So apparently all the state schools could have had interactive lessons

[chopc]

As per GW today all were given access to a Microsoft Teams/ Google classrooms and could have had interactive teaching like the private schools. Not sure if he mentioned anything about the safeguarding concerns of zoom which miraculously have been overcome recently ...........just sayin

Did some teachers say they have been instructed by their SLT not to give interactive lessons or mark homework etc?

Sorry I know you must be bored of these threads but couldn't help myself

Weird that they managed it virtually everywhere in China, technically still a developing country, but that it was beyond the UK! something will something way?

The lack of creativity to solve this has been a disgrace, tbh.

Actually many private primaries used a mix of live lessons, prerecorded videos and chats on teams/google classrooms for questions. When this started heads of independent schools spoke to each other and those in eg Asian countries to get tips on how best to teach their kids. For primary aged kids who ask a lot of random questions live teaching doesn’t always work that well. It is better in smaller groups or with kids asking questions on live chats. I also have Dc at state primary and they managed really well uploading work on to a site for dc and also provided feedback, some story time videos, pastoral type zooms. The issue here seems to be that some schools just didn’t get organised quickly enough for whatever reason and the differences across different schools can be vast and I bet there are some badly run independent schools too that didn’t do a good job. What surprises me also is that there weren’t more free computers from large companies/rich individuals for poorer kids. Would have been a good pr opportunity for them and a good thing to do.

Ds2 loves the videos from his teacher. They really help, in more ways than 'just' education.

Genuine question about safeguarding and videocalls. If its a concern, why can some schools do them?

I can see the virtual teacher thing being implemented. Class of low risk kids, live taught via a screen, supervised by low risk staff. Guess it could help at secondary as well, when children are taught by multiple staff.

Brought in as a short term covid measure, kept as a way of keeping staff costs down.

Cubs and scouts have been doing zoom meetings too. I would like to think they are pretty strong on safeguarding.

Am not trying to be goady. Genuinely interested. I can see the value of zoom in certain circumstances (other online meeting apps are available).

@Cam77

Weird that they managed it virtually everywhere in China, technically still a developing country, but that it was beyond the UK! something will something way?

It's all very well suggesting 'where there's a will there's a way' blithely - which I presume is a bit of a dig at teachers and schools - but you perhaps live in a very different world from some people.

I live in a socially deprived area. My internet connection is poor, but the best they can do. I have borrowed a very basic school laptop to work on. We don't have Zoom or Google Classroom or anything like that.

The kids I teach, many of them don't have wi-fi at home. Many speak English as a second language. Many are looking after younger siblings whilst parents work, I suspect. Many of them (teens) are probably working themselves, to be honest. Stacking shelves in corner shops run by people who speak the same language as them and deal with the poorest people in our society. Or looking after neighbours toddlers all day to earn a bit of pocket money whilst neighbours work.

Many of them are struggling with their mental health. Many of them have lost all motivation to work. Many of them I am really worried about. Not everybody lives in the 'Mumsnet' world where parents are really indignant about the lack of education their children have had.

But the idea that all schools could have had interactive lessons is an absolute fallacy. We are doing our best.

My kids secondary have used Teams since the week lockdown happened with a team for each class/subject.
My youngest primary school have used google classroom again since the week lockdown happened.
No live lessons but deadlines for assignments which are marked and often comment sent back.

Wow, it's a shame GW didn't let us know we had access to all these things.

Also a shame that he didn't provide all our pupils with the technology to access them.

Yes, my understanding is that the cost of Teams was one of the barriers to schools using it.

Re: Zoom. One of my children's schools in a MAT has been doing Zoom tutor groups. They've stopped Zoom across the whole MAT and are shifting to Teams. Safeguarding.

MS were giving Teams away free to schools at the beginning of lockdown?

Oh not this again.

Sorry. I hadn't meant to be rude.

We took advantage of the grant and now have TEAMs - I had training at 2pm this afternoon on how to use it so it's not like we have had it all along. Now we do have it almost all teachers are with a bubble all day. The whole thing has been managed appallingly.

Still free in fact www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/academic/compare-office-365-education-plans?activetab=tab%3aprimaryr1

The advantage of live lessons over recorded lessons is the ability to interact with the teacher. Obviously there are children who log on, mute themselves and then go and play FIFA but certainly by being live the children can ask questions and clarify things with the teacher. The variety of lessons I’ve listened in to have had good interaction from the pupils. The recorded lessons are useful as is PowerPoint and set work but live lessons are definitely a key part of learning.

@BlessYourCottonSocks which is exactly why it wouldn't work for all.

Parents at our secondary are outraged at the lack of online classes. Despite the school clearly stating 20% of kids do not have internet access or a suitable device.

I don't know the solution. I do know that my kids (and many more) are being disadvantaged by inequality in education.

@ohthegoats That's a lot of barriers to not doing it. I'd see it as safer because the whole class wouldn't be on the bus/ in the classroom and all children would at least be getting taught. What would be an acceptable solution for you?

We zoom for chats and for my year 2 children to share their work. I have done a quick learning activity to see how that works but to be honest even with only nine of them on it was a struggle. We now use the meeting for each child to share a task we have set and I introduce the new task for the next week.

We also do videos where we talk through some of the home learning activities. I do this at home on a Friday as I am in teaching the rest of the week and don't have time to prep more. I have no problem with recording lessons and may try to do some over the summer in case blended learning still happens in September. This is very new technology for primary and it is very difficult to replicate the interactive nature of teaching and learning with six year olds to a live 'meeting' system. The mute button might suffer from over use!

I also have a couple of children who don't want to talk in our class zoom even with only nine or ten people. They could watch a live lesson but I couldn't sort any issues as I can in a classroom.

Please believe me it's not because I don't want to teach this way or am too lazy to do it. I just need the training to be able to do it properly. Having the capacity is not the same as using it to it's full potential. I refer you to coronavirus testing as a good example of this!

@lootsharks - my two teacher friends spent their Easter holidays familiarizing themselves with the new technology they need to use to deliver lessons. As pp said majority of secondary school kids would have smart phones. Weren't some companies giving away data during lockdown?
As with everything there are exceptions to the rule; where you really want to make something f happen, you will find away. If you don't, there are a millions and one excuses.........

Guess what- in the leafy London suburb where I teach state primary , where everyone has access to technology and where we have been doing loads of live lessons- the parents are complaining it's too much!
Teachers just cannot win...

Most families don’t have access to several laptops to run simultaneous lessons. It’s simple as tat.

Can't argue with some people. They don't want to listen and think it's excuses.

Dd's school has only just got Teams but before then were setting plenty of work which was taught to them in various ways. They had the option of sending it in for feedback if they wanted and some was online. Dd2 13 is quite motivated so has been getting on with it without my help. Dd1 would have taken GCSES. She's been set transition to sixth form work but is less motivated so hasn't done a lot. (Not the school's fault)

When i say it was taught to them i mean via videos/powerpoint etc

My dcs have plenty of work set for them. Not a single live lesson delivered, but plenty of videos that go with the tasks and worksheets. Teachers also give feedback and we have received emails to say ds is doing well.
Honestly don't understand the fixation of having live lessons. The dcs know how to get in touch with their teachers if they have any queries and sometimes they have tasks which they have to do with a partner, so they go on whatsapp to talk to their friend over the homework.

Not having Zoom or Teams doesn't mean there is no learning taking place. I wish some people would concentrate on the "learning" part of education and see what the student is doing, rather than judge
the teacher for what they're not doing.