Did any teachers have it easy over last 11 weeks?

[PicaK]

I nearly lost my shit yesterday with someone who insisted most teachers have had an easy life and not doing a proper day's work during Covid.
I'm not a teacher but many friends are and I don't know any who haven't had a full workload. It's absolutely not the message that's coming across on social media either. Most teachers saying they've done more work.
But then I wondered if my snapshot was accurate.
Does anyone personally know any teacher who has coasted/had an easy ride? (I am not talking about your kids' teachers who you have opinions about but friends or family where you have more insight.)
I'm hoping it's a no tbh and I feel justified for feeling so put out.
Aibu
Yes - yeah the teachers I know have had it easy
No - you're right all the ones I know have worked as much if not more.

Maybe those those dedicated, hard working teachers should be annoyed with teachers not doing much at the moment instead of frustrated and concerned parents

I genuinely do not know any that aren’t working as hard or harder than usual. None. Those who worked Easter or half term in school got the time back in lieu so maybe some have seen them in their garden etc. The holidays are not paid so it is fair they got that time.

A usual day for me as a primary teacher has been to wake up by 7 to make sure all of our home learning is on the online platform for 8. Then plan and prep for the following days lessons. This takes about 2 hours. By 10 children's work is being submitted so I comment and mark for a while. I then planned as if we were in normal school to get ready for next year and did any extra work set by the the head teacher. There would be at least 3 zoom meetings a week. I also tried to make a couple of videos per day and would respond to emails, messages from parents and submitted work until about 7. I definitely spent about 5 hours a day working. So so much easier than my normal day when I get into school for 7.30 and leave at 6. I have really enjoyed lockdown. I was allowed to be way more creative with my homeschool ideas and there is no data to consider except how many each day are engaging and how we cannot improve this. I am going back to school with quite a big class of 15 on Monday. Fingers crossed Corona is gone in my area

I would say that most teachers have had it less easy than dentists, or even many non-front-line nhs workers, who are admitting that since clinics were cancelled along with elective procedures, their workload is dramatically reduced and they're twiddling their thumbs.

Don't see any threads complaining about them.

Well I don’t like the use of the term “easy” but I have three friends who do secondary pe and they haven’t been working hard - they do not have key worker children that much at secondary school and pe is hard to deliver remotely so they feel limited in what they can do.

So on hours worked they maybe have it easy But they do seem to actually miss work and do think they are living not have the structure of it on the whole - I am furloughed abs feel the same depends whether work is just about money but for a lot it isn’t

I know 2 teachers personally. 1 secondary and 1 primary, they are married.

Secondary teacher has done very little, his subject is a hands on one and not easily taught remotely.

Primary teacher has been in school once every 7 school days to care for keyworker children. The rest of the time she has delivered teaching remotely to her year 6 class. She puts an update on a monday on class dojo, supports children remotely when they or parents question something. Says she has done very little and is desperate to be back.

Ds teacher (year 1) uploads once a week what we are to do with them. Took 3 weeks and 3 messages to get a response for a query I had re ds, just directs us to online resources. Had 1 phonecall from school safeguarding because I hadn't liked the dojo post at the start of the week.

And they aren't opening to R, year 1, year 6 until Monday and even then only to 13 out of each class including key worker children.

I am quietly getting more and more furious tbh. The head said don't send ds (year 1) unless I needed childcare. They won't be teaching the curriculum at all. I doubt they will be back properly until September. 6 months of education gone.

See the thing is that a lot of this thread is mostly conjecture.

Unless you live with a teacher or actually are one, how on earth do you know what they've been doing???

I'm less busy than if I were in school teaching full time but that doesn't mean I'm sitting on my arse doing sweet FA. I'm 'on call' during the day but if I fancy taking the kids & dog for a walk during lunch, then I do. Shocking!! My hours are all over the place and some days (like today. Yknow, Sunday) I'll be planning and making resources all afternoon/ evening ready to upload in the morning.

My friend is a GP. On the surface of it, she's been baking and going for long bike rides according to FB. My other friend works for the NHS but is vulnerable so has been in a non-facing, back office-based role and not doing the job she trained for...outrageous!!!! Lazy cows!!!!

Not really as I actually have no idea what they've been doing as I don't do their jobs. I would never presume to know.

And if you're not happy with what your kids' teachers are doing, contact them.

Unless you live with a teacher or actually are one, how on earth do you know what they've been doing???

Because they tell me? My friends and I talk about our work - we don’t have a competitive “I work harder than you” thing going on so we’re all pretty honest, I don’t need to live with them to know because we talk about it and yes with a couple of notable exceptions my teacher friends would say they are much less busy with work than usual, as am I.

The thread has only come up because it is often said on here that teachers are 'busier than ever'.

Yes!! I have friendship who are teachers too.
It's not the teachers fault if the school and slt won't engage with the age of technology we are in where on line learning has never been so easy!

So yes, I know several friends who have not done any lessons or anything!

Then others who have been absolutely running classes as normal on line and all the marking that comes with that.

So yes. Vast disparity. And I've seen it on my own road with the lack of support for my dd who is on sen register. And other dc at different schools, who have had proper support and proper work packs each week!!

Of course there has been disparity and yes many teachers, through no fault of their own (they can't decide to teach if their head forbids it) have had a nice break

What's caused much consternation at our primary, and the total lack of support and work packs is, the usual sycophants who have been posting on social media asking us to create thank you pictures for our wonderful teachers!.
When we were left with zero! Many of us trying to carry on working from home!!

So how come people like office workers are allowed to enjoy a " nice break" during the pandemic but teachers are expected to work themselves into the ground for our delightful offspring no matter what?

@malificent7 are you referring to furloughed workers?

Because most people I know are basically nearing burnout from working as hard if not harder than normal from home while also having to be everything for their children because the schools are providing nothing.

My sister works for the NHS, finance not patient facing. She has been specifically told that she has to take breaks, go out for walks , work as and when she wants to , not worry if she has down time. As long as she does what she has been asked to do by her managers, the how, when and where are immaterial.

No I have not had it easy. Full online lessons provided so I am teaching my full timetable. I am also running form time plus an online club, attending staff meetings, online training, writing reports, contacting parents, assessing work and now running preA Level lessons for Year 11.

I am not commuting or doing break duty.

I am buying more online resources out of my own pocket.

Maybe the problem is that some teachers are doing far too much leading to children education being a lucky dip. But there will be an attainment gap if social distancing continues and can guarantee the worst hit will be those who are already facing difficulties.

So how come people like office workers are allowed to enjoy a " nice break" during the pandemic but teachers are expected to work themselves into the ground for our delightful offspring no matter what? Our staff are expected to put 40 hrs a week on their timesheets and detail what they have done - they are not having a nice break - their bonuses have been put on hold and they are just hopeful they will still have a job when all this is finished - so no slacking off in the garden for them! Teachers are still being paid - they have not been furloughed.

Of course there has been disparity and yes many teachers, through no fault of their own (they can't decide to teach if their head forbids it) have had a nice break It seems some of them can decide - our HT confirmed that she has let the teachers decide what is appropriate for their classes...and as you'd expect we are seeing some teachers provide excellent support and some have basically done nothing - one wonders what they think the point of their job is, if the kids can just self teach A level science subjects.

Frouby

Secondary teacher has done very little, his subject is a hands on one and not easily taught remotely.

Do you actually know this are just think it?

I teach a hands on lesson and have (and still am) completely rewriting (and inventing) SoW so that they can be done at home.

@IndecentFeminist would say we were any busier but it has been a real faff converting resources to be on line. Still busy but a different type of busy iyswim. a lot of book scanning has probably gone on as suspect a load of students don’t have textbooks at home.

Would not say we were busier is what I meant to say just a different type of busy.

One of my dc's teachers has done nothing. Nothing since March. Head admitted it and is "working with her" and send a formal apology. The other have been exceptional and worked very hard, but of those several admit the workload is lighter than usual.

are you referring to furloughed workers?

Because most people I know are basically nearing burnout from working as hard if not harder than normal from home

I thought furloughed workers were not permitted to work? Isn't that the point of furlough? There is no work to be done, but salaries are (in part) paid for the time being?

Was it furloughed office workers that were referred to @malificent7 did not specify. I think office workers are more likely to be working from home not furloughed and not having a "nice time" - our staff are expected to complete a full week at home - no commute though.

If you can't do your work due to Covid you should be furloughed but teachers are not no furloughed whether they can work or not - some have managed to do their jobs to an admirable extent but some have got away with doing bugger all on full pay.

I know 3 teachers, all say their working week has been much easier and they aren't doing anywhere near previous hours. Our head even emailed parents this week to say don't panic, the exam boards "will need to lower expectations in some form due to disrupted learning".

One is in her mid 50s and was considering early retirement, but was worried she would miss the pace and going to school, but having little work to do since lockdown has convinced her to go for it in a couple of years.

It is a worry as ds is in an exam year and teaching has been minimal.

@CallmeAngelina the majority of people have not been furloughed. They are the people I am referring to as working just as hard if not harder from home.