How much teaching are you doing?

[elliejjtiny]

Looking on facebook about half the dc at my dc's school have done all the work set by the teacher, been out for a walk, done crafts etc all by 11am. The other half are doing whatever they want while their parents post things on facebook about how important it is for the children to look after their mental health during this time.

I'm trying to be somewhere in the middle and failing miserably. I've got 5 dc (2 secondary and 3 primary). The 2 in secondary have been mainly left to get on with things. Younger 2 dc normally get funding and extra help in school. Dc5 has asd and is really struggling with the change in routine. Dc4 has global development delay. We tried doing some maths all together this morning but it was a disaster so now I'm teaching them individually. We've done maths and reading but haven't even started the topic work they were given. They are now busy making their own episode of star trek. They are learning loads through play but it's not what the teacher wants them to do. We've had an email from dc5's teacher about how we must practice phonics every day for the test in June and dc4's teacher wants us to get him ready for the year 2 sats. Dc4 can write his name with one letter the wrong way round and knows his numbers verbally up to 20 but struggles to write them down. He was crying over his maths this morning and I'm struggling to teach him.

All 3 primary teachers are going to be phoning the dc later in the week to check everything is being done. I am worried my teaching attempts are going to be judged. Sometimes I wish I had the confidence to be like the parents who cheerfully ignore everything from school and tell everyone that mental health is more important.

Im a secondary school LSA and parent to 4. 1 in secondary and 3 in primary. 2 primary have Adhd and one of those is suspected ASD so I can understand your situation. SATS have been cancelled as far as I know so ditch that straight away, and the phonics test. Even if the kids are back in school I can't see exams happening as parents have all been told the exams are cancelled this year and grading will be done on work done so far, plus any coursework they get completed. The results don't say as much about the kids as they do the teaching they get at school so really don't put that pressure on yourself.

With regards to your secondary children, if they are like mine they will have been set a bundle of work on their usual homework platform and maybe have a few workbooks to get on with. Don't worry, they are capable of independent learning. Let them get on with it but maybe make time to check in with them and see that they are getting on ok.

With your younger children, I think it is incredibly unfair of their teachers to be putting you in that position, especially when there are additional needs at play as well. Contact the SENDCO at your school (email address is probably their first initial, surname followed by whatever the schools email is - check the office one and use that). Email the office as back up and ask for the message to be passed on to SENDCO. Let them know what is going on with your ASD child finding the change from school to home being difficult and that your GDD child is finding the set work hard. If you feel the teachers are berating you when you speak with them, ask for them to contact you by email only and you will reply when you have the time to - they will be contacting you during normal school hours and they will be doing this so they can demonstrate 'working from home'. I am sure they will be feeling stressed et as well but they don't need to pass that on to you. Do as much as you can and don't worry if they aren't getting a formal, sit at a desk education. What you can do will be good enough.