To feel like parents aren't allowed to criticise teachers anymore?

[velaryon]

I have the utmost respect for the teaching profession, especially the hard work and dedication of many teachers despite a pandemic and nationwide lockdown.
But at the same time, I've seen a lot of parents genuinely concerned about the teaching & communication at their DC's school who were immediately accused of 'teacher bashing' and being too lazy to teach their own children.
AIBU to think this is absolutely ridiculous?
I don't see anything wrong with questioning the level of teaching a school is providing, provided it's done in a sensitive and understanding way. IMO it's ridiculous how quickly someone is accused of teacher bashing for asking a legitimate question.

I still think though, that it has been highlighted that that has not been the experience of a lot of parents so it is still not representative of all teachers, which some (I am not saying you) take that as what is indicative of U.K. teachers currently.

I totally get that, I do. It’s great how well some have delivered in the circs.

This is a failure of leadership and government, not individuals. I hope I have never suggested otherwise. If I have, apologies.

I don’t think it was good enough at government or sector leadership level to just leave it at not obligation’. There should have been some standard agreed. And stuck to

100% yes to this or at least something!
However, what that provision would be may be different in different schools because of the change in needs. Maybe that’s why they didn’t.
For example, my Head sent out a parent survey (I am in a school of roughly 1600+ students) and the overwhelming majority said they were opposed to a set daily timetable of live lessons such as Zoom (although we were using Teams) because they needed the fact that their children could work on the lessons in their own time (some at the weekend for example, when working parents didn’t need their device) or later in the day/evening, as well as in the format that most suited them. So we have continued setting both electronic and paper based work and those that want feedback send in copies (such as photos) for us to reply to.
In the meantime, we are planning the curriculum for when we are able to return, in such a way as to support all as much as possible. As this is changing all the time, it is also becoming time consuming, which we don’t complain about, just that it’s another of those ‘invisible tasks’.

This is a failure of leadership and government, not individuals. I hope I have never suggested otherwise. If I have, apologies.

I absolutely agree with this, I think if their was communication to teachers and parents then the majority of teachers and parents would be frustrated.

I hope I have never suggested otherwise. If I have, apologies.

You haven’t. At least not that I am aware of! There is a core ‘group’ that have though.

I’m sorry Lemon, I disagree with this somewhat, as you’re generalising also, it may be the reasons you’ve mentioned, however it may not, as you cannot speak for all schools.

I was just putting forward possible reasons. I made no claims for the school concerned. Hence "may".

I cannot understand why teachers are delivering food. Not their job. No wonder they can't fulfil teaching obligations if they are expected to do that. How did that come about? Madness.

I think I'd be annoyed if some schools are doing a lot and my DC's school were hardly doing anything. Obviously some schools are doing a lot. But it must be difficult in areas where children don't have a lot of parental support. That is to set work and know it won't get done.

Lemon, a few school staff are doing this. Some have even been on the media.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-lockdown-zane-powles-grimsby-school-meals-children-a9457951.html

My apologies Lemon as I didn’t read the may

I cannot understand why teachers are delivering food. Not their job. No wonder they can't fulfil teaching obligations if they are expected to do that. How did that come about? Madness.

Someone has to deliver them! teachers, TAs and admin staff deliver from my school, it depends who is in school to collect and who lives closest. We have families who live rurally, they don't drive, children come to school by taxi. If the food isn't delivered, they don't get it. We use the delivery as a chance to catch up with some very vulnerable families too.

A few thoughts:

The dept for education has handled this totally terribly as far as I can see from the outside. They must have been aware that a potential school shutdown was coming from February and should have been planning since then for what schools should provide and give clear guidance on expectations.

Some schools have gone above and beyond (my daughters - private if it matters) included.

Some school leadership and local authorities have let themselves down. The original guidance said that vulnerable Kids should be in school (with some caveats) As part of my job I come into contact with vulnerable kids and one local authority just simply blanked shut its special schools - utterly not in line with the guidance at all. This is causing massive harm. Other vulnerable kids where the social worker thinks they should be in school are being discouraged from attending by the schools head - also not good. Kids looking at ending up in emergency foster care as mum wasn’t getting the respite and support she needed - this is truly shit and I hope that there will be consequences for the lea and school.

I hear from many families that little to no resources are provided. I have tried to contact the school on behalf of some of my families and it’s not possible - phone unanswered and emails unanswered. No idea how these parents raise this further. Have had to involve social work to get a response from one school. I think all hard working teachers should be furious at these schools as there letting the profession down.

Amongst my colleagues who are sending there kids in as key workers there is also a lot of upset about some schools interpreting the guidance to say that the kids can’t do the homeschool In school due to fairness. This is putting a lot of strain on people who have to go into work and know their kids are 1. Being put at increased risk of covid and 2. Not getting an education compared to their peers - this then gets upsetting when teachers say they can’t do more in the day because of childcare issues and they don’t want to send their kids into school. Why do other key workers not get this choice. I’m really happy with my school but it looks like when her class goes back she won’t be able to join her year group bubble and will have to stay in the keyworker bubble For infection reasons and because her year group is back she won’t get learning anymore as her teacher will be teaching her class. Compared to a lot of Othwrs that’s hardly a reason to moan but it’s crummy that because I had to work through this my kid gets a worse education.

Finally I hope that if anyone posts a thread about failures In my area of work (and they do) if I comment it’s to say that I’m sorry it’s been crap for them, explain why if I can and suggest other places to go for support - teachers on here just seem to say - don’t moan and contact the school - bit as above loads of schools are Uncontactable at the moment. I think that parents should be able to have a moan about this and it’s good to hear about all the good stuff other schools are doing and I can use that when taking to the rubbish ones Who say they aren’t allowed to say look this school is open and calling parents - so why can’t you?

@spanieleyes personally I think there is great benefit in some videos made by the kids actual teachers even if fancy professional ones exist. It is the impact of seeing a familiar face, knowing they haven’t been abandoned, keeping that link to their own school in place. Not for everything but I would say it has a massive value beyond the content.

Would you defend this as ‘good enough’ provision by the school?

Depends on the school. A high school, probably not because most schools have departments with more than one teacher so work could be set across a few classes. However, you couldn’t expect another teacher to do double the marking. If it’s a large 3 form entry primary, probably the same as secondary. A small one form entry school or village school with mixed year groups, and it starts to get more complex with staff off, particularly if the school is also providing key worker childcare. But even within that, in most high schools if the music teacher is off sick, there won’t be anyone else to provide cover, for example.

But I think you’ll find other people cannot treat their jobs as optional. They wouldn’t have them for very long if they did.Yes cover is a challenge, as it is in other industries with sickness and furloughing compounding matters. However they don’t get away with just not delivering anything because it’s tough right now

Cover is a challenge? Please tell all SLT how you would cover teacher absence in the current climate. I am sure there is plenty they haven’t thought of. We accept our post is delayed, for example, and that we have to queue at supermarkets. But schools are supposed to deliver the exact same services prelockdown under the same constraints as everyone else during lockdown?

How is that actually going to work?

My friends parents are shielding and on the vulnerable list due to ill health. The supermarkets in their area of east London deliver the food for them weekly and I thought the same for any children and families on that list.
I wasn't aware teachers had to do this too.

spanieleyes

Exactly, I know of some schools who are doing this who have 144 children on FSM. Those school staff are doing this daily as otherwise these children wouldn’t be being provided for.

The80

Teachers do not have to do this, some are choosing to do this.

@The80sweregreat I think they mean Kids that are vulnerable socially Rather than medically. So the kids that get free school meals - I believe some schools have realised the voucher scheme is rubbish so have decided to provide the food direct to the kids. I actually think it’s a great idea, these kids have “eyes” on them daily, get fed, can be an opportunity to also deliver worksheets and resources to these kids who are more likely to not have technology. Schools doing this are ones I would class as doing an outstanding job.

Also means that it’s more likely the kid gets the food rather than parents squandering it (I’m not saying that all parents of kids on fsm would steal their kids food at all but one reason fsm Is a meal given to children in school rather than a benefit given to parents is that you then know the kids actually get to eat it

I cannot understand why teachers are delivering food. Not their job. No wonder they can't fulfil teaching obligations if they are expected to do that. How did that come about? Madness

It doesn’t have to be either or though! My kids primary is delivering food to vulnerable children (majority of pupils are on FSM so it’s a large number), AND delivering a good amount of work through SMH, AND marking and giving feedback on that work, AND opening for keyworker and vulnerable children.

It can be done!

I am amazed teachers are taking it upon themselves to deliver food. It isn't appropriate. If children are being neglected then social services should be involved.

"Taking it upon themselves" to help children. Oh.for.fuck's.sake.
These arent neglected children, they would ordinarily receive free meals at school and they aren't getting them.
Bart Simpson had a saying about this I seem to remember.

Nothing to add except thank you to all those delivering meals and checking in on vulnerable children.

I didn't think of the free school meals situation. So it's the scool lunches bring delivered. But wouldn't the people usually in charge of providing meals do that not the teachers.

School.,

Dinner ladies?

God almighty, it seems it wouldn't matter what teachers do, someone would say it was wrong or inappropriate. They can't win either way.

Nonotthatdr

So we are Outstanding because we deliver school meals to those that otherwise would t get them but Requires Improvement because we don't make videos- have you thought about a job with OFSTED

Our children and families don't feel abandoned. We are in constant, daily contact via our messaging system, teachers respond to comments from parents and children, We mark work, we phone, we just have a chat sometimes. We read stories to our younger children and post them on our messaging site, we just don't make videos!