If you're a teacher, how do the kids seem at the moment?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

In light of all the reports of children's mental health and development suffering during lockdown, I've been wondering about this a lot. Have you noticed a big change in the kids you teach? Was it as bad as you feared?

My DS9 seems to have come through it all more or less OK, though according to him he's currently getting told off a lot 'for no reason' so reading between the lines, he's being a bit of a PITA. Hopefully it'll settle down.

I know this sounds like a very 'journalist' post... all I can say is I promise I'm not! Been around for years and would make a crap journalist.

Quite big gaps in learning for many, most very happy to be back, some refusing to come in and some struggling to adapt to the school routine. It is absolutely brilliant to see them laughing with each other and running around in the playground again. They were a bit like zombies on zoom so it is great to see them back in school and full of energy.

Plus lots of safeguarding issues outside school, and little support from other agencies.

@SnargaluffPod I'm sorry to hear that about your son, my own son who is 9 has really struggled with him mental health and has had suicidal thoughts, his actions while he hasn't made an attempt, has landed us in hospital a few times. It's not been an easy time that's for sure!

They are tired and irritable. Many have lost the social skill of 'rubbing along' with others. Massive drop in cognitive and physical stamina.

But, they are children. They will recover and far more quickly than any of us adults!

Secondary teacher here.
They seem very depressed and quiet. Eerily so. It's like waking the dead But I can tell that as a professional experienced staff were all trying to cheer them up. They need to be conscious in order to learn and engage. I'm doing more fun subject content, and literally singing and dancing more. Playing fun songs from you tube.
I did starjumps today in a lesson on gcse higher probability trees. (We were choosing sports to compete in a fictional triathlon to make tree. My choices were starjumps, rally driving and then shot put) This was year 11 who are v v affected by covid and no gcses. It made them smile and learn the content and crucially engage rather than this awful apathetic glazed over depression. I will embarrass myself so they can laugh as much as needed. Within my control really though.
Next door were playing corners one lesson and bloody screaming with it.(!!) This isn't very usual at secondary :) But you could tell it was member of staff controlled as they were intermittently screaming / shrieking with joy and intermittently silent. Were on it, is all I would say.

I'm not a teacher, but I work a few hours in a school and they all seem a bit hyped up.
It's understandable I know, but I think it's just them adjusting to the old routine. The parents are stressed and it's affecting the children.
These lockdowns are doing so much damage sadly :(

@Crystal90567

Secondary teacher here. They seem very depressed and quiet. Eerily so. It's like waking the dead But I can tell that as a professional experienced staff were all trying to cheer them up. They need to be conscious in order to learn and engage. I'm doing more fun subject content, and literally singing and dancing more. Playing fun songs from you tube. I did starjumps today in a lesson on gcse higher probability trees. (We were choosing sports to compete in a fictional triathlon to make tree. My choices were starjumps, rally driving and then shot put) This was year 11 who are v v affected by covid and no gcses. It made them smile and learn the content and crucially engage rather than this awful apathetic glazed over depression. I will embarrass myself so they can laugh as much as needed. Within my control really though. Next door were playing corners one lesson and bloody screaming with it.(!!) This isn't very usual at secondary :) But you could tell it was member of staff controlled as they were intermittently screaming / shrieking with joy and intermittently silent. Were on it, is all I would say.

You sound like such a lovely teacher. My DS is only 4 and his school/teacher have been amazing throughout. I get quite teary when I think about it and I do send half termly emails to the head with really gushing praise. I cringe a bit but they so deserve it.

I hadn’t really thought about teens going back to school, but I hope that all schools have teachers like you

Secondary school teacher in Scotland - our pupils are only back part time and have to maintain a 2m distance from one another at all times- they are on the whole pretty flat.... it’s hard trying to have a ‘normal’ class with only half (or less) of them there and all spaced apart- so they can’t chat to one another in the way they would normally - so it’s not been the panacea to improving their health and well being as yet. Also as they are only in ‘cohorts’ rather than year groups they are likely to be timetabled to be in on days their real friends aren’t in... so lunch times etc aren’t as much fun. Had a ‘virtual’ parents evening for one year group last week and the parents ALL said their kids were low and not particularly enjoying school in its current format. Hopefully things will improve after the Easter holidays as they are supposed to all be back without social distancing. 🤞

A lot of my well-adjusted and supported tutees have confided it in me how stressed and overwhelmed they feel, but they don't want to worry there parents and they feel guilty for struggling.
When I convince them to speak to their parents with me, this comes as a huge shock.
To the parents out there, even if your kid seems to be coping, please check in with them occasionally and reassure them that it's okay to struggle.

I teach in year R and all they are interested in is when is home time. They are tired immediately after lunch - not unusual but it’s as if they’ve lost their core strength and can’t sit up anymore. In PE they are knackered after 5 minutes, stamina has definitely taken a hit.
Then the difference between those who engaged in home learning vs those who didn’t / tried to stay off the radar as much as poss is very noticeable.

In the first week back, there was a lot of attitude and children answering back/being a bit too familiar with teachers. That’s settled now and they’re generally doing well. Lots of children have lost independence and will just sit there waiting for an adult to spoon feed them, even the very capable ones. I think they’ve got used to 1:1 help at home with learning. They all seem very happy to be back which is good.

We've just had online parents evening and DS's Y4 was describing how on the first few days back, they opened the doors at breaktime and the children wandered out and just stood there. It has taken then a few weeks to relearn how to play properly again, but now they are running around having fun.

It made me smile to myself; I had a vision of one of those nature documentaries when they try to release orphan chicks to the wild and when they finally open the enclosure door they don't want to go out, and have to be lured by humans running round a field flapping their wings

Tired, out of routine, grumpy.
Some loving being back.
Significant spike in self-harm and mental health intervention.
Correlates with the spike in reports of safeguarding issues from home, etc.
I teach secondary, so a LOT of anxiety around exams.

Teacher here. My class seen very happy to be back and there haven't been tears at the start of the day.
I've noticed, though, that there are more tears over little things. They are getting upset by their parents picking them up late, or at playtime. We are doing lots of circle time sessions to try and help them get used to being back in a classroom with 29 other children.
Also, a lot of accidents! I think they have grown and haven't had much time to play in such a big space with other children.
Some of them don't understand why they can't finish off their lunch during random lessons

I teach Year 1 in a school that is part of a large academy trust. We have been told that the children must sit in rows, facing the front of the class. Our teaching focus is maths, writing, reading, phonics and handwriting - oh we are allowed to do PE. I'm bored, the children are bored - 2 phonics sessions a day for goodness sake! We've just had assessment week because the Trust want all the data. That's what it's come down to 😢. The behaviour has gone downhill, they can't sit still and their attention span is zilch. Some children are finding it impossible to adjust to the way it is now and are very disruptive. I don't blame them for one moment - these are the children who didn't even get 2 full terms in Year R, then were thrown into a Year 1 curriculum that they weren't ready for. The 'catch up' period was so brief as to be laughable. They are 5 and 6 gears old and being subjected to an environment and curriculum that is totally u suitable and developmentally inappropriate for the majority of them. I feel so sorry for them all. I'm taking early retirement at the end of the year - I can't do this to them anymore. I know that sounds a bit melodramatic, but I can see tbat it's going to be this way for a very long time. I really miss sitting together on the carpet for a story 😢

Totally agree with chatty and PITA. Y11 very demotivated- bless them.
Students who struggled with poor behaviour (not linked to SEN) prior to lockdown had a great 2 weeks back (honeymoon period) and the sh1t has well and truly hit the fan this week. External exclusions left, right and centre.

@MrsZola

I teach Year 1 in a school that is part of a large academy trust. We have been told that the children must sit in rows, facing the front of the class. Our teaching focus is maths, writing, reading, phonics and handwriting - oh we are allowed to do PE. I'm bored, the children are bored - 2 phonics sessions a day for goodness sake! We've just had assessment week because the Trust want all the data. That's what it's come down to 😢. The behaviour has gone downhill, they can't sit still and their attention span is zilch. Some children are finding it impossible to adjust to the way it is now and are very disruptive. I don't blame them for one moment - these are the children who didn't even get 2 full terms in Year R, then were thrown into a Year 1 curriculum that they weren't ready for. The 'catch up' period was so brief as to be laughable. They are 5 and 6 gears old and being subjected to an environment and curriculum that is totally u suitable and developmentally inappropriate for the majority of them. I feel so sorry for them all. I'm taking early retirement at the end of the year - I can't do this to them anymore. I know that sounds a bit melodramatic, but I can see tbat it's going to be this way for a very long time. I really miss sitting together on the carpet for a story 😢

My DD is in year one and you are totally right. It makes my heart ache for her (I know it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but it actually hurts when I think of how this has impacted her life).

to you.

@MrsZola that sounds like a dystopian nightmare version of education. Get out of there quick!

mrszola, goodness that sounds utterly depressing. Such a contrast to a PP who described their 'recovery curriculum'. It shows how influential the culture of the Trusts and leadership can be, for better or worse.

Great to hear this exLtEveDallas. We are the same (maybe same school ). I’m a school governor and this is definitely our ethos. Also we’ve said absolutely no assessments of kids this year. Neither they are the teaching staff need it. It’s wonderful to hear them laughing and chatting to their friends. My older one really missed her school - had just start high school and was making some real friendship. She is a million times happier. It’s so uplifting to hear her singing in the shower every morning and seeing her smile on her way out the door! Sending much love to those who are still struggling desperately xxx

My Year 3 class are happy as Larry- so overexcited to be back at school and with me. They are a bit chattier than normal but full of excitement for everything.
My school has kept these three weeks really low key with fun learning activities. My class want to do proper work in their books😂
I am lucky that I teach in. Leafy London suburb school where most children were able to have plenty of help from parents at home and are all a pretty high ability anyway.

Head of Year 11 here. 75% are okay, working hard and looking forward to the end. The other 25% are in crisis. I've NEVER had to deal with some many kids crying, refusing to go to lessons, having panic attacks, squabbles, actual fights! It's exhausting me at the moment, the end of tomorrow can't come soon enough right now for me!

Kids are lovely but it’s noticeable with too tight uniforms, kids are bulkier on average. There’s never been an issue really before with girth, but we’ve had feedback on it. PE the kids are happy but mainly are noticeably less physical, quick to tire or hold their weight on the bars. Not every child, but the average has shifted.

Most kids are the same work wise, a little more eager on the whole and grateful.

A handful have notable anxiety, nervous of touching, returning to the topic of corona a lot, jumpy etc. Asking about coronavirus and searching for ways to avoid it beyond the rules.

Primary age

Really interesting thread.
And THANK YOU to all teachers

They get easily tired and I can see there are big gaps in their learning but mental health wise they all seem happy to be back at school with their peers and they're happy to settle down and work.