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.

So

DO NOT CONTACT US - WE WILL CONTACT YOU (regularly! - and be telling you regularly how shite your kids are kind regards) and all that

Your interpretation is very very wrong and please, to save your sanity and that of your children, please understand that what it means is that they will be communicating via email or phone (just not video although I’m now confused about your Zoom reference earlier)
The fact that the teachers have been in contact with you shows they are trying. When they say ‘why hasn’t the work been done?’ Tell them! Be open and honest. Tell them of any circumstances that you are finding hard and let them adjust for you.
It’s much more productive and easier on your MH than ranting about things that have been misinterpreted.
Please please email/call them today for help.

X post. So tell them you don’t want any communication from them.

What’s worse than someone making a mistake is you setting your DC the example that if someone makes a mistake you be angry, throw in the towel and refuse to engage anymore.

Chole

The reference to video link is verbatim what was typed into the parent mail message I received at 6pm on Friday 17th telling me to GET GOING on my childrens homework.

Zoom childrens class meetings is what I have facilitated for both of my children this week at the teachers emailed instructions (one of many)

Sorry but just sending out instructions to parents with a large caveat at the start saying "DO NOT CONTACT US" does not work.

And now I am going to go and give my kids breakfast and start them on their first school exercise of the day and I am very very much in two minds whether I can be bothered to upload it to the school via Seesaw / Rising Stars.

So long as my kids keep learning that is all that matters to me.

I am angry at the way it has been done.

I am not angry with my kids in any way - we did 9 - 4pm (hour for lunch) yesterday percentages and some stuff about polygons and other geometry stuff and then my daughter did a comprehension on Pandora and my son did a comprehension on coding and computers and we uploaded it all. With no response from the teachers (apart from various emails about extra maths we should be doing and "get on this class zoom meeting next week at these times and if you are not in before the invitation you will be blocked from the zoom meeting etc etc) and the department of education requires us to get evidence of your children's work from you.

And then we went and did some gardening in the back garden (for the avoidance of doubt mums netters we did not leave the back garden or the house so we are not super spreaders!)

Ah, never mind.

Bubblebu
If there's been no behaviour issues then why on earth would you have decided that the teachers are smirking and thinking your child is a little shit?

Genuine question because someone who describes their child as cheeky and insists the teachers must think their child is a little shit sounds very much like a child who messes on, talks back. If they don't then it seems like a really unusual accusation to make.

To be honest, it sounds like they're trying to support parents with the online submission of work and want to make sure the children are doing ok, but don't want to be inundated with the sort of emails that we've seen on MN complaint threads (eg. The school down the road is doing zoom or Google classroom why aren't you? Yes the instructions are in the work, but I haven't read them and want you to explain them to me and DC personally. I've decided that the work isn't as engaging as I would want it to be so you're crap.)

The fact you're insisting that they think your children are little shits and that checking the online stuff is saying your children are shite sounds a bizarre reaction.

Sorry but just sending out instructions to parents with a large caveat at the start saying "DO NOT CONTACT US" does not work.

If you are going to use capitals.... THEY HAVEN’T SAID THAT!
(In what you have posted anyway)

And even if they have, just send an email asking not to be contacted directly by teachers, sit back, and take some of the weight off your shoulders and move on with your day

Lola

Very genuinely no one has ever ever said to me either of my children are "little shits"
But the tone of the school parent mails about submitting work and everyone I meet says "Oh well now we all know what the parents think of our kids what a total NIGHTMARE" it must be to have to teach them and now in lock down all parents will be seeing what total little shits their kids are - yes now we all know what a total nightmare it is to teach your kids.

(I love my kids - they really are not naughty - they are now sat at the table with computers in front of them ready and wanting to get going)
thanks

Your issue is with YOUR kids' school, not "teachers" everywhere. Stop making generalisations like It is just the total one way control freakery from teachers now because the government says they must still be "teaching"

Secondly, you keep adding in your suppositions but trying to make it sound like it's what the teachers have actually said, but up until your brackets in your last post, that email does not sound unreasonable imo. What do you find so bad about it?

And even if they have, just send an email asking not to be contacted directly by teachers, sit back, and take some of the weight off your shoulders and move on with your day

This

This

And this is why I thought "let us just do home schooling" I am no teacher (although both of my parents were) but I am interested (well interested in my own kids at least) at least someone is.

Sally

Your are clearly a teacher.

So what do you want?

• my kids are a nightmare to teach; you issue them with stuff they have not covered in class (or have covered but they are thick so they did not remember it!) - after lock down - hurrah - they are not at school any more!

OR

• just crack on with the school multiple emails and instructions every day because that is all you need to be doing (and by the way we will also tell you that your children should not need any kind of supervision in doing their homework because we have covered it all in class already so if they cannot do it they are …….. ????)

You tell me.

Ah, took me too long to post. The point is, I think, that you're making assumptions that teachers think children are little shits. The email has nothing of the sort about it to suggest that and if "everyone" you meet is saying "now in lock down all parents will be seeing what total little shits their kids are" then I'm wondering about the type of person you are meeting in your life, as no-one I've met has ever said that.

🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷

I don't understand, what do I want?

Just contact your school, as suggested, and let them know you're getting too many emails.

Then try to stop thinking all teachers are suggesting or saying children are "little shits". We do really like kids, you know, it's a big part of the job.

" The email has nothing of the sort about it to suggest that and if "everyone" you meet is saying "now in lock down all parents will be seeing what total little shits their kids are" then I'm wondering about the type of person you are meeting in your life, as no-one I've met has ever said that."

even the checkout at Sainsburys yesterday morning (behind the plastic guard shield and she was wearing a mask) said "teachers put up with SUCH shit from kids). Parents must be realising what little shits their kids are"

My neighbour over the road in the cul-de-sac who is a primary school teacher in the neighbouring village smirked as she started her evening run round the village about parents having to home school.

Many elderly pensioners in my village have commented on how parents now have to "face it" with home schooling.

"We do really like kids, you know, it's a big part of the job"

Nope.

And is that "everyone"?

Nope

Er, yep. Me and every other teacher I've ever met, at least.

and if you are not in before the invitation you will be blocked from the zoom meeting etc

So they are using the Zoom room locking feature to prevent ‘zoombombing’ (a safeguarding risk) and keep the lesson from being interrupted, all for the benefit of the children... but you have a problem with that too?

Poor teachers (not a teacher). They really can’t win can they?

If they email they are criticised and if they don’t, they’re accused of not doing anything.

Our two schools are setting work - in different formats. Eldest is y11 so thought he could just do nothing until September. Instead the school have set him tasks to prepare for A level, at his own pace.

DS2 is in primary school so has more daily focused tasks.

Emails from both with positive encouragement. DS2’s asked us to upload, but we were having difficulties so have kept a folder of work. No big deal I’m sure the teachers will be happy we tried.

Plus, we’ve had supportive calls to check they’re ok. And both schools are still officially open.

I can’t thank them enough. It must be hard enough coordinating lesson plans/scheduled work, without also teaching on top, and dealing with the usual covid chaos.

I’m grateful for all the teachers, who are doing their best in this unprecedented time not all parents are critical/unsupportive please remember that

My neighbour over the road in the cul-de-sac who is a primary school teacher in the neighbouring village smirked as she started her evening run round the village about parents having to home school.

Haha what?!

Thank you, Too much! I'm glad your children's schools are managing to find a good way of working in this time of crisis.

Well if you read up in my thread my whole point was to suggest I home school my "pesky" kids.

Is that not exactly what teachers want? Not to have those nightmare kids back again???

I am actually being sincere here. I would very much welcome the Seesaw and Rising stars exercises - I can work them out for myself - I just do not want the half a dozen "do not reply to this email" instructions from the school as to how to home school and why have you not uploaded work???

This is only week one for me - imagine what it might be like 4 or 5 weeks in for parents of different abilities getting dozens of emails from teachers "instructing" them to get their kids to upload assignments.

(Its a bit like the empty NHS hospitals and the dancing NHS workers. no?)

Is that not exactly what teachers want? Not to have those nightmare kids back again???
No. Hope this helps.

It has actually been very hard to understand what you point(s) have been, to be fair!

I just do not want the half a dozen "do not reply to this email" instructions from the school as to how to home school and why have you not uploaded work???

Oh no! Teachers asking for work?! Oh the horror!
You have been given a common sense solution to to this issue. No need for rants and made up stories. If you read Mumsnet regularly, you will see that many many many parents would like exactly what you don’t like.

Teachers/Schools can’t win. So just continue what you are happy with and let others get on with what they are happy with. Win win.

Again, "pesky" in quote marks. Who has said they're pesky? You?

Is that not exactly what teachers want? Not to have those nightmare kids back again???

Why don't you ask your parents, as they were both teachers, and come back and let me know?

One person's comment (which says more about their own kids than teachers' attitudes) and "many elderly pensioners", (I'm discounting the "smirk" because she could have been smiling for any reason), does not constitute "everyone", nor all teachers.

Your children's school probably think they're being helpful. An email to then would save yourself much of your headache.