Our school is still hybrid, and a group of parents have created one of these pods and hired a former teacher from the school to teach it. I found out as they still do zoom and our kids were all so confused 'why are x and x in school all together and we're not?' I totally get why you would if you had the money, but it truly makes me so sad to think of the absolute chasm of inequality this situation is creating, especially for kids under 10. And my kids are the lucky ones. I just hate to think how this is going to play out...
Same here. I didn't think anyone had done this in our grade, but then heard from another parent that so and so is in a group with this one and they've hired a teacher to "supervise". Our teachers keep sending out reminders to not allow your child to work ahead, but I think it's a lost cause at this point. Some are just going to do it anyway, screw everyone else.
Assuming you're a fairly engaged, educated parent, I don't see what these kids are getting that yours aren't.
i'm not worried about my kids beyond that it sucks to be like why is half my class in their own school and i'm stuck at home in my room. Mainly just a little horrified for the freaking huge gulf in learning there's about to be between kids with means and kids without
EC?
NP they would be getting socialization and the ability to move ahead of the class by getting professionally designed curriculum. No horse in this game but I can’t fault people for doing their best for their kids.
In other words, these people would be hiring tutors anyway.
big assumption
someone whose job is just teaching them; has training as an educator, and whose only relationship with the kids is being a teacher. I'm engaged and well-educated and me trying to teach my kid things doesn't work well, its not what she needs/wants in our relationship and i don't have a lot of teaching skills.
You're not "teaching" them if they're in remote school. This is more about your insecurities and your fear that others have it better, IMO. I wouldn't jump to the same conclusions.
Sorry but I'm not crying over the sad state of inequality among Hamptons families...
Or are you in NYC? In which case aren't your kids getting actual, in-person school time?
our school isn't back in person. oh and yes in NYC.
@Anonymous You said it's hybrid.
@anonymous right so the kids are majority at home.
As a private school parent (and I am one too), one thing I feel that you don't really get to complain about is "inequality." By making the choice to take kids out of the public system and send to private schools, we have lived our lives in a way that exacerbates inequality. So you don't get to then demand that the richest families (which, to be clear, is not me) don't make decisions that benefit their kids. I agree with the person above who said that these families would likely have tutors anyway. I also don't really understand what they are getting if your kids are hybrid -- they are already getting some socialization, right?
I do think schools have a responsibility to do what they can to limit inequality among their communities. Basically, you can't admit financial aid kids and then create an environment where it's not possible for them to compete. That's one reason why I think schools like Dalton have really f***ed up. Hamptons pandemic pods are inevitable in fully remote school -- virtual learning is completely inadequate in my view. But by disavowing any responsibility for education, remote schools have sowed inequality within their communities. That's on the school administrations, not on individual parents in my view.
I'm not complaining. I'm expressing the very real fact that this situation is causing the most extreme inequality in education that we will see in our lifetimes. Does it hugely impact me? No. Should hamptons parents 'not' have a 'pandemic pod'? they should do what works for them. Will the situation in general lead to a huge educational and opportunity gap and associated outrage as the gulf becomes apparent? 100%.
You're saying this based on a small sample of private school kids? Really? That's a stretch.
@anonymous I mean.... if you want to argue that this is not a thing I guess you can? I feel like huge gulf in educational equality opening up as result of covid isn't really a thing that's up for debate. This is just one example.
The absurd thing is that they feel the need to shell out money for a pod. Our public elementary here in the Hamptons is open full time 5 days a week. And the kids get recess outside, art, music all sort of stuff city kids can only dream of right now. But most of the rich city families (not all, there are quite a few that enrolled out here) would never consider mixing with the masses.
Huge inequalities. I think a child is better off having a one on one tutor once or twice a week. Pods may be fun but it takes away from the actual learning for each kid. I lost my job. I’m fortunate enough (even tho I hate it), to be a SAHM now helping my 5th and 6th grader all day, plus once a week tutors. I have friends kids same age sitting home alone all day long. It’s awfully unfair.
OP indicated the pod was for kids under 10 - that moves it from a frill to an almost essential if you can make it happen.
She is WFH, it’s not essential for her
This gulf between have and have nots in education that is exacerbated by COVID is another reason why remote - or hybrid- should not continue beyond spring or when a vaccine is available.
This is why wee need a millionaire's tax. This will provide more money to the underserved communities to help narrow that gulf between the have's and have nots.
I really don’t see what the inequality issue is when you are already in private. Can’t you put your children in a pod wherever you are if you want to? I considered a pod but the logistics were annoying and after seeing how much instruction the kids have on remote days (1.5 - 2.5 hours of live time) it didn’t make sense to do a pod and have and instructor and other children around when so much time is live zoom calls. I hired a private tutor for 2 hours on the the hybrid days to come only when we don’t have live zooms and I think this works much better than a pod. Then my kids go to the park for socialization. They don’t really care about seeing kids on zooms together.
Some families at privates are on financial aid. Some budget for private and there isn't much left afterward. And it isn't just private school families doing this - families at our PUBLIC school have done these expensive pod teachers too. I mean, ok, they can afford it, but there's just no denying it's an advantage.
I agree with you, OP. On so many levels the gap is widening. The kid in the pod with the private teacher plus hybrid private school is not sliding academically or socially/emotionally. They also probably have sports and private coaches. Versus a kid in the city with no parent home and remote learning, little socialization and sports. It will be a huge issue for the country. And for private schools who promise equity and inclusion this is going to cause giant rifts, particularly on the heels of the black@ discussions. It's further evidence that it's really impossible for private schools to be "equitable"
What's most interesting here to me is that it took COVID to awaken people to the already extant chasm in education (and frankly all parts of life) between the haves and the have nots in American society. This has been a glaring issue for years. I understand that OP is not writing this post bc she's concerned about her own kids, but frankly, it's semi disheartening that it takes a snafu in Hamptons remote learning to promote some critical thinking about social inequality.
There are parents in public and private doing this, and sometimes just for their own children -- no pod, just a teacher supervising their kids during classes and keeping them occupied otherwise. Not sure you can really be mad at them for doing what's best for their children, or that you can call it unfair. It's just the reality of different resource levels. And most people do the best they can for their children, pandemic or otherwise.