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.

Just want to say that as a mother to a Y11 DD I totally apreciate all her teachers, she has been a distracted student who has been on very good terms with the SLT team since year 8. Regardless of the fact that she has been a pain in the butt teachers throughout the school have connected with her for the length of the lockdowns this year and have never allowed her to slip through the net. Yesterday she said that she believes that she has a problem communicating with people, that she was aware that the people she loves and admires were the ones that she never says thank you too, I am sure there are a couple of teachers that she was talking about so thank you all

Someone upthread said feral and lazy, I couldn't agree more. And extremely cheeky.

This is, by turns, sad, uplifting, and fascinating. From a scientist's view point it's a massive social experiment. I really hope the DfE etc are doing studies, and maybe producing some good practice guidance for either the next lockdown, or the next pandemic (sad to say, there will be one, within our children's lifetime probably).

Happily my DC are at a school where they've gone for nurturing and resocialisation, so they're outside, doing lots of fun stuff that's really about cooperation and teamwork.

I’m a secondary teacher who worked harder than ever throughout lockdown. Keyworker school for my kids was crap - they done next to nothing so they hardly went. I felt bad sending them in when no one could be bothered with them. I have a 5 year old boy who has been in school for approx 8 weeks since last March. Missed the end of reception. On his very first day back a couple of weeks ago the teacher assessed each child and sent home the results! My boy’s results were middling and the teacher wasnt impressed. A friend showed me a pretty nasty message the same teacher sent her that week regarding her sons performance. My friend has other kids including one with SENs and had been in contact with the teacher over lockdown saying she was struggling with homeschooling. So much for looking after everyone’s mental health!

As a previous poster said - mine were in school as entitled (before anyone asks) - and have been really disheartened by the return of their peers- these children have developed a really close bond -it’s all very sad.

Children are generally just anxious that they have missed learning.
Most of the kids are fine though and will recover.
They are all happy to be back seeing their friends.

I'm trying to make the learning active and fun. We are mainly doing revision so I try to do it through art or other fun things so they don't really realise they are learning. I break up the day. Give them more time to socialise and more emphasis on working together.

My child also feels very much more settled at school too. She doesn't seem to have any issues. She was anxious during lockdown.

I’m surprised people have noticed such a large effect. Mine seem to have gone back fine. Some schools have almost that long off over the summer, which I realise is not quite the same but they must get out of routines in a similar way.

DIL is teaching Y5's they seem unable to concentrate for a sustained amount of time, are far worse behaved than previously, will get up and wander and generally won't shut up.
In short they seem to be lacking discipline now.

Despite our best efforts, some parents and children really didn’t want to engage

Well you can't be surprised can you? Many parents including myself had to continue to work 8 hrs a day whilst my children were at home. Hardly a conducive environment for home learning. I could hardly help them and they are too young to learn independently.

You’ve put it perfectly 😊 So much gratitude and respect from me too.

@Mumofsend

I'm not a teacher but from chatting to my daughter's senco the kids who have struggled most (on a general level) have been those who were in throughout lockdown, they have struggled with the others returning and a return to normal school.

This is my children, very out of sorts now and struggling with the hussle and noise of everyone being in.

Oh god, how can I forget that they all now seem to think I’m their mum?!
“Where’s my reading book?”
“What’s in my lunchbox today?”
“The bin’s overflowed.”
they were a challenging class in September. They were a challenging class the year before (I have been with these children for 2 years now). But for the love of god can you at least look in your own bags?!?
And yes to the person above who commented on their lack of physical stamina. Our sports coach spent the whole of the autumn term working on improving stamina again, lots of varied interval based running, fun games and so on. For it all to just stop in January. We seem to be back to square one in that respect, some of them are out of breath just walking very short distances in to school again.

I teach Y2, a lot were worried coming back but they’ve settled well. Think the 6 in during lockdown struggled more as it was completely different whilst the others were more excited. It’s obvious who did the home learning. Handwriting isn’t good neither is spelling. Pure sounds aren’t great either eg “sa” instead of “ss” which we’d finally stopped by December! They’re def more needy and don’t know how to wait so I do get quite a few wee shadows who want to follow me if stuck instead of sitting down. A few are constantly needing the toilet as well! Behaviour has decreased this week as we all are tired and so ready for Easter. I’m so glad we finish tomorrow as opposed to a lot of schools!

We didn’t have that many tears which I was surprised about! 2/28 cried a bit leaving mum and a few others said they missed their family on the 1st day but after 2nd day it was fine!

As a parent of teens, a lot of them seem to be struggling. Apparently referrals for tic disorders and mental health issues in teen girls are through the roof. My own 14 year old and lots of my daughter's friends are self-healing and suffering in lots of ways.

Self-harming. (If only self-healing)

Assessment hell here. Some bright spark in SLT decided all pupils needed assessments and its had a detrimental effect.
Year 11 60% ok but 40% stressed/not working/angry. A lot of tears (they have three assessments in every subject between now and May - exams would have been easier).

Year 10 lack of focus and way way behind where they should be at this point

Year 8 and 9 appear to have forgotten how to learn or behave

Year 7 a lot of tears and anxiety

Staff - stressed with marking and dealing with a whole host of new issues

Really, really, REALLY hard work. No stamina, no resilience for social issues, argumentative, demanding, needy, have completely lost all independence. I can't wait for Easter so we can have a reset when we return. I am SLT and have been teaching for years, yet nearly cried in class today - they were almost unmanageable.

Despite our best efforts, some parents and children really didn’t want to engage

I'm a teacher and we didn't engage in home learning for my child. No time - we were both working full time. Child went in to school on the days when we were both out of the house working, but that was it. The other 3 days we were home and 8 - 5 like normal. She watched a lot of telly. We read with her a lot though, so she's gone up a couple of book bands, and her spoken language has improved as a result of watching so many different tv programmes.

Not a teacher but since being back to school my children have had to take test after test daily at school.

Exactly what Rule said above. Plus stroppy, entitled, sulky, and with an added dose of sexism thrown in there which is new. I think several of the Y6s in particular (and we're v boy heavy in Y6) have been completely ignoring Mum at home and getting away with it, and now think doing as a female asks is optional, whilst they jump to follow the exact same instruction given by either of the two males on the staff.

It is the parents fault, put them in charge for a few months and a pack of sulky wannabe delinquents return. Shocking I tell ya.
Glad some teachers are enjoying the return of the DC.

Omg...I’m sorry to hear this. I have no useful words, but sending love and strength xx