AIBU that DS's school is not doing enough during these away from school days?

[Ohlife2020]

Honestly, I would not have thought to complain about it until into week 6 of the lockdown.

School has sent a pack of worksheet back home before the lockdown started - about 100 pages including writing topics, maths and some grammar learning. Then started from wk1, work/learning is sent through via Google Classroom every Mon, Wed, Fri. It covers maths, literacy, science, PE (with Joe Wicks), Computing (only once) and some other small subjects.

We initially found it overwhelming to keep up. But by wk6, it's getting clear that the school doesn't expect everyone to keep on track. They kept sending weekly emails to parents reassuring us that they understand homeschooling is stressful so take it easy. But when we hand in any work online, there's no feedback whatsoever. I've also heard other school having teachers ringing pupils to check progress or to have ZOOM calls to keep in touch with the children. His school has no intention to do either. They say "it might upset certain children"...

So literally, we are left alone to fend ourselves. The homeschooling has been going downhill, as his concentration and motivation are both suffering. I battled with him nearly everyday on nearly every single subject - he either didn't want to do anything else other than what he likes (e.g. reading non-fiction) or he felt too frustrated /hurt when I told him his work needed improvement. I realised I might have taken this too seriously, but he's not a self-motivated type. If you let him, he would be happy just do the minimal. So our relationship has suffered quite a bit. This makes me feel angry that the school has been doing so little.

Am I being unreasonable? They are teachers and it's their responsibility to keep the children on track or at least care about it?

Being disconnected from their teacher/school for such a long time and with no end to be seen in near future, I can't imagine what impact this gave to him underneath the surface.

I realised this is a bit long, probably most for a rant purely...as I feel I'm reaching the limit and cannot carry on like this. Exhausted and hurt...

As a teacher working from home in sole charge of a young toddler, I am going to agree with you on this, OP. Set work should be marked. Saying that, I failed to mark mine for about two school weeks because the VLE started saving them somewhere new and interesting and I couldn't see any submissions.

MrsTSwift well I doubt the teachers from your sisters private school have over 30 per class. And if she’s able to carry on working all day 🤨 while her children are taught remotely I presume she has more than one device available in her house ie laptop/iPad. Not all families have these available.
So you’re really comparing apples with bananas aren’t you.

My sisters 2 at private primary are taught a full day so my sister is able to work.

A household with 3 devices able to access the Internet is a huge advantage. Most of my students are using a phone and often this is a shared phone.

Lots of staff have their own children at home. I have two pre schoolers. How can I live teach while looking after them?

My niece and nephew are at private school doing a full timetable. Their parents had to get another laptop and desk. There is an expectation that that will happen that can’t be replicated in state schools. Also class sizes are smaller. The gap will be massive.

DD insists she has more work than usual but I don’t agree. We discussed and drew up a contract covering my, her and the schools expectations. She’d do sod all if left to her own devices and so it’s important that we both agreed how we would proceed.

I think it is unrealistic to think that they will maintain the same level of attainment at home. I am not a teacher and therefore I don’t teach, my responsibility is to provide an environment the best I can that facilitates her ability to learn.

Instead of pointing the finger (always easy) how about taking this opportunity to connect with your child. Have a conversation about expectations, agree on a routine and work with your child not against him.

I wonder what percentage of parents would actually like their child to be taught live on a daily basis, how many kids would you get at each lesson? I only ask because I tried and failed to set up a one off online lesson because no parents were interested.

I mark all summative assessments and exam practices. Some formative work I have uploaded and it becomes part of a conference chat. Other formative work is pretty closely marked.

That said, my school says only one lesson per group per week needs to be "taught", e.g live. This can mean 15 minutes input or whole lesson, depending on what's required.

Those schools doing a full day of very lesson live means marking isn't getting done or the teacher is being overworked.

Not a teacher but standing by you

I wonder what percentage of parents would actually like their child to be taught live on a daily basis, how many kids would you get at each lesson? I only ask because I tried and failed to set up a one off online lesson because no parents were interested

With a live lesson, always notified in advance, the attendance roll is taken and the parents get SMSed if their child isn't there.

OP you come across as one of those parents who is always at the classroom door moaning. Don't be one of those parents.

My DD is in school, for various reasons. Her (state primary) is setting work via the school website, and we get regular emails from the Head saying she knows it's really hard to WFH and get the kids working, but do what you can and if everything is too much just try and get them to read every day.

In school they aren't always making the kids do all the work - DD just did maths and English yesterday, which is fine with me.

From seeing the messages in the class what's app group it's clear her poor teacher will never get anything right - too much/too little work, online/paper, too easy/too hard.

Give them a break - they're trying and their jobs would be far easier if they were in school as well!

I think you're going totally overboard. My son is in year 3. We are doing about an hour a day of something, making sure we have a walk. Rest of the time he is playing with DD or in his iPad. Not least as I have to work.

You're making both of you miserable trying to do school as if nothing has happened or expecting teachers to deliver that.

Your sons long term prospects aren't going to suffer because he missed a term when he was 8.

YABU. He’s your kid, he’s yours to sort out.

Teacher here. 🥀🥀🥀 Standing in solidarity with my colleagues doing our best in difficult circumstances. 🌻🥀🌻🌻

My DC’s school have done similar really except there’s zero expectation to upload work. I have uploaded it to their Dojo portfolio and received a message back from the teachers thanking me and asking how we all are. The teachers occasionally will send a message asking how we’re all doing, making sure we know to talk to them if we need help and maybe linking us to a new website. They put a new timetable up once a week but it’s usually fairly vague and not overly helpful so I disregard it a lot of the time and do my own thing.

I think we’re personally very lucky we live in the internet era so we have hundreds of options at our disposal with the click of a button. I haven’t really found it overly difficult even with minimal teacher input because the internet has helped so much.

You know what... I'm a parent to DS11, DS1, am working from home (education but pastoral not teaching). I am spending my days with a routine that includes working, helping with school work, entertaining youngest and doing everything in the house as DH works away. Most people have the same predicament as you!

However, I also understand DS11 Teacher is working full time from home, also has two young children who she is also supporting in the same way we support ours.

She sets a schedule of work weekly...
Maths, English, Times tables, Spelling and Reading daily plus an excercise task.

She also sets a weekly research project and presentation or art project as well as a. Well being activity.

She marks the project work, encourages the well being tasks and asks that we send a screenshot of Maths or English so that she can assess if they are on track but we don't get feedback for every task and don't expect it.

She sends an email to each pupil once a week also asking how they are getting on, what have they been doing and how they are feeling etc.

If your relationship with your child is difficult and they lack motivation then im sorry but it is your job as a parent to motivate, encourage and support through this time.

Op, can you see it as a chance to improve your relationship with your son and to help him with his work? Stop criticising him.

Establish a routine. My ds isn’t keen on school work at home either but I work with him. I encourage /cajole him to be up and dressed by 8.30. I set the expectation each day that we will do four pieces of work. Start with the one he likes most, make sure he has a good breakfast, make him a treat while he does subject 2. If he struggles, sit with him and make a suggestion or two, help if he asks.
Have a 40 min break before starting again. Set a timer on your phone. Don’t let it drift. Subject three, praise him, promise him his favourite lunch if he keeps going. Subject four, make it a soft subject, art or drama, something practical.

Then lunch. Relax. Give him a couple of hours off, then take him cycling or playing catch or football in the garden. Don’t talk about school work.
It’s hard for everyone - teachers, pupils, parents - don’t beat yourself up ( or anyone else). Just do the best you can.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3894500-To-think-we-could-just-collate-all-the-teacher-teaching-related-information-here-and-have-done-with-it?pg=1

Hopefully this answers all your questions, @Ohlife2020.

For the teachers:

Sorry you’re having a hard time. Don’t take it out on others.

Yabu to start ANOTHER teacher bashing thread

for the Teachers

The teacher threads are incredibly boring now. From both sides. They're literally all the same. Talk to your DCs school if you've got a problem, not MN.

“Not so easy this teaching lark, is it?”
Said quite a few parents in April 2020

It’s not that teaching dd is difficult she’s an easy academic child. It’s doing it at the same time as being a solicitor that we are struggling with!