To hate online parents' evenings.

[Hcolhcsra]

DD's school and the one where I work are both sticking to online parents' evenings. I loathe them, both as a teacher and as a parent. Too many issues with connections, countdown timers adding pressure and a general lack of connection.

Am I really in a minority?

Preferred them as a parent.

No childcare issues.
Could have dinner cooking at the same time.
DH can 'attend' from wherever he happens to be that day.
No over running.

Internet cutting out was inconvenient though...

Yep like them as long as the teacher is familiar with the technology. Live parents evenings never run to time, it is chaotic and noisy (at secondary). The same children who dominate the classroom dominate the parents evening because the teachers need to tell them off in front of their parents or because their parents are as chatty as they are.

@NiceGerbil

The one we've had your time was counting down and went red when nearly gone. And then it cut off automatically.

Brilliant!

This! Brilliant

I dislike them, luckily our school is doing mix and match. The teacher either meets you in person in the classroom, or Teams calls you from the classroom, so its possible to do whatever the parents prefer.

sooooo much better than real life parents evenings

I can see both sides of the argument, however I have a chronic health condition which means face to face parents' evenings, racing around from room to room, standing around waiting for other parents to finish, are utterly draining for me. So virtual parents' evenings are a bit of a godsend for me really. Also quicker as we could book consecutive slots rather than having to schedule 5 mins in between each one.

Definitely better. In person was carnage with very few people sticking to time slots so people were just going to wherever they could find a teacher with a short queue. Long treks between teachers which didn't help either. Noisy and frustrating.

@HungryHippo11

I dislike them, luckily our school is doing mix and match. The teacher either meets you in person in the classroom, or Teams calls you from the classroom, so its possible to do whatever the parents prefer.

This seems like the perfect compromise.

They have their limitations but the advantages are massive. I can "attend " parents evening without leaving work, battling city traffic and parking mayhem!

I much prefer the online version. The only thing I would change is maybe increase the appointment times to 7/8 minutes.

But no getting lost in school, no waiting ridiculous lengths of time when meetings overran meaning you were late for other appointments.

All done calmly and in the comfort of our home.

I hope they stay

As a parent of primary-age children, the downside of online meetings for me is not getting a chance to look through their books. I usually find that the most useful/interesting part of parent’s evening tbh. I agree that offering a choice of online/face-to-face is the best solution if schools can accommodate that.

The school I work at surveyed the parents and it was 60:30 in favour of returning to face to face, which I am pleased about as I really didn't like them. They were a lot harder mentally to attend than face to face no idea why!

My kids primary is sticking to online which is a bits pants as can only see teacher at the end of the day so limited.

@SionnachRua

I love them tbh - primary teacher though so maybe that makes a difference. It's great being able to boot overly talkative parents out with an airy "oh my next appointment is in the waiting room".

Charming!!!!

OP - yes, all the online stuff has been awful - not a positive experience at all imo - it definitely does have a massive impact on connection/bond.

My son's primary are offering in-school parents' eve finally - can't wait to see my son's classroom (didn't see ANY of school for whole of last year) and his workbooks, wall displays etc.

I much prefer them to face to face, my appointment was on time this evening, I was done and dusted in the allotted 10 mins, having spent 2 hours before now in the school for 2 primary slots that were 10 mins in duration with 10mins between to allow me to get to the next class, I much prefer virtual.
I'm confident that if there were issues the teacher or senco would contact me and it's well published how to contact the teacher if I have concerns myself.

No online is so much better! For one it means I can actually attend!
Normal face to face meetings started at 5pm in school in the middle of a city with easily an hours and a half's drive to at that time of day.
Add in work which doesn't finish until 5pm and two younger children to collect by 5.15!
I can do all that and still be on the zoom call by 5.30pm. It's wonderful and I hope they don't change it back!

I can see why you do, but for me online works way better.

Going to school and waiting in ‘queue’ and then having half the hall (and my child) eavesdrop on the meeting - not great and wastes at least an hour.

Online meeting I can give son the ipad, go to different room, have a completely private meeting that only takes ten minutes of my time 😍 Plus DH has the option of joining, which is impossible for an in person meeting at school.

@W00t

Sorry, I love them! It means you actually get your full appointment, at the right time, instead of having to sit waiting for people to stop going on and on and on about their child. The appointments are five minutes- don't use up mine and the next person's too, selfish gits!

I'm long retired now but they sound wonderful, especially the automatic cut off! It will also deal with the parents who think they can just show up two hours before there batch of appointments because their team is playing in a match on TV, clear where their priorities are.

I prefer them.
Even with the old 10 minute slots there was that parent who ignored the time limit and a few late arrivals before I know it an hour has past for a 10 minute meeting.
No it takes 15 including prep.

I prefer them and the parent poll voted in favour of keeping them, but you're not unreasonable to prefer in person

I love them
No queues
No queue jumpers
Far quieter
Keep to time

their batch, not there batch of course. Time for bed I think.

Love them. I have Year 11 and year 13 children at different schools and in both cases it is so efficient. Don't have to drive 30 or 40 mins after work to queue in a massive, busy and noisy hall for each teacher. Love the appointment system, so easy to book and love the clock, know exactly where I stand time wise. Absolutely no down side to it for me.

I think they're great. No more getting stuck waiting for the previous parents to stop hogging the teachers. It really focuses the conversation onto what needs to be said. I wonder if the parents who don't like them are the ones who waffle on for ages?

Re overrunning - as a secondary teacher I just stop responding in depth, switching to repeating myself, or yes no answers to the parents who won't stop. Will also tell them I need to move on and will email them a follow up if they would like. Most say no and move on!

Our primary was well organised and had all the teachers spaced out in the hall so no one could hear and the head rang a bell at 10 minutes to move everyone on. It was a slick operation and they had the admin staff plan so parents were back to back with all staff they needed to see!

I found online really impersonal.

I love them. I have been able to attend all my childrens parents meeting for the first time in years. I work full time and the school is too far for me to get there: I dont ever want it ti change back to face to face.