It's 'school at home' not homeschooling

[Blueblackrose]

Our teachers are still there- there will be lesson plans emailed most days by most school as well as other resources issued by the school no doubt.

Lots of us are trying to juggle full time jobs WFH or stop businesses from going under. I am not home schooling - my dds are instead doing school at home. They are stressed and anxious from what they cannot escape hearing and seeing- they cannot easily deal with this. They need time, love and support. They can make up a bit of 'lost' school time and this is not the time for hot housing.
Websites (MN included) need to realise this and not pile more pressure on to parents that they are not homeschooling well enough when some are worried about possibly dying.

[Thisdressneedspockets]

Have you spoke to the school to let them know how difficult your children are finding it?
I bet they're finding it hard to gauge how much work to set and I'm sure they'll realise that many families won't have the time, resources, mental energy etc. I bet they have a very variable response from each child, but it might help them to have more of a picture of how your children are doing.

We've had to let my son's school know that he's having constant headaches and his school have let us know what to prioritise, so that stress levels around education are decreased greatly.

[3fuzzybuddies]

I agree with MyDcAreMarvel, im glad my school doesnt expect to be present at live streams. They have also thought things through properly. They have a programme we follow and can access at anytime of the day, no pressure. Nothing new and all mainly revision of what has already been taught in school. I'd be damn if I had to teach my children anything new, I'm not that clever to begin with and I'm not about to make myself look stupid infront of my children. I also only own 1 computer and I have 2 children, life stream would be a disaster for us.
Since the lockdown, I've lived my life children led. If my children doesn't want to do school works, then fine. I'm not pressuring them. I don't know what stress they're going through, being out of school, cabin fever and missing their friends. I'm not going to be the one to add to the pressure. Days when they dont want to do school work, we usually end up watching an educational videos or documentary. Cook together, clean together, laugh together and just enjoy one another. I'm not doing this conventional homeschooling business, anyway if you asked any home schooler, they too would tell you that this is definitely not the definition of homeschooling. I've seen many home schoolers out and about, busy with group meeting, activities and lots of fun stuff. What we're doing here is definitely not homeschooling. We are in lockdown, our normal has changed and I'm going with that change. Don't expect me to keep up with normal routine when nothing is normal right now. I really hope that op, you also stop pressuring yourself. You're already doing the best you can being mummy, cleaner, cooker, nurse, teacher and I'm guessing a whole lot more. Just take it easy.

[RedCubed]

My son is schooled at home. He was due to sit for his A-level exams in April/May 2020.

He was not registered with an online programme or a resident college. For two years he had been working at his subjects and was ready to sit for his exams until Covid-19 happened.

Now, those students at Colleges and online programmes are to be given deemed results based on essentially coursework for the past two years. Yet, linear exams meant that the only result that matters at A-level is the performance in the exams.

Schooled at home students will, according to Ofqual and the exam bodies, have to write an exam in Autumn 2020 whereas their peers will be awarded deemed results. That means a loss of six months at least relative to their peers.

The Autumn 2020 exam itself might not happen as the NHS might be overrun again with early winter problems plus residual Spring and Summer 2020 Covid-19 infections. This exam also might not take place. A loss of at least another six months.

How are students who are registered for A-level exams, and have been ready to sit for the exams treated differently just because they are schooled at home and not resident or with an online college?

From a public policy perspective this seems unfair. My son could lose up to 18 months relative to his peers for no fault of his own. That he was registered to sit for his exams is indicative that he was ready. How can he be penalised?

I have contacted my MP because this is a matter of public policy. Ofqual and the Exam Bodies are treating students who had been registered for the A-level exams differently.

Could I get an idea of the experiences of other parents in this regard?

Thank you Mumsnet.

[Blueblackrose]

It's the WFH bit I'm struggling with - I can give my dds a fair bit of my time during the day in little bursts, but my employer also has expectations.

All this talk of DC now being homeschooled (I have early secondary/ late primary dds so they need direction, help and things explained regularly) - how am I realistically to do that? And before you ask yes I do have a DH and he is carving out time but is frantically trying to save a company (and hence a shit load of other people's jobs).

I don't know what I want, but I guess someone to say - we know that working and schooling DC at the same time is a near impossible ask and we're going to try and put some large scale teaching programmes in place.

[Selfsettling3]

I only have a nursery aged child and a baby. This is week 2 for us and the teacher in me did create a plan for my sanity. It has been revised many times since then. My priorities are keeping my family alive, supporting their mental health and if she learns something that’s nice.

[Greenpop21]

Our school isn’t setting work. Just given some ideas e.g find out about Ancient Greeks and make something like a PowerPoint or a piece of art or a story inspired by it. Read a book and write a review. Make something in the kitchen to practise weighing and measuring and following instructions and of course read , read and read.

[Doyoumind]

My DC's primary isn't providing anything either, apart from a few links.

I will be trying to stick to a timetable just to try and maintain some sort of routine and my sanity and to alleviate boredom on both sides.

[olivo]

Each of our students has a laptop. At their age (secondary) they would be expected to work without an adult and I know them well enough to create a lesson well within their capabilities as well as adding some to stretch those who need it. We are also quite aware that some may be looking after siblings etc, everyone will do their best. But there will be less pressure for the parents. That is my main concern, being a parent myself.

[Zxyzoey31]

My children are young and I intend that we will play most of the time. I have no doubt many in my town will be pushing the learning but I don't see it working out that well for us. I hope we just have some fun and happy times.

[ineedaholidaynow]

I wonder what parents and children are doing in other countries which are in lock down.

DS is in Y10. I am so grateful for his teachers putting in the time for lessons. He too has been told teachers are following the times of the normal school timetable and school have asked us to try and keep to it. Which is what we will do. At least they only a week of this to see whether it works in practice, then the Easter holidays.

Maybe it is different with a teenager, but realistically what else are they going to be doing in the next few weeks where they can't go out with their mates, go to clubs, activities. He also needs to be ready for his GCSEs and with the best will in the world that is not going to happen if he has at least a term off school.

[CMOTDibbler]

DS (yr9) has so far got extended projects for 3 subjects - nothing day by day or lesson by lesson at all. For tomorrow, he only has something set to work on for one subject.

[Escapetab]

As a home educator I agree. Actual home education is nothing like this. You're stuck inside with no community and fewer resources, tense and anxious with confused kids. Go easy on them and yourselves.

[FourTeaFallOut]

Pah, the over achievers among my lot have converted rooms into little classrooms. I've seen colourful timetables and planned arts and craft projects for weeks in end. Urgh. I don't know, I have three school kids of wildly different ages and school packs with a couple of exercise books.

I'm sure I'll pull myself together but it all feels a bit unreal at the moment.

[Hereforthenamethreads]

We've not received a thing from the school.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

@olivo sorry that wasn’t to criticise you, and your hard work. Rather the school.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

*going to not giro!

[MyDcAreMarvel]

I am a teacher who will be working from home, live streaming at least a part of every lesson. The children are expected to follow their timetable , taking break and lunch when they normally would
How do think that’s going giro work when people have multiple children of different ages, a baby or toddler to look after, working from home , only one laptop per house etc.
It’s a ridiculous idea, and I am glad my children’s schools thought things through sensibly.

[olivo]

I am a teacher who will be working from home, live streaming at least a part of every lesson. The children are expected to follow their timetable , taking break and lunch when they normally would. I have spent all day just preparing the first day's lessons; when I stop the streaming, I will be available for the remainder of the lesson for messages. All work will be marked.

This , on top of my own children loosely following a school routine, as DH will be working. I do not expect parents to school their children, we will be. Please don't worry, do what you can whilst keeping your and their sanity and jobs going!

[lazylinguist]

I don't think it helps some mums have been sharing gorgeous hour by hour plans of all these wholesome activities they are going to be doing with their kids.

Yes I can see how that would be annoying, but really it's what social media always does, all the time. People show off heavily curated versions of their lifestyle, belongings, home and parenting. It needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Chances are that most people are finding it as hard as you are.

My dc's school are providing a full day of lessons every day. I doubt all the students will do absolutely all of it, but I'm glad it's there. My dc moaned like hell the first day, but seem to have got into a routine now.

[Titsywoo]

If you have a child in year 10 like I do what do you do though? It's not a big deal if my year 8 DS gets a bit behind but DD needs to get through the GCSE content. Lots of art coursework to get done and she will be sitting her exams next year so can't afford to catch up in September. I won't be pushing her but I do worry. The maths she has been given appears to be going over everything they have done so far so whatever they were going to learn between now and the summer term needs to be caught up on along with the content needed to be learned in year 11? It does worry me.

[Kelsoooo]

We've not had school packs or anything of that nature, and I don't expect to. They're busy enough.

We've done a timetable today, to add structure to the girls day, and make it easier for my husband and au pair to make it through the days.

Our expectation is to keep the girls at the level school closed at, all kids are in the same boat.

I doubt we'll manage to keep them on curriculum (actually we've fucked French off in favour of Spanish lessons, Spanish au pair. Makes sense).

And we'll link lessons together, and we've added history and geography.

But that being said, I have the types of children who you can set a task to and they'll do it.
So week one for example has a story project in English....but that story has to be about an English queen from history, and it has to use correct vocab and grammar. Three lessons in one there.

[ritzbiscuits]

I don't think it helps some mums have been sharing gorgeous hour by hour plans of all these wholesome activities they are going to be doing with their kids. I've felt really emotional all week, worrying about my DH likely to be redeployed to the front line and how I'm going to WFH and look after my DS.

I'm planning to use a very loose structure of:

• Learn (either set school work or something else)
  
• Creative time
  
• Keep fit time
  
• Play time
  

I'm planning to get the school work attempted in the morning and if that doesn't work out, tough.

[lazylinguist]

Semantics. And it's not clear from your post what you actually want. You want structure, but not planned lessons? You want 'websites to stop putting pressure on parents that they are not homeschooling well enough'? Is MNHQ putting pressure on you? Are other websites? How? Individual MNers might make comments that make you feel bad, but that's not MN's fault!

Schools are doing their job,not 'hothousing'. They are working hard to provide continuity of education for your children. Teachers are being paid to do so. I'm sure MN would be awash with teacher bashing if teachers weren't doing this. Teachers will be trying to provide work which kids can do independently, without lots of parental input. However, that inevitably partly depends on the age and ability level of the child.

What is it that you want schools to be doing/not doing, OP?

[Blueblackrose]

It is the expectation that is being set by the media that we have the time / have the resources/ education to homeschool.

As a family we have been self isolating with two dds due to a dd with cough all last week so I know what I'm talking about as I lived it last week. There were ups and downs on a daily basis. Juggling work and trying also to homeschool is bloody hard work bordering on the impossible without throwing in a potentially disasterous for health and wellbeing pandemic to emotionally deal with. We need to cut each other and our DC some slack.

[RhymingRabbit3]

It's just semantics...
Some people will be homeschooling I.e. actively teaching their kids, presumably using the lessons set by teachers as a starting point. Some will be doing "school at home" and expecting kids to get on with it. Both are fine, people do their best in whatever difficult circumstances they're in.
You're right that kids need emotional support as well as education- luckily their parents can provide this as teachers surely cant be expected to do so remotely