To think all 6 years don't really want to face-time their teachers?

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I work in a school and I'm being bombarded with requests by parents of 6 year old children who apparently are desperate to have zoom/online chats with their teachers who they really, really miss. My children (now teenagers) at that age really wouldn't have wanted to do that at all.

Please can parents of 6 year olds tell me honestly if this is true? I'm inclined to think that the parents really want this and think their child has more of a relationship with the teacher than they really do. At least half of the children in the class won't speak to you face-to-face, why would doing it online be any different?

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DD's school have done this via MS teams fortnightly (she's yr2). Seems to have a reasonable take up (2/3 of the class) - they've split them into groups of 5 so each group can have a meaningful conversation. She loves it!

Year 1 child with ASD replied very briefly to his teacher’s polite questions when she rang (mostly because I told him he had to say something or she’d keep ringing to check up on him!) but would be horrified by a 1:1 video call. As part of a class zoom he might have enjoyed participating and would probably politely answer a question or two in a monosyllabic way, but he would be perfectly happy not to have been contacted at home at all. He likes his teachers and TAs and gets on well and has good conversations with all of them at school (and is very happy and settled now back at school) but he doesn’t “miss” them like he does his friends and grandparents. It’s not that kind of relationship.

My preschooler would happily video call with anyone, for hours. Friends, family, her brother’s teachers, the postman.... She would adore a video call with any of the staff from nursery. But it’s not something I’d ask or expect them to do. I’d feel differently asking for a zoom catch up so a concept can be explained or some help with work given, but just so my child can chat feels odd to me.

My 6 year old doesn't her class has team meetings twice a week and she doesn't want to do it for two reasons one the kids can't see each other (safeguarding issues) and two she is a bit shy as are a lot of the other kids so the meetings tend to turn into the parents boasting about how much work they have done and how little Persephone has found a cure for covid and translated it into 97.5 languages
She does miss her teacher and classmates though

@GinWithRosie that sounds like just the right amount and type of activity for them my daughter would love that

Our teacher has recorded himself reading stories. He gives the kids a list to chose from, they vote , and he reads whichever has most votes. Mine not that interested in the actual story, but loved the process of voting (google classroom) and watches a bit of the story. She does like to see him. That might be more fun ? I imagine FaceTiming kids that don’t actually want to talk would be v painful !

@Nevertwerknaked it’s working ok at the moment and the children seem to enjoy it. I know my parents definitely appreciate the face time as it keeps that little bit of contact and continuity going. I guess it’s just a bit of familiarity for them...and I know that some parents use the “Miss Gin is calling soon so you’d better get your maths done so you can show her” card 😂. Which is fine...it’s like playing the Santa card all through December 😂

It’s lovely for me too...I get to see my munchkins 💓

I can't get my 5 year old to sit still and facetime her grandparents let alone her teacher

I have an 8 year old - so older but she would've loved a video call from her teacher. I reckon she would've been the same at 5,6 and 7! Good teachers are like god at that age!

My (just turned) six year old seems to have a Zoom allergy. He won't speak to family, friends or take part in Beavers without complaining so the very last thing he would want to do is to speak to his teacher on a video call!

Some of his friends' parents have been complaining about the lack of video contact so it could well be that it is beneficial for some. Please just make it opt in though!

My 5 year old would pop with excitement - she sends her teacher small videos on our work platform every few weeks and was so excited when her teacher recorded one back for her.

My dad has this daily with her teacher and class. It has been invaluable. Kept the connection with school and peers. Absolutely do it. Even if it only benefits some its worth it.

My dad!! DD aged 10

Definitely opt in @thetrolleywitch. I have some sensitive little souls who would die a thousand deaths if I’d made it compulsory 😢 (not that this would have been an option...I could hardly have demanded parents logged into my 3pm zoom story time 😂) But you’re right..they are very little and for some children this would be a challenge.

Also not every household has the technology, and actually some of my parents would find it intrusive too! We need to be really sensitive about these things...we are all chartering very new territory here!

That sounds perfect @GinWithRosie - it sounds like you are being really sensitive to all of the needs/situations. We're all just muddling through, it's really nice to offer the flexibility

Well not on zoom certainly as I don't think it's safe enough

Yanbu. I don’t want my 6 year old to have a chat with the teacher on Zoom. I want the teacher to actually teach something. Like run a short lesson on Zoom and send them a worksheet or some follow up work to do on it. I have no skills in teaching and all these online links that actually take me to another page full of more links and stuff to try to figure out is too much. A simple zoom with a teach who says, ‘let’s read this together, now let’s talk about it and then you can do a worksheet with your parents’ would be such a relief

How things have changed. When I was at school, if there was an option for this, it would have had zero take up

My six year old would love it but had very limited input from her school, not even a phone call. We organised our own zoom calls so the children could see each other (show & tell etc).

My DD(5) (joint reception and year 1 class) is loving her Zoom calls. It's the whole class, the teacher reads a story or they do show and tell. They're so enthusiastic. They spend half the call saying hello and waving at each other at the start. It lasts about 25 minutes and is super cute. Also from a parent's point of view helps break up the morning a little.

My 7 year old boy would hate it 😂

I'm Wondering uf this is a gender thing! My boys would go along with it of offered or asked, but would never ask for it, and wouldn't want it too often or more than once probably! Seems the keen ones on this thread so far are the girls

My reception dd ADORES her teacher. I think she would probably struggle with shyness on facetime or zoom, but she loves the videos her teacher puts on seesaw explaining tasks or reading stories. She's had a couple of videos just for her,and some short voice messages giving feedback on her work, and anything like that that's specifically for her absolutely makes her day and gets played in repeat!

My 7 year old (year 2) does a zoom call with his class once a week. He loves it. There is usually 5-10 children and 3 staff members. The teacher sometimes reads them all a story and sometimes they do show and tell. One week everyone brought their pets to show each other. The teacher mutes all the children and they take it in turns to be unmuted.

My kids, 8 & 10, hate video calls. They never participate during the call and it’s a battle to get them to join. They feel awkward and self conscious.

They’re fine completing the online work at their own pace. I think they initially missed their teachers but are now feeling pretty disconnected 3 months in.

DS is 6 and he has had TWO weekly face times per week.

He couldn't care less. There are 20 kids in his class, they all want to o speak but are muted, what's the fucking point? Waste of my time, his time and the teachers.