To think “fuck it” to home schooling after this?

[Justgivemewine]

So we do ds2’s, year 7, maths homeschooling, ds2 is quite able, so he gets most of the questions right ( they mark themselves) but we had some stress trying to get a couple of questions to match the answers provided by the teacher as one answer was blatantly wrong and another question we aren’t sure about either because it was stuff he said he hadn’t covered yet. Even so, he gave it a go but couldnt match the answer given. Turns out that answer given by the teacher was wrong and ds2 actually been right all along.

Other maths questions are apparently a recap on work already done before lockdown but ds2 claims “but we havent’t done this”, me being a maths bod try to explain it to him, much frustration on both sides as unknown to me at the time some of it’s a totally new concept for him.

Later (ie after the work was due in) we get an email from teacher, admitting errors in answers, and explaining later questions are actually year8 stuff that they haven’t covered yet in year7 and with explanations how to do it.

Wtf, if they are giving questions from year8 to year7 students, how about a bit of warning beforehand before parents get superstressed. Maths is my thing anyway so trying to explain concepts you think your child should already know (Because the teachers say it’s a feckin recap)is doable, but not everyone is a maths bod. Some parents might ace the english or art homework instead, mine don’t stand a chance 😂

Lots of unnecessary stress and upset could’ve been avoided for everyone.

Another teacher bashing thread. Ffs. The teacher made a mistake. Big deal. You were on hand to help and explain it. All maths is pretty much going to be recapping what the children learnt thus far. Even if it were a recap topic, the there is not guarantee the child and / or the parent was able to do it. This is all a moot point anyway. I’ve heard less than a
1/3 of children are doing the work.

YABU, sounds like a mistake that was admitted later on, it was unfortunate that you’d already done the work but no real harm done. I imagine the teachers have more than 1 class to deal with on a relatively new platform so cut a bit of slack eh

How could she warn you when it was a mix up?
Ffs what a bloody mountain out of a mole hill!

Is your YABU that, after a teacher for one subject made 2 mistakes which they subsequently admitted to, you are going to give up on homeschooling entirely?

Yes. YABU.

If the teacher made a mistake, how exactly was she supposed to give you a 'heads up' ffs.

Expecting perfection in work prepared under immense pressure during this period is totally, totally unreasonable. Yours aren't the only little darlings the teacher is dealing with.

Unless, as a 'maths bod' you'd like to offer to help with the teacher's workload yourself?

Seriously. Sort yourself out.

I do not think you are being unreasonable.
Last weekend I had multiple emails from the teachers at my primary school with sections in bold / capital letters saying "DO NOT CONTACT US WE ARE NOT HERE TO ADVISE PARENTS ON HOW TO HOME SCHOOL" "WE WILL NOT BE MARKING YOUR CHILDREN'S WORK" etc etc
Since then Monday to Weds we have had multiple daily emails from the very same teachers saying "why have you not uploaded your children's work? " "we will not be providing answers that is for you to work out"

I have got to the stage where I just think "do you know what? I am just going to home school my children" (which I have been doing at the table 9.30am - 4.30pm every day with our laptops) and I do not give a stuff about uploading stuff on the (fairly crappy) home school platform (seesaw) for the teachers to look at when they fancy it and tell me to tell my children to "do it again".

Nope.

I accept the teachers worked very hard to get an online learning platform up and running remotely for children who are instructed to STAY INDOORS all day every day.

However I am fairly sure with enough time I can teach them myself without the multiple daily emailed teachers orders (will the teachers be doing a tiktock dance in their car parks next week??)

Carol Vordamens website "the maths factor" is free while schools are closed. You could take a look and consider helping your child with maths using this to structure it. We haven't used it yet but I have signed up (after you sign up you get an account after a couple of days.

My husband is a primary school teacher and says that knowing times tables really well so they can easily access that knowledge in general mental maths gives kids a huge help. Something to focus on if there could be improvement there. Use maths apps that are like games so it doesn't feel like work.

The nature of some activities means there might be a couple of areas that haven't been covered. Usually because the specific curriculum ranges from area to area and resources are generic so it's impossible for them to be absolutely tailor made.

Mistakes can happen, this isn't a big issue. I often come across mistakes in answer books of very reputable maths schemes.

Finally, you're not home schooling, you're facilitating remote learning. Unless of course you devised the scheme of work, resourced the activities and taught a lesson?

Chill out.

It was just a mistake so think you are making a big deal out of nothing.

As for maths my children are stuffed if the ask me I have no idea sat with my yr 4 watched the whole lesson on fractions and still had no idea what they were bloody talking about. Luckily o have a very cleaver yr 10 who came and explained it to him in 5 mins.

Excuse all the mistakes I'm not wearing my glasses.

Calm down, maths bod.

Oh another fucking teacher bashing thread.
What a drama llama. Mistakes happen FFS

@Bubblebu However I am fairly sure with enough time I can teach them myself without the multiple daily emailed teachers orders (will the teachers be doing a tiktock dance in their car parks next week??)

What a twatty reply. You crack on then love

The teacher made a mistake - everyone makes mistakes.

If things aren't going well with remote learning, step away, take a break and do something different. Don't put such a lot of pressure on yourself over a couple of maths questions.

Mistakes happen. Try to react differently next time, for your own sanity.

The white rose stuff is good.

Shit happens.

For god's sake. It's one muck-up. Teachers are having to get used to using new systems, devising work, marking work, safeguarding, all while looking after their own families too (and some of them still putting themselves on the line going into schools to look after key workers' kids/those kids who are most vulnerable). My sister has been juggling her own two kids (one a toddler), working till 10 at night, had no holiday over Easter, worked five days instead of four every week - and gets constant complaints from people like you.

Yes, it's frustrating that they set the wrong work. If it's a one-off, teach your child to take it calmly and liaise with the teacher themselves to deal with the prob - you sound WAY more involved in all this that I am with my y7's work.

If there's a pattern over several days of the wrong work being set/it being difficult to access, let the appropriate person know and have a calm discussion. But really - model a bit of flipping resilience for your child; it's just not a big deal.

We don’t bother with the stuff teachers send.
Prefer to do our own stuff on other sites, as mentioned,the carol vorder man site is good.

Nothing the school can do about it

LTB

I understand your frustration but it was a mistake and it was admitted. To suggest that you stop supporting your child’s school work whilst at home is over dramatic. This is a learning moment for both you and your son.

@Bubblebu I’m afraid I do not believe for a second that those were the responses you got from the teachers. If they actually were word for word then I imagine some sort of complaint would be in order. My DC’s school use seesaw for the kids to upload work and it’s a perfectly acceptable platform (not sure why you think it is crappy). In school kids would be marking work as they go with the teacher telling them the answers so I don’t see why it’s unacceptable for this to occur now. How on earth would the teachers have time to mark 20-30 pieces of every single bit of work the kids are doing at home 🙄 also where on earth have you seen that kids are supposed to be staying indoors all day 🤔 what a load of old rubbish.

I feel so sorry for teachers at the moment - they can’t win. Oh we don’t bother with stuff the school sets blah blah. Yes, why would you bother when you know much better 🙄

If you don't want to home school, don't do it. It won't be the teacher that loses out though.

Lots of unnecessary stress and upset could’ve been avoided for everyone

Yes, if you hadn't made it a big deal. Cut them some slack FFS, most of them are using the online system for the first time, remotely setting lessons for different year groups, going into school on a rota, trying to figure out grading for the older students, be a part of schoolwide thinking on what on earth is going to happen when schools reopen and trying to catch pupils up, amongst some other bits and bobs. You have made this a big drama, why not just say to your DS ah well done, you were correct that's great you are understanding year 8 work and move on. It's no real mystery why there's a shortage of teachers, I am sure if your superior self is taking on the role for your children they'll not be too upset. Also if you think that a lot of children were upset by that, you're very naieve as to the amount of children that are accessing school work at the moment, let alone doing it.