Calls for schools to open in summer after the lockdown - Thoughts?

[CakeAndPastries]

Hi All,
See the link to the article below....

What are your thoughts on opening schools over summer IF the virus allows for us to be ' back to somewhat normal life' by then?

I would be for is as my children are in really important senior school years and I worry that they will be impacted by 'learning online' for this last term of the year.

The Guardian Article

@Pomegranate

If the work set for your children is insufficient, contact the school(s) and ask for more. It’s not acceptable for children to have nothing to do.

@DBML

Yes you’re right - I’ll do that after the holidays.
Tbh it’s really tough as we are both key workers but we chose not to send them to school to reduce their and others exposure.

But why should anyone work for free? Coronavirus or not others aren’t expected to.

MP’s are getting 10000 to work from home!!

@Pomegrate

Thank you for that. We are grateful in the hubs to have as few pupils as possible as it helps with the social distancing.

Also, if you are looking for resources, start a thread on Mumsnet and I’m sure teachers would be happy to share suitable resources. I know I would.
I teach 2 options subjects at GCSE and 1 at A level. I’ve got many years of teaching experience and would happily point parents in the right direction or email them resources If we had some sort of support thread.

Not all teachers are working, my friend works one day a week. Another friends school is shut as no key worker parents there. They are on full pay, I think they could forego the summer holidays to try and get the kids back on track.

@Rainuntilseptember15 lots of random pupils will certainly benefit primary pupils either

No
I'm a TA and I've been in work everyday since schools closed ,including for two out of the three weeks Easter holidays .
Give us a break ,,,,,,

My kids are in secondary years 8,9,10. They are still in school because I am an NHS key worker, thankfully the school remains open, they have been in today and I am mightily thankful to the school staff who have facilitated this, even on the bank holidays. They are glad they can still go to school having had online contact with friends who are bored to death with doing school work at home.
I don't think going in over the summer 6 week holiday is going to make up for the disruption the virus has caused and only hope that there will be concessions for those sitting exams next year - working from home with worksheets and youtube videos is no substitute for going to school and learning and interacting with a knowledgeable and hard working teacher.

@DBML good idea - I will do that. My DC are only 6 and 8 but they both cope better with lots to do, they little sponges who like to absorb lots.
I know bbc are doing online education next week, we’re planning to do that as well.

Haven't rtft but has anyone considered the poor kids of key workers who will have endured school from the February half term non-stop? They're gonna need a break.

Omg that should say: lots of random teachers will not benefit primary pupils either 🙈

Even if a teacher isn't in work they are still working from home. I'm in tomorrow, so I've had to set all of my work for my classes tomorrow today, and will mark whatever my A level class produces when I get back from school. We don't have all of our staff coming in to provide childcare, but it doesn't mean they aren't working.

@Pomegranatepompom

I’ve heard of a primary website called TWINKL with lots of free resources at the moment. Apparently they are very good.

My sister is a HLTA and I know that she recommends this one.

Payment was suggested in the article. I can’t imagine anyone will be forced to work. If it happens, maybe a volunteer system. I can imagine some teachers agreeing to do a week or 2

Right, but accept that is going to be childcare. The people that are saying they want schools back because

They want their kids to catch up
They want their kids to do work
They want some sort of routine
They want consistency
They want their kids to say goodbye to teachers and friends

Won’t be getting those things.

If you have a few teachers in at a time doing a week or two, you’ll have complete inconsistency, different staff, not being their class mates, being in a complete mix of year groups-doing activities.

You would only get consistent teachers/TAs/class/routine and catch up on learning if each class was being taught work from the summer term in their correct year group by a consistent teacher IF all staff and children were back.

Not all teachers are working, my friend works one day a week. Another friends school is shut as no key worker parents there. They are on full pay, I think they could forego the summer holidays to try and get the kids back on track.

Even if they are not providing childcare for key workers, they will have their own classes to set work for.

Just because a teacher isn’t in school, it doesn’t mean they aren’t working. My teacher friends are all working from home, providing work for pupils and trying to encourage them to do it.

It's not going to happen, so this is a pointless discussion. It does feel like one more thread to have a go at teachers.

As many have said, we are still working. The people who think we aren't are no doubt the ones who believe the job finishes at 3.30pm and is an easy one.

The same ones who are now complaining how difficult it is to home school their own children.

I think that the paid childcare providers are more in need of the business come the summer holidays.

Its just all such a mess isnt it, i dont think the schools should open before September, as id much prefer teachers and school staff to have the break. However, my daughters are Y10 and Y12 and i worry immensely about their futures they are doing their best with their school work, but arnt getting much guidance from their schools. My emails arnt getting answered from their school teachers either (will be emailing heads of departments/year ect tomorrow!). I also have a DS who is Y6 and has learning disabilities, ASD and severe ADHD, so my time is mainly taken up caring for him, my daughters have to work more or less totally independently. It is also looking like my sons move to secondary (special) school will be made without the planned transition visits.

@BlessYourCottonSocks I would love to be @ home with my children but I’m working as is my DH. So not complaining about them
Being at home at all. We’re juggling our hours around essential working and trying to hone educate our DC. It’s a pretty impossible as we’re don’t have the experience and training to teach plus we’re both working FT.
That’s a really thoughtless comment.

@Pomegranatepompom 👋
My dcs school uses twinkl for a lot of their home learning. They have a lot of free downloadable stuff according to their year group.

It's strange as I thought my dcs had too much 8-9 pages a day. And they have said I'm stricter than their teachers 🙈 I'm just so concerned that they will fall behind as they are coasters

@Pomegranatepompom you mentioned earlier in the thread that NHS leave has been cancelled. I understand why. Has it been removed from you completely or will you be able to carry if forward and take leave at a more suitable time? I don’t much mind working the summer holidays but I want those weeks of annual leave back at another time! I’m not sure how that will work out for my class though!

Thanks for all the suggestions - I’m feeling a bit more optimistic about our home learning.

That’s good @Racheyg - sounds like you’ve got it all sorted !!

@BlessYourCottonSocks

That's a bit harsh. Most of us parents are not trained teachers and are still holding down jobs while teaching our kids.

We are all living each week at a time. The schools re-opening will make a huge difference to not only the economy but to the kids. No one is basing teachers. I think if anything most are grateful for the work they do.