dates, and colleges should push back enrollment until every interested student has had the opportunity to apply.
But no, we are powerless, because "it's a pandemic."

I graduated and started college right in the middle of a war zone, and I certainly don't recall anyone making a massive scene or refusing to hold graduation exams just because there was a legitimate risk of being shot at.
I also clearly remember two of our professors showing up to proctor our exams straight from the battlefield.
The truth is, when there is actual will, there is always a way.

But then again, there's also a massive level of discrimination in knowingly exposing everyone who comes in contact with a student—who just absolutely has to test on that specific day or never again—to a potential infection.
What if that student actually is infected and passes it to the teachers proctoring them, and suddenly those teachers end up in a COVID ward at a local hospital?
I guess nobody cares about that, right? As long as they get into their chosen major.🤦
Would you think it was okay if teachers, who are also supposed to be isolating, had to spend hours proctoring students during finals? Like, just "well, if someone gets sick, they get sick"? Because apparently, it's too much trouble to take sick leave and risk a pay cut from the district.🕺
Let's not talk nonsense; just look out for yourselves and your kids in the weeks leading up to graduation. It shouldn't be that difficult to manage.

William Nelson4 said:Don't even sweat it. You're basically arguing with someone who clearly has zero clue how things actually work. I guess they seriously think you just list three to five items and call it a day. Whatever.
To all you guys shouting "just give them an interim period"—honestly, take a look at the calendar.

So, I just saw the update on the fall exam schedule for the university. Looks like they finally dropped the dates. If you're still trying to scrape together enough credit hours to stay afloat, now’s the time to start panicking—or at least looking at your calendar. Just a heads up for anyone currently drowning in coursework: check the deadlines before you miss your window and end up stuck waiting until next semester. Typical, right? Everything always feels like a last-minute scramble.

Even if we just ignore the fact that the whole thing needs to be drained and fixed... 🥱So, I was just wondering... how many individual combinations would we actually be looking at for every single student in high school who ends up writing during midterms? Just curious.
So, basically, there are 3 mandatory classes and then up to 6 electives. That means a student could end up taking as many as 9 total. I guess. Maybe.
How many different versions of an exam are we talking about here? You gotta draft 'em, print 'em, hand 'em out, grade 'em... then just sit around waiting for the appeal window to close, wait for the final grades to actually post, and *then* you can even start thinking about applying and getting ranked for your major while following all those ridiculous bureaucratic rules? Seriously? ("Just put everything in one week," my ass.)🤦)

Look, urbantinker8, I'm totally in your corner. Don't let it get to you, seriously.

So, my son—he's in high school now—and his whole class have ended up in the ICU for the third freaking time.
I mean, I’m pretty sure most counties are gonna flip back to remote work starting March 29th. Not that I’m exactly throwing a party about it—honestly, it's kind of the opposite—but you just have to look around at how everything is going. You can see where this is all heading, I guess.
Sucks, I guess.

👍

mellowskipper said:There is an actual protocol in place regarding when people from neighboring states can leave, work, or move around normally—it’s just a matter of staying under heightened supervision. I mean, I doubt Meta would be bothering to post updates if we were talking about kids with 102-degree fevers and hacking coughs; we’re talking about healthy children here.

Sent from my iPhone using Reddit

Let me say it one more time: nobody is being told to undergo self-isolation because they aren't at any risk of getting infected or falling ill.
I mean, would you honestly feel okay with people just going about their business and hanging out with children while they are supposed to be in isolation?
(Since you work in healthcare, I find it hard to believe you’d actually advocate for people in isolation having "normal movement."😲)

William Nelson4 said:???
Just read the guidelines on the CDC website; they even have a condensed version in a flyer format.
There is zero mention of "normal" movement.
Unless it's an absolute emergency, you aren't leaving the house.
No walks, no heading to work or school, no hanging out or inviting people over... just read the damn thing.

And where exactly are you seeing this "strict supervision" thing? Let us know so we can tell our kids, "Hey, since you're in isolation, you can basically do whatever you want, just stay under 'strict supervision' or whatever."
My son was supposed to have practice and hit the barber today... we had to cancel everything. ☕ Are we being sheep or just responsible?
Edit: and he's gonna miss a buddy's birthday too..

Exactly.
I suppose an "absolute emergency" probably doesn't include wandering out three or four times a day to attend a graduation ceremony.

fadedcobra22 said:So, Kolarić is out here claiming they’re looking into making people with mild COVID-19 symptoms sit in isolation for ten days, but if you were just around them, you’re stuck for fourteen?! Like, seriously, who is running this show? Is anyone actually sane over there?
I mean, think about it—if you actually catch the bug, you get a shorter sentence than if you’re just a healthy bystander??

You mean shorter?🤔

hiddendriver34 said:Lately, it seems like handwriting is being phased out of some schools across the USA (and maybe even elsewhere), but we can't just look at this through the lens of "how useful is this skill for their future careers?" Some research actually links learning to write by hand directly to brain development, so there's a much deeper conversation happening here than just practical utility.

it seems like only one person here is actually talking about how impractical or pointless writing might be in daily life, if I'm counting correctly.
so, I suppose we shouldn't pay much mind to those who don't grasp why developing fine motor skills matters. if we set those folks aside, I think most of us could probably agree that trying to "lighten the load" of the first-grade curriculum by cutting these things out is just pure idiocy.

and honestly, the American education system really shouldn't be held up as some kind of gold standard for us.☕

Michelle Nelson4 said:And besides, we haven't even heard who specifically needs it (other than your own opinion)

Basically, here is what happened: I suggested that most people don't necessarily need perfect penmanship, but you argued that they do (as seen in the quote above). So, I asked you to name anyone who actually requires it. You couldn't name a single soul besides teachers, yet somehow you wrapped things up by claiming THAT I am the one saying clients and customers need it. 🤣

I'm not putting you on my ignore list just because of little moments like this, though. 🤣

PS, I have to go type something a bit more productive now, so I'll be signing off! :mah;

I can't remember the last time I read something quite so nonsensical.🤣🤣🤣
Honey, you're the only one treating handwriting aesthetics like some kind of absolute necessity.

By the way, I'm not in school anymore, so having handwriting is actually useful for me.😛
(Whether it's pretty or ugly... it's still handwriting.)

Well, I suppose when you run out of things to quote, this is what happens.🤣

Maybe try searching for: fine motor skills.😉

I guess the only person who actually cares if their handwriting is legible enough for partners, clients, or customers is you.

Michelle Nelson4 said:It’s actually pretty funny how a quick chat about messy handwriting somehow spiraled into this whole deep dive into the art of penmanship itself... though I suppose some people just can't help themselves when it comes to straying off-topic; they always seem to get their wires crossed a little bit. 😂

I don't think I ever actually brought up whether handwriting was "bad" or "pretty"—it seems like you're the one making that the main point of the argument.
I've been focusing on the importance of developing fine motor skills through writing this whole time.
Maybe there just isn't much being said about that specific aspect, I guess.🙂

David Palmer5 said:Honestly, whether your handwriting is beautiful or just legible doesn't really matter. It’s not even about which professions require pen and paper...
what actually matters is that handwriting isn't just a physical act.
If you look up some of the studies on how handwriting connects to brain development, things start to click.
It makes much more sense why so many experts argue against moving away from manual writing and why practicing your handwriting is so vital (at least until you hit a certain age), right?

I don't think those various idiots from other departments would really get that.😁

Michelle Nelson4 said:Because that’s really the only aspect where clarity actually matters—being able to communicate something to someone else. If you’re just scribbling down illegible nonsense for your own eyes, or if you're writing in some elaborate, decorative script like my great-grandmother's old diary, then nobody cares. It doesn't matter. Honestly, deciding whether to prioritize legibility is about as significant as deciding whether you prefer listening to modern pop or Tchaikovsky.

But then again, I tend to write with a certain elegance, and I do it with other people in mind.
And I take a little bit of pride in that, I guess.🙂

feralmoose32 said:It reminds me of something someone posted on Meta once: just another day where I didn't need to use sine or cosine...🤣

well, obviously.
but I guess if you tried telling that to those hardcore STEM majors, they might not be so convinced, maybe.🙂

I mean, why on earth should writing be strictly confined to professional work or anything like that?🙂
Besides, I suppose almost anyone can sit down and tap away at a keyboard these days, but actually knowing how to write... well, unfortunately, that’s a much rarer skill altogether.

I just love these double standards, they’re truly something else🤣

whenever some tech guru decides to claim that in ten years nobody will actually need to know how to write because... well, keyboards exist🙂, everyone is just expected to nod along in agreement.
handwriting is apparently so last year, and I guess if you're still writing things down by hand, you've clearly lost your mind. Apparently, EVERYONE (okay, let's be realistic, maybe 99%🐔) is going to live exclusively through screens and typing, so why bother learning how to form letters? It's totally unnecessary, right?🤣

but then, the moment some "average Joe" points out that, hey, maybe—just maybe—most regular people aren't ever going to need to calculate the square root of a negative number in their actual lives, the whole tech community loses its collective mind. They act like you can't possibly cut it from the curriculum; it's absolutely vital. For EVERYONE. 🧐

Michelle Nelson4 said:Exactly. Kids should probably start at age five and a half in a preparatory program, gently learning print letters and numbers up to 20, then move into the standard curriculum once they hit six and a half.

Honestly, I don't see much of a crisis regarding messy handwriting. Let's face it—about 99% of our adult lives involve typing on a laptop rather than using a pen. Some people will always fight that reality and try to downplay how little handwriting matters these days... but soon enough, we'll likely see college exams being taken entirely on computers (or just selecting A/B/C/D options), which solves the whole issue of professors not being able to decipher a student's scrawl. Of course, there will be plenty of complaining and hand-wringing about how "this is all sooo bad" and how everything needs to be done exactly the way it was back in our day.

Where on earth did this grand conclusion come from?

I suppose IT professionals probably won't need much handwriting, that seems clear enough.
But for everyone else, you know, the "regular" folks, it might actually matter.

I’m sitting here in high school again, staring at this map, and I honestly can’t seem to locate Columbus, Ohio, on the first try.
And don't even get me started on trying to find the islands out in the Pacific.
🤣

I honestly can't find any tablets anywhere, no matter where I look.
it’s just thick fog again.

feralmoose32 said:It’s not even the general public that knows—it's mostly just those who actually deal with students every day...

And regarding what you mentioned... 🤣

well, I suppose that's an important distinction to make, isn't it?
though I guess for the grandparents out there, it probably all feels pretty much the same regardless.

feralmoose32 said:But honestly, it really comes down to the teacher—I mean, I was showing my friend some of my old school notebooks once, and she just lost it laughing because her teacher's class (they’re in second grade now) used to go absolutely wild with their note-taking for every single subject... like, for one English assignment, they had already filled half a page just practicing the letter A, whereas my notebook had four full pages dedicated to it

Well, yours was practically a survival guide for life.
Hers definitely wasn't.
🙄

I honestly just feel a deep sense of regret that people are only just now starting to grasp what a complete mess this whole situation actually is.
It feels like, I don't know, maybe it's already too late at this point. From here on out, I fear we're just heading straight toward a future where everything becomes increasingly mindless.