Marking school work

[Floatyboat]

So apparently the teaching unions think marking should not take place due to "health and safety". Surely this is straying into the territory of unhelpful disruption rather than constructive engagement with the government's wish to help kids.

There are so many work arounds to do it safely. Wait 48hrs to mark, wear gloves, wash hands etc

Given they are arguing this I can't help but think the unions are simply being unreasonable and not actually taking a balanced view.

But they are. They didn't say don't mark work just don't mark books.

And it's just one question in a long list of questions about all kinds of things. In a guidance , also referring to not taking books home to mark, which happens quite a lot. Even I ,as a TA , took books home once or twice for various reasons.

It's not law, no one is banning marking , schools can still make their own decisions and risk assessments.

You could screenshot the work and then annotate to give feedback. Honestly it’s getting ridiculous saying staff shouldn’t mark books. I am a teacher and marking more than usual because I think kids really need the feedback and the input from their teachers,

I’m still emailing kids and parents now to make sure they know what they’re doing,

As you can see, I’m uploading loads of work and assignments. each one supported by a video and PowerPoint.
I’m also calling all the learners who aren’t engaging.
I believe this is fairly standard for secondary.

Like oblomov, no, not in my experience.
And I love that she was told to bring it up "politely" with the school. How patronising!
It's funny how all the secondary teachers who post on here are all putting up loads of work and ringing students and providing feedback, but in real life I don;t know anyone whose secondary school is doing this.
No, this is not what the OP is about, I'm just pissed off. Have a daffodil.

@Valenciaoranges it's about the year groups going back on 1st of June.

@PrincessConsueIaBananaHammock
Well I guess verbal feedback should suffice.

It's funny how all the secondary teachers who post on here are all putting up loads of work and ringing students and providing feedback, but in real life I don;t know anyone whose secondary school is doing this.
I'm not entirely sure you're making much of a point there. I could equally say funny how all my local secondaries are doing good remote learning, are arranging pastoral calls and so on. I also know that with each school there's been some people who've struggled with what's been offered but have managed to communicate with schools in an entirely reasonable manner that would probably have them hung for treason in the land of Mumsnet Schools Bitching where the default is to bash a profession online rather than talk to the school. No school can please everyone all the time, but from talking to friends and colleagues the vast majority of people have been absolutely reasonable and getting on with things.

Maybe, as with anything in life, the most vocal people are those complaining because things aren't to their preferences, or have genuine issues that they're seeking advice on how to resolve.

Put it this way, you very rarely see threads where people are posting about how wonderful their husband is, when going out with friends people don't tend to sit around and talk about how wonderful their job is, people who are secure financially don't tend to go talking to their friends about how great it is they're financially secure.

@IfNotNowThenWhenever

I earlier posted a partial list of my assignments that I’ve set. Not all have been attempted/ handed in, so I’ve only marked what I’ve had in and I’m fully up to date with the marking. I’m technology as well, so I don’t set as much work as core.

The thing is, clearly some schools are doing more than others. But imagine being one of the many teachers who are providing frequent good quality work and assignments. How frustrating it is when the papers start saying you can’t be bothered and parents begin to demand ‘summer catch up classes’ because their experience hasn’t been as good. It absolutely sucks. I feel like ‘what’s the point’. The kids aren’t doing my work. Their parents don’t tell them to. Other parents imply teachers generally “can’t be arsed” (I think I read that yesterday on one of these threads) and now even the news papers are implying we’re all militant and don’t want to return to school...and if we do return, we don’t want to mark.

The reality is that:

1. It’s a confusing time at the moment, not all schools were prepared for this. My school already had done extensive training on Google Classroom/ Zoom, so we were ready to go on day one.
2. Teachers are generally just doing what their school is asking them to.
3. Teachers are trying to work from home, with their own children and distractions.
4. Teachers are human too and many are scared.
5. Teachers consider feedback of extreme importance and will continue to provide feedback, even if it’s not on paper.

If your school isn’t, then you need to write to the chair of governors if needs be. But don’t lump us all together as people who don’t give a shit about your kids. I miss my students greatly and can’t wait to get back.

Verbal feedback is best. Marking work days later has zero impact.

Why not just let schools and teachers decide what's best. how would letting individual heads decide what is beat for health and safety of the country in a pandemic help at all?

Marking is old fashioned and largely ineffective. There are much better methods.

It is bad enough taking exercise books home that stink of cigarettes.

I just counted.

Since lockdown began I’ve set 87 assignments across 5 year groups. Each with a PowerPoint presentation, video explanation or both.

I’ve marked a combined total of 102 pieces of work and provided feedback for each.
(It should be a lot more, but that’s all I’ve had in).

DBML
You know that could be solved if you got on with doing live lessons on zoom

(Ducks and hides... 😂)

I don’t understand how that would work lola. Presumably the tasks will still need to be explained, set and given feedback over zoom.

Purple
Fear not,I was taking the piss given how often Zoom is the answer to all things educational on here at the moment.

I also know that with each school there's been some people who've struggled with what's been offered but have managed to communicate with schools in an entirely reasonable manner that would probably have them hung for treason in the land of Mumsnet Schools Bitching where the default is to bash a profession online rather than talk to the school. No school can please everyone all the time
I think I already said that I had contacted school. And yes, " in a reasonable manner" and also " politely" because I need to be told that
There are too many posters on here saying that their kids secondaries are phoning it in, so you might all be on it like white on rice but it's not the experience of everyone and I'm getting a bit sick of teachers a) defensiveness and b) barely disguised contempt for parents who complain!

Ah, missed that @LolaSmiles

Phew!

@LolaSmiles

Every video I film, I end up having to retake 3 or 4 times. Every time I go wrong, I curse... ‘for fucks sake!’
I really wouldn’t think live was better in my case lol!! 😂
But your right...it’s the only way to show you care by MN standards and ‘private schools are doing it...’

I'm getting a bit sick of teachers a) defensiveness and b) barely disguised contempt for parents who complain!

Teachers defend when attacked

Love to see evidence of the contempt

Until this week my DC had had almost no marking or feedback of work. The only feedback they had been given was on two English and three French pieces in seven weeks (out of approx 26 pieces of English and 30 pieces of French). Zero for other subjects.

I expressed concern on mumsnet and via email to teachers. Mumsnet told me I was being ridiculous and teacher bashing, school emails went unanswered.

I was given a school questionnaire last week and following this a manger contacted me and things have begun to improve except for humanities where the teacher asks no work is submitted despite setting gcse practice papers as work and giving no answer provision.

I applaud teachers who are giving any kind of feedback and acknowledge that it is incredibly helpful.

Unfortunately 'reasonable' needs stating due to she sheer number on here who, even before Coronavirus, think that the way to resolve issues with schools is to:

• inform the teacher that (insert rule here) doesn't apply to your child because you're furious/raging/fuming
• go in making accusations, often with only half the events.
• show up and demand a meeting with the head
• tell reception staff you're not leaving until you speak to someone senior
• don't speak to the most appropriate person, make sure you go big so they know you mean business
• say safeguarding in your email so they have to listen
• write to the chair of governors (because they will absolutely cars that the school sanctioned your child for talking during an assessment)
• report the school to the LA (even though most schools aren't on LA control)
• say you'll be calling Ofsted
• phone Ofsted
• put it on social media / call the local newspaper

But whatever you do, don't listen to teachers on here who suggest speaking to the most appropriate person in a reasonable manner should be your first port of call, then escalate right through to formal complaints if need be. After all, everyone knows that's a from of teacher worship and teachers think they shouldn't be challenged.

@echt there you go- your evidence is in the post below.

Kids at home are not working in books. They are doing work on iPad and emailing it to teacher drop box at school. Teacher can read it and send feedback home. No H&S risk there. My son sends in 3 or 4 pieces of work daily and has not received one single piece of feedback for improvement. All he gets is great work. Bloody useless for secondary child and very demotivating. It is disgraceful.

Take a picture and mark that? Many people have cameras with phones.

@IfNotNowThenWhenever obviously not all schools are doing as well as others during this time, but then some schools are better than others during 'normal' times so that's no different.

However, MS threads are usually moany in their nature so its natural that the opinion on here is going to feel like schools are doing crap.

When was the last time someone started a thread to say 'my kids getting set great work and school are doing fantastic'....doesnt quite have the same clickbait ring to it does it.

Sorry you're children are struggling and you dont feel you're getting the support from the school. I would continue to try and contact the HT/governors for a better response. Alternatively start a thread looking for resources for "x subject/year group." I'm sure some teachers will happily share some for you.

namenic Clearly not a teacher are you! Phones in a classroom? Safeguarding issue in any way??