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.

That's awful Mrs Zola. Poor kids and poor you.

My 2 dcs seem OK. In fact ds has had his best ever 3 weeks. Moved up 2 bookbands, on the recognition board 4 times, star of the day twice. No problem going in, walks home nicely with his friend with no squabbles, just generally a pleasure tbh. He is in year 2.

Dd (year 12) is thrilled to be back in school. No problems with her either. I think they are both ready for easter though. Both been tired and a bit quiet at a weekend but to be expected.

From talking to my DDs teacher last week she says the class are all a bit more tearful than normal, having more frequent toilet visits where before they'd wait for a natural break in the teaching/discussion they now just get up and go.

DD is struggling, I struggle to get her there in the morning, then she has to be dragged off me by the staff, she talks about having no-one to play with as it#s a small class and between the ones who were in school and the mums who swapped childcare (22 in class, they had 12 in every day as it was fulltime or nothing and then a group of mums swapped childcare which included a further 5 children who saw each other more or less daily) there seems to be less people for my DD to play with which she's finding difficult as the ones who've seen each other all the time want to play with each other and not include the ones who've been at home/not in the childcare bubble. Which is upsetting to hear as a parent - feels like she's back in Reception where everyone seemed to know each other and she knew some from Nursery but everyone else seemed to have done private nursery and school pre-school so they all met there. It took a term or two to sort it out. I'm almost hoping they actually mix the classes at the end of this year as they haven't done that with our year yet. She's fine coming out, but a bit sad about playtimes and lunchtimes on her own.

Teach in a P1/2 class (5/6 year olds), they’ve been back 5 weeks now and they are WILD. I mean they were always quite wild but it’s another level at the moment.

Lots of them get hungry easily too. I think they've been used to more access to snacks than they get in school or possibly eating breakfast earlier then having to wait longer for lunch than they have at home.

Secondary teacher.
A few girls not coping.
Boys seem happy.
A couple of boys who were lively before, worryingly passive in remote learning, now back to lively selves.
A lot of calling out whatever matters to them ‘Miss , Miss, Miss’ etc - can’t ‘hold a thought’ obviously used to getting parents’ immediate attention and not used to sharing. It’s like having a class of all ‘only’ children.

My class of year 5s were always a punchy troublesome bunch but now they are off the scale .

Not a teacher, but DS has come home with a few new swearwords, so I am guessing some parents found homelearning as tough as I did.

He is not looking forward to the Easter holidays for the first time since he started school, he wants to be with his friends.

1 has forgot how to write his name. The ones who have been in are struggling with not getting the attention they were and also it's been a long intense term for them. Lots of assessments at moment as it's like starting again and no shared sand, shared playground, sensory activities, indoor singing, indoor physical games so that takes the fun out too....

My dd is in secondary. Yr8. Lockdown seems to have affected her and her friends loads in a the way it didn’t the first time around. The kids all sound pretty feral and much more cocky. Dd said one teacher complained the class were being so rowdy she could cry but she wouldn’t obviously. Lots of videoing themselves in class if they can get away with it. PE was 2 lessons of orienteering. Basically a TikTok / photo / video fest.

My dd engaged with all the lessons online and I’m figuring things will settle so I’m not too concerned. But some students won’t have done and teachers must be tearing their hair out. Science exam for the whole of yr7 and 8 syllabus covered thus far will be interesting. Imagine this is to see what the gaps are...

They are hard work. No stamina for work or exercise, the latter is really noticeable this time. We have put in extra playtimes to encourage casual exercise.

Work is something to get out of the way, rather than to take pride in. They look most indignant when reminded that it isn’t what I’m expecting. Some children have stopped speaking in sentences and regressed hugely.

There is a massive gap between those who did the work during closures and those who didn’t. Despite our best efforts, some parents and children really didn’t want to engage (places in school offered, laptops and data given, parents on furlough). These children have no idea what is going on as the others have pulled away in terms of learning and curriculum covered. Catch up will take terms, not a few weeks.

On the other hand, some children developed a love of reading, their understanding and work generally has shot up. We’re going slowly, encouraging practical and outdoor working, but these are year 6 who will need to be ready for KS3 in September. I’m a bit worried about them.

@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 😢

That's so sad. A lot of heartbreaking stories on here.

No a teacher bit work in a secondary school, teachers saying children are subdued and quiet

I work in behaviour at a senior school and at the moment it’s pretty poor

A lot of them have got used to being able to have a online lesson on but be on their phone/distracted by something else

Thank you teachers ❤️

Primary school here, the children on the whole seem absolutely fine, lots of happy smiling faces and engaged with their work. The parents are another matter. We have had more batshittery than in a whole year this last three weeks!

@SnargaluffPod

My year seven child tried to kill themselves a few weeks back. He is not ok. Nothing like this in the past and all down to COVID.

So sorry to hear that 😨

I’d like to add, because now I re read my post it seems like i’m being critical, i’m not... we understand why, the whole situation is trying all round!

Primary school. Support needed with social and self help skills definitely. Handwriting needs lots of practice as does phonics. Otherwise ok.

@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 😢

@MrsZola another y1 teacher here feeling exactly as you do. These poor, poor children. “Developmentally inappropriate” is EXACTLY the phrase I’ve been trying to find to describe the impact of COVID on my class. You’ve hit the nail on the head.

My class are happy to be back in a routine and with their friends but like others, I’m finding they’re lacking in stamina and asking how long til hometime an awful lot!

Quite a lot of my class were in throughout jan and feb but they’re struggling too and haven’t progressed as I would have expected them to. I have SO many children who just stare at me, wide eyed, when I am talking to them. Some are progressing as expected and some thrived at home.

We’re going to be feeling the effects of COVID for several years I’m afraid.

Yes. You’ve hit the nail on the head. Dd yr8 got used to working whilst with friends on FaceTime. They’d work, maybe be on mute for over an hour, chat for few minutes or work together where possible etc.

A lot of them have got used to being able to have a online lesson on but be on their phone / distracted by something else

This is the crux of why the phones are being used a lot by my dd and I expect a lot of children. One teacher even lets them to photograph the board and others to do research at times or to go online if they’ve finished etc. Cue a quick sneaky video.

Dd was home today not feeling well. 3 friends called up on a Houseparty with her during a lesson. She didn’t pick up.

Sorry my comment was to @Fembot

The ones who were in throughout were very worried about the rest coming back - they enjoyed the smaller class size - but seem to be doing pretty well now. They bonded as a group and made good progress.

The ones coming back are struggling. Friendship groups have changed and moved on. The quality of learning at home varied wildly, and some have scarily large gaps in their learning. They are used to going to the loo or getting a snack whenever they want, and have forgotten some school rules and behaviours.

We're doing what we can to support mental health, and to give them lots of opportunities for play and group work, and drawing up plans to address those learning gaps too.

My year 4 class are thrilled to be back but mainly to socialise with their friends and the adults around them! It’s lovely to see them so happy to be back and keen to engage with us and each other. On the flip side, they’re unbelievably chatty, fussy, needy and have lost any sense of independence in the classroom. It’s like September again 😂

No resilience
Chatty
Squabbling

But overall much better than I expected