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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
FrippEnos · 07/06/2020 11:46

LaurieMarlow

It’s about engaging teaching, variety, imagination.

And equipment, time, space, other responsibilities (such as your own children) and in some cases ability.

I just can’t understand the mindset of my sons school which seems to think that pushing out the odd worksheet is good enough.

I agree that this is not good enough, but there is a whole range of things that could be done before we get to live lessons.

ITonyah · 07/06/2020 11:46

Dds work from their bedrooms. They don't have their cameras on as rule, but if they do then the others can see a wall and a bookshelf respectively.

NeverTwerkNaked · 07/06/2020 11:46

zoom and teams definitely both allow virtual backgrounds . And my laptop is v old and cheap

Rainuntilseptember · 07/06/2020 11:47

LaurieMarlow I genuinely cannot add backgrounds in either of those. I have an iPad, not a very new one, and a new laptop but one with little memory and it crashes if I try to run zoom on it. What am I doing wrong?

Aragog · 07/06/2020 11:48

Laurie - the children manage the once or twice a week for the story quite happily. it's really only year 2 and some year 1 with chapter books anyway, but even at school it isn't always daily. And the assembly reading is only ever weekly. Many teachers are choosing to read either short books or stories, or books where each chapter is its own story and can be read in separate sittings.

What with providing in school childcare,soon to be in school teaching of more children, providing home learning daily and other contact and feedback, to ask them to read the story daily as well is asking too much for our staff I think. Most are already working longer hours as it is and most have missed their holidays too.

FrippEnos · 07/06/2020 11:48

LaurieMarlow

I honestly don’t get why that’s a big deal

I have no camera and no microphone. I have no need for one.

So I am very much of the opinion that if work wants me to do this, then work should provide it.

And that is without touching on an iffy internet connection.

Bflatmajorsharp · 07/06/2020 11:48

CjhocolateCard is your school not open to some year groups now?

If it's not open at all, then individual teachers can hardly just pop in can they?

If it is open, a risk assessment and protocols re cleaning need to be put in place before people re-enter the building.

So your school has good tech yet staff who can't hardly use it? Sounds like major issues with lack of training before lock down thh.

LaurieMarlow · 07/06/2020 11:48

I agree that this is not good enough, but there is a whole range of things that could be done before we get to live lessons.

I’m not really disagreeing with you there, if you read my post.

LaurieMarlow · 07/06/2020 11:49

I have no camera and no microphone. I have no need for one. So I am very much of the opinion that if work wants me to do this, then work should provide it.

If my company all thought that, we’d go under.

That’s the difference.

LaurieMarlow · 07/06/2020 11:50

I have no camera and no microphone. I have no need for one

On your phone?

Bflatmajorsharp · 07/06/2020 11:50

Re: the virtual backgrounds.

These don't always work with iffy broad band.

ChocolateCard · 07/06/2020 11:50

I think to succeed in the face of adversity, you have to really want to.

And that’s where the difference lies. Some people have such a strong desire to achieve, that they will find ways round all the obstacles.

Others will come up against an obstacle, and just leave it lying in their path allowing it to block them.

cardibach · 07/06/2020 11:50

@ITonyah

I'm sure if a kid wanted to take a photo of a teacher and put it on photoshop they could any day in RL 🤷‍♀️
You can’t see how this is easier with a teacher on a screen which can be screen grabbed openly than in school when they are moving around a lot and the student would have to be covert with their phone?
Rainuntilseptember · 07/06/2020 11:53

Chocolatecard will I pass those wise words on to the students who couldn't access a live lesson, and tell them if they wanted decent broadband and IT and a quiet space to work, they would just get on with it and remove the obstacles in their way? Hmm
Live lessons will disadvantage many children. My own children could not both do one at the same time. Some people have far more children than me, and far less money for ICT.

ChocolateCard · 07/06/2020 11:55

Bflat - the school’s not open. It’s in Wales.

It is also accessible for teachers to enter if they wish. They only have to let the head know when they want to go in.

Although yes, I’d agree there were big training issues in place well before lockdown. Despite excellent inspection reports 🤷‍♀️

LaurieMarlow · 07/06/2020 11:55

I think to succeed in the face of adversity, you have to really want to.

Yes. Absolutely.

One thing that I’m staggered by is the lack of tech ability that teachers admit to on here.

Everyone, everywhere is upping their game here.

My 75 year old, technophobic mother is using Zoom like a pro now for social reasons. I’m doing a work project with pensioners in rural Ireland and they’re uploading videos for me as part if it. It’s gone really well.

FrippEnos · 07/06/2020 11:57

LaurieMarlow
On your phone?

Not everyone has a smart phone.

And not every smartphone is capable of streaming live lessons.

If my company all thought that, we’d go under.

How much do you spend each year on providing equipment for your staff?

I spend hundreds of £s as do many teachers.

That’s the difference.

ditto.

StrumpersPlunkett · 07/06/2020 11:58

The other thing about private schools is that they very easily have the option of excluding children who record and shame teachers.
Or other safeguarding stuff.

Rainuntilseptember · 07/06/2020 11:59

Laurie I don't think that is fair, it is a blinkered "video or nothing" approach. My school and my dcs' have grasped teams, Forms, Sway, OneNote, audio PowerPoints and feedback, teams meetings for staff - none of these were part of our lives in March, we could never have anticipated this level of upskilling being required in such a short space of time, but we've done it.

FrippEnos · 07/06/2020 12:00

LaurieMarlow
One thing that I’m staggered by is the lack of tech ability that teachers admit to on here.

If that is aimed at me, I am a tech lead in the school, fully trained in many different programs. machines, set ups and problem solving.

That I don't want it in my personal life and home is a choice not a lack of ability.

LaurieMarlow · 07/06/2020 12:00

fripps I think this comment very much applies to you.

I think to succeed in the face of adversity, you have to really want to.

MsTSwift · 07/06/2020 12:01

Sadly if your salary is safe it easier to put up barrier after barrier isn’t it? I work for myself if I can’t see clients I don’t get paid. I am not that tech savvy but had to be or no income. Had never heard of zoom now use it daily. I think that’s the difference it makes you hungrier to find solutions if you have to and Is why capitalism succeeds and socialism doesn’t.

MaryBerrysBomberJacket · 07/06/2020 12:02

I'm secondary, so I am going to be defensive here about what we are doing, but I completely agree that all schools should be providing more than just a few worksheets a week; that is ridiculous. All of my students have been provided for but it has taken a few weeks for it to evolve into something cohesive. By now, it should be a decent education. I know it isn't a replacement for classroom teaching, but we need something engaging, challenging and productive.

It has taken me a few weeks to be able to do lessons over Teams. First issue was technology. I don't have school providied tech as it doesn't work at home. My own laptop can't handle Teams and Powerpoint at the same time, so I've bought a new one which cost me £500; makes my whinging on over £150 on stationary pitiful now. My first session on Teams (for which I have had no training) was awful. students swearing at me, at each other, partially dressed and on their phone having a conversation. I'm sure one was stoned, but I can't prove it (we usually smell it on kids na dhave their parents in to collect them; Head of Sixth form is currently losing their mind over this issue). Thankfully this was recorded, so when I contacted home most were supportive, but one parent did tell me to fuck off becuase I can't tell them what to do in their own home.

So, after several issues we now have weekly 2 X 2 hour lessons for my A level Biology and A Level Chemistry, plus a detailed homework. We've have a few parents kick off that we aren't in school doing practicals for them, but I can't do anything about that. I can't be in a department on my own doing things like that, plus the department has been shut down; we aren't going to be in there for teaching as the fixed desks mean spacing is very difficult and they are over 30 years old so a nightmare to keep clean.

Rest of school; Y9 and Y10 are getting narrated Powerpoints, exam questions, worksheets and videos from Youtube. The overwhelming majority of our parents do not want a live lesson, so we have a timetable of when these resources are uploaded and staff are available to students at that time, unless we are in on rota (but even then I reply to emails as I can) This is happening in most departments and is doable; lots of our staff are young and have their own kids so a full day of 'live' literally can't happen, but they can fit their day around being available and working at night to plan and mark. We are providing 1 piece of feedback per student each week. I don't have Y7 and Y8, but they also have narrated work, are using things like Seneca and are doing Kahoot quizzes etc. They also get feedback ones a week.

I have friends working in private, and I know they are live teaching, but to much smaller numbers. One teacher friend was sent home with her shiny new laptop and a drawing tablet, another was given a visualiser to use as an extra camera so she could use a whiteboard, as well as her school laptop and iPad. We've had to adjust our teaching massively, and lot sof teahers are doing their best with very limited guidance. I would be livid if my DDs were getting what some of you describe, and I would be taking it up with the school immediately.

NameChangedToProtect1 · 07/06/2020 12:02

After deciding they couldn't open my sons school said they were too busy to add live content!

Rainuntilseptember · 07/06/2020 12:03

Yes and capitalism gives no shits for the children who can't access live lessons does it?
Isn't it actually possible that schools who have rejected live lessons are doing so because they wouldn't be any better for the children than what they have decided to offer instead? Is that not actually a possibility? Given we know most about teaching and what works and what doesn't, and pastoral know the home circumstances of our catchment.