How do teachers feel about schools being open in Sept?

[Meangallery]

So kid's education is to get priority, schools are to open in Sept and if infections rise the Government will close down everything else.

Will the Unions tolerate this? It feels like teachers will be on the frontline next year...

Trying to start a fight?

What would be the alternative? Keep them closed?

What do you want then? Children to be home until a,vaccine?! Is education not important

As opposed to just shop workers, carers, police, firefighters, nurses, doctors, cleaners, childminders, train drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, refuse collectors, lorry drivers, nursery staff..... being on the front line.

Teachers aren’t some sort of sacrifice you know? Plenty have worked throughout and will continue to.

I am looking forwards to going back and some normality.... well as normal as it will be with the restrictions. I

Honestly?
Keen to go back and see my much loved/missed colleagues, I obviously love the kids and have missed my job (I was kept at home to plan/deliver/support all the home learning, so have been away from the classroom for a very long time)

I am also sceptical that we will remain open for long, worried about the impact on my family (dh is very vulnerable to covid) and mostly wondering how the hell I'm going to settle 25 children into school life, who have never set foot in the building, never met me and who will have to say a swift goodbye to whoever drops them off in the playground!

That should say 'we won't be open for long'

I can't wait to go back and teach my class. A bit miffed about how it will be because of covid...but that's mostly because I dont cope well with things changing!

My teacher OH is desperate to get back into the classroom having taught via Zoom and online since March. He is concerned schools won't stay open for long though as infections continue to rise and his is planning for that to happen. He would like to be able to wear a face covering though.

My kids need to be back in school, we need to be as close to normal as possible. I hope we are by September because there are very few other "solutions"

Full biohazard suits for all teachers. You heard it here first!

CountessFrog Presumably you are joking. But they should at the very least be allowed to wear face coverings if they want to (many teachers don't though). If we have to wear them in confined spaces like supermarkets for the odd hour we might shop, teachers who spend all day facing 30 kids to teach should be allowed the same option.

The worry for me going back in September is that I will be required to teach 'from the front' I will not be able to see what 'little Jonny' is doing at the back. With Y10 and 11 students who will have laptops to work on at least I will have the software to see what they are doing. It will be teaching but not as we know it.

They need contingency plans in place for each eventuality.
Unfortunately the government will rush ahead and open the schools regardless, then end up having to close them.
I appreciate people need to work but we are heading towards frequent disruption with schools shutting down, then reopening, then shutting diwn again and again. Families needing to isolate and take time off work repeatedly if there is a case in their child's bubble, it is going to be a shitshow.
A slow careful opening would have been better with children part time at first, building up to full time if the virus stays low enough.
My dd is desperate to see her friends, she has been so isolated but it needs to be done carefully. The government have wasted so much time that could have be used working with schools on the best and safest way forward.

Schools cost the government money- Pubs & hospitality etc make the government money... hmmmm i wonder which one they will prioritise the opening of?? I will give you a clue " don't buy your kids new uniform
For September yet 😉"

I am really keen for my kids to go back. Initially I thought the kids might wear facemasks to prevent transmission but having now worn facemasks myself - admittedly very short periods - I can't imagine how awful it would be to wear them all day - for teachers or students...maybe visors are easier?
And looking at the lack of social distancing between teens...I'm just not convinced this has been thought through...
When cases start rising, as much as I desperately want my kids in school being taught, my ds really needs the structure I just can't see it working out.

I'm perfectly happy to go in. I am under 40, fit and healthy. I believe that students have sacrificed enough now. Education is important, a lot more so than pubs. I also have primary aged children and I want them in school. I am not happy to wear a mask though.

Can't wait. They've been off for long enough. Yes it will be a trying time for us all and I suspect the government will through a million and one additional caveats at us before September but both as a teacher and a parent it's time.

The children need to go back now however I'm not happy about my adult daughter going back to teach them with no ppe. She can't even wear a visor or mask. I work in the NHS (not frontline) and I have to wear a mask.

My kids are well past school age but I'd gladly give up a lot of things to get schools back. It's too important for the kids.

I agree that it will be good to get the schools open again. But the government need to create a plan B for children who have vulnerable adults at home and for pregnant and vulnerable teachers. Education is vitally important, and the kids have missed so much already this year. There needs to be an online resource for the households where older parents and grandparents are living. We don't need any more deaths. It's a great comfort that children don't seem to be affected as much as adults, but they can still spread the disease, particularly the 10 - 18 year olds, and the government need to come up with a more flexible approach.

@RuthW there is no way I can wear ppe, the children in my class are 4, they are new to school, there will be tears and a far few will need help with the toilet initially.

Department of education have stated no teachers or students are allowed to wear ppe in school unless it's because a child is in isolation waiting to go home due to covid symptoms. They are only to be worn on public transport to and from school where applicable

I'm a bit concerned about the practicalities surrounding SEN, staggered starts/finishes/lunches, large "bubbles" and lack of any real protection. The policies put in place seem largely pointless and are going to have a massive impact on the students education anyway. It would be better for older students to wear face coverings and visors to be accessible for teachers and support staff to use if they are in close contact with a student.

I'm not concerned. My only possible worry would be if I had to isolate for two weeks and dh wasn't t allowed to work...the nature of his business wouldn't allow for that at the moment.

@phatsandsmall

Department of education have stated no teachers or students are allowed to wear ppe in school unless it's because a child is in isolation waiting to go home due to covid symptoms. They are only to be worn on public transport to and from school where applicable

Our school have allowed both to wear PPE if that's what they wanted to do - that was June/July - I expect advice has changed? But that seems crazy to me to not allow a facemask!