Why can't secondary schools do lessons via zoom?

[Dickorydockwhatthe]

I know not every child will have access to a computer or be able to log online but I'm surprised our school has not attempted it or even pre recorded lessons like the online oakwork academy. I know most private schools are setting up lessons via zoom. I really hope the government and schools take this into consideration for our children especially those coming up for GCSE's next year. It's just seems our children will be disadvantaged.

Teachers who are doing social work are masking the problem

You are again determined to have a go at the state sector teachers.

Why do unions who are so gong go about forbidding tea gets from doing the work they are paid for -ie setting g lessons/teaching/marking and yet happy for them to do other people's jobs

I’m surprised you’re not aware of all the work unions do. You seem to be an expert in just about everything.

I really do believe at this point that either schools stop making excuses, start finding solutions otherwise open schools fully

A) a few posts back I explained my school’s solution.

B) why are you using “open schools fully” as some sort of threat? That’s ridiculous 😂

You did well even to understand that statement tbh.
What is gong go about forbidding tea? I can't even unravel that statement.

Schools have been told for years that they act in loco parentis on many occasions. we are required by law to safeguard.

I agree we take on too much of the responsibilities of social care, the police, medical professionals : take that up with your MP.

I thought you were a teacher Beltane?

Quarantine Maths Cl / 4:18ass Disaster - Foil Arms and Hog

^ this

And again. Many of us ARE doing these things. My husband thinks I'm doing too much work as it happens. If you have a problem with what YOUR school is doing take it up with THEM.
People voted for the Conservatives repeatedly. It was in their manifesto to give more 'freedom' to schools/academy trusts and less power to local authorities. This leads to differences in provision and, for some, a lack of accountability.

Teachers are doing what they were instructed to do. It’s the instructions I disagree with. And no I have never voted conservative

The education system has for many years been loaded with areas that cannot be done solely by other organisations simply because the children all come to us. Therefore it is not surprising that teachers/schools do a lot more that teach the curriculum. Safeguarding has a significant responsibility and covers many types of abuse and safety aspects we have to follow; as staff members we have safeguarding training every year.

Over the past 5 years or so we have had to incorporate pushes in PREVENT, equality, healthy eating, mental health etc. Not just state schools.

At some stage when we go return the school vaccination programme needs to go into catch up mode.

StaffAssociationRepresentative

Honestly I think explaining all this repeatedly over the last few weeks is more infuriating than exposing comma splices to top set Y8 on a hot Friday afternoon.

Thank you for (yet another) reasoned post.

*explaining.

Exposing makes comma splices sound much more exciting than they are.

The majority of state secondary schools in England could do lessons online (as proven by 1000s of schools worldwide) but they don't want to.

@rhubarbfizzy

That is just a poor attempt. After weeks and weeks of this,. surely you can come up with something better?

Zoom works in phones and tablets...show me a kid that doesn't have that.

mine share one tablet and it is so old that the app doesn't work on the tablet. We cannot even install it and neither of mine have mobile phones. I dont think we are that unusual.

Round here kids not having phones would be very unusual.

MsTSwift

Sorry, but your ignorance is showing. No schools shouldn't be feeding children but not should they be buying shoes for children, washing clothes, intervening in social problems, supporting parents with their problems, counseling students, being the only source of sex education for some children, potty training...

Schools are being used as a catch all for any and all issues that children and families face and when other services are cut its schools who have to.pick up.the slack.

As for access to phones - many children don't have phones, or have old handsets not capable of running various apps, others have limited data rather than WiFi and high speed broadband.

Round here kids not having phones would be very unusual

Well, it isn't unusual where I teach. If you looked at the surroundings of the school you would expect that everyone does but they don't.

Some have phones which are not smartphones (usually a handmedown from the parents).
Some have smartphones but limited data.
Some don't have a phone at all.
A small number used to have a phone but aren't allowed unsupervised access to the internet anymore.
Some have access to a phone/tablet etc but it is shared with siblings/wfh parents so live lessons won't work.

But let's assume everyone in your school does. I still want someone to explain to me

a) why zoom is better than a pdf with the key points on and tasks to complete with, a multiple choice quiz at the end and exam questions which are marked every other week plus an open invitation to ask questions over email (what I'm doing)

b) how I am supposed to hold the attention of 30+ students simultaneously (thanks austerity) when they're the other end of an internet connection.

how I am supposed to hold the attention of 30+ students simultaneously (thanks austerity) when they're the other end of an internet connection.
The same way you do (or, it sounds like you do not) 'manage' to do in a classroom. You just need to adapt. I was terrified at first, but I And my colleagues and the pupils have a adapted. Yes, we could have whined'It's too difficult'/'It won't work' but we tried and and made it work by adapting the lessons.
Of people REALLY don't understand the difference between a pdf experience and an interactive classroom experience they are pretty duff on pedagogy.

@beawillalwaysbetopdog because online lessons not only give you a chance to ask questions, but they also hold children accountable. It shows you are reading their work and are still on top of it and give a damn. It's not school, but is a whole lot closer than a pdf. You can explain concepts, explain where students have commonly made mistakes, show them examples and set them going. It doesn't have to be more than one half hour per subject per week.

Beltane - I'm not sure why you're resorting to personal attacks about my classroom management?

I'm glad it works for you.
Every school works in a different context.
Every classroom is different.
Every group of students is different.
Every teacher is different.
To say zoom is the best for you and your classes. Fine. To say it's best for me and my kids, not fine.

I'm not whining. I'm quite happy with my system. The kids are doing work and they're getting feedback. They're showing progress. Our parents are not shy about complaining and I've not had a complaint yet.

give you a chance to ask questions, but they also hold children accountable. It shows you are reading their work and are still on top of it and give a damn. It's not school, but is a whole lot closer than a pdf. You can explain concepts, explain where students have commonly made mistakes, show them examples

They know I'm reading their work, because I'm marking it.

I'm still explaining concepts.

I'm feeding back on both the quizzes they do and the exam questions.

I'm modelling questions.

They can, and do, ask me questions via email.

@Beawillalwaysbetopdog
You were the one who said you did not have classroom skills 'to manage to keep the attention of 30 pupils' not me.
Sure if you do not have confidence in live lessons then fob them off with a pdf.

I'm not fobbing them off with anything.

I'm creating entirely new resources that work remotely.

I just disagree that it has to be done live.

BeltaneBride

You work in an independent school. You have an iPad and apple pen (supplied by the school?). All your kids have the requisite tech and parents who will support them.

Stop preaching to teachers who are working in the state sector. You’re being massively offensive.

BeltaneBride
You were the one who said you did not have classroom skills 'to manage to keep the attention of 30 pupils' not me.

that isn't what was said at all.

Beltane - I don't recall saying I couldn't hold the attention of 30+ kids in a classroom. Pretty sure I'd be fired by now if I couldn't seeing as that's what I'm paid to do.

If it's true that you work in an independent school then I'm guessing that your classes are not 30+ ?

I'm guessing all your kids have wi-fi access and a device that can connect to the internet?

I'm guessing they also have a quiet space of their own to work in and don't share their bedroom with 1/2/3 siblings?

I guess they don't have to cook and clean for their younger siblings and home-school them too as their parents are both at work?

I'm guessing they also have enough food to eat and don't find it difficult to concentrate because they're hungry?

Or that they're not worried about their dad in prison that they haven't been able to visit for ages?

I'm also guessing their mate/uncle/cousin isn't getting them to sell drugs?

I'm also guessing they're not banned from unsupervised access to the internet due to accessing and/or distributing porn?

Round here kids not having phones would be very unusual.

Even in that scenario, not all those phones would be smartphones. In addition, plenty are cheap pay as you go SIM cards as well and just wouldn’t cope with the increase in streaming/downloading.