Can’t see how children will be able to go back to school in 2021

[Ouchy]

Let’s face it. The R0 may not be controlled for months. Vaccine unlikely until 2021. Teaching unions up in arms. People unwilling to accept the risk of the virus (low for many). I’m getting more and more concerned and the government haven’t published any forward plans for how school can be restarted in the various scenarios we may be facing come September (have they?). What on earth are the DfE and the Education Secretary doing during the working week if they’re not planning this stuff? Is there something I’ve missed - am I mistaken? I’m getting more and more concerned. The children are low risk - there needs to be a plan and fast as their educations and social development are being kind of ignored for something they’re super low risk for as individuals themselves. Looking for reassurance really - am I mistaken or being silly?

As for pre-recorded lessons do you have any idea how long these take.

A ten minute recording explaining the concept of something should not take forever. That is the only way teaching can actually take place if zoom classes are not allowed. The children have to be able to progress instead of being set Twinkl worksheets.

@echt I mean that's pretty terrible isn't it?

There is little parents can do about it as evidenced above.

The teachers shouldn't really need checking up on I wouldn't have thought?

The thing is like I've said on another thread we need teachers. I am for teachers. Our children need you. They need an education.

I don't know why me saying my child needs an education mean I think teachers are lazy fuckers. I don't. If I thought it was easy I'd be fine trying to teach my child myself wouldn't I?

Do you realise that most people in the private sector have their performance reviewed annually? That involves meeting and exceeding set goals and attaining feedback from clients

How fuckwitted is that? Why have a goal if you're expected to exceed it?

You are not a client.

OP I completely agree. It's really worrying. Keeping kids off school is far from risk free.

Sittingontheveranda

A ten minute recording explaining the concept of something should not take forever.

How long do you think that it takes? be specific?

Think about script writing, differentiation, equipment placement, multiple shots for different angles or close work, retakes, and editing.

Sorry, haven't RTFT, but as far as I know we don't yet have any reliable estimates about how much opening schools would increase the R number. It might not be much at all. Trouble is with the pupils who have gone back already, it has happened at the same time as other measures easing and compliance falling, so it is hard to know what has caused what. Then of course they is the question of head room. Due to the mismanagement of the UK outbreak we are emerging from lockdown with R still quite high and little room for manoeuvre.

FrippEnos

Conveniently you omitted my reply in response to your nonsensical statement.

That involves meeting and exceeding set goals and attaining feedback from clients.

I get it - your colleagues are ruining the reputation of teachers and it is the parent’s fault for daring to expect more. I’m stepping away from the thread now as you are obviously pleased with the current education offering.

There needs to be consistency in what is provided, some schools are providing a lot. We're getting a weekly emailed sheet - that's it, no marking or interaction. Have emailed the school twice to enquire about more support/interaction - no reply to either email.

I get quite confused by these threads because I hear two different sentiments.

(1) it’s parents responsibility to educate their kids, and they are useless if they can’t

(2) teachers are very valuable and nobody else can do their job.

Do shut up OP. These threads are so pessimistic and achieve nothing except worry.

Sittingontheveranda

Why is it nonsensical to post that you don't know something.

You clearly didn't know that teachers are preformative reviewed every year, and yes they are set targets.

and don't put words in my mouth just because you have been caught out.

*performance not preformative

@beela

Education wise there is so much online for primary and workbooks available so most parents should be able to homeschool up to maybe yr 4 level even if that means doing some at weekends (assuming thats not when you are working).

Not really. I have the resources and the knowledge, but my dc are unwilling to do formal learning at home. They hate it. I am persevering with the work sent through from school, but it is getting harder to persuade them to engage with it as each week passes.

They both love going to school, and learn with enthusiasm when they are there, but they are resistant to this merging of their worlds. Their education will undoubtedly suffer.

Exactly what @beela said. 8 weeks now and my kids have had enough. They need teachers and they need their peers to work alongside. I can't recreate that at home. Their friends either have stopped working or have gone completely quiet so they can't even work with them. I am lucky (?!) enough to be able to sit with them for 4-5 hours a day trying to help and encourage them but they are starting to disengage. DD is in year 10 and i am very very worried about her GCSEs next year. She was set to do pretty well but I just don't know anymore. Socially they have both struggled in the past but had found friends and were doing ok. They are going backwards now. If it was just me and DH I could cope but I am devastated by what this may do to my children and their futures. It makes me cry every day.

Only now are the wider public seeing the effects of years of under-funding to schools. Our tech provision is DIRE, and one (just one) of the reasons we are not able to match private schools in this area. That and the fact that a large proportion of our students do not have the equipment required at home to access the work.
We have 60 laptops in a school of 450 kids and I have never known a day when even 3/4 of those machines work correctly at the same time. Not one staff member has been provided with a laptop by school for their work at home.
I don't suppose this is unusual.

Pomegranatepompom
There needs to be consistency in what is provided

Yes there does.

But those that should have provide the guidance haven't.

Courage: when individuals choose to put moral and ethical values, the survival of civilisation, and their children's future over their own lives. e.g. the many thousands of people, in very different ways, who risked everything to support liberty and human rights and defeat Nazi Germany.

Now we seem, as a society, to be willing to trade in our own liberty, our children's future, social justice, and in many ways concern for the wellbeing of others in a kind of craven (and often poorly evidenced) pursuit of living longer at all costs.

I find it strange that so many people think it's basically OK for children (outside private schools or v privileged families who can home educate to a high standard or get tutors) to forego education for months or years, as well as almost all of the normal social experiences of childhood, to (possibly) protect a small fraction of the population from an essentially untreatable and ineradicable disease. It's certain harm for uncertain benefit.

They need teachers and they need their peers to work alongside.
Of course they do. But teachers did not create Covid-19. This is one of the very many reasons why it is such a terrible thing to hit the globe.

There needs to be consistency in what is provided

Yes, but when the Government dismantled the LA system and allowed academies to form, consistency went out of the window. Parents may not have been so aware of it prior to this, or if they were they maybe didn't even care, but they're sure as hell seeing it now.

After being off for so long on full pay, I think asking teachers to do this is perfectly acceptable.

They haven't been off though have they, they have been teaching still. The teachers I know have worked their normal timetable from home in some cases with live lessons or from in school for others to do live lessons in science etc

Titsywoo

They need teachers and they need their peers to work alongside

At very least we could have some sort of rota system. Unfortunately the government and DfE won't let schools do it.

I think this site is full of hysterical doom mongers, tbh.

I’ve never heard such rubbish spouted as I’ve heard on here recently. It’s as though people actually revel in disaster and gloom.

We currently live in a society where there is no basic provision to be educated, get married, learn to drive, go to a funeral, see a dentist.

How long do you really think this is going to carry on for? Really?

I find it strange that so many people think it's basically OK for children ...... to forego education for months or years

Who, anywhere, has said that they think this is OK?

@FrippEnos

I think a reply would be helpful even if only to say it's not ideal. No reply gives the impression of not caring.

My DC are disadvantaged having 2 key worker parents, I feel really sad for them. We're doing all we can , but it's difficult and very stressful.

CountessFrog

How long do you really think this is going to carry on for? Really?

No Idea. Ask the government.

@CountessFrog apparently they can’t even cut the grass or the trees growing over the main roads round where I live despite the fact it’s a one man job and we’re all still paying our taxes last time I checked...