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...

Well I’m married to an ITU doctor, so I wouldnt say that.

But I also think there’s a lot of huge, huge drama. Your post is very dramatic and shouty. And patronising.

Seems anyone posting optimism or hope on MN, or even just a balanced view is shot down and told they must be wrong.

Which does suggest that a lot of people think this is total doomsday.

And I say that as somebody whose husband went to work without adequate PPE in the early days. On actual Covid wards for diseased people. In a hospital.

I coujd have run around the garden screaming that he was definitely going to die. Wouldn’t have helped much.

I think more needs to be done to reduce risk for vulnerable school staff. The guidance is totally inadequate.

My own children can't attend breakfast club because their own teachers are far more precious than me and can't have contact with more than one bubble of 30.

Please don't put teachers against one another.
Primary teachers aren't any more precious than secondary at all and no one is suggesting it.
And in many primaries the bubbles aren't just classes, but year groups at least.

My infant school is year group bubbles as it's the only way to manage lunch and play times, and for TAs to do interventions. My own role will involve me moving between all classes - so my bubble is the whole school every week. And at infants, and into primary in some cases, there is no social distancing at all, not even in classrooms, especially in the younger years where it is all about learn through play.

I forget to add the first paragraph as a quote.

@walksen, great post.

What I'm saying @Aragog, is that while there is nothing whatsoever to protect me, I'm also stuffed because of the protections in place for my DCs' TAs (which is actually nonsense because now they have to go to a childminder, in closer quarters, with the same children who'd normally be at the breakfast club anyway).

@Sunrise234

This was back in April. The number of deaths from COVID vs other causes is low but it shows how those working with children can definitely catch it and spread it.

That's completely meaningless without any indication of whether of those groups were more likely to die of Covid-19 than the general population. A teacher dying of Covid-19 is very sad but it isn't proof that they got it from school.

Ironic that you now object to being patronised! I critiqued your points and incorporated the condescending tone angle phrases you had employed yourself. For the spouse of a doctor you seem remarkably uninformed about how viruses and how they can be transmitted.

I'm glad your spouse survived although many others were not so lucky. I assure you that having an optimistic attitude was not the reason why.

I didn't criticise you because you were optimistic but because you implied that other people on this thread need to adjust their attitude because that is all that is needed to avoid absences and deaths. That is tantamount to the the similarly offensive idea that people die of disease because they didn't fight hard enough.

I'd have more respect for your response if it didn't amount to your post is dramatic and I'm married to a doctor so there. You asked why I found your post patronising so I told you; then you whinged about it.

I am worried (secondary teacher). I feel that my school is planning on doing all it can but the risks still seem so high. The bubble idea is nonsense and the idea that teenagers are utterly compliant at all times is similarly bonkers. I hope it'll be ok but I doubt it will be. I am a bit sick of the "schools need to go back because my DD needs an education" attitude to be honest. Whilst I don't doubt this is the case there is a bigger issue here and that is potentially a life and death one.

Hardbackwriter I agree but it’s not just about deaths it’s the fact they caught it and would have spread it to other staff and pupils (who then spread it to their families and so on) which can happen again. Which is why some people are wanting to have proper ppe and social distancing etc which isn’t always possible.

I can’t wait to get back and teach full classes. We have been working throughout lockdown too and schools have been open. It will be a challenge as students stay put and teachers move. In a school of 1500 kids, it could be very interesting!

How do I feel about having 30 secondary age kids all facing me without masks? Like a target to aim for. Yes, I think kids need to go back but I really do not understand why secondary aged kids do not have to wear a face covering, excluding the medically exempt.

My dc starts primary in September. Her school still won't confirm if she has a space in breakfast club (is opening at reduced capacity) and if after school club will be running at all. I'm also due some longish medical treatment myself which I'm worried may get cancelled part way through if someone in my class tests positive. I'm very stressed about it all.

One of the problems is that the government seem to be lumping barely 4 year olds in with teenagers. "School children" they may all be but they have vastly different needs and rules shouldn't be one size fits all.

How's stuff going for other countries with schools reopening?

CountessFrog

I can’t think of a single time when the teacher caught it.

NQTs and new teachers catch every illness going.

Try not to post such rubbish.

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.

The government don't give a shit about the education of children.

If they did they could have resolved so many of the issues that have plagued education for years.

They have found so many pots of money for many other things but haven't funded fuck all for education.

My teacher DM isn’t going back unless she gets the same Covid protection as other workers. If there’s no masks etc she’s going to go off sick with anxiety about Covid.

tobee
How's stuff going for other countries with schools reopening?

Many countries have closed schools and had to rethink there reopening plans.

Those that have had schools that have stayed open for education of pupils have rigorous plans in place that include reduced class sizes,class rotas, social distancing, masks and the support of sensible governments that took on board the thoughts of unions and schools/teachers.

I work in a school and feel fine about it. We need to get kids back into education, they've missed enough.

I'm worried. I love my job and miss my students. I'm also BAME, mid 50s and obese with some underlying health issues. I'm the only wage earner with DC in school (teens) and uni and am still paying a mortgage, so not going back isn't an option.

I'll be mixing with well over 1000 people daily, none of whom are wearing masks or social distancing. I feel vulnerable and abandoned by the unions and government. I don't think my working conditions are safe.

LegoMaus

It will be interesting to see how many school staff feel the same way.
We have so many TAs, LSMs etc. that are also in vulnerable or shielded groups.
Some that could easily call it a day and retire, it is really worrying. But people have to do what is best for their health, both mental and physical.

Ds who is 18,went to the pub with pals a few nights ago. He said there were screens up, drinks ordered on a app, but he said there were too many people in the pub and he didn't like it, he didn't feel comfortable. He said he won't go back for a while.

Kids a year or 2 younger will be sitting with no screens, masks, social distancing in classrooms for over an hour together. I can imagine they will have huge anxiety issues. And si will teachers. I don't blame them at all. They and all staff should be wearing masks or visors. It's basic. Why they all aren't being protected us beyond me. The virus doesn't care if it's a pub, a classroom, a shop. But wearing ppe helps.

I’m excited to go back. We’ve always had all tables in rows facing the front in KS2 so that will be no different.
We can’t live like this forever. My county has had hardly any cases for months and months and my locals hospital had had 0 cases in weeks. The schools closed to flatten the curve not to eradicate the virus.

@CountessFrog

Little children are renowned for having viruses. You know what it’s like when they catch everything going at nursery, or when there’s a sickness bug in school.

The thing is, having brought up two children, I can think of countless times when there was a virus going around. A few kids would catch it - maybe five out of thirty. I can’t think of a single time when the teacher caught it.

I worked with children for fifteen years (at close quarters) and I never caught anything but a case of ringworm when I was a student, despite them being little disease carriers.

Let’s try to be optimistic and say that maybe, just maybe, with a bit of caution and wariness, the teachers will not catch this virus in droves?

You're lucky, I catch everything going, there was a really horrid virus in November took out about half our class and 3 of us adults got it! I've been back since June (I was told to stop going to work before schools closed by the gp) I'm a 1:1 so I'm in close proximity all day.

I feel very apprehensive. Like I'll be walking into the unknown. There are so many things that are likely to go wrong. I am a SENCO/safeguarding and feel there will be a mountain of issues to deal with regarding mental health and social care. Safeguarding issues have been horrendous over lockdown and we only really knew about the tip of the iceberg. I think lots of awful stuff will come out about kids experiences of lockdown. Will we have the resources to build the vulnerable ones back up again?

I'm worried we will be short staffed and the kids will get a poor deal with bare bones provision. Im worried about kids behaviour with social distancing. Also worried that well being won't be made a priority and instead the focus will be on catching up at all costs with very few resources to make that happen.

A lot of our kids will be very anxious about coming back into school especially our children with asd/or and anxiety.

I'm worried about being a senco and not getting any face to face time with parents, children and outside agencies due to social distancing. I work across all year groups and with a lot of different people.

I'm hugely worried my school isn't prepared for what's coming.

However: I'm so excited about seeing them all again. I've missed them all so much. I really really love the kids I work with and will never ever complain about them again...(?!)

I'm looking forward to there being a boundary between home and school.