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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask the teacher to change the live call time

269 replies

namechangestory · 14/01/2021 16:02

DD is in reception and is attending school as we are both key workers (I WFH, DH goes out to work). There is only 3 others from his class and most of his friends are staying at home.

The class teacher is running a zoom call every day so the class can all see each other and listen to a story. The problem is it clashes with pick-up time so DD cannot join and she misses out on seeing her friends who all see each other on the video call every day.

AIBU to ask the teacher to change the time slightly so DD can attend? Push back by half an hour so we are home?

OP posts:
Sethy38 · 14/01/2021 17:02

unreasonable

Sethy38 · 14/01/2021 17:04

Ah pick up clash

In that case you ask teacher if your daughter can stay for the extra half hour

Or you do something yourself for goodness sakes

WombatChocolate · 14/01/2021 17:05

AccidentallyOnPurpose has got it right.

You see it’s not really about social contact for the whole class. It’s about checking in with the children at home, probably on a number of levels. They can be seen, work might be discussed, home situation might come up.....this, as well as the story and chance to ‘see’ each other, but yes it will be very structured and not a free for all social chat, which if you’ve ever done them will know don’t work well with more than about 4 small children. The teacher needs a smaller group for this to be effective.

It’s probably been designed specifically to fit with the teacher schedule but also so those who were at school cannot join in. It is intended to be a smaller group for just those who weren’t in school. Well you could be offended by that and feel you’re missing out....do you feel like this every time something happens and your DC aren’t included? I’d also work on helping your DC understand they won’t always be included in everything and that’s absolutely fine and normal.

Candyfloss99 · 14/01/2021 17:07

Jeez the world doesn't revolve round you...

DragonDoor · 14/01/2021 17:07

I imagine that the purpose of this activity is for the teacher to check in on the children at home at the end of the day. It may even be a whole school approach.

Not to mention that a time change would unnecessarily disrupt the routine of every other family.

A reasonable request would be to ask the teacher if it would be ok for your daughter to join on your phone one the way home.

saffire · 14/01/2021 17:09

YABVU to send the child to school when you're WFH. Keep them with you to help keep them an the staff at school safe.

GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly · 14/01/2021 17:10

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

Why is the teacher scheduling a 3pm meeting for the class, if some of the class will never be able to attend? I think that's very poor planning. She could have it any other time in normal school hours to accommodate everyone surely?

I'd (politely) ask.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

Who is supervising the children in the classroom while the teacher is trying to conduct the call with children at home, so they don't wander off, throw paint on the floor etc... these are 4 year olds have you had tried to do a call while you are concentrating with 4 or 5 of them in the same room as you?

Poor planning?! It sounds like the teacher is trying to give children at home AND at school undivided attention (and extra teaching time involved)

I actually don't know how teachers manage to do their job when people appreciate their efforts so little.

SEpoppet · 14/01/2021 17:10

Hey @namechangestory, I'm a teacher and actually I do think it's a bit unfair that the teacher would schedule it at a time when not everyone can attend (if as you say the pick-up time is fixed). It doesn't feel very inclusive! Maybe she thinks your DC is getting enough social time because she is coming into school but it's not the same as seeing friends. Could you perhaps get your DC to set up a zoom call with friends another time? You could very politely point out the issue and see what she says? She may well not even have considered it before.

Myshinynewname · 14/01/2021 17:12

YABU, it's clearly not for your dc.

camsie · 14/01/2021 17:14

YABVVU.

superram · 14/01/2021 17:14

As a teacher I wouldn’t supervise a zoom call and children in person. The teacher is giving up her own time after school to do a zoom. If you are that bothered keep your dc home while you work from home and keep your child and their teacher safer.

GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly · 14/01/2021 17:15

@Sethy38

Ah pick up clash

In that case you ask teacher if your daughter can stay for the extra half hour

Or you do something yourself for goodness sakes

OP please don't ask the teacher if you DC can stay for an extra half hour when she's been in & taught by the teacher all day & I dare say already had a story. The call has been scheduled then for good reason. Let the teacher get on with their job in overseeing the children at home.

Your DC is not the only child in the class who deserves the teachers attention.

HamishDent · 14/01/2021 17:15

@SEpoppet

Hey *@namechangestory*, I'm a teacher and actually I do think it's a bit unfair that the teacher would schedule it at a time when not everyone can attend (if as you say the pick-up time is fixed). It doesn't feel very inclusive! Maybe she thinks your DC is getting enough social time because she is coming into school but it's not the same as seeing friends. Could you perhaps get your DC to set up a zoom call with friends another time? You could very politely point out the issue and see what she says? She may well not even have considered it before.
Not inclusive!

The teacher probably set the time deliberately so she can actually give a few minutes attention to those kids at home and not on those in school who have it all day. They deserve her undivided attention and not have her distracted by kids in the room.

SEpoppet · 14/01/2021 17:15

That is, if it is indeed for the pupils to see each other rather than what other suggest - for the teacher to check on them etc. I dont want to put another teacher down as we are all working our socks off but sometimes I do things without thinking them through and like to be collaborative with parents in making things work for everyone x

MzHz · 14/01/2021 17:16

Why not ask and see, the other kids would probably get a great deal from seeing your dc too!

converseandjeans · 14/01/2021 17:17

At DS school they have staggered the live sessions to take into account siblings needing to use the same device.

You can download the app on your phone.

I don't think key workers children are having lots of teaching - pretty sure they just get stuck behind a laptop.

You should pick her up earlier if you're working from home.

AccidentallyOnPurpose · 14/01/2021 17:18

@MzHz

Why not ask and see, the other kids would probably get a great deal from seeing your dc too!
If they don't have the tech available how are the ones at home supposed to see the children in class? Unless they're all crowded around the teacher's desk.
wildraisins · 14/01/2021 17:18

Sorry but I agree YABU.

Teachers are really struggling at the moment. I have some friends who are teachers and it is just crazy for them. If the teacher pushes back the call by 30 minutes then it will probably end up adding 30 minutes to her work day because what is she realistically going to get done between 3-3.30?

Can't you arrange a zoom call outside of school for your DC to catch up with some of their friends who are at home? It doesn't have to be through school.

SEpoppet · 14/01/2021 17:20

@HamishDent OP suggests the call is for the kids to see each other, not to check on them, so we dont know. Also we don't know whether the teacher is at home or at school - lots of teachers are working from home. As I say, I'm a teacher and I dont put other teachers down. There could be any number of reasons the call is then, we don't know, but I would be happy to talk this through with a parent myself if asked Smile

FutureDuchessofHastings · 14/01/2021 17:22

If you can't supervise your child while you're working what makes you think the teacher can do the zoom call while supervising your child? She has found time in her day, a time that suits her, to catch up on the shedload of other work she has to do after teaching your child all day.
Tell you what, why not suggest she does the call at 7 so she can read your daughter a bedtime story? FFS.

ThePricklySheep · 14/01/2021 17:26

@FutureDuchessofHastings

If you can't supervise your child while you're working what makes you think the teacher can do the zoom call while supervising your child? She has found time in her day, a time that suits her, to catch up on the shedload of other work she has to do after teaching your child all day. Tell you what, why not suggest she does the call at 7 so she can read your daughter a bedtime story? FFS.
I doubt the class teacher is looking after the three key worker children.
MadameButterface · 14/01/2021 17:26

This thread is one of the most mumsnet things I have ever read in my life

1AngelicFruitCake · 14/01/2021 17:27

[quote Fembot123]@1AngelicFruitCake, it does but if you read the squillion other threads of this ilk you’ll see that the consensus is that it’s every school and ‘everyone is a Keyworker’ I work at a secondary and have to go in look after the students as the teachers are teaching online so my son has to go in and there are 4 of them in his bubble but other bubbles are empty or have 1 child in them.[/quote]
I can see that and it seems to vary massively. In my area from hearing from friends with children in other schools, it seems classes have more than the couple they had last lockdown. I think the government needs to be stricter so only those who have no choice to send them in do so.

Sally872 · 14/01/2021 17:28

Yabu. Call is to support home learning and check up on children. Explain this to child and that the children don't interact with each other. They aren't missing much.

Set up a social call for your child yourself.

Change45 · 14/01/2021 17:28

Many of my DCs class are in school and the remainder get one call with the teacher per week. One of the parents of the kids in school complained that their child was sad that they couldn’t join the call with the teacher. They get time with the teacher most of the week. For the kids at home it’s their only interaction. The other parents were not impressed that they wanted teacher attention on the kids at diluted further.

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