To wonder why schools are saying they’re not allowed to do live lessons

[Plinkplonkplank]

Because they’ve just started doing them at my ds’s state secondary. We had to fill in an online permission form. So it is possible after all.

based on the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Census 2019, on average, you can expect to pay £11,565 per term for boarding (if needed), £6,402 per term for a day pupil at a boarding school and £4,763 a term for a pupil at a day only school.

I haven't rtft but want to add what I can. (I don't normally comment as the whole thing is making me mad!)

I teach in a secondary in a relatively deprived area. We have been teaching live lessons since the beginning of lockdown using google meet. The work goes on at the start of the week, a powerpoint and a worksheet. We then deliver live lessons for each class, going over the information the students need to know. We do a quiz at the end of the lesson to see how well they have understood. Pupils then complete the worksheet at a time of their choosing. The lesson are recorded and added to the work file once the lesson has ended so anyone who was not able to get on to the lesson is able to view it at a convenient time. I mark and comment on all work submitted.

Students have cameras off and microphones off, they are allowed to unmic when given permission. I can remove any student from the lesson if they don't follow the rules, this is then followed up with a phone call to parents. I generally have my camera off too as I'm not sure my picture actually adds anything!

We always have at least two staff on at a time, one to monitor the chat (this is generally how pupils respond) and one to deliver the material. Classes are combined to let this happen.

My school asked parents to let them know if the student didn't have a suitable device. We have purchased chromebooks for those that needed them and dongles (?) to go with them if they don't have internet access. If for any reason parents chose not to take up this option then paper work packs are sent home with the same work.

I have two children of my own, they know when the door is closed not to disturb me. I expect them to be getting on with their own online lessons unless it's their break time, as per the timetable provided by their school. Only once have I been disturbed when my youngest came in to ask what kind of bug it was that she'd just caught! People understand the conditions we are all working under. And no secondary teacher would need to be teaching all day every day, especially with no Yr 11 to teach.

I honestly can't see what the problem is with all schools doing some kind of face to face teaching for all year groups. And actually it annoys me that they are not. I am working my arse off to plan and deliver suitable lessons for my students and I hear all these excuses. To be honest this not always down to individual teachers, its is SLT decisions that are creating the issue then some teachers finding themselves outside their comfort zones.

Rant over!

I too have questioned this. I have tried to read previous threads. But the excuses why they couldn't just seem really really lame.

June2008 micdrop 👍

I know there are lots of teachers like you - I hope those who don’t feel able to work like you can find a way forward 👍

• No teaching to keyworker kids is happening so it’s not going to help anyone catch up.

It’s not fair. Keyworkers Send their kids to school. Work a full day. Pick the kid up and come home and then teach the kid all before bedtime.*

I meant that being at school might mean that kids who don't have a quiet place for study, Internet and computer access at home can get their homeschooling work done. I know that the vulnerable are eligible for school but extending it to the kids who can't work at home might help some keep up

This again. I work hard to provide engaging online lessons, but not live lessons because I know that my year 4 class cannot access online learning at a set time. I have made videos which have been watched a grand total of 7 times, even though it’s available for 60 children. Perhaps it’s time for parents to step up, actually see what is being set for their children rather than moaning on here.

Thanks mistress I’d love a pint.

June2008

That’s interesting- what’s your engagement level like? What percentage of your classes are you generally getting?

I’d be interested to know how many devices your school had to buy also!

June2008 what evidence do you have that your way is better than mine?

June2008 how much time are you spending marking the worksheets that are submitted so each student gets personal feedback?

As a primary teacher I have said that I was happy to do live online lessons if parents and children (Year 3) accepted that my broadband often fails (live rurally) and that my toddler will be loudly playing in the background.

The trouble is that we would then get lots of complaints that the lesson was interrupted, and that the quality woood vary across the school (e.g. teachers with larger homes and no small children vs those with multiple children and no private space to work in).

As it is, parents at our school have expressed via a survey that they are happiest with White Rose maths videos and teacher recorded videos where needed for other lessons, as - despite us being in a wealthy area - younger children don’t always have their own device and parents need to fit lessons in around their own work commitments. All a moot point now of course that all teachers in my school are now in full time teaching bubbles anyway.

Maybe live lessons are more appropriate for older children who have their own devices and require minimal support to engage - though that doesn’t solve the quality issue of teachers with young children at home and no childcare/no home laptop/weak broadband.

*would

June2008 lost me at "we bought everyone chrome books and dongles".
Nae chance of that here.

June, how is that better than:

video of key content (me talking over the slides) at least two tasks for them to complete which they email me and I comment on, multiple choice quiz with instant feedback at the end of the lesson, exam question to answer every two weeks which they email me and I mark. They can email me at any point with questions and I answer, usually within 5 minutes if it's between the hors of 7am-9pm (meal times aside). Feedback is given to them quicker because they're not all asking for it at the same time.

Also working my arse off to plan and deliver suitable lessons for all. Just not live.

No @Mistressiggi you are just taking comments personally like many on here. It’s not about you and what you are providing. It is about the great disparity amongst schools.

Of course a child going off and doing an entire work project with no input from
you is better for YOU than a day of live lessons.

Do you think all children just get up and work independently with no encouragement or help whilst their parents are working? And produce amazing projects at the end of the week?

Or do you think some may perform better with structure, direction and help.

Cuckoo

I don’t think you are really being asked why no live lessons. I think parents minds go to live lessons because it seems the simplest way to provide better content to them. What parents are actually saying I think is they want structured lessons with feedback that need minimal input from the parent and a way for the pupils to contact the teacher in real time (or soonish) with their questions. If that’s recorded or live or something else I don’t think parents care.

ParentA with links to some twnkl sheets that they then have to look into to see what they are home teaching and then try explain to their kids, and then mark themselves with no assistance from the school if they get stuck and no personalised feedback or contact from teachers want something more and they think - why dosent the teacher do a zoom lesson....so that’s what they ask on Mumsnet. If there needs we’re being met in another way they wouldn’t be asking

Brilliant @June2008 so it can be done..And is by many schools and yes what your school provides is clearly better than a few worksheets with no feedback or marking from teachers so let’s not pretend otherwise.

My child hasn’t spoken to his teacher in nearly three months.

Well. I provide the structure for my own dc, I would expect parents to do that. For help I can contact (or dc can) the teachers easily and have often done so.
I'm not taking your comments personally Delatron I'm just increasingly bemused at your one track mind and inability to respond to what others have asked you.

Spot on Nonotthatdr

@Delatron

Brilliant *@June2008* so it can be done..And is by many schools and yes what your school provides is clearly better than a few worksheets with no feedback or marking from teachers so let’s not pretend otherwise.

My child hasn’t spoken to his teacher in nearly three months.

There's that false dilemma again.

Dds school uses a combination - zoom assembleys and class meet up a few time’s a week - that’s good as I schedule my calls around it. Otherwise it’s pre recorded and worksheets that are marked

Delatron

By a third of schools. So two thirds are doing it a different way.

• you keep saying “it’s a full tt of live or a crap worksheet”. Those aren’t the only options.

And that’s great

Now if only they would teach the keyworker kids or allow them to access this provison it would be great

God it’s all me, me me isn’t it? I do this, my way is better.

Then @June2008 comes in and wins the argument.

I don't think you're right Nothatdr, no one ever asks what else we are doing or what methods we use to engage children, it's just zoomzoomlivevideoWHYarentyoudoingthis. Thread after thread after thread.