Are there any teachers on MN happy that schools are back to relative 'normal' in September?

[mostwonderfultime]

The opinion from teachers on MN of schools opening for all dc in September seems very negative. In contrast my dc's Secondary School teachers (year 10 and 8) all seem pleased - some saying they'd hoped they had been back after June half term. I appreciate this is Real Life and they may be lying but they seem genuine.
I also have 2 friends who are also secondary school teachers - all different schools who can't wait to get back to school instead of organising home learning whilst looking after their own dc. Seems such a contrast to what I read on here.

I would be happy to be back as normal.

I'm pissed off that we're doing to have to dash around a massive building to different classes to maintain the 250 strong year group bubble when they all just got off the bus together, because it's bloody ridiculous.

Please god let them remove all so-called protective measures before September so that I can have my classroom back!

I think most of us just want Covid to fuck off and let us get back to doing our jobs normally.

@LaChatte

I think most of us just want Covid to fuck off and let us get back to doing our jobs normally.

THIS!

@FrippEnos most of the threads I read about schools nearly always end up with certain teachers (normally the same ones) being unhappy about returning to school because apparently secondary age dc drink alcohol gel, lick books and keyboards and other such things. I find the opinion they have of the dc they teach quite depressing.

Primary teacher and can't wait to go back. Pretty much our whole staff are excited for everyone to be back.

[quote mostwonderfultime]@FrippEnos most of the threads I read about schools nearly always end up with certain teachers (normally the same ones) being unhappy about returning to school because apparently secondary age dc drink alcohol gel, lick books and keyboards and other such things. I find the opinion they have of the dc they teach quite depressing.[/quote]
Have you ever actually met a group of teenagers?

I want all back to normal, but unless Covid just disappears it won't. As someone who works in school and has 4 school age children I am very very uncomfortable. For myself, colleagues and my children. The government guidelines are not right and as parents you should be concerned not bashing "negative" teachers. We are all told by our schools to be "positive" with parents. So my parents probably think I'm happy as Larry.

‘I find the opinion of the dc they teach quite depressing’😂😂😂😂

It’s not opinion, it’s fact. This is how they behave. I love my classes, but they DO this sort of thing. They are just mischievous. It’s what they do.

They lick each other, deliberately dribble on each other, cough and sneeze on each other. They are children.

@mostwonderfultime

Yet none of that is about whether they/we want to go back to school in September (not going to say work again as it would be wrong).

you may consider it depressing but in many cases it is the truth about teaching.
You have the
Bolters/runners
spitters
Kickers
Lickers
punchers/hitters
throwers
Swearers
wipers
flickers
and many others

You might find this depressing but most schools (secondary and primary) have these children in them and the guidance does not take these children in to account.

I sort of have no clue how it’s all going to be done safely, but am thrilled we are going back - as is every one of my colleagues. There are some perks to working from home but we all really miss being in school.

Can I chime in? I'm support staff, bit of a Jill of all trades, which includes some of the cleaning. I absolutely want to be back at work, but frankly I'm a bit worried. HT is talking about the school needing a "deep clean" every night. No mention of extra hours, pay or budget to do this. Chances are that some of my other hours will be borrowed to cover the short fall in time. It will be needed; we virtually run around the school as it is.

It's a big Primary and I absolutely believe the Head's doing his best. There's a lot more I could say but I dont want to out the school.

Parents should read the school's guidance and think about how this is all supposed to be managed. My wishful thinking/hope is that the virus buggers off by September and everything goes back to normal.

On the subject of alcohol hand gel the guidance does say they should be supervised due to risks around ingestion, so even the government know some children will attempt to drink it.

DH (secondary school teacher) is very happy to be going back. He's hated being at home - he was in the last two weeks to see his year 10 and 12s and it made him so much happier, it was like getting the 'old' him back after I was getting increasingly concerned that he might be getting depressed.

@Dotinthecity

We’ve had all the children back for at least a couple of days a week, at our school. With the exception of a couple of members of staff, we’re all very happy that they’re coming back and would happily have them back as normal in September. None of us feel that we’re at any greater risk than anyone else and the parents are all happy too. We’re all washing hands very regularly and all door handles, etc, are being sanitised regularly but we’re not fearful or hysterical. I think the negative people are in the majority, it’s just that they tend to make the most noise!

Hi have not seen one teacher say they don't want to go back. Asking for safe measures to be put in place is not negative noise. Get over yourself.

[quote mostwonderfultime]@FrippEnos most of the threads I read about schools nearly always end up with certain teachers (normally the same ones) being unhappy about returning to school because apparently secondary age dc drink alcohol gel, lick books and keyboards and other such things. I find the opinion they have of the dc they teach quite depressing.[/quote]
Are you a teacher? Have you ever spent considerable time in a classroom? If not, what is your job. Please allow me to give my opinion on what you do...
You have zero idea of the realities of school life and appear to have had the intention of creating yet another goady thread.
Go and look at the other thread running about the state of the health and safety provisions for schools in September and listen to what the reality is.

I absolutely want to be back but I am not going to enjoy the teaching in rows, no carpet time, having to break the 2m distance rule to help children with their learning and not being able to spend time with my colleagues.

I hope this is all on the way out and I can go back to the job I love and the way I love to do it.

This was pre-covid, but yes, on placement I witnessed a NT pre-teen (secondary) ‘drink’ hand sanitiser (he squirted some into his hand then licked it.. quite clever really in that it did indeed mean he didn’t remain in that lesson that he didn’t want to!)

I am thrilled to be going back, for mine and the pupils mental health. What I was most concerned about for September was staff being in full-time while pupils only in part time - it is an absolutely full time job responding to queries / giving feedback for 5 or 6 classes a day around whatever meetings or live lessons I’m tied down to. The days where I was also on site meant the above (other than live lessons which I cant do if I’m already with a different group of students, and meetings, which you are allowed to miss if you’re already with a group of students) needed to be done on top of the normal school day. While I don’t mind the odd 12, 13, (15!) hour day once in a while at pinch points, having to pull a few every single time I’m on site just to get my head back above water is unsustainable long term.
If people think the provision for distance learning is shit currently, I dread to think what I’d be able to manage if I was on site full time too. Its completely unsustainable and is two full time jobs, there’s still only one of me :/

Less looking forward to day being extended to allow for pick ups / drop offs to be staggered; running across a big site like a loon 5-6 times a day (with all their resources?! kids you’re keeping your own books on you!) because if the kids are staying put, and all staff teaching next period are moving, who supervises the kids?, we can’t magic up a load more staff to do this. Will I have somewhere to eat my lunch? When the hell do I get to speak to another adult? How am I going to be able to use the toilet? On my teeny tiny ‘lunch break’ where every other member of staff will also be desperate to use the loo? (i spose we can chat in the 2m queue... while also stuffing down a s/w?!)

Ngl... I will not be at all surprised if another 60 page document - ‘updated guidance for school’ is released on aug 30/31 and yet another round of mammoth planning and risk assessments will be wasted; and schools will be expected to implement whatever they’ve thought up this time immediately for sept.

And schools aren’t magical virus-free places - if we’re advised to wear a mask indoors when mixing with people outside of our households why tf wouldn’t this apply in a school?! (On the other hand, having been to hosp recently for a test and having to wear a mask for just a couple of hours, I do NOT want to be wearing a mask for 8+hours while trying to teach!!)

I stand corrected.

I'm happy to be going back.

I'm unconvinced that it will be anything like normal.

I have resigned so no longer my problem but I would want to be back but as safely as possible. The ‘everybody in’ policy is clearly not the safest way to be doing this.

I am happy to be going back, but less happy about how we are going to be doing things. Longer school day, less break/lunchtime, more moving for staff.

I am thrilled to be going back.

I worried that the guidelines mean that I - and more importantly, many vulnerable people in the community - will be much less safe.

I am pleased that returning will make some vulnerable children safer.

I am worried that the money that will have to be spent on COVID safety measures will mean children's education will be harmed.

I am delighted that most children, most of the time, will be able to return to school.

I am worried that the way this is being done makes it more likely that sudden year group and school closures will persist well into next year

These are not mutually exclusive.

I'm a schoolGovernor for Secondary School. On all our zoom meetings all the SLT and teachers I've spoken to are happy to have all the children back (relatively normally).

Many of them have said they've missed the general 'bustle' of the students being around. Even the cheeky ones.

Sorry I meant to say, they're very happy to be going back.

Yeah because a zoom meeting is where you reveal your anxieties about school being unsafe and how you fear you might die due to being middle aged and overweight.