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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

752 replies

Plinkplonkplank · 07/06/2020 09:39

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.

OP posts:
Hercwasonaroll · 11/06/2020 08:21

There are plenty of posters on here teaching in areas of deprivation who repeatedly say that live lessons aren't working in their schools, yet you totally dismiss that. Our parents were surveyed again yesterday, with the introduction of live lessons they are even more against them being full time.

Your experience is your experience and it is in your context. It is disengenous to say that because live lessons work in a MC household they will work everywhere.

SmileEachDay · 11/06/2020 08:26

You can't shut me up by dismissing my experience because it's middle class and privileged

I’m glad you recognise your privilege.

How is that recognition going to change how you’re communicating?

ITonyah · 11/06/2020 08:50

How is that recognition going to change how you’re communicating?

Does it need to?

ITonyah · 11/06/2020 08:51

It is disengenous to say that because live lessons work in a MC household they will work everywhere

Yes, it would be, if I had ever said that!

LolaSmiles · 11/06/2020 08:56

To be fair herc ITonyah hasn't said they would work for everyone.
They've just been a bit dismissive of some of the reasons given for not doing them as well as doubting that there is any research.

They then seemed to think that my observation about the endless wittering about why schools should go online only shows how many mumsnetters live in a nice middle class bubble was me shutting them up for being middle class.

ITonyah · 11/06/2020 09:04

To be fair herc ITonyah hasn't said they would work for everyone.
They've just been a bit dismissive of some of the reasons given for not doing them as well as doubting that there is any research

I didn't doubt there was research, I doubted there could be any meaningful research!

CuckooCuckooClock · 11/06/2020 09:25

💐

LolaSmiles · 11/06/2020 09:25

I didn't doubt there was research, I doubted there could be any meaningful research!
Because a global community of educators and researchers couldn't possibly have done any research into online education in the last couple of decades?
When I was researching which MA course to do there were several offered in online and distance education. That was 5+ years ago and universities wouldn't be running courses in areas there's no research.

Deciding you doubt research in a field you don't work in and being dismissive of experiences from those who actually work in schools, it just comes across like you're saying 'yes it doesn't work for all, but I don't want to hear any challenge of live lessons because they work for my DC'.

ElenadeClermont · 11/06/2020 12:52

It is a very eye-opening thread.
I knew there were obstacles to online teaching (lack of home computers, broadband, teachers' childcare). But I never realised there was such strong resistance from parents. Thank you Flowers

Just to make it clear, DS is in a very similar school to @ITonyah's

stayathomer · 11/06/2020 12:54

I have 4 kids, 1 pc that dh works on, I ipad and a phone and patchy internet. I thank God nobody wanted to do live lessons for us!!!

BeltaneBride · 11/06/2020 12:54

Very good point about some children flourishing even more in this environment. Quite a few SEN in my school and one boy in particular who is autistic is flying in this environment. He is participating in Zoom lessons far more readily than in class and is going way beyond the requirements of the tasks. I contacted his parents as I was concerned he might be working too hard -they said he is loving it. No social pressure and the Zoom interaction with classmates is better in his opinion.

BeltaneBride · 11/06/2020 13:04

Interesting hypocrisy in on one hand dismissing he opinions on patents on here who apparently haven't a clue about schools' and on the other hand following a poll of parents at their school who 'don't want live lessons'
What makes those parents better informed about education than those on here? The experts should be advising parents /not asking for their opinion-unless actually it's those school leaders who haven't a clue and so seeking opinions that they know will 'justify' their own disinclination to innovated.

Hercwasonaroll · 11/06/2020 13:08

It's not hypocrisy, it's knowing and understanding the demographic of the school in which I teach. Live lessons are proving less effective than pre recorded. Parents don't want live lessons because they can't ensure their children can access them at the right time. Why is this so hard to understand?

I understand that for you, live lessons are successful and working. That doesn't mean they are a magic silver bullet for every state school.

Hercwasonaroll · 11/06/2020 13:11

The experts should be advising parents

The experts have agreed that there is no difference in learning between live and pre recorded lessons.

The parents are the ones who have control over their child accessing the lesson. If they can't make that happen during school hours, live lessons are pointless.

But carry on telling me how we won't innovate because we can't magic up a device and Internet connection for every student overnight.

LolaSmiles · 11/06/2020 14:01

Interesting hypocrisy in on one hand dismissing he opinions on patents on here who apparently haven't a clue about schools' and on the other hand following a poll of parents at their school who 'don't want live lessons'
It's not hypocrisy at all. The research suggests that the mode of content delivery is less important than the nature of the content, so whilst there may be a place for live lessons it certainly isn't the gold standard that some mumsnetters insist it must be.

A parent can share their view on what they see works/doesn't for their child.
If someone were to decide that what they want / what works for their child and their household should be done as the right course of action across schools then that would be foolish. If someone were to think their opinion on what schools should do has equal weight to those working in the sector then that would equally be foolish. Unfortunately both of those things happen on Mumsnet daily.

On the other hand, a school asking the parents in their community for their input about what they think is working/isn't working for their children and their family situation in order to adapt their provision accordingly isn't trying to weigh in on anything beyond their school community.

FrippEnos · 11/06/2020 16:32

BeltaneBride

It would only be hypocrisy if I (as someone that posted about the polls in schools) had said that, I haven't. I am posting a counter view to those saying that parents all want live lessons.

FrippEnos · 11/06/2020 18:20

@SmileEachDay

you rlink comes up as blocked when I click it.

SmileEachDay · 11/06/2020 18:43

Oh! I’ve attached a screenshot...

To wonder why schools are saying they’re not allowed to do live lessons
GuyFawkesDay · 11/06/2020 20:28

We are finding pre recorded lessons are far more popular for the majority of students. They can go at their own pace, repeat slides etc.

Then once a fortnight we do a live catch up with each class where we feed back, answer questions etc.

Same result though.

NeverTwerkNaked · 11/06/2020 20:32

@GuyFawkes my son's school have live lessons which are recorded which makes both options available and seems like a good solution

GuyFawkesDay · 11/06/2020 20:33

They're also easier in that they can be accessed any time. Lowers the demand on household computers

ITonyah · 11/06/2020 20:55

@GuyFawkesDay

They're also easier in that they can be accessed any time. Lowers the demand on household computers
This is a good point.

I think dd likes the structure of the live lessons, and I know as a parent she is engaging. I'm not sure she would access everything she needed to if she could pick and choose when she went through the lessons!

GuyFawkesDay · 11/06/2020 20:57

And that's great for her, but lots of my students have 1 laptop or tablet to share. Or are using phones which are fine for chats but not to view slide shared PowerPoints. A few of mine are farmers. They often access them in the evenings.

So they can join the q&a on their phone but access the lessons when it works for their family.

bluefoxmug · 11/06/2020 21:00

I founds live online lessons gave dc's day a good structure to the day. wheras 'just' work sheets or tasks would have bored them out of their minds.
I also liked that dc teachers did a short phonecall once a week to keep in touch.