school is going to be very boring for our teens

[Sarah510]

So the school are arranging the desks with everyone facing forward, like I had in school 40 years ago, with the teacher stood up the front. No moving around. No science experiments. None of the 'fun' stuff. Just 6 hours of teachers talking "at" them. I loved ds' secondary school when I saw how the tables were set up in groups, and how they taught with a little bit of the teacher talking, and then group work, and children free to walk about (within reason), and he loved going to all the different rooms. I'm worried he is going to not like school - being a boy of 12 he has boundless energy. I know there's nothing we can do, it has to be like this, but I hope he is ok. If it's all "book work" he's going to be very bored, I hope he doesn't just switch off. I know I will probably get slated here, but I don't think this kind of teaching suits a lot of kids.

It will be absolutely fine. My school has always had desks in rows because of the size and shape of the rooms in my department. Yes we would still do group/partner/individual work but I've never allowed kids out of their seats to wander my classroom.
Yes it will affect Science more but it really won't affect some subjects much at all. Class discussion can still be had. I'm not remotely worried about teaching my lessons. I'm a teacher who gets good results and has good relationships with students by the way, not a boring ogre.

Desks all face the front in my DCs school. It's no biggie for them and not really a hardship. They manage just fine.

If that was your biggest worry, that children gets bored because they have to face forward, then you are one of the lucky parent. TBH, many countries do ok with this kind of style of teaching, even before covid.

You're right, I think it'll be a tough term. It won't suit all. I think they'll cope, and teachers are sooo much better these days than thirty years ago, much more focused on the needs of pupils.

But yes, it'll be more boring. No singing, no experiments, little music/drama, no group work etc etc etc.

Sitting in rows is one of the few things not changing in my school.

I remember always facing forward at school and I never felt it made it boring. I mean it is school, you are there to learn, so you sit and listen to the teacher and do the work - everybody seemed to be able to cope, why would it be an issue today?

Honestly, it will be fine. I teach secondary and prefer desks facing forward so that no one is craning their neck to see the board.

Lessons won't be just the teacher 'talking at' pupils. I am still planning discussion tasks, video clips, questioning, independent work, ways to give feedback in the lesson so pupils can move forward and progress in their learning.

As a scientist, I will miss not doing practical work for a while but we are embracing the 'new normal' and doing all we can for the pupils.

It will be better than remote learning.

School isn't only about the classroom, although very important. There were so many exra-curricular activities either after school or during lunch - choir, orchestra, drama club, charity committees, sports clubs, and many many more. I think the pupils will miss all these too as it was also an opportunity to get to know others from different year groups but with the same interests.

It will be less boring than sat around at home.Its school not a social club.

I think there needs to be some perspective. Yes it’s a huhe change, amd there are negatives.
I was at secondary school in the 80s, desks all individual and facing the front, teachers still managed to engage us and we learned just fine.
There was also a period of a good few years of teachers working to rule, so there were no extra curricular activities, none at lunchtime, none after school. We just accepted it and the vast majority are well balanced adults.
Yes it would be better if they could do practical science work etc, but they’ll be fine.
Maybe this generation of school kids will become a bit more resilient and self reliant than some of the snowflake young adults who have been spoon fed so much and seem to expect so much to be handed to them on a plate?

Stop moaning! Your children are getting an education.

There is apparently a lot of evidence that a lot of teens have become less anxious over the lockdown period, maybe not going back to how things used to be isn’t a bad thing?

oh my god they have to fave forward! whatever will they do

we all done it in school it didnt hurt

I'm dreading it for my DS too. Nit school fond at the best of times. I really feel for the teachers delivering quadruple science /English etc
However, at least he will learning unlike his time in lockdown.

Yes, I was talking the head of our local secondary recently and he's really concerned. It's a school in a deprived area, historically with big behaviour problems which they have work really hard to improve.

They have come up with something that follows guidelines, reduces risk for all concerned, as far as possible and will deliver their statutory obligations but the level of engagement that they will be able to achieve under such conditions is a worry for him.

We've been back a couple of weeks, kids are so glad to be back that they can live with the changes. Main changes are:

No lunchtime clubs/societies
Staggered lunches/breaks (half the school at a time)
No PE - no changing allowed so outside walks only
No practical cooking/science - although DD has taken food tech and cooking starts next week
No singing in music/drama
Lots of table wiping and hand sanitising.

He’ll live. You’ll find ways to manage his energy I’m sure.

My year 8/9 will still be doing science experiments and home economics in school

I spent my entire life at school in forward facing seats, not being allowed to move around unless given permission.

Surprisingly, I never spontaneously combusted.

How will sitting facing forward looking at a teacher or screen be an improvement on remote learning? It sounds the same, just without elbow room and having some other child whacking the back of your chair.

As a teacher I’m quite frankly insulted. Yes there will be changes, but I’m very sure I’ll be able to do more than stand at the front and talk. I’ll 100% still be able to provide engaging lessons for my pupils as will my colleagues. Please have a little more faith in the teaching profession.

I was at school in the forwards-facing days. I have since been back to adult education in a group-work classroom.

I much preferred the former. In the group formation it drove me mad having people distracting me, trying to catch my eye, and those who hadn't been paying attention whispering at me to explain what the teacher had just said so I missed the next thing. Facing forward I could just look at the teacher and ignore everyone else's shenanigans.

And I rather thought the point of the class was to have the teacher impart his/her knowledge, rather than listen to the uninformed comments of my fellow pupils.

Must be different rules at different schools. My ds has been doing science experiments. The equipment is cleaned/quaranteened after i believe and they have hand sanitisers outside every class to be used on entry/exit. They're also allowed to do contact sports now as well (Scotland). Still somewhat limited, no cooking or school lunches but overall a lot better than 'home learning'.

I've had tables arranged in all sorts of ways over the years. Sometimes even rearranged for different classes. Front facing always ends up best for concentration. I have a bouncy dc who likes to do gymnastics at me. Constantly. She copes without needing to wander around the room in school though.