What comes first - work or homeschooling?

[coffeeforone1]

DC is in 4 (reception) and the school have organised live daily zoom sessions from next week. The problem is the timing seem to clash with work calls. I WFH full time and have a lot of calls, it's not clear before the call how important it is. Would you skip the school calls or mix and match? The school have set parent expectations that these calls will be attended by the child. They would use my laptop to access zoom so can't do both at same time.

Most of the pre-recorded learning is ok but I'm already not complying with the school expectations to do it daily - I can save it up and do a lot of it with him at the weekend, it's the live daily ones I will struggle to juggle.

I do luckily have childcare in place so I can work as a grandparent lives with us and can supervise DC and take out for walks. They can't support home schooling though unfortunately.

Do you think it's okay to skip most of the live sessions?

Obviously work is important but its still bad practice to set up meetings with no agenda and not know why people need to be invited.

We had this at work and new meeting guidelines went out saying all meeting invites need a clear agenda and outputs and only invite those who need to attend.

Bet that at least 25% of your meetings are for info only and you can skip those and read minutes after

Also - if the timings clash with work calls can you change any of the calls or are they team meetings? Can you get a cheap device for dc to access school Zoom? The Amazon Fire tablets are compatible.

I’m lucky as my primary child is older and I have 2 teenagers who help her. I think it is reasonable to set the child on the call, then move onto the work, if they struggle, so be it, you can only do your best.

My employer is very flexible and i have been interrupted during meetings to help, but it is very distracting.

And this is why our school isn’t doing live sessions. Work is more important.

If you have an iPad then GP can pop the older one onto the zoom session and then focus on the 2 yo. I expect a session for a 4 yo will only be a few minutes long (surely?) and that loads of kids will wander away, go to the loo, pick their nose, have the sound off, etc.

I don't think missing them is a big deal but as it's the only contact DC will have with school it's worth trying to facilitate if you can. But work comes first.

Work is more important. We're in Scotland and children don't even start school until 5 here (mostly). So I wouldn't worry to much about a 4 year old.

My son is 5 and is in P1, we are WFH. We will be doing some schooling but work is the priority at his age.

Yes I agree with PPs. At that age it really won't make any difference. There'll catch up next term and also in Year 1 a lot of time is spent on the basics and many kids who've not grasped everything in Reception, quickly come up to speed in Yr 1 (to the chagrin of many a parent who had believed their child to be a baby genius in reception!) Please don't fret. Numberblocks, Teach Your Monster to Read, Busy Things are all good. And the CBBC stuff from Monday.

Our school has said for reception try to make lessons if you can.

The amount of lessons being set up is being regulated by the government. So they therefore have to"provide" that amount of tinned work and online class.

But reception age are being given the same targets as older primary children.

In reality, you have to do what works for you and your job.

Our school said if you have work commitments, you can miss lessons. Also, the first lockdown, they said you don't have to complete the sheets but do try reading.

Work is more important.

But, my school have been very flexible, offering to move kids to different sessions that work better for parents. If it was a regular slot you could block it out in your diary which would make everything easier :) ours are only 15 minutes long each day.

I'm a teacher. We completely understand that work comes first.

We are increasing the homelearning expectations in line with government guidance and because some parents are asking for it, and because Gav has told parents to complain to Ofsted if schools aren't providing enough.

We do understand how difficult it is because most of us are parents ourselves.

All I would suggest is emailing to explain what you are doing, and touch base maybe weekly, because we have to log any children we haven't 'seen' and follow it up.

@notinthiseconomy

Work is more important.

He's four. Shove Numberblocks on and leave him to it.

This.

Work is more important.

Check out Cbeebies and CBBC both are doing 3 hours of educational programs per day.
Other than that don't stress over 4yo.

Email the school and explain the position. I think it's great that they have live classes to try and retain some live time human interaction for the pupils, but it's more important you keep your job so just explain the position and why she won't be joining so they know it's because she can't rather than you're disinclined to make it haooen.

Use the iPad to have the 4 year old access Zoom, the grandparent can supervise while you work. If the grandparent isn't familiar with Zoom controls you could do a practice session - you on laptop, them on ipad.

Work is more important than school but ime the live contact with teacher and peers means a lot to kids.

I’m a teacher and will be out of my home teaching leaving my 10 year old and 3 teenagers at home with my DH who is WFH and who won’t have time to homeschool them. I’ll try and do a bit of learning with my 10 year old in the evenings but I’ve already spoken to his teacher and said lower your expectations, we can’t do everything. My DH can be on zoom meetings for 6 hours a day himself he’s can’t supervise homeschooling for my DS. I’m hoping the teenagers can sort themselves out

Work. No question.

Your school seems to be setting unrealistic expectations for kids that small tbh.

I would try to make your child go on when they can to show willing and keep them in the thick of things but you can’t be expected to suspend your work for this.

Work deffo.Our school want my twins on something similar to zoom nine and one for half a hour a time for registration plus offline work in between .We've had issues and couldn't get it to log in and got moaned at for no attendance but if can't log on what can we do. just try your best xI don't work as a unpaid carer and it's hard home schooling your doing amazing juggling work too x

@Tlittle

Work deffo.Our school want my twins on something similar to zoom nine and one for half a hour a time for registration plus offline work in between .We've had issues and couldn't get it to log in and got moaned at for no attendance but if can't log on what can we do. just try your best xI don't work as a unpaid carer and it's hard home schooling your doing amazing juggling work too x

Did they moan at you or just check up on why you didn't attend? Because we're being asked to do that. Believe me, we don't want that extra workload any more than you want the phone call or the email. If you can't get on, save them a job, save yourself any stress, and just drop them a line saying that you couldn't get on for whatever reason.