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?

but equally it shouldn’t be unnecessarily delayed.

MissMarks, why on EARTH would you think that anyone is going to delay opening schools "unnecessarily?"

And producing copious "plans" for re-opening when we know nothing of the likely scenarios would be a fruitless waste of time - along with so much of what teachers are expected to produce. We learnt about the definite school closures on the 6 o'clock bbc news, at the same time as everyone else. Any plans we might have done weeks before that, when rumours were flying around, would have been obsolete by the time it actually came to fruition.
Same could apply with re-opening, except that is going to be much more complex.

CallmeAngelina

I suspect that MissMarks doesn't know schools as well as she thinks, because she seems to believe that is is possible to plan for something when no-one knows how it will happen.

I think there is a happy medium to be had. Some of the students I tutor have been set ludicrous amounts of 'make notes on chapters 6,7,8 and do these questions'. Which isn't working for them because it's just far too much and the teacher isn't available for help even via email (no idea why but I live rurally and the teacher is apparently not tech savvy so may not even have internet at home - not much he can do if so). Often they're not grasping the new material and can't attempt the questions. NO idea why they've set so much as it's far more than they'd normally cover at school during this time and lots of the questions aren't even on syllabus and seem to cover a random array of topics. With my students we're ignoring these questions but going over the chapters set to try and cover the concepts (although I suspect they'll do them again in class whenever they go back).

Another school has done revision and has a teacher available via email and is being given specific notes to help them with the revision questions set. This is working really well for my students.

Another school is basically setting nothing and the students aren't given textbooks there either (This is a funding thing - they simply can't afford it) so the students are meant to be revising. To be honest some of them are revising and looking up exam questions all of which are available online and they all know how to find them (they're A-level students so should be reasonably independent), some of them are struggling a bit though with the lack of structure. (I don't teach any Y10s in that school so not sure if they're being offered a bit more).

MyTwoLeftFeet

The thing is that there should be a happy medium.

The problem is that 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'
Whatever schools do there will always be someone that complains.

Yup. I have some Yr7 asking for .ore work, some who can't do any, some who can't access the internet, some with send who struggle.

Trying my best to help everyone. Really am.

FrippEnos A perfect example of the clamour for "Education" to run round in circles proving that they're earning their mahoosive salaries.

my secondary aged daughters are having zoom lessons. Why aren't my primary children?

That's a genuine question - I don't see why the teacher can't do that a couple of times a week. My daughter who is massively anxious about all of this would hugely beneift.

Also my son's secondary school isn't doing it. But my daughters' is. (they are gsce and alevel thought, so maybe that's why).

I'm not putting down teachers at all. But I can't see why they aren't doing the odd zoom lesson. My daughter's teacher only has her class.

Numbers 3 and 4, please @AnnaNimmity.

The thing is this isn't actually true in general

So because one teacher you know isn’t doing what the OP has said, that means in general the OP is wrong?

We've been told no zoom. It's too risky.

I was on a CPD zoom meeting today and an intruder was drawing penises on the speakers screen.

This is exactly what needs to be avoided

I'm using Loom too record myself talking and modelling then getting kids to use those audios.

No video though. Unless it's a PowerPoint or my visualiser.

Love this post, OP

I work in pre school and am on the rota to go in to work every so often. My usual children are 3-4 year olds so not only do I not have the experience of teaching older children I have literally never met some of them. My job is to go into school, supervise them whilst they finish the work set by their class teachers and for the rest of the day I keep them safe and happy.

I’m actually so impressed by how schools have managed it all, suddenly and massively changing the way they work, while also taking extra measures for at risk children and their families.

@AnnaNimmity

SachaStark has already responded with numbers 3 and 4 in the OP.

But if you want more clarification youtube zoombombing.

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

So we are ‘bad’ if we dare to ask about the efficacy of social distancing in some schools? Say schools where corridors are less than 2m wide? Or what resources will be made available to schools to make sure that good, deep cleaning takes place daily? Pr just that soap and hand sanitizer is always available? Or how supply staffing will be funded when staff are off - possibly for weeks as a result of contracting Coronavirus? Are we accepting, as parents and professionals that TA’s will be left in front of classes for weeks at a time if this issue isn’t addressed? What about how year 10 and 12 exams will be managed next year so we can adjust our schemes of work now (not in 6 months)? If we ask how staff who need to shield someone in their home or for whom they have a caring responsibility are going to be managed? How staff who themselves are high risk or shielding will be managed?

I would give anything to get back into school ASAP but not at the expense of my own health, that of my family, the children I teach and their families.

Im a teacher but rarely post about it or on threads about it as its not worth the bother but...
Excellent post OP.
Thanks!

Excellent post OP thank you

Zoom is not unsafe. I had misgivings and indeed started a thread about it, but if your school and you are even bagel it competent you can set parameters and use norm add l behaviour management to control the situation.
I was terrifed at first but now O and pupils are into the groove it is all working well and everyone had settled down to a new productive working environment /today I started using a new app fir giving voice feedback to tasks to sped up marking and make it more effective. So some schools and many teachers are embracing technology and it is working well.

@FrippEnos of course and that's true at all times in education - too much homework, too little etc. I think it's probably the job of the teacher to find a happy medium - listen to feedback (if everyone is saying 'this is far too much work' you might set less, if you're getting a mix of 'far too much'/'not enough' you're probably getting it right).

My DC are both primary but their school is amazing. They tend to set curriculum stuff which is differentiated for each child and marked (help provided if needed). Then they set optional 'extension' stuff which is usually open ended so no one can calim they're bored or moan that they're forced to slave endlessly at their school work.

And Zi am also one of those teachers who think we should be back now, and will be the first back through the door, but am just working now with the present situation while it lasts.

AnnaNimity, DId you even look at the OP?
Either way, have another read and take particular note of Points 3 and 4. The fact that some schools are breaking Union advice and teaching via Zoom, putting their staff at risk, does NOT mean that the rest of us should do it. Also, none of the teachers in my school, for instance, have been provided with work laptops. Nor have we had any sort of IT training in delivering on-line teaching. How do you suppose we get round that? I can't see the government funding the hardware, software and training necessary across the board, even if the safe-guarding issues were resolved.
Not to mention the fact that many thousands of children won't have access to a computer to receive the lesson anyway.

I think I'll stick with Loom, Teams and onenote thanks.

I'm sure it is ok but I'm going to stick with the advice I've been given.

Agree it's been fab for upping the technology aspect.

Maybe those of us who can't help but rise to the bait when there's a goady thread, could just c&p the OP? I find it hard to ignore those threads, while at the same time being aware that I'm just feeding them by reacting.

Bombing this threads with this OP rather than flowers, might be better than trying to defend ourselves all the time.

That is actually believe it or not slightly more against house rules than the flowers.

Stellamboscha, It's not that schools, or individual teachers aren't willing to "embrace technology," as you so goadily put it, but that the funding/training is not there behind it. Nor have the safe-guarding issues been resolved.
I can use Zoom with the best of them, at home with family and friends doing quizzes and so forth. I'm not shy about "performing" in public.
But teaching dozens of small kids on it? I really doubt how effective or worthwhile it is.