Will teachers get less criticism when the children finally go back to school?

[converseandjeans]

There are often posts on MN complaining about DCs class teacher or their school. Will teachers enjoy a new found respect once this crisis is over? Will some parents suddenly realise that it's not actually that easy to keep children on task? Bearing in mind the average primary school class has 30 children in it.

Judging but the many posts from some Mumsnetters parents already, only two days in and I would say that teacher bashing would still continue. The keyworkers that are still kicked will they are down

MN is a place for toxic parents to moan. I’m getting out of here as I don’t want this to affect my mental health.

I used to be a teacher, my dsis is one also. I do think to a degree it is the school setting, physically being in the building in an official capacity, in uniform that creates the majority of the order, the presence of the teaching hierarchy and headteacher and set punishments with clear rules etc rather than any magic wand waved by teachers.
Obviously it is hard work and tiring and all those other things and teachers still working are as brilliant as anyone else who still is (supermarket staff, nurses etc) but I was always well aware of the above and doubt I could've hacked trying to recreate anything that remotely resembled being in school, outside of it, for that reason.

Dsis is also being a Wally and going around gloating about the fact she likely has 6 months off and it's a doddle because the online lesson plans aren't ones she has to make, nor is she required to 'do' anything else, apparently other than 'enjoy' the opportunity to relax . No idea how this stacks up against other UK primaries or whether she really has lucked out but last week she was also swanning about gloating that she is buying a new car because of her 'guaranteed job security'. Love her but christ it eound me up.

Teachers are just people, I doubt anyone will appreciate them any more or less specifically, though they might be more grateful for the concept of school itself. It would be nice if people appreciated the retail workers, who get paid far less, with no holiday entitlement or pension perks, who are risking their health and their families health so people can have a jolly in the shop because they're bored and it is allowed, or so they can get their food. Please only go when necessary, do not make multiple trips in the day or week.

Not likely. What this crisis has shown is the utter contempt that many parents seem to hold teachers in and that they only give a shit about what they do when they are no longer providing free childcare for their children. NHS are quite rightly being lauded but teachers and other public servants who are being forced into contact with the population at the risk of their own health are hardly getting a mention. I wouldn't be surprised if once this is all over there is something of an exodus from the profession due ti the way that quite a number of parents have behaved. I certainly have friends and colleagues in education who are on the verge of going off sick as they don't want to put their own health at risk for the sake of children who have parents who hold them in such contempt.

So it would seem not then. Shame that people on MN are and will continue to be so negative about the profession.
A lot of us are in the same boat - trying to work from home whilst making sure our own children are on task.
Perhaps MN are a particularly -unpleasant- vocal section of the population? What happened to #bekind?
I agree about shop workers and care workers. They are doing an amazing job!

I miss being in my classroom 😢

Turns out it’s really difficult to teach remotely. It’s almost as if the kids need me there to teach and help them🤷‍♀️

I’m being bombarded by email by several stressed out teens who are struggling badly. I feel useless enough without people feeling the need to critique my every move.

Just signed up to be an NHS volunteer.

Have to say daughter's school haven't been very good while they've been off and barely set any work at all. So they'll probably be massively behind when they go back.

But does it matter? Nearly everyone will be "behind" except the super-compliant kids who will work at self directed learning, and were probably always going to do well. I think we should just "stop the clock" and restart when they go back.

Carry on reading and counting for the little ones, send the 16 plussers out to volunteer, and dont it's stress over for the middle range ages.

I know if this had happened when my DS was younger, he would have done nothing without a lot of screaming and shouting. Which I would not be prepared to do if were are o be stuck at home for months.

Sorry for typos, got numb fingers for no good reason.

Complaining is a national sport in this country. Can't see it ever changing.

willowpatterns this 10000000% I have utmost respect for teachers too, having years of contact supporting me and son through his school years.
I know people will still criticize. Only last week I was told to F**k off by a pregnant woman who was having a glucose tolerance test because she couldn't go for a cigarette/coffee and have her breakfast.

Luckily the nice reasonable people make up for the others. to all teachers who are helping out in this national emergency by allowing my colleagues with children to come into work.

Not likely. What this crisis has shown is the utter contempt that many parents seem to hold teachers in and that they only give a shit about what they do when they are no longer providing free childcare for their children. NHS are quite rightly being lauded but teachers and other public servants who are being forced into contact with the population at the risk of their own health are hardly getting a mention. I wouldn't be surprised if once this is all over there is something of an exodus from the profession due to the way that quite a number of parents have behaved. I certainly have friends and colleagues in education who are on the verge of going off sick as they don't want to put their own health at risk for the sake of children who have parents who hold them in such contempt

This. 100% this.

I think certain posters on MN will like to think they're doing wonderfully and think the teacher is even more appalling.

Remember, MN isn't a reflection of real life!

not having control of the class etc

This statement really irks me. They aren’t dogs. They should not need controlling. They need manners and responsibility. Especially in secondary. Odd reminder fine, but piss takers. Ugh!

They were moaning on the parents group from my dd old primary that the teacher had gave an incorrect answer on the mark scheme.

Nearly everyone will be "behind" except the super-compliant kids who will work at self directed learning, and were probably always going to do well. I think we should just "stop the clock" and restart when they go back.

As a teacher I agree with this. I'm worried about my Y10s and Y12s, although in my subject y12 usually spend most of the summer term on coursework, which I set them up with before we broke up so that's not too bad, and I can give advice online quite easily. Y10 are a worry because if they are expected to sit exams in just over a year's time they are going to be at a huge disadvantage compared to other year groups whatever we do, and it's going to take some really creative thinking to sort them out.

I'm so anxious about going back and the different stages they will all be at.

Everyone will be behind and having some kids insisting they know this and they've done it at home already (where they may or may not have grasped it properly) while others did not access the materials at all for whatever reason is going to make it a million times worse.

Reading, exercise in whatever format possible, some online maths stuff and maybe some off-curriculum research type stuff for the other subjects should be it I think -assuming we're not talking of closure beyond September.

I wasn't complaining about too little work. It was no work eldest might well be in Y10 when they go back. Anyway the school are going to be sending work to children from Monday so they're obviously trying to get it sorted and they are partially open so obviously not got loads of time.
I probably sounded like I was having a go at teachers when I wasn't. Think everyone is stressed and while it's not the teachers main concern (as I'm sure they have family and safety concerns) I am worried about my children doing well especially now they're at secondary school.

@sotiredofthislife Our teachers have just pointed us in the direction of maths games online and are not teaching, fielding questions all day or anything like that. I’m trying desperately to work my full time job whilst searching enough resources online and buying maths/English books to keep my kids occupied.

I actually think we need some national policy on this in the next few weeks because otherwise it's going to widen inequality even more. Some teachers carrying on the curriculum online (but how many of their students are accessing it, and, of those who are, how many are fully grasping what's being delivered?); others sending links to games and a whole lot of other approaches in between. We need a consistent approach across the country or it's going to be complete and utter chaos when we go back. And any approach that disadvantages those without parental involvement, for whatever reason, needs to be ruled out.

As teachers I think our time would be better spent on good quality planning for reopening than in pretending we can just carry on remotely as if the outcomes are going to be the same as they would have been at school. That is assuming we're going to be shut for months rather than a few weeks.

Very good point duchess

Rosebel:
But if for whatever reasons teachers can't send work to parents what will happen when children go back to school? Are teachers going to somehow cram all the missed work in to their teaching ? Surely it's better to send work home. At least then children have a choice to fall behind or not. Stressful I've no doubt. But it will be a lot more stressful if the children don't do any work while they're off.

Or, to look at it the other way, the work is sent home but half the class don’t do it. So half the class is behind. The other half, well, a couple have done it but don’t really understand, the others are fully on it and several have taken it further.
It’s not as easy as saying “It’s their fault if they fall behind” - some of the children will have chaotic homes lives which mean they won’t be able to get anything done, some lack computers to access the work etc etc.
So come September, if loads of the kids haven’t done it, despite having it sent home, the teachers will still have to cover it again anyway. Even if most of them cover it, the teacher will need to cover lots of it again in case there are areas that some of the students didn’t really get but which weren’t revealed in the worksheets etc, things that only reveal themselves when you are talking to the kids.

There is no precedent for this. Everyone will be making it up as they go along in September. In my Y1 class, some of the children have done the work sent home, some have done nothing (and probably won’t if the pattern of the last year is anything to go on), some have gone off piste and are working but doing their own thing...

Schools and inspectors will have to adjust expectations come September. I really wouldn’t worry about falling behind. There isn’t a behind at the moment. There’s alive and healthy and at the moment, that’s all we can ask for.

I totally agree with @Theduchessstill

My dc are year 10 and 8. Both are being set work for every single period and are doing at least 4 hours work a day. They are being very sensible and are actually working with their friends via WhatsApp calls, I've been keeping an ear on them and they are talking about their work.

I worry about my year child as he was doing so well but I don't know how far back this will set them. However the year 10 teachers are keeping a strong eye on them and are ringing parents when work is not completed and submitted.

I fully appreciate how hard this situation is for teachers and send them my thanks

Of course not OP.
Some teachers are fantastic, some are crap.
Nobody can please everyone all of the time & everyone loves having somebody else to blame.
Teachers are an easy target.

I doubt it will take a day before somebody is complaining about something a teacher has done (or not done for that matter).

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/parents-convinced-teachers-must-have-superpowers-to-cope-with-this-shit-20200325194834