Classroom Lessons via Zoom

[jjx111]

AIBU to expect the teachers at my daughter’s rs primary school to offer at least some lessons via Zoom? The feedback I have been given is that that they aren’t offering it due to a) safeguarding issues, and b) it would add to the teachers workload. Well, surely if we parents consent for our child to sign in for these lessons then no safeguarding issue. Plus, at present, we parents are doing at least 60% of the teachers work for them via homeschooling. (I appreciate that they are setting work for the children, but this is part of the planning they would do anyway).

In situations were that many don’t have access to a device then I do believe money should have been made available from government to provide them with something.

50% is awfully high. It must be very deprived.

But for those who can get an emailed worksheet, then there is obviously opportunity for more imaginative and engaged teaching. That doesn’t necessarily have to be zoom btw.

By the looks of this thread and many others, some people are getting next to no educational provision for their kids and this emotional overreaction is the response they get when they dare to question it. FFS

Exactly. There needs to be discussion. I have been told on here that teachers doing nothing are not accountable to anyone and we should simply put up and shut up.

That’s mindblowing really.

Thing is - as a small company we plan - we come together, we share resources, we problem solve - lots of things we don't have a bloody clue about but that doesn't stop us - we trial new software, like teams zoom etc - we share experiences, we make choices and we continually review and we continue to work...we don't can't or won't - we wouldn't have any clients if we did and it feels to me that schools look for reasons not to rather than solution so they can.

In our admittedly well off town - there has been people collecting laptops for kids who don't have one, fixing them up and handing them out, a local charity provided some too - people stepped up and volunteered for all sorts of things to help whenever help was asked for. Are we that unique? Not that it matters our schools have still found lots of reasons not to and the ex teachers I know are equally as frustrated as the rest of the parents. Schools just don't seem great at problem solving or change.
My A level kids have been instructed to buy a textbook and work from there...they don't even get a worksheet!😂

In many areas, it wouldn’t be as simple as just giving kids a piece of tech each. What do you do in rural Cornwall, where I have taught hundreds of kids out in villages with no Wi-fi connection at all? Are you going to install broadband for all of these villages in the midst of lockdown?

So while I'm teaching all these whizzy Zoom lessons, what are my own dc doing?
Exactly the same thing kids of the rest of the population working online are doing - reading, watching TV, playing, following their own lessons, and occasionally making a guest appearance.

50% is awfully high. It must be very deprived

It is. It’s not uncommon though. For accuracy the total is 50% without a device or WiFi.

But for those who can get an emailed worksheet, then there is obviously opportunity for more imaginative and engaged teaching. That doesn’t necessarily have to be zoom btw.

Thanks for the tip.

I've been doing zoom classes for nearly 5 weeks now and it is not ideal.

I do not teach children.

A lot of my students are not engaging for all manner of different reasons but I have some who are in class every week. I have small classes - 14 of my higher level language learners for example were interested in doing zoom classes on top of prepared resources and materials sent out to them so I have split the class - 7 in each - and teach the same class twice.

Teaching zoom for me means either having to adapt material heavily so that the lesson can be interactive on line when I share my screen or I have had to create from scratch so it takes a lot of time to prep one class. The marking on line and feedback is also extremely time

Most of my learners are on their phones and haven't got laptops.

It is really lovely to see them all on screen - and for them to see each other - and to give them time to speak English which many of them are now not doing on a regular basis.

I would not however want to do this with children and, as I said above, 7 participants is plenty.

I

Thanks for the tip.

You’re welcome. happy to let the sarcasm wash over me .

Out of interest though, do you think pushing out a few work sheets a week is an adequate delivery of children’s education in the current circs? I’m interested to know.

@penguinsbegin i have a toddler and an older child with SENDs.
For an only parent, it’s difficult. otherwise, get their mum/dad involved. its 50% their job.
Structure your day around meetings. meals, TV plus snacks plus apps works. If you need to find a way, in95% of cases you will.
if you can’t do your job, employees in private companies take unpaid parental leave

It doesn't have to be the whole class together. Most primary schools have "tables" - 15-30 mins per table per day would be fine (and would be under two hours online). Teacher/ta can be responsible for muting all pupils when the lesson starts, and most platforms have a text facility or hand-raise option for when a question comes up.Likewise, using webcams can be turned off, and just "present" - even if that's by typing into word onscreen whilst talking if this would usually be a blackboard activity.

We know there's few perfect solutions, but trying to teach most of the children some new material every week reduces the educational impact of a long-term closure of the school. This is part of how unions and SLT can make the case for keeping school doors closed.

Out of interest though, do you think pushing out a few work sheets a week is an adequate delivery of children’s education in the current circs? I’m interested to know

It very much depends what you mean by “worksheets”

We’re setting a piece of work for a year group (a more supported one or a more challenging one) that will take about an hour, then we send feedback later in the day. KS3 get E/M/S 3 x a week, 3 options subjects x 2 per week, citizenship x 1 per week. Then an online platform session (Heggarty/Seneca etc) for core subjects in addition.

If you printed it all off it would definitely look like “a bunch of worksheets”, so I’d probably want to look at the material before deciding if it was any good.

There was never a statutory requirement on schools to provide any home learning. Schools were asked to provide childcare for critical workers and vulnerable children- that was it.

After half term, the guidance says to use 'best endeavours' to continue. No requirement to send anything.

@penguinsbegin you can also pre-record your lessons. not great, but an emergency compromise

@reefedsail that is really important information, and I don’t think it has been shared properly. its a disgrace, but it is a fact that schools haven’t been asked to teach.
thankfully many schools have decided to go beyond what is strictly necessary

@penguinesbegin what benefit would a worksheet do? none. they can’t access it, they need parental help to do anything. a pre-recorded lesson at least they can listen to independently.
according to your argument, you can only set beneficial work by interactive meetings, which you refuse to do. so you rather do nothing. you are not putting yourself in a very good light here.

@LaurieMarlow 😂 Teachers’ pay will continue as normal after half term, because they will still be working.

You are funny, though.

I know, penguin.

LaurieMarlow, Actually, lets not, because our pay is fuck all to do with you.
There may be no official requirement but, as countless posts on MN should have told you, the vast majority of us are going above and beyond.

Thing is - as a small company we plan - we come together, we share resources, we problem solve - lots of things we don't have a bloody clue about but that doesn't stop us - we trial new software, like teams zoom etc - we share experiences, we make choices and we continually review and we continue to work...we don't can't or won't - we wouldn't have any clients if we did and it feels to me that schools look for reasons not to rather than solution so they can.
This!!
The whining about 'not having been trained' takes the biscuit! Zero initiative - so depressing. How about learning it (takes all of five minutes) and putting your case to the employer that you are keen to trial it? If it doesn't work, reflect and think how to improve -collaborate with others as to how they are making it work. No wonder the kids have difficulty with independent learning when some of their teachers aren't will to learn something without 'training' dished up on a plate for them.