To wonder why teachers are not teaching my child?

[Nickynackienoo]

I am a nurse redeployed to itu. Doing 13 hour days and stressed up to the eyeballs at the moment. My children (12 and 8) go to school on my work days and on my days off i keep them at home with me according to the government guidance. As far as I can tell, the teachers at school are just childminding and not teaching anything. How is it that they can have just 4 kids in the school and not manage to get them to do at least some work? How can I possibly do the job of a teacher on my days off? They have send so many links via email that I can’t make sense of, it’s so overly complicated. Surely as key workers they should be doing the job they are being paid to do? I must be missing something, can someone fill me in?

@OceanOrchid

so just explain it politely surely! How is OP meant to understand the inner workings of the education system. There are plenty of posts moaning about doctors and nurses and pretty much every other profession too!

You can’t teach 4 children and not the rest. I’m covering on a rota basis. There is learning going on for example I’ve been revising maths strategies, reading comprehension, teaching craft skills etc. The problem is I have 6 children from age 5 to 11!

Frankly, I know what the rules say, but I agree with you OP. Presumably it’s the same set of children there each day and for teachers to just tell them to self study rather than offer some support, help with questions etc. suggests the teachers don’t really have a calling for the job, to be honest.

I appreciate they have their own classes to set work for but under normal circumstances they’d have to set work AND be in front of a class for 5-6 hours a day, so why now can’t they manage to set work, spend the 1-2 hours on zoom normally offered, and then use the rest of their day to engage with the children in front of them?

In both cases, you are being paid to do your respective jobs. His job is harder than usual, yours is possibly easier, or different. He risks his life a great deal. You risk yours a great deal less

If you sign up to the medical professions, being frontline in a pandemic goes with it. You hope it never happens but understand your job will be to get on with it if it does happen.

Teachers signed up to teach kids in a classroom. Not online. Not be childcare in a classroom with the fear that we all feel right now. In some schools, basics such as soap are lacking. Cleaning is minimal. No PEE of any kind whatsoever. No one is concerned about how teachers and school staff are kept safe (and please don’t tell me children don’t pass this on to adults because the evidence is all best guesstimates in a situation that is changing daily).

I am glad I am not medical staff and I am in awe of their resilience in the face of such adversity. They are truly inspiring. I don’t expect a medal. I do expect people to recognise that things are tough and we are scared and taking risks and doing our best.

I appreciate they have their own classes to set work for but under normal circumstances they’d have to set work AND be in front of a class for 5-6 hours a day, so why now can’t they manage to set work, spend the 1-2 hours on zoom normally offered, and then use the rest of their day to engage with the children in front of them?

Shall I dress up, balance a ball on my head and jiggle as well?

At my school it is NOT the same group children each day. Their parents work different days so we can have 2 on one day and 7 the next, some will be the same but others swap.

Daffodil101

Primary is completely different. You should also not be generalising. I have an online classroom set up. I have given explicit instructions for my class of how to sign up. Out of 32 pupils 23 have signed up, of those 23 just 6 have engaged in online learning. I do differentiate the work three ways with three lessons a day.

That said, differentiated work is often ad hoc, sometimes it is done as and when necessary. Not all lower set need work differentiated for every topic, likewise, top set kids sometimes struggle with work you would expect them to get. How can the teacher tell their attainment when they aren't with them?

What do you propose out of curiosity?

No one is bashing teachers here. Both the OP and teachers are essentials workers at the moment and everyone is grateful for their amazing work. While it’s not easy looking after different age groups of kids, teachers should be facilitate learning. Our school is helping the kids do some of their homework which is fabulous. Another way of looking at it would be: why should kids of essential workers be at a disadvantage than the kids who are at home?

notalwaysalondoner

spend the 1-2 hours on zoom normally offered

Zoom has many safeguarding issues, We have been told not to use it, or any video conferencing software.

This seems to be the policy in many (not all) schools.

This was stated at the very beginning that it was a childminding service.
I also work in quite a stressful job and I’ve told the teachers that have rung me I’m doing what I can in between shifts.
Primary and secondary teachers have been fine with that.

Dh is a teacher. After setting a fun question for the kids, to involve them in a video lesson, an angry parent posted a verbally abusive tirade on a school wide public social media site. The parents didn't bother to contact dh to discuss it, yet felt justified in punting out abuse about him instead. If you have a problem, discuss it with the school. Don't expect someone who has no knowledge of your child's abilities or care plan to teach him. A primary school teacher is not qualified to teach secondary school level subjects. The school could possibly liaise with the care hub to see if help can be given there. There is no guarantee it's a teacher qualified to help that will be there.

It is random with regard to what every school is doing because, unfortunately, the funding isn't there to ensure every school is the same. By way of equipment, premises etc.,

OP the best thing you can do is to contact your school. Ask them a) are the kids being supervised doing the work that is set and b) tell them you are going to send the children in with the work that has been set for them (the stuff the school is sending home) and you want them to ensure the children do it as part of their school day. You cannot be expected to home school having done a shift.

DS is lucky, by the look of this thread. His school has Chromebooks for every child, they're all very well versed in on line work - all homework has always been set on line via remote classrooms. So the kids are used to logging on and getting stuck in.

The Hub for keyworker children is at the local secondary school as it's big. But the teachers from the primaries are taking their own classrooms so there aren't any 'new' teachers. Some will be teachers from other years but they are familiar as they are seen around the respective school. It's just that they are all joined together now.

Just to make you, hopefully, feel better regarding the kids education. This is DS's at home schooling today.

English - carry on with a week long project looking at Shakespeare's Tempest. Different question sheet for each day. He's decided to break it into 5 segments, some friends are doing the lot in one day.

Maths - Mathswatch questions - 10 in total.

Languages - a worksheet that needs to be in by next Monday - five pages long. Again he's doing one a day.

History - read a piece about WWII and do a brief questionnaire.

He finished that lot about 10.30am. I've given him a 30 minute break then told him to go into Oak Academy and Bitesize and look at stuff he knows he's weak on. I've monitored that, on and off, as I had some WFH things to do.

This afternoon he'll watch a film and at 3pm he'll start his 2 hours on the PS4 which he plays, remotely, with his friends. It's his regularly thing and keeps him in touch with his friends as well as keeping his spirits up so it's a given.

And that's it. That's his education. Yes, we do watch history programmes in the evening sometimes, yes we do encourage him to read (newspapers, magazines as well as books obviously), yes we do watch quiz programmes like Only Connect, Richard Osman's House of Games, University Challenge, to keep the brain working fast. We play board games in the evening or do a couple of rounds of Uno - just to have a some fun and, again, keep the brain active. But we also snuggle up to watch Marvel films (last night we watched Daddy's Home). It is a scary and disconcerting time for children - if Thor or Will Farrell can take DS's mind off it all then I'm shoving that in the DVD player and having some fun.

There's nothing DS is getting that your children aren't...UNLESS their school isn't supervising work or is allowing them to play rather than do set work - in which case it's a matter for you and the school to sort out.

@HandfulofDust

I am not a teacher. I am working from home looking after my kids and struggling too. But I sympathise with teachers. How can they realistically teach to the ever changing array of kids they are looking after, and look after their class of students

It is entitled to think that one's children deserve a better education than others. That is the definition of entitled. Lots of us are working and not sending our kids to school because we are respecting social distancing.

It isn't just ICU nurses sending their kids to school for childminding, so let us pause on new romantic narrative of "nurse as hero". It isn't healthy - nor is it good for nurses.

Everyone seems to think teachers have an extra 500 hours in their day that the rest of don't have and expect miracles from them. Teachers work hard and deserve respect - just as the nurses do.

I wonder why. The teachers in our hub are not necessarily our children's usual teachers. They have taken in work and complete what they can themselves. The teachers will help them with ideas etc if struggling, but don't teach as such but they say for example why don't you try this etc. In no way would it put them ahead of other children who are not in school.

I note that some teachers are on mumsnet during school hours. I don’t think that happened before lockdown? Without stating the obvious, that doesn’t help the cause.

I'm on my lunch break. Hope that's okay?

YgritteSnow

"Fed up with teachers passing the buck"

"They should be paid a childminders wage if they're just childminding"

Pretty sure these comments from the OP are not constructive and are in fact teacher bashing.

Problem is we are just lazy. We have seized this opportunity to have a second summer holiday. Boy have we earned it. All that 9-3:30 with only an hour and quarter breaks each day was really draining us.

Meanwhile in reality the curriculum is suspended and schools have been asked to provide care for those kids that need it. Alongside teachers providing learning at home to keep young minds active.

I note that some teachers are on mumsnet during school hours. I don’t think that happened before lockdown? Without stating the obvious, that doesn’t help the cause.

I work part time. I hope that’s ok, too?

Pretty sure these comments from the OP are not constructive and are in fact teacher bashing.

Yep, of course it is and I'm pretty sure that was the intention from the start. Teachers aren't supposed to have breaks either dontcha know ...

My daughter is usually a y6 teacher and is setting lessons, making contact via zoom daily.

However once a week or so she goes in, on a rota, to look after ks2 and sometimes Ks 1 children as well.

Difficult to teach meaningfully and keeping a distance for such a wide age.

Difficult to teach as different children are in each day.

They do educational activities but not class teaching as such.

💐🌷🌹🌺🌸🌼🌻🎍🥀

@Nickynackienoo, just to say that I get it.
You are not bashing the teachers but having an issue with the system that is assuming you are home available to support your kids.
Whatever system they are using should be
1- accessible to everyone. If, you, as a parent find it hard to fid your way around the lnks etc... then there is an issue
2- accessible to the children who are at school. If your 8yo cant access it easily when they are there, there is an issue
3- not expecting parent to be 100% available to implement 'activities' as many people are working from home and just do not have the time nor the ressources to do that sort of things.

Fwiw, some schools are much better than others at doing that. The schools your dcs are going to seem to be in the 'not perfect' category.

I note that some teachers are on mumsnet during school hours. I don’t think that happened before lockdown? Without stating the obvious, that doesn’t help the cause.

Like many other jobs that have turned into working from home whilst juggling childcare type jobs, the hours have changed from normal daytime hours to "whenever they're needed and you can fit it in" I often work after my ds goes to bed. I also often make support phone calls after the children are in bed as we can talk fully. After a support phone call or email chat with a parent I then have paperwork to fill in and emails to make to SMT and or colleagues if there needs to be folllow up of some sort.

Also in the evening I'd record videos for children praising their hard work, asking questions, giving extra challenges.

So, yes, teaching is done in non standard hours and if I want to go on Mumsnet from time to time during the day without being judged, I will.

I’m a Safeguarding Lead in education and I’m working full time from home. I set my children up with work to do in the morning, then again after lunch. I can’t home educate them properly because, like you OP, I have to work.

Most teachers in my organisation are teaching and marking full time, including those with their own kids (majority). A few are looking after key workers children in the setting, which involves fun activities and some PSD type stuff, plus access to computers to complete work set by their year group teachers with some input from staff if needed. There isn’t capacity for a whole new curriculum or for the teachers working on site to be able to teach different year groups of children different subjects. They are key workers, too, often leaving their own children in childcare to mind your children.

Have a bit of understanding for others.