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Rather depends on flexibility of child care or parents work for the non school days.
It does, not sure how that works either tbh. Must be semi functional though as its what we have now. Perhaps there's some scope for government support on that side?
Rather depends on flexibility of child care or parents work for the non school days.
Same applies to teachers, with no before or after school clubs, we cant both work on the same day.
so teachers, their families, the kids themselves and their families all have to be put at risk?
To be blunt yes, everyone will be at some of level risk. The question is the level of risk vs the other factors, in this case kids education, the economy, kids at risk being at home. It's not a simple situation, health and safety rarely is, it's always a judgment on a sliding scale of risk vs severity vs consequences of not undertaking the activity associated with hazard.
Every day teachers are at risk of abuse, violence (from kids and parents), tranmissable diseases, road accidents on the commute to work etc. Life isn't risk free.
As AA points out societal structure needs everything to work or very little of it works, no after school clubs means some teachers have to work reduced hours, resulting in reduced timetables, meaning many parents can't effectively return to the workplace.
I don't see reduced classroom time as viable, kids have already lost 3 months of schooling, we're constantly told how important all school time is and even missing 2 weeks can damage a child's education. Can't see science, DT, PE or even foreign languages being taught well remotely, even with the best teaching in the world remote learning isn't as effective as face to face. Also when are the teachers going to find the time to teach all the reduced size classes and still prepare high quality on line learning? Teachers class room time won't reduce under social distancing, just the number of pupils they teach at the same time.
Also when are the teachers going to find the time to teach all the reduced size classes and still prepare high quality on line learning? Teachers class room time won’t reduce under social distancing, just the number of pupils they teach at the same time.
Surely the first requires the same amount of input as the second? Halving the class size to maintain social distancing means you need twice the teachers? I wouldn't propose teachers prepare on line learning - there are plenty of providers already, I'd suggest the government can supplement that and work towards building it into the curriculum.
Our schools are set up to deliver face to face learning currently. I'm suggesting that building in at least the potential for some structured offsite study would be useful. Clearly this would have helped over the last few months, and will help further should covid prove more stubborn to defeat.
Can’t see science, DT, PE or even foreign languages being taught well remotely, even with the best teaching in the world remote learning isn’t as effective as face to face.
But it is more effective than no teaching at all.
I wouldn’t propose teachers prepare on line learning – there are plenty of providers already
Not sure who all these online providers are. My experience is that they either want paying or don't meet the curricular needs.
ajantom
SubscriberWe’ve still got a death rate of about 250 per day, whereas other EU countries are under 50…BUT we’re trying to come out if lockdown at the same pace as them.
Yup. Gavin Williamson points to Denmark as proof it can work. Denmark had 3 deaths and 36 new cases today.
Stumpyjon
Are you prepared to take that risk? Without the possibility of mitigation?
If I was a teacher there is no way I would be going back and I would be taking action under health and safety act due to the lack of proper safety measures
It's very easy for you to say others should take risks
Not sure who all these online providers are. My experience is that they either want paying or don’t meet the curricular needs.
Some are already embedded - certainly at my daughters school things like Mathletics have been in place for at least 5 years. Of course they'll want paying - no reason to believe that education would be exempt from the increased costs of the pandeminc. Certainly, they won't be aligned to the curriculum yet, again no reason to believe that's impossible.
I will state the obvious;
If there are subsequent waves, schools will shut again. Schools cannot double in size, should full class sizes prove a significant vector. If there are localised outbreaks around schools, track and trace would expect teachers and pupils to isolate.
All of these things say to me that working on distance learning is unbelievably worthwhile at the moment. The alternative - to expect that normal service will resume and continue, so no changes are needed - just seems really optimistic to me.
Some are already embedded – certainly at my daughters school things like Mathletics have been in place for at least 5 years. Of course they’ll want paying – no reason to believe that education would be exempt from the increased costs of the pandeminc. Certainly, they won’t be aligned to the curriculum yet, again no reason to believe that’s impossible.
I will state the obvious;
If there are subsequent waves, schools will shut again. Schools cannot double in size, should full class sizes prove a significant vector. If there are localised outbreaks around schools, track and trace would expect teachers and pupils to isolate.
All of these things say to me that working on distance learning is unbelievably worthwhile at the moment. The alternative – to expect that normal service will resume and continue, so no changes are needed – just seems really optimistic to me.
That all sounds brilliant.
It would require quite a bit of investment and a coordinated, joined up approach from the top down. Neither of these are things that tend to happen in education. In my experience what tends to happen is minimal investment, vague guidance and an expectation that individual schools and individual teachers will just somehow make it work.
ONline learning has been the issue with my sons school.
For context the school is small (90 pupils total across all school years). In order to support key worker children 1 teacher has had to come in one day a week each. No teachers have been required in on a Friday. All the other teachers have been home during this time.
We have had no support in terms of home learning other than the occasional task on class dojo. Other than that is is expected to through the Oak Learning Academy. Each lesson on Oak is supposed to be one hour. Our son completes them in 20 mins (he is 6).
If his beaver colony can organise a weekly zoom meeting with fun activities I struggle to understand why the school cannot provide similar with the teaching staff being at home. Yes they also have to look after their children but this is no different to anyone else home working and looking after children. Doing a weekly zoom call for an hour as a bare minimum is not a difficult thing to try and achieve. Some children would not attend for various reasons but it shouldn't be based on those who don't want to attend pulling it down.
In any case the school has delayed opening for at least 1 week (8th June) until the infection rate has come down further (based on the Sage report).
Doing a weekly zoom call for an hour as a bare minimum is not a difficult thing to try and achieve
We have been told no live video as its a "child protection issue".
We have been told no live video as its a “child protection issue”
Yep, same here.
Brownies, Rainbows, Guides, Beavers, etc. are a different matter.
You've already signed up, it's smaller groups, 2 leaders on video as a matter of course, etc.
We're doing Loom videos for classes now - so at least they see my face (lucky them!) But no live video.
If Scouts and Guides, music teachers - and my son's 6th Form college - can figure out how to run Zoom meetings around child protection issues, no reason a school can't.
Has to be a parent around. Kids must be dressed, not in PJs. Kids must be in a communal room, not their bedroom.
My daughter wasn't fussed by Zoom Guide meetings - but just seeing different friends in a different way has made a huge difference to her mood, and schools could offer that as well
Has to be a parent around. Kids must be dressed, not in PJs. Kids must be in a communal room, not their bedroom.
All well and good with younger kids, as parents will be around to supervise, and older ones as they're over 16.
Unfortunately secondary school kids fall into an age where they might well be home alone during the day, so no adult present.
Also some of out students can't really be trusted to be sensible in class in a school setting, let alone on line!
Language, inappropriate images, etc. would all be a concern.
There are those who would join just to disrupt and offend.
There is very little positivity in terms of anything relating to Covid. It is always just a battle between the government saying yes you shall do this and other people saying no (not just teachers). This isn't going away - we need to start learning to live with it and find ways to work with it in a positive way.
At the moment all I see is a lot of people saying no but not suggesting ways in which we can improve this experience. We have had 10 weeks of it now. There is no reason why support could not have improved instead of relying on someone else to pre-record a class for you. If you don't want to open the schools because of the risk fine, but please come up with positive ways to help support the children and the parents.
(this isn't aimed at anyone on this thread by the way but more the level of support I feel our school isn't providing).
If you don’t want to open the schools because of the risk fine, but please come up with positive ways to help support the children and the parents.
The government closed the schools, not teachers have a think on that for a bit and then re read your post.
There are those who would join just to disrupt and offend.
Then they get thrown off the meeting. No reason to not try something for the majority just because of a minority.
While I agree we all need to find ways to work around it, that needs to be when it is safe to do so. As a frontline child protection social worker, MrsMC has been in and out of houses and transporting clients in the car throughout the crisis, armed with nothing more than hand sanitiser. Two of the schools she deals with are shut due to positive cases. Even she thinks we are not ready to relax the way we are about to.
The government closed the schools, not teachers have a think on that for a bit and then re read your post.
And now the government had said that schools should reopen but teachers are saying no.
Edit: and yet again nothing positive in your response.
Then they get thrown off the meeting. No reason to not try something for the majority just because of a minority.
Yep, but just that knowledge in advance, and the fact that parental supervision can't be guaranteed, means the school can't do it.
It's shit, I agree, and I'd be happy to, but child protection and other legal reasons preclude it.
And now the government had said that schools should reopen but teachers are saying no.
Unfortunately the govt ordered schools to close with no real guidance as how to proceed, and now they've told schools to open with no real guidance.
There needs to be some sort of centralised plan, worked out and agreed by educational and health care experts. But we all know how out current leaders feel about experts don't we.
The whole thing is a mess.
I'm a chem teacher at a Scottish secondary with high poverty rating (30% in lowest 10%). We rolled out a £16million iPad project earlier this academic year so all kids have one (pretty tightly locked down to educational apps which need to be approved, even YouTube is blocked).
So you'd think we'd be in a good place. Nope not a bit of it we're hamstrung by educational "leaders" who are too scared to lead. We are still doing the paperwork (annual reviews as usual, dept improvement plan). We are sending out work on SharePoint, teams and showmyhomework. Parents complain they get too many notifications about incomplete work and instead of saying that perhaps that wouldn't happen if the kids did it staff are told to stop. My junior S1-S3 classes have 25% of parents and pupils engaging with work. 50% clicking to show as seen but no returns (yes we'll done Charlie you completed one 20 question test in 9weeks and it took you 56seconds) and 25% nothing heard from in 9weeks, vulnerable kids.
We go back on the 10/06 no kids until 11/08.
I'm not looking forward to it, but I need to get back because my kids(pupils) are missing so much work/safety.
But here's the rub. 3 people in the school population will have a highly infectious possibly deadly virus. They will be in a room with 8 others for 50minutes after which time at least 1 of those people will move to another group. (Given the demographic and stories in local rag/Facebook there is little or no adherence to guidelines)
Because of this I won't be able to sit and have a cuppa with my parents and they won't be able to hold their grandkids. Yes we know teachers are lazy and only work 3weeks a year at the easiest job in the world, start at 10 finish at 2 and have massive holidays and lottery win pensions but you know I'll swap you. Today, now happily.
I care about each of my pupils, I know each of my pupils and I'm worried about each of my pupils. From the advanced higher kid who wants to be a doctor to the 14yo son of a mother with substance issues and 6younger siblings. So you know what try to understand that we're worried about their and our safety and health.
To long to read? You're right it's overpaid baby sitting.
^^^ very well said.
I'm not asking for babysitting. My son can stay at home. I am asking for support in providing him an education during this time. If some parents don't want to do work with their kids then fine but don't assume that no one wants to and therefore these children should suffer because there isn't any support provided.
Im not a teacher. I don't know how to teach. I appreciate it is difficult job. But, that doesn't mean that I don't have a difficult job that I am trying to find new ways of working, whilst still helping my son continue with his education.
And now the government had said that schools should reopen but teachers are saying no.
Edit: and yet again nothing positive in your response.
Are they? Unions are saying no, but all schools I know locally were planning to reopen as per Govt original dates, albeit on limited timetables. In our secondary I'm not aware of a single member of staff who has refused to support.
It would require quite a bit of investment and a coordinated, joined up approach from the top down. Neither of these are things that tend to happen in education. In my experience what tends to happen is minimal investment, vague guidance and an expectation that individual schools and individual teachers will just somehow make it work.
This. The Government has issued bucket loads of guidance, on a weekly basis. Headteachers can't keep up (I work in secondary and personally know 2 primary heads). So many things in schools could be centralised which would save hours of staff time in schools and free up time to spend with students. I work in safeguarding and every year the Govt releases new guidance at the end of August, expecting us to have new policies in place reflecting said guidance from the start of September. In fact Govt could write a generic safeguarding policy that all schools could adapt to their local setting - meaning greater consistency and less paperwork (and yes I have said this t the DfE!).
I’m suggesting that building in at least the potential for some structured offsite study would be useful.
There will still be kids at home (most at first, those with vulnerable or infected household members later) so this is still essential, and requires funding and staff availability to manage.
That all sounds brilliant.
It would require quite a bit of investment and a coordinated, joined up approach from the top down.
Yes, similar to what the treasury announced was needed to protect business and the economy. At no point has there been a "hands up, c'est la vie" approach there, why should we accept that in education? Please note, absolutely not bashing teachers here, I totally agree it needs to be driven and supported from the top. But as a parent, I'm not going to happily accept second rate education or significant health risks without making a fuss.
Are they? Unions are saying no, but all schools I know locally were planning to reopen as per Govt original dates, albeit on limited timetables. In our secondary I’m not aware of a single member of staff who has refused to support.
Maybe it is the negative portrayal in the press but our headteacher has been very negative and almost implied that we should not want our children to be at school and at every step of the way has been negative about the whole thing.
We cant keep waiting for the government to sort this shit out. It isn't going to happen. So yes I am going to fight to get my child some sort of education and do the best by them. That goes for everything - everyone has to work together to solve these issues. Just waiting for the government isn't going to help.
our headteacher has been very negative and almost implied that we should not want our children to be at school
You need more than positivity when looking to keep your staff, and the wider community, safe.
I think we need to be pragmatic about school premises as well - some are tiny Victorian village schools with 50 pupils some are new build academies with thousands. There can't be "one size fits all" government guidance.
As I understand it, guidance has been issued to schools to try and help them find a solution to fit their local premises, staff and pupils. It will work better for some than others to allow some sort of partial reopening. I doubt any school has decided not to even try.
But best practice for online learning should be shared and rolled out, as we've had to do with work. That sadly means that more vulnerable kids may miss out, which is why they need to be the priority to go in school where possible.
@robbo1234biking All teachers I know are putting work up and if there are some that aren't without a good reason then that's a school problem but you're assuming because you don't get work no one is.
If some parents don’t want to do work with their kids then fine but don’t assume that no one wants to and therefore these children should suffer because there isn’t any support provided.
We're putting out work with sometimes 10% return but are still putting out the next week's AND chasing pastoral with info about those who don't.
A lot of us are suffering with daily problems and it's new but, the same as in teaching, I bet there's a few in your workplace/career that are not pulling their weight.
Anyway, I set my S1,S2 work half an hour ago so I can do a recovery ride (on it now 77W and 90 cadence) but I'll be sitting at my computer sorting stuff for Higher from 0900. So I'm sorry that it's not working for you. Perhaps a question to teacher/HT asking about it (you may have not seen an email) failing that BBC bitesize daily lessons are quite good with a timetable set up to change things around.
Have a good day and we'll all try to understand each others situation.
That is a good point. My experiences are isolated to only the school my son attends.
No work has been set since the first week. The headteacher has checked in once when she wanted to know how many people may want to send there children back to school. They ask us to upload work to Class Dojo but then you get no feedback. We have had no contact from our childs teacher. No wonder he is loosing enthusiasm when they don't even comment saying good work.
We are working through the Oak Academy Lessons but even a ten minute phone call once a week would show him some engagement. As I stated in one post above - it is a small school. The teachers are required to attend one day per week in order to support key workers childrens. Therefore, they have more time available to support us parents who are home schooling. That is my issue with this. It is a local one and I am not trying to paint all school teachers with the same brush.
And now the government had said that schools should reopen but teachers are saying no.
Edit: and yet again nothing positive in your response.
Wrong again, most schools are re opening in line with government guidance. Others are being kept shut by either local authorities or academy trusts. The fact that you just want to blame teachers shows that you a fallen hook line and sinker for the governments plan to get idiots to "blame the teachers".
I would have responded to you earlier but I was working and if you dont find a few facts about why schools are not doing video conferencing lessons positive thats hardly my fault but I expect as a teacher you'll just blindly blame me anyway, crack on son.
Hitting my head against a brick wall. I haven't blamed you but twist the narrative how you want. in your words 'crack on son'. Very condescending - well done.
Very condescending – well done.
Thanks, like I said crack on, you are doing great.
Read my post 4 above that said that my experiences are only valid for my sons school.
Read my post 4 above that said that my experiences are only valid for my sons school.
Well moaning at me wont help will it, how would you like me to be more positive, it would appear that comment was aimed directly at me not your sons teacher who may not even be a user of this chat bored.
Well moaning at me wont help will it, how would you like me to be more positive, it would appear that comment was aimed directly at me not your sons teacher who may not even be a user of this chat bored
Apologies if it came across directly at you. Just frustration at the situation that was poorly worded.
The issue with schools is not bending over backwards trying to somehow get kids back for the fag-end of the 2019/20 year, but working out how they will deliver the autumn and winter term curriculae if we are well into wave 2 in September and back in full lockdown.
Schools need the funding and help now so they can operate as a remote learning hub from next term onwards.
It could be that the relaxation of lockdown is now aiming to bring forward wave 2 into July and August so it doesn't overlap into the flu season, of course. 🙂
Apologies if it came across directly at you.
Apology accepted, its a tough and worrying time for all which is why my "direct style" is more spiky than usual.
The issue with schools is not bending over backwards trying to somehow get kids back for the fag-end of the 2019/20 year, but working out how they will deliver the autumn and winter term curriculae if we are well into wave 2 in September and back in full lockdown.
If that happens I'm resigning and getting a job as a tesco driver!!!
It could be that the relaxation of lockdown is now aiming to bring forward wave 2 into July and August so it doesn’t overlap into the flu season, of course.
That's probably depressingly close to the truth.
I think we're all getting a bit frazzled.
I'm seeing loads of kids out and about while fielding questions about work not being set (erm you're child hasn't opened it). Then parents saying I must be really enjoying this holiday.
I found out earlier that one of my colleagues was in the park last Thurs afternoon for a picnic getting pissed. One of 100 and that's the story now in town all teachers are out getting pissed up in the afternoon and doing little work the next day (she was spotted massively hungover queuing outside the supermarket at 11am). Now we're all tarred with the same brush.
If anyone's interested, our secondary has just issued it's guidance, basically:
-years 10 and 12 split into 4 cohorts. For year 10 each cohort in one day a week for 3 lessons (Math, English, Science), finishing the day at 12:45, with a 15 minute morning break. Year 12 similar but a two week cycle, giving them two days one week, next week no classes.
- max 15 kids per class (if everyone turns up), sitting at exam desks in 'adapted spaces'
- in-class learning is supplementary to online learning which is the main source.
-masks, gloves visors optional.
- avoid public transport if possible, otherwise masks seem to be mandatory while travelling.
Gov rowing back on primary schools opening for all.
Here in Wales, well our school anyway we're getting the same 'What the Gov. Say v What the School Say' discrepancy.
The First Minister schools will reopen on the 29th of June, or as close as possible and parents wouldn't be fined if they decided not to send their kids in. All years will be returning but they might only be going every 3rd school day, unless either parents are key workers when they'll be offered full time care.
Our school has responded by saying they're going to be offering "check in and catch up sessions" for maybe an hour or two maybe weekly. Rather than saying they parents won't be fined if they decide not to send their kids in it's "entirely optional". They've sent out 4 surveys for us to fill out which are heavily laced with suggestions it's probably not going to be worth it.
After a really rough ride in Wales we're now at a point when Covid deaths (3 yesterday) and new infections (43 yesterday) that fewer people than normal (based on 5 year average) are dying. Yes there's still the fear of a second wave but it's just not happened anywhere else on Earth.
It's not a second wave of Covid I fear, it's the massive wave of redundancies and poverty that will come when the furlough scheme ends.
Now we’re all tarred with the same brush.
At my wife's school, two teachers have said they can't do online lessons as they don't have a computer. When asked how they could be working from home for the last 8 weeks, they went a bit quiet...
My lads school sets work on his ipad every day. He does it. In 9 weeks there has been no feedback, no marking, no contact outside of work appearing each morning. He has it done within an hour.
Schools now have got themselves in a situation where they don't have an exit strategy.
What's going to happen in Sept when the kids have mingled freely for 6 weeks?
Are schools going to go back at all this year?
Schools now have got themselves in a situation where they don’t have an exit strategy.
What’s going to happen in Sept when the kids have mingled freely for 6 weeks?
Are schools going to go back at all this year?
From what I'm seeing Heads and Teachers unions are doing their upmost to avoid schools opening.
It seems to be the way with Teachers unions that whatever is asked of Teachers Unions will always say NO first and argue about why later. I think the only solution they would be happy with is no school until the Virus is completely eradicated globally. Their members are pretty much insulated from the wider economy - yes I know, public sector pay has been all but frozen for a decade, half our family income comes from the NHS, but Teachers rarely, if ever lose their jobs.
There are over 4m Primary and Nursery aged Children in England alone. How many of them are the children of single parents, or have 2 working parents I don't know - I guess the majority of them would fall into either category. If it's even half, that's over 2m people who wouldn't be able to return to work - maybe for as long as 3 months if Summer childcare isn't available. That's going to have a devastating effect on our economy as lock-down measure ease.
With children in Europe and Asia returning to school with various levels of Social Distancing without any more spikes or waves, I'm worried the NUT are going to drag us all into another decade of austerity and poverty.
Schools now have got themselves in a situation where they don’t have an exit strategy.
It seems to be the way with Teachers unions that whatever is asked of Teachers Unions will always say NO first and argue about why later.
Well done for typing the words Cummings wants you to type. Gold star.
I’m just going to sit back and watch the attacks on members of “The Blob” unfold… and be glad I don’t know people as easily spoon fed as you.
…
https://twitter.com/spittingcat/status/1270290728577576962?s=21
From what I’m seeing Heads and Teachers unions are doing their upmost to avoid schools opening.
One assumes your sitting on the parents side of the fence and of course the media drip feed.
Certainly the two schools I have visibility into from family members....and in one case have to sit and listen to meetings for....your wrong.
How ever there are serious practical limitations on the infrastructure existing due to years of cuts and over crowding of facilities. Short of errecting marques on the sports fields the numbers don't work. - and that's jus the obvious one. There's a whole heap of other issues that the head has been doing his utmost to get sorted but is hands tied in many cases by beauracracy and by funding to sort
But of course that's. Just obstructive. We could stack em rack em and pack em and worry about it later as kids done transmit it anyway .......according to the gov .
With children in Europe and Asia returning to school with various levels of Social Distancing without any more spikes or waves, I’m worried the NUT are going to drag us all into another decade of austerity and poverty.
Point the first: Almost all of the places reopening schools have a lower case load in the community than we do.
Point the second: There definitely have been spikes centred around schools according to the BBC. I've seen references to South Korea, France and Germany, post lifting of lockdown restrictions.
I can only speak definitively about my child's school - they opened on 1st June for R, Y1 and Y6. Were still planning as of yesterday to open on 29th for other years. As far as I see, the union is doing its job, protecting the lives of its members and the safety of the environment they are required to work in.
Wow P-Jay, the Daily Mail got you hook,line and sinker didn't they!
We have very difficult choices ahead, and they are not binary, they are much more nuanced and detail laden than many of us realise or want.
It is highly unlikely that schools will return to any normality of timetable and provision until October, possibly longer.
This will be decisions made at a level which does not include usual parental engagement and voice. Culturally that is difficult - so many parents in the UK are now 'consumers' of childcare and schooling. This will be inflicted.
I'm involved in some small aspect of the planning with Scottish Government.
I have two big concerns at a UK wide level
- there is absolutely no extra money being made available
- that children's mental and social health and wellbeing is being put at the back of the agenda.
@P-Jay I assume you are aware that when this all started the Teaching Unions met with the Government to offer to keep schools open for the vulnerable children? Ensuring that they went out of their way to feed them and keep them safe? Supporting the families and community whilst other support services had closed down? Keeping open during the holidays without question?
For my dept (science) I can say every pupil has had work, whether they have engaged is another matter, and every piece that has been returned has been marked. I missed a few days when I was in the hub but caught up.
As for return we are looking at 15th for staff but ScotGov and unions agree there needs to be a purpose and a cleaning regime as well as social distancing. In the meantime we'll keep pumping out work and marking it. Today was tough as it was change of timetable.
We need to know how council want to run the blended learning model and we need to know soon, as holidays start in 3 weeks and communication, not work done, drops off in the holiday period.
that children’s mental and social health and wellbeing is being put at the back of the agenda.
This is the concern for my son. He is 6 but we have spent the last two years gradually building his confidence. Now he may not see any friends for 6 months I am concerned what impact it may have on his social health. My wife and I can cover the teaching but we cant provide him the social interaction with peers that he requires and at the moment Im not sure when or how we can get him any :-(.
He cant even see his Nanny and Grandy FFS (they are a 3 hour drive away - more than I consider reasonable under the guidance) but as long as people can get down the pub.
Well, my kids school and college are setting work and providing feedback. Our two are bright and conscientious, so we've no concern as far as remote teaching is concerned.
I don't believe unions are being deliberately obstructive, but quite how we progress I don't know. As far as I can tell local schools have done all they can to get as many kids in on any given day, subject to space restrictions.
There needs to be some proper plans in place for September or some kids will really lose a whole year of schooling at this rate, and with parents losing their jobs it will get very hard to unravel.
that children’s mental and social health and wellbeing is being put at the back of the agenda.
Although in our area there is now a focus on trauma and bereavement training to enable the schools to support the kids. Not sure if that is National though.
Well done for typing the words Cummings wants you to type. Gold star.
Do you actually believe that Cummings is behind this? You really are deluded. Same as Spin and his Daily Mail default setting.
If you are a teacher let's have your master plan for reopening. Or even online lessons. Give us something.
As a parent all I see is teachers hiding behind the unions finding reasons not to do what they should be doing.
I have two big concerns at a UK wide level
– there is absolutely no extra money being made available
– that children’s mental and social health and wellbeing is being put at the back of the agenda.
****ing shameful that there's no extra money when it's so clearly needed. Hundreds of billions made available to keep the economy running, **** all for education. Tories will Tory 🙁
Why would you say that about the back of the agenda? I thought social aspects of schooling were a big part of the discussion? Am I wrong? At a local level, it was one of the first points from our HT. Robbo, can you get your lad on facetime or similar with friends? We did a movie night last week and my daughter enjoyed that (simultaneous start on Netflix.
My kids school (grammar) has just announced that they wont be opening this side of September (no real surprise there) and even then they are looking at 2 days a week in school maximum - half the school at a time plus closed on Wednesdays for deep cleaning between the two halves.
They say there will be online learning as well, but franbkly so far this has been very minimal - they simply dont have the resources or skills to deliver work online. My son has never taken more than 45 minutes to get the work set done, and like others it is never marked. As he is in year 7 I have a real concern that allowances will be made for those doing A levels / GCSEs next year, and maybe the year after, but his year could easily be forgotten. He has in effect missed 6 months of schooling already, and whilst he is smart, he has the self motivation levels common to most 12 year olds! We have sone our best (whilst working from home and dealing with a whole lead of university/workign abroad issues with our three older kids) but there is only so much we as parents can do.
Moving teaching online is far from simple - having done some high quality online courses (a post graduate qualification with the Open University) and plenty of rubbish e-learning, schools will take some time and investment to get to the required level. I do however think that this is required if we are to avoid a whole generation missing out on an education.
What is needed for some form of proper schooling to occur from September? Funding is definitely part of it, as is a radical rethink if what schooling actually entails - as well as education it provides socialisation and childcare. If online learning is here to stay then schools need massive support to develop this, as well as support (laptops/broadband etc) to those families that havent already got access.
If there is to be some form of face to face teaching (which is essential for the social aspect of schools) then there needs to be investment in buildings, a volunteer army of parents and others who can take some of the strain of managing hundreds of kids, and a rethink of teaching hours and holidays - which in effect means more teachers. It might also make sense to look again at scrapping GCSEs as the requirement to be in school or education/employment until 18 has rendered these slightly obsolete.
Oh and some recognition that in rural areas children are bussed into schools from 30 or more miles away, and any social distancing solution needs to think about 65 kids crammed into an old double decker bus for an hour twice a day with just the driver to keep control...
So quite straightforward really (/sarcasm).
Ok here you are my lessons for the week. Most have booklets and information to work through. I have asked for each to be returned at various times depending on the classes timetable and each is about 2hrs, as that's what we've been told. The lessons are set for the levels so N3 is slightly easier than N4. It took all morning to put these into teams and satche:one and not all are set to start today as not all classes are timetabled for today. I also set the work for the higher Chem class but that was posted by another teacher. I set it as I'm the "expert" on the course.
The whole school work calendar is viewable by all so we can arrange work and avoid clashes.
We don't know how the blended learning model will look as there is no guidance yet but it is probable that senior classes will get more face to face time and that the school will run Mon/Tues deep clean Thurs/Fri, which gives wed to get the online stuff for various classes up and running for the next week/time out of class. All schools go back 11th August but staff will need some time in school to sort out the classroom. We hope also to get in from the 15th june but how that will work is more of an issue.
and a rethink of teaching hours and holidays – which in effect means more teachers.
Indeed. A modicum of flexibility would do wonders, I think.
But your Sept suggestion is also circulating at one of my kids school. It's the usual shortsighted muddle headed nonsense.
Kids will mingle all summer, and then be split up for classes. Why? What is the value of that?
And when kids are doing options and intermingling for each subject, how would that work?
If you are a teacher let’s have your master plan for reopening. Or even online lessons. Give us something.
As a parent all I see is teachers hiding behind the unions finding reasons not to do what they should be doing.
Teachers are not responsible for this, let's be clear. Equally, I wouldn't expect my business to demand solutions from the operatives.
Unions are merely asking for a strategy of reopening which is in line with the rest of society, or at least elaborates on why additional risk is acceptable for teachers, students and their families, but unacceptable elsewhere. Seems fair to me. Or are you looking at the elevated death rates of bus drivers, for example, shrugging your shoulders and thinking it goes with the territory? I struggled with front line heightened risks as well, until TJ pointed out potential exposure to infectious diseases goes with the territory.
But your Sept suggestion is also circulating at one of my kids school. It’s the usual shortsighted muddle headed nonsense.
so i see your outraged but instead of apportioning blame - whats your solution ? ive not seen you provide any yet other than that teachers are lazy and need to try harder.
@RichPenny yeh we have done some facetime and stuff but I think the novelty is wearing off. Something we have managed to do in the last couple of days is set up a Minecraft world he can play with his cousins. They facetime each other whilst doing it and have been playing hide and seek and stuff where they have building challenges but is as close as he gets to playing with someone. One of the issues of being an only child I guess. We play with him but I don't think we are on the same level!
@boomerlives as in every job there are slackers. Yes our unions are strong but that's good because we need them to be.
You know why you don't know how it will work. Because no one does...
It's not a secret we're waiting to be told then we'll see how it'll fit into a real life classroom.
And you know what we want it to be robust because kids and parents will pick holes in it if it isn't and it'll be the front line staff that cop the shit. So we want it to work so we don't look like dicks because in 3 years time when you've moved on to the next moan about teachers the "didn't they mess up covid" will still haunt us.
Have you asked what the school plan is re sending out work and getting feedback? Or does that not allow this ALL teachers through their unions are lazy narrative?
ive not seen you provide any yet other than that teachers are lazy and need to try harder.
Look harder.
I've suggested online sessions. I suggested video-ing lessons. I even hinted that marking work done and feedback might be 'a good thing'
I even pointed out in March that once you shut schools, it's a real problem to open them again.
And here we are.
At some point, schools' will have to reopen, fully. The sooner this is accepted and planned for, the better.
Just kicking the problem into the long grass and blaming bogeyman du jour Cummings is just a distraction.
I’ve suggested online sessions. I suggested video-ing lessons. I even hinted that marking work done and feedback might be ‘a good thing’
Suggesting what most of us are doing. (Maybe not in your not statistically relevant experience).
Edit
https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-education-recovery-group-april-2020/
Wow P-Jay, the Daily Mail got you hook,line and sinker didn’t they!
I've never read that rag in my life.
No hyperbole on my side, that's what I've encountered and that's how I feel.
I can’t reply to boomer without setting off the swear filters.
Boomer for education minister.
The answer is obvious. How did they miss it.
Blaming teachers is pretty desperate when the guidance from government is so contradictory & confused
without a track & trace system in place to handle any new cases reopening is risking a lot of deaths
Im sure teachers could be doing more- ours have been helpful, but its been incredibly hard as we try & wfh & keep the kids on top of their work & were lucky enough to have boradband, a printer a table etc so they can do much online.
The fact is that its the government who proposed a policy without first thinking how to work it through whilst holding up countries that have returned kids as an example, but without then adopting the same techniques those countries are using!
eg Denmark using closed museums & libraries as extra teaching space to allow for distancing
hence another embaressing government u-turn that is damaging the lives & prospects of many children
And for information, it is not as simple as that on the continent. At my kids school in France, only 2 days a week, every other week. End of year is 4th July. Basically they have 4 days at school left.
And 8 weeks summer holiday.
The attacks on teachers and school are totally unfair.
I can’t reply to boomer without setting off the swear filters.
You need to work on your vocabulary in that case. If only there was a formal setting for such a venture.
I’ve never read that rag in my life.
Maybe you should start? I think the two of you could be very happy together. 🙂
Schools now have got themselves in a situation where they don’t have an exit strategy.
Schools? We were told to close, we closed, now we are told to reopen following certain guidelines that in many cases are not possible. I cant see how this is the schools fault, maybe you could enlighten me?
Daughter (primary teacher in London) was told she was switching years and to be back in the classroom on Monday. Switching years means a whole lot extra work above what she's been doing. Then told only 40 kids turning up in the whole school so she’s now on reserve. She’d been in doing risk assessments etc and said the restrictions were such that she expected the 40 to decline by the summer. She has kept her kids working, when I spoke with her yesterday she had just made 23 phone calls. On top of her paid work she has read a bundle of kids' books on YT. I'm sure she's not an exception.
In this instance, it's the parents, not unions, that are challenging government advice.