Should education be suspended?

[Cantteach]

I honestly believe that the most important area we can invest in is education. The ripple effect that a good education system has on every other area is immeasurable.

However, I am seeing increasingly on social media and through various conversations that parents are struggling with the home schooling set up. For many families their worlds are upside down. They are dealing with lockdown trying to protect their household while worrying about the health and safety of family and friends. Many families are also dealing with unexpected redundancy or wage cuts, while others attempt to work from home and look after their children. And as for the key workers who are doing an amazing job, picking up their children and then having to start school work, I don't know how they are coping.

We all know that there are some children who right now will still be receiving excellent education, while some are receiving none. For most in the middle it's a daily battle of feeling you should try, arguing with your child, tears, failing and promising yourself you'll do better tomorrow.

As the government needs to create a recovery plan for this missing term (please, please only be one term!) and virtually everything will need doing again anyway, aibu to ask that the government drop the pretence of home schooling?

No- the mental health of many children and carers would be improved if we accept we can't replace teachers and we all start a fresh when this is over.

Yes- even 10 minutes a day is better than nothing. Allowing parents to stop will make the issue so much worse.

This is one which I don't feel really lends itself to a voting poll.

I do think that parents and students should be encouraged to prioritise mental health and wellbeing, and that limitations of parents, students and situations need to be acknowledged and every allowance made.

However, for me and mine, the purpose and structure of continuing their education, as well as the hope that this implies (this too shall pass, and that's why we can't just stop with the learning) has been very good for them.

But me and mine are in a very fortunate position. Many are not.

schooling maybe, education no.

What are children supposed to do, stuck at home pretty much all day for weeks? (possibly months)

Encourage broader learning, encourage to strengthen what they have already learnt, give resources.

It might help some families to have a strict schedule and plan for hours of learning, good for help. For those who are struggling, a minimum of a couple of hours would be good. It doesn't need to be Monday to Friday anymore.

I think that education has always been something that happens part at home and part at school. Even if there wasn't being work sent home, families who put a high value on education will continue working with their dc.

I am concerned about how the current time away from formal education will have a much bigger impact on families who don't have the resources (in terms on bought resources and personal resources such as having a decent level of education themselves).

You would have to change the education law.
Currently it's the responsibility of the parent to provide an education, be that at school or otherwise.
As schools are closed it falls to the parents, and is their responsibility.

This is the time when parents really do need to step up, it may mean tightening belts, working less, one giving up work or both going pt to educate their children.
You can't just not do it, they're your kids.

mama bear that's sort of where I was going but I didn't want to make my post any longer than it already is. There are so many resources out there if you want to stick with the 'traditional' educating but if you'd rather be in the garden learning about bugs and plants or practicing numbers through board games these options are there too.

Some parents won't be educating at all and no amount of work sheets sent home will change that. But for many the removal of work from school will relieve a lot of pressure and allow these other options to be explored.

I work in a state school with high numbers of disadvantaged students. It’s secondary so my Year 10 and 12 students will potentially be sitting high-stakes exams in a little over a year. I feel a strong moral imperative to do everything I can to help them to continue their education. I’m trying not to pressurise those in difficult circumstances, and as a school we’ve done everything we can to help those who need IT equipment or stationery. I know that their peers in private schools, or more advantaged homes will be carrying on learning. Some will be having live teaching online for every lesson and 1-2-1 online tutoring. I don’t feel that I can, in good conscience, tell them not to worry about their schoolwork whilst those who already have an advantage surge ahead even further.

Parents with resources and knowledge will still be doing some teaching and activities. On the threads where schools have not provided as much they are sharing links here. They have bought craft supplies and children are cooking with them.

For parents without as much knowledge, time or money but value education things from school are valuable start.

Some (I know not all) older motivated children in difficult circumstances will also be able access things even if their parents aren’t interested or just too distracted by other siblings or keeping food on the table.

For very vulnerable children it means someone may be keeping an eye out if teachers are seeing that a pupil is not engaging at all, without specifically singling out because the teacher is briefly checking all pupil responses.

The BBC appear to be stepping in for some from 20th April;

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/coronavirus-education

Private schools will have to continue providing on-line lessons if they want to keep their fees.

Many teachers are parents themselves of course - how do you prevent teachers from teaching their own dc at home if they are not teaching other children - particularly primary school teachers?

Although if education is 'suspended' now I suppose the Autumn term could start in July or August.

The problem is one size doesn't fit all.

For families in crisis or with limited time and/or resources, I think what you are saying is correct. Same for children with learning or additional needs or disabilities.

For other families structure, activity and education will enable them to survive or even thrive lock down.

I work in a private school for 3-13 year olds and the parents are asking for more and more - which we must provide if we expect fees to be paid. From the start of term we are doing ok live online lessons daily in core subjects for KS1 upwards and following a full, online, live timetable in nearly all subjects from upper KS2 onwards. We are providing online peripatetic lessons for instruments, singing, tennis, golf, speech&Drama and learning support. We are having online tutor times, assemblies, chapels and 'hang outs'. We are holding virtual choir, orchestra, drama and dance rehearsals and online art, technology, coding, language and sport clubs. The children will have so much screen time it's crazy. But this is what 85% of our parents have asked for. The problem is the other 15% who don't want to engage in all that will fall very behind the others. But our hands are tied if we want any chance at all of being a viable business in the Autumn. This all needs to be available for key worker children to access in school too. We can't be 'just' childcare.

I think you have a good point and, in an ideal world, all parents could just do what works best for their families. But it will give schools a very difficult task when we go back and some children have forged ahead independently, some have followed the school provision and some have dropped behind independently.

I do agree that the tone when things are sent home is important and it should be clear that health including mental health comes first. There are some great examples of schools doing that. as all walks of life there is a mixed response from individual teachers, school management, parents and pupils.

Those with limited time and resources or living in chaotic homes need to be learning just as much as those in lovely homes with lots of resources and parental input. If anything it is even more important for them. Their educational outcomes will affect their life chances far more drastically than their peers.

This situation is going to widen the attainment gap and that will only be made worse if we stop expecting kids in difficult circumstances to do any work. As a teacher I have a moral duty to do my very best to help them access an education at the moment. Will it be as good as what some of their peers have access to? No. I just have to get it as close as I can.

This is not a one size fit all issue.
Children who have been ill or are living with people who are ill/shielding with have a very different experience to those with 2WFH parents or a parent who's a keyworker.

I can WFH and my oldest is a keyworker who's not been ill so far. My other 2 have exams next year and don't know anyone who's ill so can study but if they knew someone who had died/seriously ill then studying would be the last thing that they were thinking about.

Sabine that is another thing that I am concerned about. The immense pressure on teacher's to still achieve in circumstances beyond there control. Would it not be better for everyone if the government clearly stated that they acknowledge the problem and what can be done. For example (and it's been some time since I sat exams so be kind!) if in previous years a child has needed to answer 4 questions in an exam the teacher has probably prepared them for 5, roughly 1 per term. Could the current year 10 answer just 3 questions and have the average mark for those used as grade for the 4th question?

I don't have the answers, or any influence-sadly. I do agree that the gap between disadvantaged children and those privately educated is going to widen and and much as possible should be done to prevent that. But I do think that for many this situation is achieving very little other than to cause additional stress.

I am an ex-teacher. I still tutpr for a living.

I have always wfh, in my current job. My current job is pretty busy, and I can't do it properly, as I shoudl be visiting families, and via zoom just doesn't cut it.

On top of that, I am supported 4 families (relatives and friends) who are in the shielding group. I have an on-line shop, it took me 3 hours to do the on-line order on Monday, as the website kept crashing. On Tuesday the shop arrived and half was missing, I then spent 3 hours driving to another supermarket to get all the missing stuff, pickign up prescriptions and then delivering stuff and another hour that evening working out the costs for each family.
And I have ha dto go out twice more for prescriptions.

On top of that I have 3 teens who need homeschooling. I thought it was going well, they were all on-task for the last 2 weeks of term. It turns out the youngest was working but so inefficiently that she has only done 1/3 of the two weeks work.

I have been trying to help her this week, (remember I am a teacher, so I do know what I am donig) which has led to a melt down. Every. Single. Time.
She is not coping with open ended research tasks. She won't allow me even to give her some suggested questions to ask. I obvioulsy know nothing, as I am her mother
I have run out of time and energy.

BUT my older 2 are year 10 and 12 and have done well, got on with it and kept up with work. Th eyear 10 has set up a dela with Grandma who is now challenging her to learn her German vocab and on the side she is playing her guitar more than ever and doing art work etc.

So, no, don't stop the work, it is helpful for some, but don't give me a hard time if we don't manage it either.

I feel completely disadvantaged with 2 year 9s. One was due to sit an IGCSE this month (postponed until Nov) and GCSE Maths early next year.

They are getting bits from school, but DH and I working full time and it's not the same.

Meanwhile the independent schools are having small regular daily lessons via Skype and Zoom.

As some of these children will be applying to my children's schools at sixth form, they will have the edge over mine.

nellythenarwhal I agree with that. Allowances need to be made for kids who are ill or grieving and for all students deadlines need to be flexible once we start lessons again after Easter. These are not normal circumstances.

I do think that the schoolwork has generally been quite good for their wellbeing. The feedback from our students has been really positive and I actually worry that a lot of them will have very little to keep them occupied during the two weeks of “Easter holidays”.

The ones that I am most concerned about are the ones who are not engaging with schoolwork at all and are struggling to get out of bed.

I think once the dust settles a bit there will need to be some plans in place for current year 10s and year 12s - maybe next year's exams will need to be made easier / have less content or deadlines extended to allow for the loss of at least a term's work.

My year 10 has enjoyed getting work to do as he's now bored in the holidays without it, but I am aware that he has the advantage of somewhere quiet to work and his own internet connected device.

"This is the time when parents really do need to step up, it may mean tightening belts, working less, one giving up work or both going pt to educate their children."

And there speaks one of the oblivious voices of the "haves" in this hideous situation.

Ihate
What do you mean? Have what? A job (no), money (no) debt (no) lost income (yes)
responsibility (yes).
Parents are too happy to let others do their job, because money is more important than their children.
I believe in living and earning for your needs, keeping your needs to the minimum and not having to forsake your children for greed and career.
If that's being one of the "haves" I'm happy to be one

I think, with all the good will in the world, some people struggle to understand the home situations that some children grow up in. The parents of many, many of the children that I work with cannot read. Which means that they cannot find resources, and have a limited scope to support their children with any work sent home. Their homes are overcrowded - one family I work with has five children and mother in a two bed flat -
their 10 year old boy is not going to be able to get a great deal done. Another girl shares a bedroom with her sister, her aunt and her 2 year old brother. In my city there are several families living in the Travel Lodge.
Families do not have laptops. Even if the school lends them one they don’t have internet access.
Most of the children I work with cannot read - so would need heavy support with any packs sent home from school. From parents who are working, cannot read well themselves, have several other children to care for.
And these are the families that care for and want the best for their children. Not the neglectful or abusive families, or the ones who simply don’t give a shit.
These children will be in a devastating position when school returns. They will have regressed in their learning while their more fortunate peers have forged ahead.
I don’t know what the answer is though.

I mean that you have clearly no idea @Devlesko how some people have no choice but to live. See @Elisheva's post for example.

And there are a lot of parents whom the education system failed when they were children, who just do not have the wherewithal to be their children's educators.

And beyond these very difficult and challenging situations, the many families who just couldn't pay their housing and bills without 2 full time low waged salaries.

If you are lucky enough to have a set up that allows you not to work then you are one of the "haves" in this situation. I am sure you worked to achieve it.

Even if the school lends them one they don’t have internet access

If they or their parent/s have a mobile phone they can activate a wi-fi hotspot I think.

I think schools should still send out work for those children who are benefitting. I also think the curriculum should start where it left off so there's less chance of huge gaps in their education.

@clavinova - if they can afford the data