School not re opening

[Onone]

Just that really,just had an email from my daughter’s school to say that they won’t be opening on 1st June, don’t know when it will either,Thanks to the mayor of our town,I’m quite upset for my daughter,Hardly any cases in my town

Anecdotally, a neighbour of mine is a secondary English teacher and I saw her go for a 2 hour walk during the 'school day' today and almost 3 hours yesterday!

It’s half term. She isn’t being paid. Have you got nothing better to do that sit and watch her not working?

Last week I spent an afternoon in the garden because I’ll be in school all day Friday with key worker children. I wonder if any of my neighbours sat there with a notebook.

Well said knobchops

@FlamingoandJohn

It's not a one off occurrence- this particular teacher has been going on regular long walks as well as bike rides during the 'school day'. DH noticed she went for a bike ride lasting 4 hours last week.

@HakeFish do you normally notice whe. She’s working late or leaving early?!
Or just the negative stuff you notice.
You sound like a delightful neighbour

[quote HakeFish]@FlamingoandJohn

It's not a one off occurrence- this particular teacher has been going on regular long walks as well as bike rides during the 'school day'. DH noticed she went for a bike ride lasting 4 hours last week.[/quote]
So the pair of you sit there with note books to catch her out? Bloody hell.

A lot of the work can be done out of school hours, marking and planning for example. Perhaps she took advantage of the nice weather knowing that she would make up the hours later.
What do you do that means you have all the time in your day to note down what your neighbour is up to? Perhaps you ought to be doing your own work rather than staring out of your window.
This reminds me of the children who complain that the child behind them is pulling faces.

Anecdotally, a neighbour of mine is a secondary English teacher and I saw her go for a 2 hour walk during the 'school day' today and almost 3 hours yesterday!

@Hakefish were you also in her house to see what lesson planning and marking she was doing outside of the 'school day' ?

However, many appear to be sending home little work, not doing live lessons and generally not doing very much.

This has unfortunately been the case for us. Not a single phone call from our primary school since 20th March. I have emailed the school asking for communication and have been completely ignored. The only work my child is set is mymaths and active learn and we are sent a list of activities to try during the week. That's it! I am really disappointed tbh.

FYI everyone, the ratios are 1:8 now in reception and I think 1:10 in Yr 1 and 6, the guidance changed in one of the 40 odd updates over the last 2 weeks.

@knobchops - just another point of view: several friends/family covering all levels and areas were quite clear that for at least 6 weeks they were bored at work with not much to do due to far less than expected number of Covid patients. Some even applied to work in Nightingale hospitals, but there wasn’t any work there either. Things have started to get back to normal, but they are still nowhere near as busy and stressed as pre Covid. They have still been able to take leave etc. Clearly front line staff treating Covid patients have been the absolute heroes of this crisis, but just like some teachers, not all NHS staff have been flat out by any means.

Same here for one school - they don't think it is safe so decided not to open.

@HakeFish - are you stalking your neighbour? If she ever finds out that you are noting her comings and goings she will be giving you a wide berth.

You need a new hobby

Our school has also just emailed to say they won’t open till 15th.
Also my colleagues sons school (secondary) has already been told from September they’ll be doing a part time in school timetable with remote / video learning for the other half? It’s not private school. Anyone else heard this?

One problem is that a lot of schools have more than 30 in a class. So for example 35 pupils that is more than 2 classes worth based on the governments rules of 15 per class.

If you kids are being naughty, refusing to work, bored, sad etc like I keep seeing parents saying well im sorry but that's shitty parenting

Can I suggest you research disability? ADHD or Dyslexia?

Can you explain how you are currently via online learning adapting your teaching to include these children?

I mean a 6 page photocopy of a chemistry book to a dyslexic child really is the pits!

So no, he’s not doing the work because that’s no how he learns. Give him a class a teacher and some hands on resources and he’ll understand. He’s not naughty and I am not a shit parent.

Teacher here, in half term so officially not being paid. I am having a coffee break as I have been up since 3am getting work done before my family wakes up.

My 3am start is a daily thing when school is open or closed. When the children are in school I litterally would not be able to keep on top of everything I needed to do without getting up at 3 everyday. Am I paid to work between 3-7am? No, but then I am also not paid to work between 8-10pm either, or weekends, or holidays.

At the moment I continuing to wake at 3am means I get a good chunk of my work done before my children get up. I am then free to take them on a walk at a time of my choosing. I realise not everyone is as lucky with the flexibility to work at unset hours, and for those with set hours I truly sympathise it must be hard work trying to cram it all in.

I understand the frustration people feel and certain posts have not helped that, but my colleagues and I are still working hard. I get really annoyed when people suggest we take reduced wages. Do these same people argue for doubling our wages when we are working 6+ hours extra a day for free?
If you see me walking with my children during the day, it isn’t because I am taking the piss, it is because I have sacrificed my sleep to do so.

Now back to the grindstone before everyone wakes up.

@Ihatecorobavirus completely understand, and I know the teachers at my son’s school are doing the same. they are amazing.
@Alansdeepbath, the ratios are 1:8 now in reception and I think 1:10 in Yr 1 and 6, the guidance changed in one of the 40 odd updates over the last 2 weeks. do you have a link to that? I missed that

I'd like to remind some posters that there is more to the job of teacher than the part the pupils and parents see. It's entirely possible teachers you see doing "nothing" are actually planning content for next year, writing reports, work moderation to agree on levels for children, policy writing, curriculum changes etc.

That said, I think it's terrible there are some schools giving nothing in the way of work. Even if they don't want to use online platforms, I think they should be trying to get work somehow to as many pupils as possible.

Fruit bat. School not confirmed but it's been implied we might have similar. My dd is going into year 10

Currently the year10/12 are going in for one whole morning a week.

I'm very worried for her now. I fail to see how we can't do better tbh. They are not little. They can understand social distance We are supposed to be the country of innovation.

Pray for a vaccine!!

A lot of parents are going to be taken off furlough soon and expected to return to work or be let go. If schools don’t reopen soon there will be a massive backlash.

My kids school isn't opening to R and Y. It will only be taking children of keyworkers (as it has done the whole time and is still doing over half term) and Y6 will come back on 8th in smaller classes..... not sure of the logistics of the Y6 return either. If it's part time or whatnot.

• not opening to R and Y1

@IHateCoronavirus My kids are in Year 12 and they know very well which teachers are putting the effort in, for whatever reason.
Their teachers have offered resources in all sorts of mediums but one teacher has given them "X" number of chapters to read from the textbook and asked them to answer the questions at the end of the chapter. He requests that they submit the answers and then doesn't mark or provide feedback. That is not hard work - I could do that! They have stopped submitting work, as they now resent it given they get nothing back (teenagers!), the teacher has made no effort to get in touch them ask why.

By contrast other teachers have been very creative with their approach, involved and supportive.
You get some shit teachers and you get absolute stars like yourself who really go the extra...it's life - some amazing, some shit but kids do acknowledge, remember and appreciate the teachers like you - and as parents we know who you are too - our kids speak of you fondly.

What are you going to do knobchops : arrive at the gates with your pitchforks? Could you explain what form this backlash will take?

I'm a teacher too, and as many have said, teachers workloads haven't decreased. I still teach all of my usual timetabled lessons, mark all work completed, write references and reports for students, contact home etc. As other posters have said, teachers are doing their best and most have vulnerable people or children of their own to care for, whilst managing their usual workload. I think everyone, regardless of their jobs, are doing the best they can in the current situation. This was never part of the training for any job or profession.

The pressure will be put on the govt and Dept of Ed by employers and then downward pressure on the schools.

Also a lot of parents who have key worker letters but are just about managing at home will decide that enough is enough.