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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
NHS Coronavirus information. Information from gov.uk. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have health concerns, please seek medical attention.
Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
Covid
Do you think we will see a rise in home educating and home working after the pandemic has ended?
Lalalalalalalalaland · 19/03/2020 19:34
General musings really.
My 3 finished school last Friday as DS has respiratory issues and both GPs who rely on us for help have COPD.
So we have been home educating this week, so far me and the children are enjoying it and they have got a surprising amount done.
Now I don't want to do it forever however do you think we will see a rise in people wanting to keep this way of life after the coronavirus pandemic ends?
Lots of people are now working from home who would never have thought to ask for home working as it wasn't the done thing and are perhaps realising the vast majority can be done remotely.
TheLinerunner · 19/03/2020 19:42
I think after a few days months a lot of people will be fed up of it.
However for some families it might open up new possibilities, especially where their DC have been let down by a school system that's quite unforgiving at times, and where parents have rubbish employers and colleagues back at the office.
TheMemoryLingers · 19/03/2020 19:42
I think there'll be a rise in home working - particularly for front line workers, i.e. call centres, help desks etc.
colouringinpro · 19/03/2020 19:43
Not home educating, from my perspective I'll be even more appreciative of teachers and schools 
niffynoonoo · 19/03/2020 19:48
yes I think so. I have been home educating ds since last September. Once you get into it, its so different. I don`t miss the lunchboxes and school uniforms 1 little bit!
Lalalalalalalalaland · 19/03/2020 19:50
I am surprised how much we can get done in a short time, i suppose it is quicker to teach 2 than 30. I certainly have a new respect for teachers. If i thought myself capable of teaching the more conplicated stuff, and If I didn't have to go back to work when this is over I would consider it
Lalalalalalalalaland · 19/03/2020 22:08
I haven't missed uniform i must admit. And we did ahem... home economics at lunch and the kids made their own!
Bluejuicyapple · 19/03/2020 22:11
No way. We’ll be running back to school as fast as our legs will carry us.
elQuintoConyo · 19/03/2020 22:22
I've always had a lot of respect for teachers 
We're on lockdown and we've made a timetable that ds helped devise of what time we do different things. Eg:
8-9 up
9-10 breakfast, teeth, get dressed
10-11 maths/reading
11-11.30 break with biscuits
11.30- 1 Lego 30Day challenge, drawing, writing diary
1-2 lunch and wash up
2-3 free play (tablet, whatever)
3-4 free reading, school homework (we've been given very little!)
4+ free time!
It's not a rigid timetable, but his normal school hours are 9-12, 11.30-1, 3-4.30 and he'll get a lot more done 1-2-1 than 1-2-25
We're interspersing with science experiments and writing up our findings, microscope work, physics (simple stuff, he's 8yo), cooking, exercise, silly old fashioned parlour games (hunt the thimble etc).
DH and I are both working from home, so DS needs to be quietly occupied at certain times (I do video calls) .
We've already made a bunch of paper flowers and stuck them to the window over looking the street
I wouldn't want to do this full time though. He loves school and has lots of friends .
orangina · 19/03/2020 22:26
We are only on day 4 of working/learning from home and we are ALL looking forward to school/the office already. So, no, I won't be an adopter of either after this is all over.....
Lalalalalalalalaland · 19/03/2020 22:34
Our routine is similar.
Up and dressed by 7.30
Ride and sort ponies until 9.30ish
9m30 - maths half hour
10 - half hour break
10.30 - reading.
11 - 12 outside / park time
12 lunch
12.30 - literacy
1 - break
1.30 science experiments etc
2pm break
2.30 baking, cooking.
3pm outside time
4pm french (duolingo app 10 mins) watching horrible histories, watching blue planet etc.
The kids made this routine themselves and chose what to do its actually not that much working time, we have spread ot out massively so it's short and sharp and not too much time spent doing it.
LambriniSocialist · 19/03/2020 22:43
Christ no, I think parents will be chucking their kids back into schools as soon as they can!
cowfacemonkey · 19/03/2020 22:47
I don't know. DS has SEN and the transition to Yr7 has started to take it's toll on him so this enforced break will be a good time to experiment with the idea of home schooling. It depends on how willing he is to engage in learning at home or if we end up coming to blows! I like your timetable I think I might put one together otherwise we'll be unschooling here and they will spend the next few months in pj's
Lalalalalalalalaland · 19/03/2020 22:50
I feel you cowfacemonkey
DDs are working great in the timetable however DS who goes to a special school and has severe autism isn't doing anything other than watching his tablet. His school will remain open as they have to for kids with EHCP but he has respiratory issues and so is at risk so we cannot send him. I am worried for him as school is ours and his respite and they engage him so well in a way I can't with 2 NT kids to educate
Lalalalalalalalaland · 19/03/2020 22:51
I found with the timetable it helped to sit with the kids and get them to help make it and decide, so it felt like the learning was their decision IYKWIM
Humina · 19/03/2020 22:54
I've really enjoyed home educating so far and so has my 5 yr old but he's desperately missing his friends.
Supersimkin2 · 19/03/2020 23:00
yes to homeworking, no to home schooling. School = childcare.
DrMadelineMaxwell · 19/03/2020 23:10
My DD has jested about pretending to have a cough to be able to SI (while still well - typical teen humour) but today was her first day of no school.
She is soooo bored. School set work was either not working, was simple and quickly done - as most stuff will be easier to do if it's just one person settling to do it without all of the other things that go on in a classroom all the time - and consequently spent her time this evening down with us as she'd missed interaction.
Worriedaboutundiagnosed · 19/03/2020 23:10
Not here. My teenage dd and her friends were thrilled to hear yesterday that they were going to get a long break from school. By the end of today, the excitement had gone and they realised how much they would miss it. She said that she would definitely be more appreciative of school in future.
As for working from home, I'm less than convinced that I'd want to do it long term. It's great as a treat, or to focus on a particular piece of work, but I like the camaraderie of being in an office tbh. Videoconferencing is just not the same!
cowfacemonkey · 19/03/2020 23:10
That's hard lalalalalaland I work in a few specialist schools and I know how much parents need that respite. Given my job you'd think I'd know how to engage my own child! Why is it easier with other people's kids?
thetwinkletoescollective · 19/03/2020 23:20
I do wonder too... I don’t think it will just snap back. I think people will realise there are different ways to live.
I have already brought seeds to do gardening with my children that I would never have done if it weren’t for this.
I think there will be more homeworking, more homeschooling, more people will have a stash of food always, people will really make effort to put a substantial buffer away when we do get back to work.
More hand washing, more hysteria over normal coughs and colds...I think this could be the start of more ‘virus’ lockdowns.
I think schools will be more closed to outside visitors, I think there will be a shift in school staff as some won’t be able to face going back to once they have a prolonged break.
I think that lots of children will opt to retake the year.
I have lots of predictions!
TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 · 19/03/2020 23:32
I think if people can make a really good go of home working and not drop productivity or quality then it is very likely it will become more normal.
Not least because if companies can get rid of expensive real estate and facility management costs it will make a dent in the downfall on revenue caused by coronavirus.
It will also be more difficult for a company to refuse flexible home working requests if the employee can evidence that they've done it for a prolonged period successfully.
Not convinced there will be a huge rise in home educators though.
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