To barely be doing the school work

[Breezing32]

My daughter's school work is so complex for five. Her maths is all complicated stuff that all adults I've shown have struggled to understand without quite abit of thought. We have awful tinny videos to watch from her teacher's every day. I've got a toddler here all day rubbing riot. I just can not keep up. The day is like this.

9.20 half an hour live registration.

Each day a 20 minute English lesson video. Hard to hear. Toddler wanting to join in. Shouting over it. Volume on my phone and laptop is not loud enough if there's any background noise.

Repeat the same for maths. Also new ways of doing it from my school days so I can't seem to get it to stick in her head.

A phonics lesson. We usually manage this.

Spelling tests each week.

Science lesson each week.

Pe section.

Assembly for 20 minutes each day.

After noon check in at 3.20 for 20 minutes.

Phe lesson a couple of times a week.

So they basically want us as parents to teach the kids a full school day each day. Check in twice. Watch an assembly.

I wish I could. But my toddler does not sleep now and he's not burning any energy of himself with me trying to do all this. I'm trying to potty train. Run a house. Have time for my boyfriend. Cook. Care for myself and get us our for excercise.

I am not alone. My situation isn't the hardest. But my daughter is falling behind because there's just not a quiet part of the day she can concentrate.

I am overwhelmed and exhausted by it all.

What are other people's schools doing?
How are you coping?

@Lucieintheskye no, you’re making assumptions.
Of course they’re not the only way to provide an education. My children have been through forest schools, Steiner school, high level classical music education, normal comps.. etc etc.
The work I’ve seen provided by schools is generally fairly doable. It seems fair enough just to do as much as you can, then get on with the day.

[quote Candiscophonous]@Lucieintheskye no, you’re making assumptions.
Of course they’re not the only way to provide an education. My children have been through forest schools, Steiner school, high level classical music education, normal comps.. etc etc.
The work I’ve seen provided by schools is generally fairly doable. It seems fair enough just to do as much as you can, then get on with the day.[/quote]
Explains a lot. I see you were unable to read OPs post as you couldn't quite look down your nose enough to see it. Must've been really easy for your children to have been home educated by you whilst running your household and caring for yourself and partner during a pandemic.

Oh wait.

Fuck off.

Videos are incredibly tinny and hard to hear for us too!

Thought it was my computer.

Haven’t done any of it for the last two days. Working full time and had a tricky and urgent piece of work on. Did an hours reading with Ds (6) today and some painting yesterday.

Can’t do more. Also have an old D.C. (12) but thankfully she does her own work. She still needs me to at least spend a bit of time with her though!

@Lucieintheskye
Yes I read it. It’s an annoying schedule but it’s doable. Touching in a few times a day is tricky. But still it can be done. I feel for the op but the solution isn’t just to swan off and do something entirely different as many on the thread suggest.
You have no idea about my personal circumstances thanks. Yes yes I’ve worked from home and had a big family to home educate all the way through. Alone. No partner. It’s bloody hard work but i do it because , well, what’s the alternative. I’m also one of the forgotten self employed that fell through the net of support.
I wake sometimes, at 4am to work.

Maths for Mums and Dads is quite a useful book.

Same, 5 year old, toddler, similar school day and I also work full time. Strategies are

• start work as they get up, do as much at breakfast table while toddler is strapped in as possible.
• play pen area set up to keep toddler away frpm school work
• screencast all tinny videos onto TV and use the soundbar to take volume to the max
• keeping 5 year old up a bit later than toddler to get in 'basics' like reading every day.
• doing 'work' like practicing number bonds on walks
• drinking a shed load of caffeine so I can stay up and fit my work day into night time hours before toddler wakes.

Honestly? It doesn't seem that bad. It looks like the school are providing resources and worksheets.

Get your DD some headphones for her check-ins or keep the toddler away - you don't need to be there.

Stick the toddler in front of CBeebies or whatever activity is likely to keep him occupied for 20 minutes at a time so you can do some maths and writing with her. Do the reading at bedtime if you can't fit it in during the day.

If you're really struggling with number lines and number bonds to 10, look up some info in the evening, as a one off, it's not like they learn new concepts every day.

None of this should take you beyond 12pm.

School at home is a total juggle. I admire all of you helping your infant/primary DCs.

Not to put anything extra on you but there is an online programme called 'DoodleMaths' which is great. It is fun & very well designed for kids. It carefully checks your child's level & gradually builds confidence. Designed on 10 mins a day, rewards & goals to work towards. Covers syllabus 4-14 years. When familiar with it your 5-6 year old should be able to do the daily tasks unaided on a tablet or PC.
Recommend it for anyone. My DS used it daily for about 18 months from age 10.5. His 'maths age' increased from 9 years to 12.5 years in that 18 month period. I wish we had found it in year 1.

I am coping with humour.

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/are-you-thick-or-are-the-schools-having-a-fking-laugh-take-our-quiz-20210118204400

I'm struggling to feel any sympathy as I'm home schooling 3 children and working full time whilst my keyworker husband is at work!

Can't believe some of the responses on here! It's like people are competing to show off how easy they're finding home schooling.

OP, I think that sounds overwhelming. I say this as mum to a 5 year and 3 year old. DD's school is far more realistic (we are in Scotlans), no check ins or assemblies (although I'd appreciate hearing more from the teachers), and an understanding that not everything can get done. DH and I both work, DS3 is a live wire and almost impossible to distract while his sister is learning. We end up giving him a phone or tablet which I hate doing - it seems very unfair on him and just adds yet more screen time.

We're managing but it's not easy. The full days set by some schools are simply not possible, especially for working parents. It's OK to struggle to adapt, we're not all super mums!

@fedupathome

I'm struggling to feel any sympathy as I'm home schooling 3 children and working full time whilst my keyworker husband is at work!

Same here but I can find sympathy. Struggling in a pandemic isn’t a competition nor is a reward if it’s going ok for some whilst not for others.

Focus on the morning live lesson (headphones or leave the room with toddler), maths, English and reading.
Don’t worry too much about the rest. Tell the school the afternoon ‘check in’ isn’t always going to be possible as you need to get your children outside.
Make sure you get them both out every day for fresh air unless it’s torrential rain or belting wind.
She is 5. As long as she is reading, writing and doing some simple maths (2’s, 5’s, 10’s, adding on and taking away to 20) then that’s enough. I am a primary teacher and specialise in year 1

Just wondering if you have the app installed for Teams/Zoom? When my laptop only had online version of Teams the sound was pretty bad. I teach & was finding it difficult. I got a new laptop last week & have now got the app version of Teams and it is much clearer.

Also agree you put her in a different room - she doesn't have you there in school explaining things. So just let her listen for 20 mins like she would be expected to in school. I don't think you're expected to 'teach' her.

What maths are you struggling with?? Is dd reception or y1? You don't have all be sitting together to watch the videos. Put head phones on her.
Concentrate on phonics, reading, writing maths skip the rest. Honestly if you're not also wfh I think you need to realise that you have it quite easy- not trying to insult you but so many people (myself included!) Are doing what you are but wfh and have an older child!

@Feelingconfused2020

Maths really hasn't changed. What is it you are struggling with particularly, at 5? Perhaps we can help you get your head round it.

Your not unreasonable to be struggling, we all are, but you need to get the maths thing sorted because not being able to do age 5 maths is a concern.

What on earth is a 5 year old doing that an adult can't comprehend? I'm not being sarky, I'm really interested, I know that some of the convoluted terms used in grammar are mind-bending but I don't know what's so hard about the KS1 curriculum.

TBH OP I would
Attend the registration - if it has content
Attend the phonics lesson
Forget the rest but read and get her reading, do a little maths work set in your own time if you can, and enjoy your days together.
Tell the school this is what is manageable, feel no guilt and do not worry

She will not "fall behind"

Schools have been obliged to provide 5 hours lessons; parents are not obliged to follow this. The truth is this situation suits no-one.

It is hard when trying to work as well. Mine are older but working full time and trying to help my 3 is driving me insane. I think you need some help with maths, there are good websites. I had to help my 15 year old today and that was a shocker!

I think you should give yourself a break. And ignore the other posters saying you have it easy!!! You certainly don't. Maybe just do the check ins and leave the rest. You could look online for some workbooks for your daughter for maths etc and just work through those for an hour or so a day. She's only 5 - she'll catch up.

Can you give an example of the maths? I'm assuming at that age it's number bonds which is pretty straight forward.

I'm really curious about the maths. My P1/2s and literally doing adding and subtracting up to 20 (or shapes, patterns)

As the more supportive posters have said, I would get headphones and/or a speaker. The sound quality on my laptop is rubbish, so I know what you mean about not being able to hear.

Is it possible to have your toddler in another room while lessons are ongoing?

Can the teacher wear a headset with a microphone to improve the sound quality form their end?

Lastly, you need to communicate to the teacher that your DD needs more support for the maths.

Ignore the competitive race to the bottom from some of the other posters.

There is a website called White Rose Maths which has teaching videos and worksheets on the maths concepts for each year group. I found it helpful to show me how they are learning. I didn't really know what my kid was talking about when he said part part whole at me but he couldn't explain the relatively simple concept to me. I found our foundation teachers have forgotten many new parents do not know how school works. I just muddle along with my older child. No mention of sats this year from the teachers I've gleaned this info from mumsnet or other parents. (Not that they are doing this year). I didn't really know what tricky words were when my eldest started i was just given a sheet to teach him.
I have a 4yo (foundation) and 6yo (year2) they both started off quite well with the work but both have now lost interest and spend most of the day arguing with me about doing the work.
Bbc bitesize videos, alphablock and numberblocks for the youngest. Oak academy videos.
A lot of the set work is repetitious (which is how they learn) but they are bored with it.

Why on earth are schools doing live registration? Pointless. Our school is doing pre recorded videos so we can do them in our own time, much better.

OP do you have an xbox or playstation? Because you can access the internet (via Edge on xbox). It's how we are accessing google classroom. Although the crawling baby likes to press the on/off button on the xbox...

It is hard, we are doing an hour of english, hour of maths, spelling/handwriting/reading every day, and I try to do something else too: currently doing the year two Space topic from Oak.

My work said, 'remember you are not working from home: you are trying to work at home in terrible circumstances; just do the best you can.' I think the same applies to kids; they are not homeschooling, they are trying to learn from home.