Zoom lessons for reception

[Minnie6078]

Ok so am I being unreasonable to thing that having a full day of zoom lessons each day from 9-3 with a break for lunch is just to full on for 4 year olds? Lockdown is bad enough without having to force my child to sit at a laptop all day (it's just not gonna happen) also looking after my newborn and being stuck in the house! The only thing that kept last time was being able to get out for a walk, watch movies, read books, bake etc? Am I being unreasonable to thing that that would be much more beneficial than bloody zoom lessons.

4 year old has attention span of a knat, baby screams bloody murder unless being rocked or pushed in pram and I worry I may need sectioning by the end of this lockdown.

Yes I know I need to suck it up and we have got to get on with it but I think this lockdowns gonna be the one to push me over the edge!

Did I mention I have PND too :-(

I’m a reception teacher and that is totally inappropriate for a 4 year old (or even a 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... year old!). School isn’t even compulsory for a 4 year old so I’d just do activities like you have done previously. Much more enjoyable and beneficial!

Seriously, don't bother. Do only what works for you and makes life easier and more bearable for the kids. I find getting them up, fed and dressed for the first zoom call at 9 helps us get off to a good start, but I have no intention of attending after that unless I think it will be easier. Just do your own thing, try and focus on the wellbeing of the whole family.
We just have to survive this time, doing as lite damage to the kids as possible. You don't need to be supermum.

Good luck

YANBU there is no way any 4 year old will stay focused.

My DD (6) has panic attacks and zoom was a real trigger for her last time (she was in reception then). We did one fail lesson where she hid and then had a full attack and that was it. She said she'll try this time but I'm not holding my breath, especially for two hour long sessions a day. Seriously, just do what's right for your family.

That seems an awful lot for a four year old. Have you explained your situation to the class teacher ?

That's shell of a lot of bandwidth too!

Our school had full time schedule of online learning- for years 3 and up. Reception kids and y1 and 2 had registration, a 45 minute something, then were given an activity to do on their own (not online). Then they came back on after lunch for similiar, maybe a bit more for older ones. They were given books and worksheets etc but there is no way a child can stay sat quietly looking at a teacher for a prolonged length of time!

My reception DD will have two 30 minute sessions on zoom plus a 15 minute block where they will be expected to pop in for registration. Other work will be sent on the school homework app.

So glad you all agree when they emailed the timetable today I was so overwhelmed! There are 3x half hour zoom lessons followed by independent tasks which is work to be completed and submitted via Google classroom on the same day, a 20 minute phonic zoom session and 2 short breaks and an hour for lunch! Just seems intense for a 4 year old plus she will need me to constantly supervise as she doesn't know how to use the laptop. She is already upset about missing friends and family plus her birthday in 2 weeks and we can't have a party. She's taking it in her stride but her behaviour has changed and I can tell this is affecting her. Plus it doesn't help she has newborn sibling who cries 24/7 and a stressed mummy. :-(

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Please communicate with your school. They came in for such heavy criticism (as anyone on Mumsnet knows) in the Summer Term with people saying that there wasn't enough provision, that most schools have probably swung the other way.

I teach secondary and honestly, think 9 - 3 five days per week on screens is too much for a teenager, never mind a KS1 child. It also prevents parents from doing very much of their own choosing, be it getting outside during daylight or doing some baking or whatever it might be. There needs to be a balance and a bit of flexibility in my opinion.

Yanbu. My 5yo in reception has 2 half hour slots and then some extra work to do outside of that.
I have a 3 month old so completely get where you're coming from. It's tough. Feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to.

For a Reception child ? Are they 'aving a larf ?

Ridiculous!

That's insane. Do what you can do and leave the rest. Your family's sanity is important.

Oh wow, that does seem far too much. Just do what you can, they must understand that parents have work to do, other children to look after etc.

My DD school is the opposite. They haven't offered any zoom/teacher contact time. We have been given a list of activities to do, which is great, but I'm hoping next week we will have a few short zoom sessions (even if it's to say hello to her friends).

We had zoom as school closed early for one month. I engaged with none of it. Went to the park and did walks. It can zoom off.

For a start our school has said government is only expecting 3 hours worth of learning a day. when 6yo was off last time and I was WFH (with a 2yo too) I was delighted with 1.5 hours daily.

The thing is that schools came under fire last time for doing too little, this time there are much higher expectations. So your school have planned this. It's probably over enthusiastic and will be adapted as time goes on. Schools are basically learning remote education as they go. So, please be part of the process. Talk to your teacher, tell them what you think she can access and is manageable for family life then leave the rest. You'll probably find that as other parents do similar, the zoom lessons are rapidly scaled back.
Good luck!!

That's insane. Reception is Early Years and half of it still play based learning. I'd tell them you thank them for the offer but won't be participating. It isn't compulsory at reception age.

Our year 1 class, does 1 session for 30mins a day.

That’s madness for reception. My reception child has the same set up as her sibling had last year.

A weekly timetable with tasks, ideas ( many are play based) and worksheets to print or if required will print them off for you. Work to either be left in reception or uploaded to tapestry or emailed to teacher. There is also a huge emphasis on flexibility and timescales as they seem to appreciate that families have different constraints, time, work, siblings etc. I would have to tell them no to Zoom.

YANBU, way too much for a 4 year old. My DC are in KS2 and they’re only getting 15 mins of zoom a day which I think is shoddy. They’ve gone from 5 hours solid teaching a day to 15 minutes of zoom plus a couple of worksheets.

Our school is doing online bits: purple mash, numbots, spelling shed, but no zoom, no logging in at specific times. The work will be set and then done as and when. We'll be going with the flow, I'm not puttin pressure on myself or my child.

My 6 year old isn't bad for focus. He's better than most of his peers. He can manage 30 mins on zoom before it becomes an issue and his attention wanders.

A full day on zoom is completely inappropriate.

Way too much. My Reception child had a 7 minute maths lesson and a 12 minute phonics lesson, both pre-recorder and put on Google Classroom for him to watch when we were ready. We did a short exercise after each and were asked to try to read. We also have two print outs of activities to try and do over the next few weeks - but nothing too arduous.

Your update isn’t at all the same as your original post.
The sessions aren’t compulsory, you don’t need to be available for every single one.