Teachers and the current status quo

[Lifeisabeach09]

Maybe a teacher bashing thread or not, I can't decide.

My experience of this current lockdown is that my DD's teachers are streaming live or pre-recorded sessions from their homes. Support staff and teacher rotation are dealing with the kids in school. Learning is the same-school or home, it's streaming on Ipads, so the children are being treated fairly.

Surely, not have to deal with 30 unruly kids, not having to discipline, and being able to pre-record lessons or even livestream from home has made life easier (lovelier??) for some teachers. Obviously, each school is different and teachers situations are different (own kids, etc).

Any teachers enjoying the new status quo or AIBU?

I don't know if people are lying about being teachers (I've definitely seen people lying about being experts in other fields then displaying massive ignorance) but I have also seen people basically dismissing genuine experiences because that isn't what's happening in their local school.

I'm not a teacher but work as 'in' schools (online) at the moment and all the local schools are massively different and the teachers often sound surprised when they hear how other schools are operating. For example some schools can't do live lessons (even though the teacher I spoke to would prefer to) while others have a full timetable of online lessons.

I don't actually think many people would lie about being a teacher, although there are a number of people who are a bit vague and refer to working "in education" or "in a school." And, as noble said, others who seem to get muddled as to where they teach.

But I'm bloody glad I don't work alongside one of the posters on here.

I don't actually think many people would lie about being a teacher, although there are a number of people who are a bit vague and refer to working "in education" or "in a school." And, as noble said, others who seem to get muddled as to where they teach.
But I'm bloody glad I don't work alongside one of the posters on here.
It's usually trying to give the impression of being a teacher and then when challenged the vague descriptions come out.

The 'in education' posters generate a few laughs here.

Like you, I'm also glad I don't work with some people who try to present themselves as teachers on here. Some show a worrying level of ignorance on school life and don't seem too bothered about pupils if I'm honest.

I was spotted in the supermarket at 12.30pm last week.
Cue person I vaguely know ' ooh look at you out shopping, no school then'.
I replied with a smile 'its lunch time ... what a perk to not have a club or detention to run' .
Person ramps it up with 'and you can get your 10% discount here too'.
I smile 'yes another perk, I'm grateful for and... I get to go the loo when I want when WFH, sometimes I can it believe my luck'.

Jesus... next time I will shop at 8pm!

My brother is at a teacher and he does one day in school a week supervising KW children doing online learning, which he says is very busy and cold due to the ventilation. He then records 2 x 45 min lessons a week 1 each for his A level students ( mainly talking about links to look at stuff online) at home and is around to be contacted. He is bored he says. So sorry he's not working his arse off, but he's been a teacher a long time and so he's probably deserves a bit of a rest. I am jealous though. I think it's quite stressful time for job security outside core subjects. So there is that worry.

Also when I collect my DS from school one of the Parents said they were 'mid live lesson' whilst collecting their child 🧐 So they were at least 15 minutes as i'm friendly with someone in the same road. Crazy huh.

I'm a little annoyed ( not bashing teachers) that my 5 year old is getting linked up with 2.5 hours of live online learning at school rather than being taught in person as he's actually in KW school. He's 5, seriously it's a ridiculous situation to try to be fair to the ones at home. It truely sucks, because at home you are one on one ( and yes ok maybe the parent is also working, but it's not trying to listen to a screen with 15 other children. And it's not even my child's teacher so unfamiliar for him as he's in a mixed class. At home children have their usual teachers on screen)

I know I'm repeating myself, but for all school staff.
I'm so glad this thread has evolved into an informed discussion of what teachers and other staff in schools are doing now.

I teach upper primary and would prefer to be at school. I’m 7 months pregnant so not on the rota to go in and supervise kw kids but hardly living the dream from home... spring and summer lockdown was much more fun because I could take breaks pottering in the garden.

It’s all the tedious and stressful parts of teaching without any of the fun bits.

Progress is slow which makes it less rewarding, though I have adapted to some extent and am now thrilled by the tiniest improvement.

Marking via an app takes twice as long to do to the exact same standard because it’s fiddly and you have to keep waiting for it to load.

Planning takes 3x as long because it has to be accessible to children equipped with wide range of devices, and instructions have to make sense for kids and parents alike. Documents have to be uploaded onto the app in one format and emailed in another format for those who can’t use the app. It’s boring and takes most of Sunday.

On the plus side I don’t have to commute.

But it’s cold huddled up to a small radiator not moving. I could crank up the heat but I’m tight. So I wait until it’s unbearable and then light a fire, hardly living the dream.

Would rather this than furlough though.

@beingmorepositive I have a teacher friend who has said the same shes primary and their basically just sending out worksheets and that's it. I also know other teachers (all secondary) through work who are working their arses off though. In both cases the individual teachers had no say in the workload it seems to be decided by the school and what they offer. In fact a few teachers were shocked that live lessons were even allowed in the state sector as it was strictly against their safeguarding rules.

As for my friend who isn't working hard her normal workload is outrageous and actually unsustainable, I really think she would have eventually burnt out or had to go part time so I definitely don't begrudge her the slower pace.

Gosh I think we'd be on disciplinary if we were responsible for a level groups and only sending a 45 minute recording

Year 12, 12 and 13 are having fully live teaching as per timetable and 12 and 13 also having independent work to be planned, set and marked as they would in normal times as that's the level of work required at a'level.

Sometimes when people say the teacher they know is not doing much work I wonder how much additional work their colleagues are doing to make up for it or how their students will fair.

That should say 11,12 and 13.

A lot of the OP posts seem to work on the assumption that we would be relieved that we don't have to tell off kids, or we don't have to be responsible if they decide to log off etc. I think that really highlights the ignorance.

OP - I am responsible for student's education. I believe that education can unlock opportunities. I believe it can make it easier to have choice in life.

Can I control which students log on and leave? No. Do I want to? YES. I can tell you now that I am extremely concerned for those students who have totally disengaged. Unlike last lock down, we are doing our full curriculum. They are missing good lessons, that we will not return to. I've actually phoned parents from home to check if they know their child isn't logged on. Most of them seem shocked - kids are in their bedroom.

I give a shit. Of all the bollocks that comes with teaching, I adore the kids. I love the "naughty" ones, the cheeky ones, the quiet ones. In a classroom, I love being able to control my class and see them actually working. Can I control them online? Well, sure I can mute the chat box. But I can't do a visual check of the room to see who might be struggling or who might have switched off and is on their phone. Do I care? Yes! Because I love my job!

Are there things that are nice about wfh? Sure. Being within inches of the kettle. Wearing bed socks. But honestly, teaching is a people job and I'm bored shitless without my people.

Just to add, people seem concerned those in school are getting a better education. I'm secondary and our key-worker kids are logged onto a laptop, headphones on, listening to all the live lessons. The member of staff just supervises. If they have questions, they just ask us on the call. So no benefit there.

My daughter goes into her primary and again, she does the work set on the class app. I know because they take a photo and upload it. She might get a bit of extra help I guess from whoever is supervising. But they aren't doing anything apart from the work set at home. And playing I imagine.

Ime the kids in school are getting less support than those at home with a parent on hand for support and motivation. I never understand why people are jealous of kw places. I feel really sorry for the kids who are in every day sat at a computer

My dd missed one lesson last week and was promptly chased or rather I was.
She's been participating in all other lessons, proper interaction.

It does slightly annoy me that many have become obsessed with how much work teachers are doing. Leave the poor teachers alone. It's most likely they're just doing what their heads/local authority have told them to do. I don't know many lazy teachers. You don't go into the profession workshy and if you do, you don't last long.

I 'teach' keyworkers on a rota basis. Unlike many schools, we are staffing the groups with teachers (not all our lessons are live, we mainly record a video for add audio to PPT) and supported by TAs and pastoral.

I enter my groups room and it's like they're all plugged into the Matrix. Headphones on and working through the timetable as kids at home would. The teacher keeps them on task if any get a bit silly, helps them read tasks and open documents. Sends them for break and lunch. We have a bit of interactive 'tutor time's but that's it.
It's a long intense day for them, little creativity and no interaction unless they finish their work early and then they can read/ draw on their own.

They do have a social distanced PE session 3 x a week.
I wouldnt send y DC unless I really had to.

Teaching must be a terrible job if ‘being able to go to the toilet’ is considered a perk of this pandemic.
I am very sorry for all the teachers trying to keep things moving and children safe in the current very difficult circumstances tbh.

I am baffled by the replies here. Why are you all so angry with the OP for simply asking are there any positives? She's not a teacher, how would she know?

To get back to your question OP I love it but I know I'm in the minority. There are a number of factors at play here; I love technology and before being a teacher worked in tech companies for years, I have an ideal set up at home in terms of devices and environment, I have one very easy child and a childminder.

In terms of the classroom, I miss the traditional classroom but not the covid classroom at all. It was a grim place. I teach teenagers. They weren't allowed to bring their books in as lockers are forbidden. Teachers have to circulate classrooms and students stay in one place. The boards / projectors / computers were constantly broken or missing remote controls or pens. It was horrible not having my own space where I could manage my classroom. The students were totally withdrawn behind their masks, I got next to nothing back. I was standing at the board writing and boring myself. They are so spaced out I am sure many of them couldn't read what I was writing or hear what I was saying behind my mask. I am used to a lively classroom with interaction, students working in teams, coming to the board, working out problems for themselves. That's where the learning happens. The covid classroom is appalling. I couldn't even walk around and check their work.

Now I plan my lessons really well, I prerecord then stay online to interact, I can see their work, they have their books in front of them, I can give feedback. It's not ideal but it's far better. I love not dealing with paper.

And yes, the being at home in my comfortable house with great coffee on tap is just bliss. Seeing more of my child is amazing. Cooking a meal at lunchtime is far preferable to my sad little lunch box.

I don't feel that level of stress other posters are talking about worrying about the students not performing. I deliver good lessons. I provide feedback on their progress. If they aren't engaging I follow a series of steps (direct contact, alert the year head, contact parents myself) but once I have kept up my end of the bargain what would be gained by carrying all that worry and anxiety?

Teaching must be a terrible job if ‘being able to go to the toilet’ is considered a perk of this pandemic.

I love my job It is a perk though You get used to it, I don't even notice when I need the toilet anymore really! It was worse with covid and the cold classrooms though

No idea how the teachers are finding it but studious dd loves the fact she can do her work without the distractions of dc messing about. I’m genuinely worried how she’s going to cope back in school. I think teachers have many challenges, one being pleasing the parents! The sahm want full school day and the working parents want the minimum required to keep their dc on the right path without having to run full lessons and a full time job.

@TheHoneyBadger

Ime the kids in school are getting less support than those at home with a parent on hand for support and motivation. I never understand why people are jealous of kw places. I feel really sorry for the kids who are in every day sat at a computer

Plenty of children are at home in front of a computer with no support, no one to talk to, absolutely no face to face interaction all day every day.

My son is alone all day as I absolutely can't afford not to work. I feel incredibly guilty and he is suffering.

@Chosennonesneakymincepie

I 'teach' keyworkers on a rota basis. Unlike many schools, we are staffing the groups with teachers (not all our lessons are live, we mainly record a video for add audio to PPT) and supported by TAs and pastoral.

I enter my groups room and it's like they're all plugged into the Matrix. Headphones on and working through the timetable as kids at home would. The teacher keeps them on task if any get a bit silly, helps them read tasks and open documents. Sends them for break and lunch. We have a bit of interactive 'tutor time's but that's it.
It's a long intense day for them, little creativity and no interaction unless they finish their work early and then they can read/ draw on their own.

They do have a social distanced PE session 3 x a week.
I wouldnt send y DC unless I really had to.

Exactly like ours. Hence I can't understand parents being jealous of those kids.

I walked in last time and there was a list of things to do if you run out of work like go on gcse bitesize, write a letter, learn about first aid online and other mind numbing stuff. No incentive for getting it all done.

We've started giving them hot chocolate in the morning and giving them one pe session a week to at least have something nice.

In the summer it was much nicer with more regular breaks and enrichment time. I remember doing kahoots and weird and wonderful ethics discussions on issues of their choice.

This time it's just grim and mums with kids in older years that they can't at all control are starting to insist on their kids coming in which kind of rules out being able to be a bit relaxed and have side chat because if you don't keep them focused they're so hard to settle down again and get them to make any effort. Those kids are shocked and horrified because they came in under the impression there'd be teaching and normal school not sitting in silence doing the same work they'd have done at home.

We get the, they don't listen to me story when they don't listen to anybody actually because respect and consideration and listening to people is a skill that needs to be instilled before they've 15 and taller than you.

Bit of a moan sorry.

Another perk re toileting. 🤷‍♀️
Perimenopause has gifted me with heavy periods from hell! I've had awful incidents in the classroom, despite my belt and braces approach to sanpro. Leaks on my chair, emergency cover being called for . Period is here and I'm so glad I'm wfh this week.
However, I watched a video clip of xmas performance from 2 years ago, the other day. It bought me to tears, sobbing tears. I miss all that so much and can't imagine when we can do that again 😪

I am a primary teacher (non UK). I hate teaching online. Everything about it is awful. I can prepare my lessons for me, but preparing them for 27 parents who do not know each child's initial level, what they have done so far and where they need a bit of extra support. I didn't become a teacher to sit behind a screen, I became a teacher to spend time with the kids and to help them. I worry that the children are spending too much time with screens. You comment smacks of 'anyone can teach', but I beg to differ. It's about so much more and classroom management isn't the PITA that some people seem to think it is. It's a small part of the job.

During lockdown, I have 4DC (1SEN) to teach whilst preparing for 27 students, so I often stay up late cleaning etc, then preparing lessons, and marking any docs I have been sent it before setting videos. I can easily be there until 3am most mornings. It's exhausting. But this last point, anyone who is trying to hold down a job whilst taking care of their kids and keeping the place clean can relate to. As a teacher, you then have to reassess each child and then help them fill in any gaps. It's a lot of work!

I live in a country which hasn't closed
Schools, and I am so grateful for that. I really feel for everyone in the countries where schools are closed. None of my teacher friends in any country, want the schools to be closed.