Secondary Teachers, what do you think about going back to school for the last term with social distancing?

[sunshineanddaffodils]

My year 8 and year 10 dc are in the best possible situation at this point. Both have their own computer, space to work, pretty good home learning from school and both are cooperating. However, I am so worried about the impact being off school until September will have on them socially, on their mental well-being let alone the academic side of things. When I think about dc who are less fortunate than mine I feel so anxious and concerned. I’d be so happy to see some sort of phased return to school as soon as possible really. Looking at the stats I’m not concerned about the health any of the dc or staff at the school although obviously wouldn’t expect anyone in the vulnerable categories or dc of the vulnerable to be expected to return (there’s only one teacher at at their school who is shielding because he’s diabetic). I think school should reopen and the vulnerable remain isolated so the virus cannot be passed on to them if dc fo pick it up at school.

It's not a question of censorship. There's lots of interesting, non goady, discussions and debates out there: including on Mumsnet.

There isn't a battle because most people are reasonable.
Most teachers are missing their students and would much prefer to be teaching their classes as usual. Most teachers also know that it's not possible to socially distance if you have 6 toilets blocis that can only have 1 student in at a time for over 1000 students, that corridors where students and staff pass with less than a foot between them doesn't follow social distancing, that a school having between half a dozen and a dozen school busses doesn't allow the children to be at appropriate distances, that classes of 34 in rooms built to fit 30 doesn't keep social distancing.
Most people (teachers and parents) want things back to normal as quickly as it is safely possible and are open to sensible discussions of what that looks like.

There's some people who want a battle because they are either bitter about who knows what, thrive on trying to create drama or have their own ideological issues.

Xenia pops up on EVERY school thread, slagging teachers.

I don't think her opinion necessarily reflects the majority.

That is not correct. My mother was a teacher. My children's father is. I have great respect for teachers. However there is going to be a battle royal in the UK getting schools open again.

BlessYourCottonSocks
I'd go further and say I don't think the goady voices on Mumsnet represent the majority.

Most people would like life to get back to normal as soon as it's safe to do so, accept that most people are doing their best in difficult times, and that it's such a rare situation.

Then there's the usual ones who see an opportunity to have a go at teachers/nurses/health care practitioners/social workers/the police /anyone else they feel isn't working according to their non-expert preferences.

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-children-illness-nhs-doctor-warning-health-alert-a9485441.html

Might be worth keeping an eye on this story.

xenia you’ve shown very little respect for teachers over the years on the education boards. And nurses for that matter.

I have great respect for teachers.

Then stop portraying this as teachers versus parents.

A lot of teachers are parents. A lot of parents don’t want schools open. Some teachers are very keen to reopen schools.

This isn’t Brexit, stop trying to make it a ‘battle’ with ‘sides’ to take. It is a complex decision with many things to take into account. Teacher opinions is likely to be way down the list.

A rigged name generator that LOOKS fair but is designed to never come up with a couple of particular ones?

Just use the same one you use for star of the week.

Or the same one you use for 'names out of the hat' residentials

Let’s do whatever we can to support teachers. The last thing we need is experienced, well qualified and caring teachers unable to work or leave the profession.

I’m sure there are excellent teaching graduates but they are no substitute for experience.

Xenia

However there is going to be a battle royal in the UK getting schools open again.

There won't be a "battle royal"
The government will say go back and schools/teachers will be left to sort out the details.

The backlash will be from same parents that are already berating teachers on here demanding X is changed because its just wrong and that teacher are lazy and can't be bothered to sort it out.

With the added bonus of 'I taught my child for X weeks and they weren't the problem'.

Most parents will be sensible and see the reasons for whatever happens.

7,500 NHS staff signed a letter to Matt Hancock, advising him not to open schools until more rigorous tracking and testing was established. Whilst the evidence regarding the impact of closing schools as a means of reducing cases is not yet compelling, it is believed that school closure contributes towards maintaining a flattening curve.

Teachers versus the parents and the state? Actually, it's parents versus the teachers and the state, since the government and teaching staff acknowledge one thing - a return to school must be done correctly, when the time is right.

What is happening now is akin to having a child ask over and over again, "Are we nearly there yet?" We are on a long, unfamiliar and unpredictable journey where no one has been before. If we get out of the car too early, it will be much worse for everyone.

Sone teachers are not in school - they are working from home. Some teachers are in school, teaching small groups of children. Some teachers are tearing round delivering emergency food parcels, supporting families who need help, checking on children who are at risk. Nobody is doing exactly the same thing, but circumstances demand what is necessary in each context.

One thing is for sure when we finally return to "normal", however that may look; the joy, excitement and sense of privilege we have as teachers, knowing that we shape and build our children's lives.

We seek to enhance your children's education, from the moment they begin school, by celebrating and welcoming a home/school partnership with the same people who are annihilating us in these posts.

When we do return to our loved profession, let's hope that some of the hideous comments and attitudes shown here and across Mumsnet will fade from our memories.

I imagine most parents are now realising how difficult teaching is now they have had a small window of seeing how their DC’s learn and behave.

@Pollymalex104 When we do return to our loved profession, let's hope that some of the hideous comments and attitudes shown here and across Mumsnet will fade from our memories

I hope so too but unfortunately, some posters have been grinding their axes for a while before the lockdown.

Parker231

We can only hope.

If there is not a battle royal that's really good. I hope it can all be worked out sensibly.

This might be interesting for those interested in small children and covid 19 www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8260399/NHS-issues-doctors-urgent-alert-coronavirus-related-condition-children.html#newcomment. it sounds pretty nasty and to be looked out for but fairly rare.

There will only be a "battle royale" with the odd parent like Xenia. Parents in my school have been overwhelmingly supportive of closure and of the work we are doing at home and with keyworker children.
We teachers need to remember that the majority of people supporf schools. The Xenias here are the minority. Just a very, very vocal one. Some people fit the demographic of feeling themselves a cut above the Daily Mail boards and so wind up here. Just give them

Polly, I hope so. That comment of not concerned about the health any of the dc or staff at the school will stay with me for a long time. I care deeply that school staff and the children are safe. Teachers and school staff will still be working just doing different things than being in a classroom on timetable.

with the odd parent like Xenia

Xenia isn’t posting as a parent though. Her concern, which she has posted over multiple threads, is how much tax those on very high incomes will be expected to pay next year.

The “battle royal” is not what you think it is Xenia.

My battle royal is going to be working with a school full if deeply unsettled children. Battling to get them ok and learning will be massive.

The determination of posters that teachers are just after staying at home is SUCH bullshit and really irritating, when we have a delicate and difficult task ahead.

The determination of posters that teachers are just after staying at home is SUCH bullshit and really irritating, when we have a delicate and difficult task ahead.

It's deliberate gaslighting. Being told we want and think something we've repeatedly said we don't want or think.

If a woman was forced to work from home for some reason - a broken leg, say - and posted that her husband repeatedly told her she was lazy , was doing nothing all day and didn't want to work, even though she missed work, was working FT from home and was looking froward to going back, we'd call him abusive and it would be cleat to everyone he was just a liar trying to stir things up. Yet if it's a group of women on here, we call it "robust debate" or some such nonsense.

@Pollymalex104. Yours is the best analogy I think I've seen.

Flower posters can we add "are we there yet?" to our flowers?

I also need a Donkey gif...

Absolutely michaelbaubkes. It’s all nonsense.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/27/nhs-warns-of-rise-in-children-with-new-illness-that-may-be-linked-to-coronavirus

Children are falling ill with a new and potentially fatal combination of symptoms apparently linked to Covid-19, including a sore stomach and heart problems.

The children affected appear to have been struck by a form of toxic shock syndrome. Some have been left so seriously unwell that they have had to be treated in intensive care. At least one has undergone extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, which is used when someone’s life is at risk because they can no longer breathe for themselves.

It is not known how many such cases have appeared, though it is thought to be a small number. But NHS bosses are so concerned that they have written to doctors alerting them to the existence of the syndrome and asked them to urgently refer any children who appear to have it to hospital.

@KatieB55. It's not a 'syndrome'. It's a very small number of children presenting with certain symptoms, all of whom recovered/are recovering, and we don't yet know what it is (if anything), and don't know if it's related to COVID since some did not test positive for COVID or COVID antibodies suggesting past infection with COVID.

These alerts go between HCPs constantly, COVID related or not. So medics are aware. They're just not publicised usually. And shouldn't have been here imo.

bless
But ARE we nearly there yet?
I need a wee.