Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Schools plan for home tutoring
By MICHAEL FORBES - The Southland Times
Last updated 05:00 21/07/2009
Some Southland schools are preparing to teach students at home, fearing a shortage of relief teachers could hurt the region if Influenza A (H1N1) swine flu takes hold.
Verdon College principal Paul Olsen said the school had looked at delivering classes via its intranet, because it could not cope with many staff away ill with swine flu.
"It's already a struggle to find relief staff in Invercargill ... we're drawing from a very shallow pool," Mr Olsen said.
On any given day, Verdon could afford to lose only three or four teachers of "specialist" subjects such as mathematics and physics, before it had to combine classes, Mr Olsen said.
If it lost about 15 of its 52-strong teaching staff, there was little hope the Southland relief pool could cope and the school would consider sending students home for online tutorials, he said.
Southland was a difficult region to staff because its colder climate and rural image made it unattractive to some, and New Zealand teachers were often in demand overseas, Mr Olsen said.
The Education Ministry could not provide the exact number of relief teachers in Southland when asked yesterday.
However, every secondary school principal spoken to said there was a definite shortage.
James Hargest College principal Paul O'Connor said the relief pool was already strained by school camps and sports tournaments, when schools all wanted a few teachers at the same time.
Should Hargest suddenly lose about 10 to 12 teachers, it would look at combining classes or sending students home, but the swine flu pandemic might not prove that serious, Mr O'Connor said.
Southland Boys' High School rector Ian Baldwin said the relief teacher shortage was a concern but still proportionate to the number of teachers in Southland.
Mr Baldwin said his school had also considered providing classes using the internet and cellphones as part if its swine flu pandemic plan. "The technology has always been there, this might just bring it forward a bit. In a way, this pandemic could be a good thing."
Southland Boys' had not experienced an increase in students staying at home but there were more boys "presenting" with flu symptoms and being sent home.
Hargest reported absence of 70 to 80 senior students, Aurora College reported 60 and Verdon had eight away sick. The schools said they were normal figures for this time of year.
Waihopai School principal Alan Mitchell said most of its 20 classrooms had two or three pupils away sick yesterday, compared with its normal six to eight first-day absences.
Primary school relief teachers were not as scarce as they were in secondary schools, Mr Mitchell said. Waihopai had a pool of about 30 relief teachers it drew upon, he said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/2611399/Schools-plan-for-home-tutoring
By MICHAEL FORBES - The Southland Times
Last updated 05:00 21/07/2009
Some Southland schools are preparing to teach students at home, fearing a shortage of relief teachers could hurt the region if Influenza A (H1N1) swine flu takes hold.
Verdon College principal Paul Olsen said the school had looked at delivering classes via its intranet, because it could not cope with many staff away ill with swine flu.
"It's already a struggle to find relief staff in Invercargill ... we're drawing from a very shallow pool," Mr Olsen said.
On any given day, Verdon could afford to lose only three or four teachers of "specialist" subjects such as mathematics and physics, before it had to combine classes, Mr Olsen said.
If it lost about 15 of its 52-strong teaching staff, there was little hope the Southland relief pool could cope and the school would consider sending students home for online tutorials, he said.
Southland was a difficult region to staff because its colder climate and rural image made it unattractive to some, and New Zealand teachers were often in demand overseas, Mr Olsen said.
The Education Ministry could not provide the exact number of relief teachers in Southland when asked yesterday.
However, every secondary school principal spoken to said there was a definite shortage.
James Hargest College principal Paul O'Connor said the relief pool was already strained by school camps and sports tournaments, when schools all wanted a few teachers at the same time.
Should Hargest suddenly lose about 10 to 12 teachers, it would look at combining classes or sending students home, but the swine flu pandemic might not prove that serious, Mr O'Connor said.
Southland Boys' High School rector Ian Baldwin said the relief teacher shortage was a concern but still proportionate to the number of teachers in Southland.
Mr Baldwin said his school had also considered providing classes using the internet and cellphones as part if its swine flu pandemic plan. "The technology has always been there, this might just bring it forward a bit. In a way, this pandemic could be a good thing."
Southland Boys' had not experienced an increase in students staying at home but there were more boys "presenting" with flu symptoms and being sent home.
Hargest reported absence of 70 to 80 senior students, Aurora College reported 60 and Verdon had eight away sick. The schools said they were normal figures for this time of year.
Waihopai School principal Alan Mitchell said most of its 20 classrooms had two or three pupils away sick yesterday, compared with its normal six to eight first-day absences.
Primary school relief teachers were not as scarce as they were in secondary schools, Mr Mitchell said. Waihopai had a pool of about 30 relief teachers it drew upon, he said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/2611399/Schools-plan-for-home-tutoring