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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Live lessons, am I right to question this?

18 replies

Beline4u · 05/03/2021 11:49

So, I have a child in first year (12 years old). His schooling has consisted of him getting work set at the either the start of the week or middle of the week. He has had one live class each week with a maths teacher but that lasts all of 15mins. The work he gets is to either to design pictures or bake a cake 🤔 wtf. He is sent a passage to read and answer questions but that only takes about 10min to complete. Another teacher set him a task without any guidance, when questioned. The message was ignored.

Am I right to challenge his form tutor or head of year? I find every week he is getting less and less work. I'm becoming really concerned. I recieved a message from the school regarding "live lessons will not continue today as there is parents meeting".

I'm confused, I know for sure that his class friends are getting any lessons as I've spoke with another parent. Should I challenge the school? Or is this normal?
Please help

OP posts:
Artesia · 05/03/2021 11:50

Isn’t it a bit late to question this, given they are back in school next week?

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2021 13:13

Are you in Scotland?

Frogartist · 05/03/2021 13:16

You don't need to "challenge" the school, just ask them.

thecognoscenti · 05/03/2021 13:24

@Frogartist

You don't need to "challenge" the school, just ask them.
This! People can be so adversarial
EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 05/03/2021 13:37

Just ask!

But they’re going back to school next week so I wouldn’t bother.

Norwaydidnthappen · 05/03/2021 13:53

My DC are Year 4, 5 and 6. The year 4 teachers almost always set adequate work but the other two just didn’t. It was actually quite shocking some days how little they set. Often just like you say, read a short passage and answer 8 questions. It struck me as lazy and I found myself having to source my own work because they finished the work set in 30 minutes every day.

I’m pleased they’re returning on Monday and the teachers can teach once again. I am a teacher myself on mat leave so appreciate how frustrating it is but some teachers are way lazier than others.

Original poster
Beline4u · 05/03/2021 13:58

He isn't back to school until after Easter. I was completely unaware that live classes were happening. He has been so good at doing his work everyday, sometimes struggling but with help from myself he has just about managed to get through.

When I say challenge, its coming from a point of exhaustion from the school system regarding my child. He doesn't met the criteria to have a learning difficulty but psychologist says he has some. He is in the low bad of school. I have felt pushed aside when it comes to getting him support and the help he needs. I thought, now that he is in a new school, new year he will get the help he needs. He is under SEN within the school, so it was great that finally he will have extra support, extra resources.

So, "just ask" is all I do. I'm very reasonable and I'm very much all about communication and openness. I very much understand the struggles everyone has be going through.

BUT today has made me snap! When it has came to my knowledge that actually, how much he has missed out? To me, is actually shocking with comparison to others in his year group. In fact it infuriates me that there are "sides" and no support. That I have to call the school to ask why he hasnt been getting live classes, not only him but also his class.

OP posts:
Original poster
Beline4u · 05/03/2021 14:06

@Norwaydidnthappen Thank you for your kind post. I know there are very lazy teachers and very good teachers!
His maths teacher has be consistent for a few weeks. But It never dawned on me that he should have other classes. He has extra English and maths because of his needs.

Your right, the work that is sent out can be ridiculous. His history has be good, he has enjoyed it.

I hope your kids have a great first week back at school. I'm sure they're excited to see their friends 🙂

OP posts:
sanfranfibber · 05/03/2021 14:08

But It never dawned on me that he should have other classes

So he should have been in classes this whole time but somehow you didn't know this or the school didn't tell you and neither of you have checked up on the situation!?

SSwimCycle21 · 05/03/2021 14:10

That sounds like very poor provision from a secondary school. My 13yr year9, has 5/6teams video calls as lesson based on her full timetable everyday with work submitted via online notebook or email to each subject teacher. Its a standard huge comprehensive. This started when we had Nov 20 second lockdown we didn’t get this in Mar-June2020 first lockdown.

SoCrimeaRiver · 05/03/2021 14:21

I questioned this as my Year 7 was also done and dusted by 10am. School said other parents were complaining about the workload. I suspect my DS is doing the bare minimum so I started suggesting he do things like Bitesize (which has programmes or games e.g. times table games) or do some reading. It's been hard work trying to help / entertain him / stop him distracting home-working meetings. Will be glad when he goes back tbh.

RedGoldAndGreene · 05/03/2021 14:24

Is the problem that he didn't know when/where/how to attend live lessons?

My children are older but the school has sent info on Microsoft Teams, where homework assignments are posted and what times live lessons are.

BigPlanes · 05/03/2021 14:25

Is he missing from his class teams? Any chance he’s removed himself? Have you checked his actual calendar? Have you contacted the school to ask for confirmation of what live lessons he should be expecting?

Original poster
Beline4u · 05/03/2021 14:42

I sit with him in the morning to look at the work that needs done, we go through his timetable, we communicate with the teacher if there is an issue, any live classes that is happening (maths, ONE TIME English) the link is sent in email but also attached to his googleclass class.

The school has said, it is up to the teacher on whether they do live classes. So, basically my childs teachers decide not to bother with his class.

@sanfranfibber
"So he should have been in classes this whole time but somehow you didn't know this or the school didn't tell you and neither of you have checked up on the situation!" NO! They havent being doing live classes for his form class. Only one teacher (Maths) has made the effort. I wasnt aware that other form classes were having live lessons. It has just come to my attention that his form class haven't been getting live lessons in other subjects! He has been getting work uploaded and doing all his work. I just assumed that's how his school was doing it. Until today!!

OP posts:
AdoptedBumpkin · 05/03/2021 14:44

This does not sound like adequate online education to me.

Musicalmistress · 05/03/2021 15:15

@Beline4u

I sit with him in the morning to look at the work that needs done, we go through his timetable, we communicate with the teacher if there is an issue, any live classes that is happening (maths, ONE TIME English) the link is sent in email but also attached to his googleclass class.

The school has said, it is up to the teacher on whether they do live classes. So, basically my childs teachers decide not to bother with his class.

@sanfranfibber
"So he should have been in classes this whole time but somehow you didn't know this or the school didn't tell you and neither of you have checked up on the situation!" NO! They havent being doing live classes for his form class. Only one teacher (Maths) has made the effort. I wasnt aware that other form classes were having live lessons. It has just come to my attention that his form class haven't been getting live lessons in other subjects! He has been getting work uploaded and doing all his work. I just assumed that's how his school was doing it. Until today!!

It is up to individual teachers in Scotland whether they do 'live' in the moment teaching sessions but there should be either pre-recorded sessions from his teacher or links to learning videos online. Any of the 3 are considered acceptable by Scot Gov & Education Scotland. My DD is in S3 & has 1 'live' session for every subject each week, English & Maths there are 2 a week. All with follow up work set, pointers to further work if needed & teachers have been very responsive to requests for help. I would speak to the school as he should have had some 'live' input, at least once a week, do every subject - just remember 'live' could also be the videos mentioned above.
JillsFlapjacks · 05/03/2021 15:39

My son is S1 too, his teachers have provided the odd live lesson, but not many of them. However they provide amply PowerPoints, assignments, videos, worksheets, etc. It's all very well set out, assignments are given weekly for each class, feedback is provided, and teachers always answer questions.

I wouldn't be happy at him being given the level of work/interaction you've described. I would speak to the school, we still have quite a few weeks left of this.

JillsFlapjacks · 05/03/2021 15:40

Provide ample*

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