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.

I’m a bit worried too. My eldest starts secondary and it’s going to be a very strange experience. I have read through all the info they sent out and I just don’t think he’s going to enjoy it much. No cookery, fun science, different sports. Only 20 mins for lunch To limit social interaction. It’s going to be very weird for them.

I was at school in the late fifties. Not only were desks facing the front, but no talking was allowed during most lessons, with the exception of art and girls' needlework. If you were caught even whispering, you got several hard smacks on the hand with a ruler. Funnily enough, we all came out of the system with a good education and as far as I know, no major trauma. Children today have it so easy!

I always learned better with front facing rows. Too much messing about and distraction on group tables. Prepared me better for lectures at university too.

He’s 12, not two. He’ll learn to cope, no? 🙄

Bloody hell teachers are educators not entertainers.

It's bad enough when the kids say 'miss, this is boring' without the parents joining in.

They are there to learn.

My son has ADHD..I think the tables facing forward will be better... The boundless energy need to walk to school, do some exercise at home if not possible.. Get them to have a decent breakfast,not sugars. My son will be nedicated but still fidgets but he has to work with the system.

Worrying about ti been boring...I think you have to wait and see how it goes..

Ds2's school has always done front facing rows, so no change there. I must admit I was quite surprised to hear that other schools didnt - I was aware it was quite the thing for primary schools these days but had assumed that for older children it would be forward facing.

Ds2's school has said they'll be sticking to the normal timetable as much as possible, with the exception of staggered breaks, so that each year bubble will have their own area to socialise in. On PE days they wear their PE kit in- my only worry about that is that ds2 is a sweaty type and going into colder weather I hope he won't have to sit around in damp clothing all day. However I'll probably get around that by telling him to take in a spare t shirt, pants and socks and changing into those in the loo.

For things like science experiments/PE, where equipment will be shared, they're knocking a few minutes off each lesson to sanitise between uses. I believe the idea is to get each child to sanitise the equipment they've used.

yes front facing rows are so much better for concentration and sight lines. And doesn't mean that there can't be interaction!

I'm less sure about the idea of secondary students sitting in PE kit all day. Changing for PE isn't just about appropriate clothes for movement; it's also about having fresh, clean-smelling clothes for the rest of the day! Teaching maths to a class of sweaty 15 year olds still in muddy smelly kit after a double PE lesson or whatever does not sound pleasant.

@bettsbattenburg

No PE - no changing allowed so outside walks only

Why don't the school just get them to go in their PE kit?

Thats what my son's school are doing (and have told them they can wear tracksuit bottoms over their shorts) - it is if you have PE that day wear PE kit for the day

Why won't their be science experiments?

My class are making pizzas the first week back. It'll be a challenge at their desks and take a lot of prep work for individual dishes with ingredients instead of one group pizza but teachers are creative and will work out ways to overcome issues.

He sounds rather immature and you sound like a parent who will always make excuses for their child's poor behaviour as they constantly disrupt the rest of the class. Boundless energy! He needs to be taught very quickly and firmly that school lessons are not the place to express boundless energy and he must sit quietly and focus, like everybody else.

I always did better in lessons where the classrooms were in the old-fashioned layout. I never enjoyed working in groups, experiments etc.

I'd imagine just as many pupils will prefer the new layout as won't like it.

We're in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, so compromises need to be made.

I'm just glad they're going back and have some teaching again.

One thing I am sad about at my dds' school is lack of lunchtime clubs for the foreseeable future. My older dd is going into Year 13 and only moved to this school for Sixth Form. She loves the school and is sad that she won't be able to throw herself into clubs and societies. She wanted to make the most of her two years.

You make him sound like a mad Labrador. He'll be just fine. Lots of us survived desks in rows and sitting down to crack on with some work...

Sitting in rows doesn't equal being lectured at. Even before Covid 19 I had my classroom set up in rows.

As a student I hated getting the awkward seat and having to twist to see the board, just like I disliked certain lessons where the main aim seemed to be lots of group work (more chat than work or learn) and everyone out their seats because it's easier than expecting some of the boys to pay attention.

All my classes at school were rows facing front. It was fine. Worked well in fact.

Sitting in rows is actually probably best practice so this will not be an issue. Not being able to wander around will also be beneficial as most wandering around is work avoidance. Lack of practicals etc would be an issue but most schools will still be doing these as they are operating year group bubbles so that kids can still access practical subjects.

I think the academics will run as usual. The main issue will be to do with staffing. There will be more teacher sickness absence and this will have an impact on students. As teachers must keep their distance from students, there will also be much less one to one work with students and much more teaching from the front.

Ds has hearing issues and hates classrooms where they are arranged in little groups.
He also says sitting in groups chosen by the teacher (which they always are) he never ends up with his friends and usually at least one annoying girl (who probably also finds him annoying) and so he's delighted to fine they'll be that way.
He also says school is boring anyway.

I always saw group tables as a primary thing (actually - infants) and front facing as being much more grown up. My child feels the same, it turns out. Went back for 7 weeks last term, from groups to rows and LOVED it.

Don’t look for problems that aren’t there 🤷🏻‍♀️

I only sat on tables like you describe in infants at primary school, always faced the front at school usually on desks of 2 or 4. Teacher stood and taught, then you did a task. No one wondered around like it was a zoo. If you wanted to get up you raised your hand and asked, if you wanted to remove your blazer, you asked. This was at a top of the table high school, I left with excellent grades as did 99% of the other children.

Maybe going back to basics might do some kids good. Might be fun learning in a zoo environment but how much is your child actually learning wondering around the classroom and sat on a table like reception kids? Tell him to get outside and play football at break if he has too much energy.

You might not like the new normal but it's better than having kids sat at home doing barely any work.

Just 6 hours of teachers talking "at" them

It's called teaching love, if yours want simple entertainment I'm sure they have plenty of devices. Who knows, standards may improve when the need for all-singing, all-dancing is replaced by the chance to teach.

@BigBlondeBimbo

I didn't know they didn't have front facing classrooms anymore. The new style with groups does sound a lot better I think. Although, thinking about it, me a level english and history classes were set up like that.

Anyway, there was a thread on here last week about how being in school full stop doesn't actually suit every or even most teens. I honestly wish there was more opportunity for teenagers to do flexible learning in this country. I'm sure there are a gazillion practical and financial reasons why not, but it would be nice in an ideal world. I think fully time secondary school must be incredibly stressful. It was when I was there and I went to a naice all girls' school.

I’d be interested to read this thread, can anyone link me to it?

My kids hate group working. There's always 1 who messes around, 1 who wants to boss everyone around, 2 who can't agree etc

If the content of the work is interesting and suitably challenging, that should be enough surely?

In terms of boundless energy (which is a problem for some, although not the same as lacking concentration) any chances to work off some of it before school or during lunchtime? Mine walk 3 miles to school which takes the edge off, and my nephew (for whom boundless energy and low concentration were always an issue) used to do an hours football training first thing after which he was ready to sit still a bit.

@Indigovioletblue

Here you are !

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4004233-Teens-anxiety-levels-dropped-during-pandemic-study-finds