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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder why teachers are not teaching my child?

733 replies

Nickynackienoo · 29/04/2020 10:18

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?

OP posts:
GreytExpectations · 29/04/2020 16:34

Should have said no she should not receive better peeks. Also my bold is failing on my phone

Whatsername177 · 29/04/2020 16:35

I'm sure it has been covered, but we have to provide each child with THE SAME lock down learning experience. That means all pupils complete the tasks set online, whether they are at school or at home. The times I've been in, I have offered further explanations and help to kids I can actually see. But, it wouldn't be fair if your child got 1:1 tutoring whilst the rest of the class had to cope with learning online. Your post is incredibly selfish and entitled.

Tarantulah · 29/04/2020 16:35

I don't get why people just don't close the thread if they're getting upset. You don't need to defend yourself or your job to strangers, its sad really.

HandfulofDust · 29/04/2020 16:35

The OP rattled me because of her entitled attitude, no she should receive better perks because she is an ICU nurse

Actually she should get extra perks - almost everyone agrees with that - this is why we have special hours for shopping. Having a teacher help with home learning isn't a special perk. It's really very basic surely.

Aesopfable · 29/04/2020 16:35

I think they have been told they are not to teach in schools to stop people thinking their kids should be in school or other kids are missing out because they aren’t. Otherwise teaching small classes of mixed aged groups should be possible.

My kids teachers do seem to be working hard. But I know it varies and we seem to be very lucky with the amount of input my kids get. If you aren’t getting anything or very minimal stuff them of course you are going to moan.

CayrolBaaaskin · 29/04/2020 16:37

This reply has been deleted

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GreytExpectations · 29/04/2020 16:37

You really are overreacting about my comments @HandfulofDust, you should calm down. It's not like I spouted absolute viritol at her. I simply explained that using her stressful job as an excuse to make assumptions about people was wrong and it is wrong. You know nothing about my profession so stop trying to sound smart.

Nighttimefreedom · 29/04/2020 16:37

“we are very happy that the vast majority of our parents have managed to make alternative childcare arrangements but for those that haven’t we will meet our obligation to provide childcare of last resort”

@Really12345 we had that sort of message too. Makes you feel like shit at a time we should be supporting each other.
My sons school on the other hand, totally different approach.
I agree, if you can work from home instead I would do that rather than your daughter going back in x

RigaBalsam · 29/04/2020 16:37

Totally agree but you are just going to get angry petulance from the teachers here. Why on earth should they have to actually do the jobs they were paid for?

And Siiighhh! See the point.

GreytExpectations · 29/04/2020 16:39

Having a teacher help with home learning isn't a special perk. It's really very basic surely.

Except its not an option for all kids who don't have key worker parents and will put those kids at an advantage, that's not fair. Also I agree with the coffee shop discount and shopping hours for key workers, that actually makes sense.

Aesopfable · 29/04/2020 16:39

but we have to provide each child with THE SAME lock down

No two kids are getting THE SAME lockdown experience so I would give up on that. Some are getting 1:1 tuition, some lots of parental input, some are lucky to get anything to eat and not be slapped round the head.

notanotherpandemic · 29/04/2020 16:42

I agree with this. My children are going to school as I am a key worker and they're doing absolutely no work at all!! But the teacher spoke to me at pick up yesterday and asked why I hadn't accessed the online teaching?? I was flabagasted to say the least.... I explained I don't believe I should be teaching my children after a long day at work and when I pick them up at 6pm it is far too late for them to be learning as the youngest is 8!
I understand they're doing a childminder role but surely they could sit them in front of a computer for a couple of hours so they could access the online work that is expected of them?!

Teateaandmoretea · 29/04/2020 16:42

I'm sure it has been covered, but we have to provide each child with THE SAME lock down learning experience. That means all pupils complete the tasks set online, whether they are at school or at home. The times I've been in, I have offered further explanations and help to kids I can actually see. But, it wouldn't be fair if your child got 1:1 tutoring whilst the rest of the class had to cope with learning online. Your post is incredibly selfish and entitled.

I understand the thought process behind this and that it is policy but it means basically now state education is a race to the bottom while private school pupils will go back way ahead. That isn’t positive for equal opportunities or social mobility as far as I can see.

Lostmyshityear9 · 29/04/2020 16:43

if only those people asking what teachers are doing actually read any of the teachers' posts on here

unfortunately, people can't accept that teachers do much work at all. I worked for 2 decades in the private and third sectors and didn't work half as hard as I do now. But is pointless me saying that because no one wants to hear that teaching is tough or requires very long hours out of school to do the job properly. All people on here want to see is how awful we are so they don't have to face up to their own parenting failures or the fact that they are too stuck to their phones to spend time with their glued to devices children. But to say that would be judgemental, wouldn't it?! How dare I say all parents are failures! And yet teachers, if you believe what you read on here, are just having an extended holiday and care nothing at all for children's education....it won't stop until way beyond this crisis being over because we will have to pick up the educational pieces and get students up to scratch as soon as yesterday and there'll be posting about how we haven't managed it for one particular child and hey ho, off we go again.

It is depressing. If I dared say anything disparaging here about the medical profession (how about the 3 doctors who recently failed to diagnose my 10 year old with a life threatening condition and the fact if I had put him to bed that evening rather than ignore advice and go to A&E, he wouldn't have woken up in the morning?) I would be laughed off this site. The double standards that exist when it comes to any job other than teaching is beyond a joke here.

Nighttimefreedom · 29/04/2020 16:43

@GreytExpectations

Except its not an option for all kids who don't have key worker parents and will put those kids at an advantage, that's not fair.

In those cases a parent may be able to help.
That's the level of support that can be expected. Not specialist teaching, just support and encouragement.

GreytExpectations · 29/04/2020 16:43

Some are getting 1:1 tuition, some lots of parental input, some are lucky to get anything to eat and not be slapped round the head.

Yes, but teachers are a public sector job so if schools are closed than key worker kids should not be given extra support by teachers as its going to put all other kids at a disadvantage. Funny enough, this point has been made numerous times but OP hasn't responded to it

GreytExpectations · 29/04/2020 16:44

That's the level of support that can be expected. Not specialist teaching, just support and encouragement.

There's a fine line between a little support and full on teaching when it comes to what teachers can do. Eventually with teachers that line will get crossed due to their specialist knowledge that parents won't have.

PurpleFlower1983 · 29/04/2020 16:45

Another teacher here! At our school we are setting work for our classes remotely so when we are in school the children are working through the online learning at their level with support from us where necessary. We have around 15-20 children from ages 3 to 11 so teaching a normal lesson as such wouldn’t be doable.

PurpleFlower1983 · 29/04/2020 16:46

In the more creative subjects we are differentiating appropriately.

Groovee · 29/04/2020 16:48

I'm an EYP who was redeployed to the hub to be group leader. I'm not a teacher despite the 11 year old who decided she should bellow at me over it. We had no access to the work they had been given and technology failed us that week that I was in.

Being told by an 11 year old that I should set her work and teach her instead of making her wash her hands. She also stamped her feet at me when I couldn't get her tablet connected to the WiFi.

My plan had been to allow them into the WiFi to download their work but when their devices don't work what am I meant to do?

Some days there are teachers, other days it's PSA's (TA) some days we expect 42 children and 10 turn up. We're trying our best but many of us aren't with the children we know and it's hard on both sides.

Aesopfable · 29/04/2020 16:49

Yes, but teachers are a public sector job so if schools are closed than key worker kids should not be given extra support by teachers as its going to put all other kids at a disadvantage.

So instead we put key worker kids at a disadvantage as their parents are not able to provide input?

Whatsername177 · 29/04/2020 16:49

@Aesopfable. Yes - I know that in reality, no two kids are getting the same lock down experience. So do my colleagues. We are making phonecalls to vulnerable pupils and continually pushing the emergency email address and contact phone numbers. The idea that vulnerable kids are even more at risk of abuse keeps most of us awake at night. However, we still have to set the same work for all - it gas to be manageable and equitable. There is only variation for year group and ability level. The other parameters - in terms of the help they recieve at home - are completely out of our control. The only thing that we control is the work we set - which is the same whether the pupil is at home or at school. So no, I will not 'give up on that' because it is entirely apt to the OP.

Nighttimefreedom · 29/04/2020 16:50

@GreytExpectations
So you just don't help at all. Don't even say, theres a computer do you know what you need to do today?

A lot of teachers have come on this thread to say they are supporting children with their home learning, and a lot of parents are experiencing the same with their children's schools.
Surely that's a sensible approach.

Whatsername177 · 29/04/2020 16:50

Keyworkers kids will get input from the teacher looking after them, the same as a parent would provide. They just will not be a curriculum and teaching.

Piggywaspushed · 29/04/2020 16:51

This is getting so ridiculous. Can everybody on here play sleeping lions or something and be quiet for an hour?!?

Or just go to bed.

And get back up on the other side.