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.

Teachers are the holy grail and anyone who dares say anything at all is shit down in flames

Did you skip both English and History at school?

IcanandIwill

As you have been informed many times.
Complain to your school and your DC's teachers.

Is it so hard to understand that that is were the problem slies?

Teachers are working incredibly hard. I honestly don't think people realise. Phoning 34 children a week takes ages, marking online, feeding back, re marking corrections takes time. Work isn't handed in like a classroom so it is turned in all through the day. We are still expected to have online meetings, film ridiculous videos for twitter to make us seem fun, which is the biggest amount of bullshit ever, track and assess and on too of it all, homeschool our own children. I know everyone is under pressure but I haven't seen any other profession flamed as much as teaching

Greyscreendream what can I go back from or to? I have been working since my building closed to all but key worker dc. Should I stop working, so I can have something to go back to?

That's very true @CrocodileFrock, but in some situations it is the teacher who is underperforming.

Underperforming? Against what criteria? The COVID-19 handbook of how to teach remotely to students, many of whom don't have consistent access to a device, with zero training or preparation or, in many cases, any equipment provided by, or funded by their workplace?

If you have concerns about specific teachers then you should ALWAYS raise it with the head. Same applies to if you have concerns over how a school is being run.

How would you feel if you regularly saw threads popping up from teachers about how 'parents are all failing their children and they should be able to talk about it'??

Stop generalising the profession! There is absolutely no need!!

It's like all professions. Some are great teachers , some good, some ok , some not so and some are appalling.

Not all are doing their best but like all professions most are.

Honestly this just takes the puss
Thread after thread with OP’s disingenuously pretending “ they are just asking”
No threads at all complaining about dentists ( I desperately need one), vets, physios, shop workers etc etc.
Teachers are working, most of us will have been in over Easter looking after key worker/ vulnerable kids.
I don’t know of a single teacher that has refused to return.
Las week I was remotely teaching 372 kids, this week it is down a bit as y11 and 13 have left ( though y11s still have ongoing work for the A levels they have chosen)
I am setting vast amounts of work remotely to my remainIng 9 classes ( approx 30 kids per class) I am marking all that, I am participating in 4 online meetings per week, I am teaching some hours by teams per week ( tightly controlled by my slt)
I am in at school on a rota, week after half term I have to have a 1:1 30minute meeting with each of the 30 kids in my tutor group ( for the hard of maths that is 15 hours by itself)
If your kids school is setting no work then take it up with them otherwise literally stop the fuck with getting at a load of hard working folk Who are doing their bloody best.
And btw if your kid is yR or y1 then I don’t see how the school can set sensible work, they need adult involvement and that developmental stage is definitely not the school’s fault

Not puss, autocorrect the piss

Having taught in three countries, I am stunned by what goes on in England. Some parents email demands at all hours of the night, they tell teachers how to teach like anyone can walk in and do it and treat schools like a consumer service akin to a restaurant. Politicians and the media then join in. In other countries, this is a profession that is respected and whose judgements are trusted.

We're all working hard in a crisis. Leave us the fuck alone for a few weeks.

Thanks :)

If you aren't happy with your DC's school, move them. Go on.... do it.

In normal times, most complaints schools get are cloakroom, uniform and homework.

(And on MN specific incidents as reported by their child)

Now parents (particularly of primary children) are "seeing" more than they normally do, they see fit to moan about it.

Fuck off! Let teachers teach. Move or home ed your kid if you don't like it.

Bored of you.

I think the problem with this thread is that teachers are criticised quite a lot of the time. Before Corona, the conversation was about the amount of holidays teachers get compared to other jobs with the suggestion that teachers have an easy life. Now we have Corona, teachers apparently aren't doing anything (they've still been working more hours than most people).

To offer a balanced perspective, maybe the government guidelines could have been clearer to schools about expectations and maybe teachers could do more but with the whole world in the middle of a pandemic, we should maybe be grateful for the fact teachers are still working and are now preparing to go back permanently at the beginning of June.

I agree. I have worked in many schools and not every teacher is the hard working golden teacher, there are so many who will do as little as possible, and to ask a genuine question I’d see no problem with.

If you and your colleagues are working your nuts off then it is unlikely that you are a parent on mn is speaking about when they say that they have had little in the way of teaching during the lockdown. Thd fact the YOU and your colleagues are working hard does not negate the issues faced by parents whose child's teacher is not providing adequate support, therefore please do not take it personally, you are doinf great, it is likely you are V much appreciated by the parent's of your pupils.

Teachers are working incredibly hard. I honestly don't think people realise. Phoning 34 children a week takes ages, marking online, feeding back, re marking corrections takes time.

I don’t doubt some are.

But ours isn’t doing any of that. 2 worksheets a week, no feedback.

Before anyone asks, yes I’ve been in contact with the school, got nothing back from the teacher and a mildly worded fuck off from the head.

Teachers are working incredibly hard. I honestly don't think people realise. Phoning 34 children a week takes time

No teacher has phoned my year 10 DC. Is this the norm?

It's the norm around here. Vulnerable children are.phoned every day and the whole class is phoned every week. Then we need to log each call, comment on what has been said, any support needed etc and then followed up.

velaryon most of the 'questions' are from people who don't understand why schools are not fully open.

From people who don't understand why schools are not teaching normal lessons and got it into their little heads that the teachers were just 'not in the mood'.

Many completely forgot that teachers can catch the virus and forgot that they have their own families who might be vulnerable.

In short the questions were bloody stupid and selfish questions for the most part.

I'm not a teacher or related to one, but if I were I'd be pretty pissed off at some of the attitudes

My children are in no way being taught. We get photocopied worksheets once a month. I'm not allowed to say I don't think that's acceptable on her though. YANBU. I know some incredibly hard working teachers. But photocopied worksheets that have been downloaded and printed out is in no way teaching.

Government guidance doesn't say we have to be teaching.

That aside, I don't think it's acceptable to get a few sheets once a month. Definitely contact your child's school to find out why and see if they can rectify the situation.

I agree. I have worked in many schools and not every teacher is the hard working golden teacher, there are so many who will do as little as possible, and to ask a genuine question I’d see no problem with.

What role have you held in schools? How do you know "so many will do as little as possible"? I think even TAs or office staff will struggle to see everything the teachers in their school do.

Like any profession, there are some who are totally amazing, some who coast and the vast majority just doing a reasonable job.

We teachers have absolutely no problem with genuine questions or concerns. Lots of us engage and try to be helpful and give advice.

It's when an OP or subsequent posts descend into "What ARE teachers doing?" "I'm doing 60% of their job, why are they still being paid?" "They should work during their holidays because they're not working now" "Other key workers have been working this whole time without moaning, why don't teachers just get back to work?"

Some teachers don't help, though. I've seen some mean posts about how parents should actually do some parenting and similar comments. But these are often far and few between and definitely do not represent the majority of teachers' opinions, not even on MN.

Government guidance doesn't say we have to be teaching

so what are you supposed to be doing on full pay? Serious question - not bashing!

Like any profession, there are some who are totally amazing, some who coast
Exactly what I meant. I do believe a lot of teachers are working harder than normal but there are definitely some who aren’t and it should be okay to question that.
At the minute I’m a cover supervisor and it doesn’t take much to see which teachers put in the effort and which do minimal.

Teachers - you're not doing yourselves any favours with these flowers.

Pinkkgagga, why is it your business to question why some teachers are not working harder than normal ? Just how much harder than normal is an acceptable amount? I can also assure you that no one working alongside me in school would have a clue how hard or otherwise I work, how are you monitoring this?
Laure I think you will grow to like them