To think it’s about time @MNHQ stepped up and did something about the teacher bashing.

[SachaStark]

This evening has been AWFUL here on the AIBU board.

@MNHQ, at what point do you actually plan to intervene and do something about the sheer number of teacher bashing threads, and individual posts? Should we expect any kind of moderation?

Or, is this in fact, “all in the spirit of Mumsnet”? Because at the moment, you’re making it look a darn sight like you agree by proxy.

PuttingoutthefirewithGasoline

I suspect as mn is very lefty that some of these unionists, from teaching unions are on mn?

Sounding pretty "embittered" yourself.

Two questions please.

The BMA thing. Is there anything official on this, other than various news sources saying 'BMA said xyz'?

Also. Comment above on French schools going back. Does anyone have any links please?

I agree that numbers need to be lower and a return to school needs to be planned. Am guessing Boris is expecting numbers to keep falling through the 3 week planning window. If you look at Italy's numbers 3 weeks ago compared to now, they fell a lot.

Will now go bleach myself as I think I just defended the fuckwit known as Boris

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend I am quite invested in risk to HCP as dh is frontline. The stats I saw show no statistical significance in terms of risk (or possibly death) compared to the rest of the population. I don't remember the specifics am afraid.

I do remember being relieved that he is not a care worker

@zenia my Doctor friend feels the same.

tilder

From the BMA

www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159119264918974&set=a.101564028973&type=3

tilder

Agree, unfortunately in my line of work all I’m seeing is tragic news and even a murder this week

Everything is just so contradictory however it’s tbh expected as it’s a new virus and we currently trying to understand it to hopefully then get the grips on it.

I feel we just get to understand the new research/guidance then it changes and you’re back to square one

@SmileEachDay thank you. Interesting.

I have had a look at the 5 tests too. While I agree in principle, I can also see how they could be impossible to meet. Especially the undefined 1st test.

I would hope test 5 is already provided for? I thought that was pretty standard?

Tests 3 and 4, I think we are moving in the direction of more testing. How much of these tests would be driven by national policy, how much by local or school level decision? I would expect that sort of provision for schools. Dh gets mass testing for example if somebody gets CV. It's quite new though, last few weeks. Not sure how much is policy, how much is hospital management.

Am really not sure what they are after with test 2 tbo or what more can be done at national level. I guess that will really depend on school buildings etc?

Test 1 is a hostage to fortune.

I totally get why teachers are concerned. I think a bit of honesty from all sides is needed. From what I have read, the risk to kids (on average) is really low. The uncertain bit is risk to adult staff.

Some open and honest discussion is needed.

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend we're all running to keep up.

I take the constant updates as a good thing. Means we're learning, adapting. Hopefully doing better. If the guidance was the same now as in February, we would be in a load of trouble.

It's stressful though.

The teachers on here complaining who are setting and marking work with feedback for improvement are not the ones most parents are complaining about. My child year 9 had worked hard to do work set on class dojo. It is not differentiated so all Year 9 given the same, often very easy work. No on line lessons at all at my child's school. Not one piece of feedback for improvement in 7 weeks of sending in 3 or 4 pieces of work every school day. Some days only one piece of work set so we go on to bite size on TV then follow up with website. My child has been given Maths work sheets given to him last year on four occasions. I have now got GCSE Maths textbook and I am teaching child from that. School ring home every three weeks and grumble a lot of children not sending work in. I was told when children go back the school is planning on recapping work set during lockdown so no children left behind. Basically punishing the well behaved children who have done all work set and extra work by holding them back. No doubt Maths teacher will use that as excuse to set same worksheets yet again. I am beyond frustrated. I don't care if we don't get Zoom but a pre recorded lesson or a Power Point and question sheet would be welcomed.

Basically punishing the well behaved children who have done all work set and extra work by holding them back

@caringcarer So you basically think that every child right now who has no access to a laptop or other suitable device to work on and who’s only internet access is via a payg phone is being naughty? Or that a child with caring responsibilities and the very real worry they may lose their parent if they contract this virus has both the time and headspace to manage school work? Or that a child who’s parents are abusive or who is hungry or who is struggling with their mental health but who has no support is being naughty when they don’t complete homework?

How about those children get the opportunity to catch up and to have the same future as everyone else?

I agree @Howaboutanewname. None of those are naughty children.

But we surely can't hold all state educafed children back just to make it "fair" ?

Because that would be to ignore the privately educated children. And would be to essential admit defeat in terms of any aspirations for this generation of state school children.

Privately educated children account for just 7% of our children in school. And as a private school teacher I can assure you there are children who are not currently accessing their learning and who have issues mentioned above to be managing.

I am not sure how state schools are supposed to handle this when there is already an attainment gap (something schools are measured on) and outcomes are already poor for some groups of children. If the answer isn’t to hold some back, how do you suggest children who can’t currently access their educations catch up? Because staying late isn’t an option for a carer or a child who has to pick up siblings from primary. Lunchtime catch up possibly in schools where lunch is still a thing (reduced time 30 - 40 minutes in many schools now) but it’s not going to make up the difference when another child has sat and accessed all their lessons for 3-4 hours a day and tried to complete work.

It seems to me that some consolidation upon return to school - and bearing in mind we aren’t supposed to be teaching because the curriculum is suspended - is the only way that will give some disadvantaged children the opportunity to get to the same place. The children who have done work will also get the opportunity to consolidate, ask questions and move forwards - the teacher will be able to differentiate better when the kids are in front of them and add more challenge and extension to those who are racing ahead. It shouldn’t hold back anyone once back in school. But there will be a period of adjustment, I suspect.

Having been in this mess in university land I have had to constantly remind myself that students who didn't engage and who appeared out of the woodwork just to get assessment advice are not necessarily slackers, but often those who are the most disadvantaged and may not have access to computers or the internet or space in which to do their work. Many have had to care for younger siblings because a parent needed to work. I've also had to remind myself that many of my colleagues are in very similar positions.

When I get students who can't write properly in my classes more generally I also remind myself that this is likely also to be a product of disadvantage and (in some cases) a fairly poor education marked by disruptions in different ways. I also have some fairly robust criticisms of education policy. Sometimes a student may have encountered an occasional teacher who left a little to be desired. But I don't blame 'the teachers' any more than I am now for a situation that is systemic and in which many are struggling to cope with poor internet, a shared home computer, caring for children and other family members, and so on. The vitriol here is just staggering and heartbreaking.

Dial-a-twat.

ShallallalAa

Brilliant demonstration of the absolute bullshit teachers are being subjected to on MN and in MSM at the moment.

This is a really good thread

twitter.com/mcash/status/1262331939610034176?s=21

Presumably then you’ll be putting pressure on politicians to improve funding and conditions in schools after this then? Presumably you don’t blame nurses for hospitals being short staffed and having lower levels of icu provision than other countries or long waiting lists?

So why would you blame frontline teachers for the state of school classrooms et al?

Systematic implies central and local government policies, funding and issues that have built up long term. Hardly to be landed at the door of the current teachers having to try and make things work in the face of all that. Please use some critical thinking rather than buy into utter divide and rule rhetoric you’re propagating

Who put 50p in the goady-fucker? 'Fess up!
That's made me chuckle.

When people say there's not goady teacher bashers on mumsnet, ShallallalAa shows up as a perfect example of the sort of stuff we're on about.

@Howaboutanewname, I was clearly referring to sons school where any child without laptop or tablet or who had to share with a sibling was loaned a device from school. School is in affluent area. They all have phones as well.
You can buy an old tablet or laptop for less than one month of child benefit on eBay. you can get an old tablet for £10.

You can buy an old tablet or laptop for less than one month of child benefit on eBay. you can get an old tablet for £10

@caringcarer After reading @Howaboutanewname post, all you took from it was that? A lot of the parents at my school can barely afford to feed their children let along spunk a months worth of child benefit on a laptop!