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Original poster

Do you appreciate teachers more, or less now than in normal times?

353 replies

Bluewavescrashing · 03/02/2021 18:43

Genuine question. I'm a full time infant school teacher. Our school is offering more than most in terms of online education, personalised learning, 1:1 zoom sessions etc. But I wonder how parents feel. Has lockdown showed you how much teachers give to your children through planning lessons, making resources, delivering lessons to cater for all levels of attainment? Do you find it easy to teach your child? When lockdown ends would you carry on with home learning and deregister as they have made more progress 1:1 with you or are you looking forward to sending them back to school?

Nb I have a large group of key worker children, up to 25 each day whom I teach in person in school - this is aimed at parents accessing home learning rather than key worker / vulnerable provision in school.

OP posts:
AfternoonToffee · 05/02/2021 13:52

Some teachers don't post on the main boards anymore. Some quit MN due to the vitriol which has been pretty overwhelming at times.

And so have some parents. Neither side have covered themselves in glory at times.

noblegiraffe · 05/02/2021 13:59

“Side”? It’s not teachers versus parents, and weird of you to try to paint it that way.

AfternoonToffee · 05/02/2021 14:26

Oh FFS it was just a turn of phase.

Anyway I will leave you to it, I am well aware that disagreeing on these threads is a waste of time.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
chopc · 05/02/2021 14:33

@Bluewavescrashing I am not into teacher bashing, don't want to be a teacher and admire and appreciate those that do.

However - yes there is a however. All professions have had to adapt to this pandemic, meet deadlines with kids after home etc. However the ones often making excuses why they can't do x, y and z seem to be working in education.

Genuine question- what isolates teachers from other professions?

And I thought key workers children attend school to be supervised- how do you actually teach them given they are of different ages etc? Isn't it more helping them and guiding them through their home learning?

Plus teachers as key workers can send their kids to school as well right? Plus the very little ones can go to nursery?

So again - why do teachers need to be considered separately from all other professions?

WhenSheWasBad · 05/02/2021 14:58

However the ones often making excuses why they can't do x, y and z seem to be working in education

Absolute none sense. Most GP surgeries have changed they way they work. Far fewer face to face appointments, they deal with as much over the phone as possible (I for one think this is a brilliant idea).

Supermarkets now ask you to wear a mask when you shop. If the red light is on in my local Co-op it means there are too many people in and I have to wait for a few people to leave before going in.

Midwives, massive impact on pregnant women as they don’t get support from their partners.

So actually it’s not remotely true that only teachers are asking for working practices to be flexible to try and make work safer.

Pinkblueberry · 05/02/2021 15:03

And I thought key workers children attend school to be supervised- how do you actually teach them given they are of different ages etc? Isn't it more helping them and guiding them through their home learning?

@chopc

Not at the moment - that was during the first lockdown. Although during the first lockdown I was still teaching - you just adapt, and the work was very accessible but still ‘academic’, on the timetable we called it ‘fun maths’ and ‘fun English’ etc. Then a lot of art, PE games and practical science in the afternoons.
We have a bubble per year group now where I work, up to 15 in a class and it’s pretty much a normal school day - whether at home or in school children are expected to be taught. Many schools have more children - Key worker’ covers a wider range than it did last year.

Avaganda · 05/02/2021 15:40

Some teachers are brillaint, some are good and some are pretty awful. Just like in any other profession. DC1 gets 2 2 minute videos a day, with a teacher who looks like she'd rather be doing anything else! Work is never marked and there is no communication. DC2 gets 3 20 minute videos and the teacher is enthusiastic, explains things thoroughly and uses lots of props to keep them engaged. She calls to see how we're getting on and I can tell she is passionate about her job. If I only had DC1s experience to go by I might think all teachers are terrible, and if I only had DC2s experience I could think they are all wonderful. As it is, I can see it's a mixed bag. I appreciate teachers work hard but there are lots of people slogging their guts out at the moment. This whole situation is shit for everyone!

chopc · 05/02/2021 15:46

@WhenSheWasBad you have missed the point. For example yes GP's have had to ADAPT. Has a GP told you they can't talk because they have to attend to their child's home learning? I think not

noblegiraffe · 05/02/2021 16:06

Mumsnet: Employers should lower expectations and make allowances for parents who are juggling work and homeschooling of their own children,

Also Mumsnet: Not teachers!

Chilver · 05/02/2021 16:24

@noblegiraffe

Mumsnet: Employers should lower expectations and make allowances for parents who are juggling work and homeschooling of their own children,

Also Mumsnet: Not teachers!

No, it’s yes, teachers too but not exclusively. The volume of teachers going ‘hey, look at me, I have it so hard’ when ALL professions are having it hard is the issue.
FrippEnos · 05/02/2021 16:33

Frodont

The teachers on Mumsnet appear to be a different breed however and there's a definite, and sometimes irritating, sense that they have it worse than absolutely anyone, at the same time as having a job they don't have to worry about losing.

You don't seem to realise that this is entirely you putting your own spin on what is being said.

FrippEnos · 05/02/2021 16:35

Chilver

The volume of teachers going ‘hey, look at me, I have it so hard’ when ALL professions are having it hard is the issue.

You have missed out that teachers are doing this in response to those that say 'teachers have it easy', 'what the fuck are teachers doing' etc. etc ad infinitum

Nicknacky · 05/02/2021 16:37

I did have one poster claiming to be a teacher tell me that my job was a doddle compared to hers.

She had absolutely no idea what I do for a living but that was irrelevant to her.

That’s why we get irritated sometimes.

Chilver · 05/02/2021 16:54

@FrippEnos

Chilver

The volume of teachers going ‘hey, look at me, I have it so hard’ when ALL professions are having it hard is the issue.

You have missed out that teachers are doing this in response to those that say 'teachers have it easy', 'what the fuck are teachers doing' etc. etc ad infinitum

Maybe i’m Missing it but I haven’t seen any post started with ‘teachers have it easy’... maybe chicken and egg situation? I see Teachers saying how hard they have it and people respond with their experiences of what they see from their children’s teachers?
WhenSheWasBad · 05/02/2021 17:11

For example yes GP's have had to ADAPT. Has a GP told you they can't talk because they have to attend to their child's home learning? I think not

I’ve been told I can’t see a GP because of Covid (plan B was excellent and I’ve no complaints).

Frequently teachers can’t speak to individual parents at one particular moment. But that’s always been the case, normally because they are in the middle of teaching a class in school.

I’m not really sure what your point is.

Mistressiggi · 05/02/2021 17:34

Maybe i’m Missing it but I haven’t seen any post started with ‘teachers have it easy’...
This must be your first day on mumsnet. Welcome.

MarshaBradyo · 05/02/2021 17:36

There is a stark difference between experience irl and mn. I tend to keep them separate

Floridaflipflops · 05/02/2021 18:00

@noblegiraffe

Mumsnet: Employers should lower expectations and make allowances for parents who are juggling work and homeschooling of their own children,

Also Mumsnet: Not teachers!

I thought teachers are classed as key workers? Wouldn’t their kids be in school? ( I maybe wrong!)
sherrystrull · 05/02/2021 18:22

My DC's nursery is closed.

My other DC's school can only offer one day

inquietant · 05/02/2021 18:32

I thought teachers are classed as key workers? Wouldn’t their kids be in school? ( I maybe wrong!)

Not all teachers' have children of school.age, and not all nurseries are open.

Some teachers have vulnerable children.

Some teachers are vulnerable themselves so don't want to send their children.

Some teachers don't send their children because they don't want to catch covid.

chocolateisavegetable · 05/02/2021 18:46

I thought teachers are classed as key workers? Wouldn’t their kids be in school? ( I maybe wrong!)
some schools are only accepting children if both parents are key workers

FrippEnos · 05/02/2021 18:56

Chilver
Maybe i’m Missing it but I haven’t seen any post started with ‘teachers have it easy’... maybe chicken and egg situation? I see Teachers saying how hard they have it and people respond with their experiences of what they see from their children’s teachers?

So you can't have been on MN long.

CallmeAngelina · 05/02/2021 19:14

I have been on MN a long time, and I can say with some certainty that no teacher is dumb enough to kick off with a whinge about how hard they have it. That'd be just asking for a kicking. As Fripp said, people pile into teachers on here, saying how poor they are, or how little they're doing and, not unreasonably, teachers respond with, "well actually no, that's not the case, we're doing x, y and z."
And then bingo! We're accused of complaining.

It's just not worth it, and most of us old hands don't bother engaging anymore.

Floridaflipflops · 05/02/2021 19:22

@inquietant

I thought teachers are classed as key workers? Wouldn’t their kids be in school? ( I maybe wrong!)

Not all teachers' have children of school.age, and not all nurseries are open.

Some teachers have vulnerable children.

Some teachers are vulnerable themselves so don't want to send their children.

Some teachers don't send their children because they don't want to catch covid.

And some teachers create threads asking parents how much do they appreciate them then throw the term ‘babysitting’ around. Obviously your going to get posters giving their options because they’ve been asked for.
CallmeAngelina · 05/02/2021 19:24

I think a fair few teachers here on MN inwardly cringed when they read the OP, thinking, "Noooooooo!"