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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:
Botherfreedays · 14/01/2021 17:50

YANBU. It's a really important point of contact for all the children. For my son it's one of the highlights of the day.

CosyAcorn · 14/01/2021 17:52

@Bouledeneige

I don't think it's unreasonable just to ask if it could be done during the school day. It could be done instead of the class mat time at the beginning of the day, after lunch or at the end of the day. It would help keep a sense of the whole class and the teacher would get to end her class time earlier.
At our school they are being careful not to reveal which children are in on which days. My 5 yo DD would be very sad to see her friends together in school whilst she was at home.
FutureDuchessofHastings · 14/01/2021 17:52

@arethereanyleftatall - yep that works to make me cry too! No more awesome than everybody else keeping their shit together during all of this. I think if everybody could just keep additional demands to suit them to a minimum things would be a bit easier for all of us

minipie · 14/01/2021 17:52

Jesus YABU

  1. the call is to benefit those who are not getting any interaction with their teacher and friends, unlike your child.

  2. asking the teacher to push it back means she works later and everyone else finishes “school” later.

  3. there are so many other possible solutions to this - pick up early, have child watch straight after pick up on the way home, organise your own call. Or keep your child home...

ancientgran · 14/01/2021 17:54

@doughnutcraver

You are already getting the better deal sending Dd to school while you wfh. Why not let the other that are not as lucky as your dd get some attention from the teacher. I am a key worker and trying to homeschool at the same time. I chose this to prevent my dd getting a chance to spread covid to our family. I wouldn't dream of requesting this from the teacher.
This isn't about what is best for the OP though, it is about a 5 year old.

OP could you mention to the teacher that your child is missing friends and would it be possible to maybe do this in school time once a week? I don't think that is a big ask, I know my DD who is a teacher would want to know if a child was struggling, she might not be able to do something but she would if she could. My GS is ten year older than your child and he has a tutor time session once a week when the whole class meet on line, they don't get the story though!

notalwaysalondoner · 14/01/2021 17:54

It doesn't hurt to ask - as long as you ask nicely. It might well not be any skin off her back.

arethereanyleftatall · 14/01/2021 17:55

[quote FutureDuchessofHastings]@arethereanyleftatall - yep that works to make me cry too! No more awesome than everybody else keeping their shit together during all of this. I think if everybody could just keep additional demands to suit them to a minimum things would be a bit easier for all of us[/quote]
Hear hear.

Posyc · 14/01/2021 17:56

You should definitely contact the school Obviously it is only what you want for your child that matters, and I'm sure the teacher will be thrilled to hear from you. They will be keen to rearrange I'm sure. Especially if it means they can extend their working day. Obviously the teacher will be concerned that your child is missing interaction with their friends at storytime, when the rest of us and our children are having a ball. You crack on.

greenlynx · 14/01/2021 17:58

YABU
I think you misunderstood the purpose of the call. It’s to give some attention to children who are not at school and gently checked how they are so it would be actually inappropriate ( too strong word but I hope you understand) for your DC to join.

TramaDollface · 14/01/2021 17:58

So entitled GrinGrinGrin

ancientgran · 14/01/2021 17:58

@Sausagessizzling

Definitely ask! I'm a teacher who has just moved our story time for a similar reason.
That is so nice of you. I'm sure the children look forward to it.
Land0r · 14/01/2021 18:00

Please don't ask if you can pick her up early as some posters have suggested. Logistics wise, this could be very difficult for school staff. I am working in the keyworker classroom and at our particular school, it would mean me leaving the room with the child, taking them downstairs, out across the playground, possibly hanging around waiting for the parent, then letting the child out of the locked gate to join their parent.

That would take 2 or 3 minutes if the parent was there waiting, obviously much longer if they were late. Which means the classroom has one less member of staff in it for all the time I'm messing about letting one child leave early.

I understand that different schools have different set-ups, but I'd be surprised if any schools are allowing parents into the building to collect their children.

Covidcovid · 14/01/2021 18:00

I imagine the teacher is doing it at that time as it’s easier to concentrate on the story and the tech of zoom when not also keeping an eye on kids in the classroom. Your dc socialises with the other kids even if not their best friends. This zoom call is the only opportunity for the others to socialise.

AfterSchoolWorry · 14/01/2021 18:03

Just connect with your phone and let her watch it on that? Confused

WeatherwaxOn · 14/01/2021 18:05

I was a bit confused as it seems from what you're saying that the teacher is reading a story/allowing chat after school time? Is that right?
If there is to be story-sharing then surely it would be better to do it earlier in the day so that the critical workers children could hear the story too, and therefore see their classmates.
Perhaps some positive feedback to the school about how it's a great idea but that the cw children miss out because of the current time. Obviously it may not be possible to record it due to safeguarding reasons but if the school are offering live lessons or online classrooms then it may be easier to rejig a little of the scheduled daily tasks.

ilovesushi · 14/01/2021 18:06

Of course you can ask her! The purpose of the call is so all the children in the class can stay connected. If they aren't all included it creates an us and them divide. For a young child this lockdown is going to feel long! The teacher is doing a lovely thing and it's a shame to miss out. You can only ask!

Shelby2010 · 14/01/2021 18:07

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask if it could be done at 3.30 one day a week. I don’t see why this would make the teacher’s day longer. I assumed that teachers had work to do after the children finished at 3pm, and as the children aren’t in school, that they would be doing prep and marking work throughout the day more flexibly than usual.

There seems an underlying jealousy from some posters that your child is in school when theirs aren’t, and therefore your child should be ‘punished’ for that perceived advantage. Very unpleasant.

ilovesushi · 14/01/2021 18:08

Just to add when DD's teacher does a weekly zoom call, all the kids are on line - the ones in school and the ones at home.

Fatas · 14/01/2021 18:08

I actually don’t think yabu here. I must be the only one, but I’m a teacher too.

I wonder if she’s done it so she’s not impinging on formal lessons? If so perhaps taking 15 mins out of formal teaching wouldn’t be the end of the world and would be good for all the kids involved.

Perhaps she’s doing it, not. E arse it suits her, but because she think she must stick to formal lessons. Actually moving it could give her more time as she won’t have to stay back at school pick up time.

I don’t think it would harm to ask at all, I would just phrase it so you don’t come across as an arsehole.

Fatas · 14/01/2021 18:08

Because, not E arse!

Dagnabit · 14/01/2021 18:09

I don’t think yabu to ask - my ds has a zoom call at 11:30 so all children, whether at school or home can take part and see each other. Of course, if they can’t, you need to accept gracefully.

Jobsharenightmare · 14/01/2021 18:10

I don't think you can have it both ways OP.

hallamoo · 14/01/2021 18:10

I think YABU to ask.

However, It would be less work for the teacher if she did it at 2.30 in school and live streamed on Zoom at the same time to the ones at home. No one need have cameras on and she could point the camera in school at the smart board so only her voice is heard.

Then she wouldn't have to stay late.

SlightlyJaded · 14/01/2021 18:10

I haven't read the whole thread, but why don't you arrange zooms between her and say, three of her closest friends, and parents can take it in turns to read all of them a story?

This way, she will get far more interaction than with 25 other children on screen and see the faces she misses most.

rosesinmygarden · 14/01/2021 18:11

Parents like you with entitled attitudes like this are why I left teaching for good several years ago.

Self centred and ungrateful.

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