To think we could just collate all the teacher/teaching related information here, and have done with it?

[SachaStark]

Just to save time, shall we just have a thread here, where our teaching colleagues can collate all the answers to the questions about teachers and schools, to save having to repeat the same stuff again and again?

1. Why aren’t the teachers working?

They are working.

1. What are the teachers doing all day?

A myriad of things. Including, but not limited to: gathering evidence to get qualification data for Year 11 and Year 13, planning lessons that can be taught remotely, creating resources, marking work, checking on vulnerable children, completing safeguarding referrals, writing school reports, in school minding key worker children, writing new schemes of work and policies for the COVID-19 world, delivering free school meals to students...

1. Why aren’t the teachers doing online video lessons?

Some are. Most (the correct decision, IMHO) are not doing this, following union guidance. This is due to unsafe platforms, such as Zoom, the inappropriateness of it for some ages/classes, and due to safeguarding reasons.

1. What safeguarding reasons could there possibly be for not doing online video lessons?

So, so many, sadly. Including, but not limited to: the vulnerability of teachers’ images or voices being used to create online memes (at best) or pornographic material (at worst) by downloading and manipulating the clips, protections of both staff and students who may be hiding from dangerous individuals known to them, the possibility that abuse may happen live online in front of other children, the possibility that some children may appear on camera either undressed or performing indecent acts...

1. Why aren’t the teachers in school actually teaching the key worker children?

We’ve been told not to teach key worker children in school, we are only child minders at present. This is due to the possibility of unfairness if we are teaching some children and not others, and also because it is impossible to plan for and execute when you are trying to maintain social distancing, and also have no idea what year groups you will have in each day.

1. What’s happening with the school curriculum?

It’s been suspended.

1. When are the schools going back?

Literally, NONE OF US KNOW. It doesn’t matter what your school has said or not said, or what your neighbour’s Aunt Gertrude has said. None of us know anything about when the schools are going back.

1. Why can’t they summer holidays be cancelled, and the kids go back to school then?

Because the teachers and students are technically working right now. The children will need their summer holidays, and the staff will need them, too.

1. But other industries have had their holidays cancelled, so why can’t teachers have theirs cancelled?

It’s more complicated than it is in other industries. Teachers aren’t paid for their holidays, and they also can’t take them as time off at a later date. The government would have to pay six weeks’ extra pay to all teachers, which I don’t reckon they’ve got the spare cash to do.

10. Why can’t teachers just work it unpaid?

Because we are not bloody saints, and we aren’t very well paid in the first place.

11. Why are the teachers still receiving a full salary?

Because they’re still working full-time, see above, points 1 and 2.

12. But why isn’t MY child’s teacher doing X, Y or Z?

We have absolutely no idea. Why don’t you contact the school in question? Maybe they are, and you haven’t seen it yet? Maybe they’re not, and they’ve actually absconded to Hawaii? Maybe they’re just drinking gin all day? Who can tell, I certainly can’t...

13. What are the daffodils on posts about teachers/teaching for?

It was decided in a thread on The Staffroom that it would be far more productive to give each other flowers on threads clearly guilty of teacher bashing, since many people’s mental health and well-being is at a real low at the moment, and many hard-working teachers are genuinely upset by these posts.

14. Is it really teacher bashing, though? I’m so bored of hearing this.

It is, because these threads generally rely on generalisations regarding an entire profession, and are simply an excuse to “have a go”, rather than doing the more productive thing and contacting their child’s school.

15. But don’t teachers think they have the hardest job in the world? They’re always moaning and being so defensive!

Literally none of us have ever said that we have the hardest job in the world. I don’t know who does. NHS staff at the moment, for sure. Other key workers still having to carry on in difficult conditions, absolutely. But we definitely are facing some very difficult tasks in our jobs right now, that we’ve had no time to prepare for, in an unprecedented situation. Exactly the same as most other lines of work are having to do. And we have to defend ourselves, because SOME posters on here do love a pile-on when it comes to teaching.

16. Would you like a glass of wine?

Fuck yes, most of the time, actually. Care to join me?

MissMarks

I work closely with teachers- they know that their job expands way beyond just teaching- especially in disadvantaged areas.

What do you do? You sound like you work in school?

And schools aren't resisting, it's the government holding back, most schools and unions have asked for clarification. But as with the closures we will be told in a briefing with the general public.

Most schools I know are trying there hardest and generally want to get back when we can.

London jax - schools should be planning for these eventualities mentioned above. They should be going forward and saying this is what we can do. It is the ‘we don’t know what to do’ that I know I and my professional peers find infuriating. Hospitals have planned, police have planned, housing have planned, but schools are saying we don’t know? And with regards to looking after key workers kids- in my area it has been shambolic and loads of resistance.

No I don’t work in a school. I work for another service that works with schools.

Social worker...

Fantastic post OP. Very well said

they know that their job expands way beyond just teaching- especially in disadvantaged areas.

Which is why today I've also sorted out a foodbank parcel for a family struggling-which I will collect and deliver- and supported a family in accessing a family support worker to help where domestic violence is impacting. Do you think we have stopped doing social support too? I've made MORE referrals recently because I have to err on the side of caution.

Spaniel- I am sure there are lots of teachers doing amazing things and who are keen to get back to normality ASAP. I am probably clouded by being so annoyed at my friends attitude and taking it out unfairly. Apologies.

missmarks
People are sharing things that need to be considered before making an informed decision about how schools can begin to get back to normal.

Has it not crossed your mind whilst trying the guilt trip game that many teachers are concerned about the welfare of their most vulnerable pupils? Or does it just suit you play the 'schools aren't doing their bit' card?

Other things to consider:

• different year groups on different days: but what if the year groups at secondary don't match with various feeder primaries so older siblings minding younger siblings stops working
• part time opening: what happens to key worker children? Do they lose their 5 days a week, or sit the same lessons twice, or go into a mixed age key worker class where they do different work to everyone else?
• schools open but at the moment the majority of parents don't want their children in so keep them off: what happens to the curriculum?

There's a lot to think about but few want to consider these things because it's easier to say schools/teachers aren't doing their bit

Just because you haven't heard those conversations doesn't mean schools aren't discussing it. We can't share plans with parents when we the government haven't actually decided how they want to restart schools.
Most heads will have plans for all eventualities BUT will not be sharing these with anyone because they won't know which they should share.

Best op ever.

@MissMarks you should rightly be angry with your friends remarks but that isn't what most teaches think. We are all trying very hard. Vulnerable in our school are very supported, most are coming into school at least once a week.if not more. I have daily contact with all my pupils and there parents.

*their not there, I know!!

What’s annoyed me is my dc’s head announcing at the very beginning, there would be no teaching and not to expect it, that teacher’s families come first. Then proceeding to post on Twitter how he and his wife (both teachers) are teaching their dc, baking, reading etc. He’s also learning a new language in his spare time & my dc’s mentor/A Level teacher (single male, no kids or dependants) has bought a puppy and is getting a bit bored of watching Disney+ - actually messaging the kids this while not a single lesson has been taught in over a month. This is why I am not happy

This thread is being derailed... back to the OP’s original points

Then proceeding to post on Twitter how he and his wife (both teachers) are teaching their dc, baking, reading etc.

Why don’t you do that with your kids?

I’m actually working & so is my husband! & I can’t teach A Level

I’m actually working & so is my husband! & I can’t teach A Level

Yeah but you can still bake and read to them. They won’t consume much of your day.

I think front line teachers are on the most part working very hard on the home schooling bit- I have no concerns about my own children’s schooling in that regard.
My biggest worry (clouded by my friend) is that some teachers will get the unions involved and delay going back as long as possible on the basis of their own health and safety, and this will go on for months. Which is frustrating when other key workers are still at work.

My biggest worry (clouded by my friend) is that some teachers will get the unions involved and delay going back as long as possible on the basis of their own health and safety...

How could they? Those dastardly fiends putting their own safety first!

But what about everyone else that is just having to get on with it?? My own husband is a key worker working front line and exposed to germs. He is in management and they have done all they can to minimise risk but needs must.

What’s annoyed me is my dc’s head announcing at the very beginning, there would be no teaching and not to expect it, that teacher’s families come first. Then proceeding to post on Twitter how he and his wife (both teachers) are teaching their dc, baking, reading etc. He’s also learning a new language in his spare time & my dc’s mentor/A Level teacher (single male, no kids or dependants) has bought a puppy and is getting a bit bored of watching Disney+ - actually messaging the kids this while not a single lesson has been taught in over a month. This is why I am not happy

Bloody hell! How is that even legal unless all teaching staff have been furloughed?

My son is 17, I really don’t think he’d appreciate me reading to him ( the head’s youngest child is 12 btw, not a primary school child)

@Chewbacca1111

Would you say the same if medical staff walked out of hospitals? Their risk is much much larger.

Please don't worry about some teachers. Their voices aren't as loud as the rest of us. Any good teacher will see we need to be back as soon as we can, we all know it's going to be different and challenging but we'll support children and parents through it.