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Schools to remain closed until October half term?

489 replies

stopcollaborateandlisten · 04/08/2020 11:56

Lots and lots coming out in the news how schools will finally be re-opening - anyone else think it might get pushed back at the last minute to after the October half term?

OP posts:
PrivateD00r · 05/08/2020 19:24

But you haven't answered my main question: why everyone else deserves a COVID secure workplace?

Of course you deserve to have a safe working environment. However the 'buts' need to stop. Have you been in touch with your union, to give your view on what would make you feel safe? I don't think anyone wants you to work in an unsafe environment, I actually clearly said in my post that you responded to that I am obviously happy for staff to wear PPE if they wish. Whatever else makes them feel safe, I am all for. I would even happily contribute to costs of PPE if needed.

As I already said, not opening schools simply isn't an option. Our DC cannot be expected to go another lot of months struggling by with page after page downloaded off twinkl with no actual teaching or learning or feedback (which was my experience of 3 different schools). Teachers said they couldn't provide lessons online so schools really do have to go back.

But instead of saying 'but' you need to think outside the box. Of course you can teach from the front of the room - isn't it better than no teaching at all?

Aragog · 05/08/2020 19:25

that online learning should have been prioritised

We did provide online learning, using freely available apps plus desktop, and also printable versions on back up storage.

We didn't provide live lessons as we decided they were not the most appropriate format for out catchment and school community. Looking back and looking at he experiences of mother schools we stand by that decision. Though, tbh, fortunately our parents also didn't want it anyway - it's only on MN where live lessons were deemed the only answer in my experience.

The system we have in place we can continue with to deal with local lockdowns and children who are needing to self isolate, as well as eventually being able to just use it for our home work learning and communication. We will also continue to use it within school too for a range of situations.

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 19:40

It's a huge missed opportunity. Schools could have been demonstrating best practice and evidencing what they could do. But instead state schools did very little. Government was busy arguing with the unions plus appeasing voters.

So here we are nearly 6 months on. In exactly the same position at the start of lockdown. It's truly depressing.

I think everyone was assuming this situation was ok to continue indefinitely. I'm relieved most people now realise that's crazy.

And now apparently after their long summer holidays teachers will start getting signed off with 'stress'

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 05/08/2020 19:45

‘State schools did very little’Confused

I never stopped bloody workingAngry

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 19:48

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

‘State schools did very little’Confused

I never stopped bloody workingAngry

Ok. Teachers on heee have described it as like a retirement. Most parents have said no/very little contact from school. Kids not engaging etc

Do you mean working with the few kids in school? If home working what were you doing?

PatriciaPerch · 05/08/2020 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 05/08/2020 19:56

In with key workers
Setting endless lessons
Tracking
Meetings
Emails
Inductions
Y9-10 bridge projects
Postcards home
Marking endless work
Reading endless instructions for stuff as no one could communicate by talking
Live lessons
Phoning parents of my form
Phoning parents of my GCSE classes who weren’t doing the work
Organising and sending student work to weekly bulletins
Preparing lessons for key workers
Phone calls to colleagues/team
Recording non completion of work and escalating it above.
Risk assessments
Exam board online meetings
Responding to Ofqual guidance for next year GCSEs
Predicting grades and rank orders for this year GCSE and A level. Took forever.

Sometimes l stopped to breathe too

WifeofDarth · 05/08/2020 19:56

And now apparently after their long summer holidays teachers will start getting signed off with 'stress'
Some posters seem very dismissive of the stress experienced by teachers.
It is genuinely stressful being in a classroom with a child showing Covid symptoms and parents not answering their phones , so leaving child with a member of staff, rather than coming to pick them up.
I have been off with stress as a teacher - only 2 days. I continued as long as I could, but the gap between what I was expected to achieve and the resources I was given to achieve it, was too great. The stress (manifesting in inability to sleep, eat, talk, relax) eventually led to total burnout, where I had nothing to offer my own family. With some other jobs you can say ‘it’s only money’. I was fully aware of the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, so I tried to push through until I broke.
After 2 days off the mist lifted. Refreshed and clear headed I went back to work and handed in my notice.
I will not allow myself to be ‘chewed up’ by a disfunctional system again - it serves no one, least of all the pupils. If it gets as stressful as it did in March I will try protect the long term well-being of my health and my family. Few jobs are worth a family breakdown.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 05/08/2020 19:57

Phoning students in my form too

cantkeepawayforever · 05/08/2020 20:01

If home working what were you doing?

Planning work for each week.

Setting up every piece of that work (5x English + 5x Maths sessions each week, Reading comprehension, plus at least 1 lesson's worth of all other subjects such as Science, Geography, Music, Art etc etc) within the relevant tools, including both input such as MyMaths or Powerpoints and outputs within the online tools used.

Marking every piece of work submitted from every one of those lessons (essential, IME, for maintaining engagement, and reflected in engagement from almost 100% the class right up to the end)

Maintaining a safe social media platform for my class to communicate with me and with each other.

Replying to all queries received via the learning tools, e-mail or social media platform, from staff in school with keyworkers' / vulnerable children; from parents; from children themselves.

Zoom meetings with groups of children every week.

Dealing with child protection etc concerns as they arose.

Latterly, maintaining all the above while teaching a 'bubble' of 15 children from a priority year group face to face 4 days a week.

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 20:06

So planning and marking work. Standard part of your job right?

Occasional phone calls of zoom with students. Hardly compares to normal school

Key worker tuition doesn't help the majority.

So in what way have you demonstrated this could work as a good alternative to full time school?

Just because you've been busy. Doesn't mean best for kids.

nellodee · 05/08/2020 20:06

@askmehowiknow what were YOU doing over the lockdown? Justify your wages and worth to me.

NOW!

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 20:10

I worked with covid patients.

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 20:12

It's not about justifying your wages. Just I'm sure you're aware of what's been happening these last few months?

Beawillalwaysbetopdog · 05/08/2020 20:13

Have you been in touch with your union, to give your view on what would make you feel safe?

Despite what the media says, the unions have no power, at all. Otherwise the chronic underfunding of the last few years would have been rectified.

Of course I can teach from the front, it's just incredibly ineffective and provides less personal feedback to the kids than I've been providing remotely. (I understand that not every pupil has had that, but some of us have been trying really hard to provide a decent education remotely ).

What would make me feel safer would be:

Sanctions for parents who send symptomatic children in.

More money for cleaning and hand sanitiser.

Students and staff in masks.

Smaller class sizes. We don't have the space or staff for this, so it would have to be blended learning. Kids in either morning or afternoon - swap every other week so they get all lessons over a fortnight. In my subject I could teach two lessons in one and then set the consolidation work for home learning. Uptake would be higher than the spring term as there's more accountability. We could print workbooks for those with no access / parents who don't want their kids on screens.

Plus, not a safety thing but we also need more money for extra cover supervisors / supply staff to avoid the March debacle of year groups being sent home due to staff shortages.

Also, scrap the bubble nonsense in secondary, it doesn't provide any protection, adds to my workload and just means I have to go 4 hours without a toilet break.

In the absence of this, a simple admission from the government that this is a risky endeavour but essential for the welfare and future prospects of children would be nice.

Regardless, I'll be there in September, despite my concerns. I just don't understand why parents aren't arguing for mitigation of risks (e.g. masks), as the current 'plans' will mean high levels of staff and student absence which will have a detrimental effect on every students education.

As for thinking outside the box, I had to at short notice replan a whole term of lessons to be done remotely, using tech I'd never used before. I'm now having to spend my holiday time replanning next terms to remove all practicals, group work and anything that involves physical resources. Last year we weren''t allowed to print anything because of budget cuts, this year worksheets are the only thing I can hand out. (Apart from textbooks one every 3 days).

nellodee · 05/08/2020 20:13

I've heard there haven't been any Covid patients for the last two months and you've been sat on your arse. I want a breakdown of every minute of your day so I can judge whether your time was spent in a useful capacity. I'm a much better judge of your job than you are.

Danglingmod · 05/08/2020 20:14

Nobody is saying it's best for kids or the same experience or education.

Teachers on here have endlessly told you they worked MORE hours than normal, not less.

I'm paid for 26 hours. I worked at least 60. Every single week.

This is getting really, really, really boring now.

Time to leave mn, I think.

cantkeepawayforever · 05/08/2020 20:15

So in what way have you demonstrated this could work as a good alternative to full time school?

You didn't ask that. You asked what I did while home working - which was deliver remote education to 32 children until may half term, after which I delivered in person education to 15 children and continued to deliver remote education to the same 32.

In other words, I did my job to the fullest extent that was possible during lockdown and partial opening.

Is it a better alternative than full time school? For some children, yes. Some children have absolutely thrived, and their progress has been extraordinary. For many children, no. However, full time school was not available, due to Covid (a significant number of the families in my class had Covid early in lockdown), and as a state school, we did not 'do very little' - we delivered the same learning, on the same topics, as we would have done in school as far as the limits of technology and availability of technology and time within families allowed.

Uninterrupted full time education for all is also unlikely to be available in the Autumn term, or in fact until a vaccine is available - children will be sent home when ill, to be tested. The class will close down for multiple infections, for a couple of weeks at a time. The school will close occasionally if these get out of hand. if we are unlucky, we will be part of a local lockdown that includes schools, for an indeterminate length of time.

So I will teach full time in front of children when i can - when they are in, and I am in - and will teach remotely when I can't. That's the reality of the situation.

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 20:16

@nellodee

I've heard there haven't been any Covid patients for the last two months and you've been sat on your arse. I want a breakdown of every minute of your day so I can judge whether your time was spent in a useful capacity. I'm a much better judge of your job than you are.
You've heard incorrectly I'm afraid. In my hospital we still have 2 covid wards. Plus also resuming and continuing work with our 'day jobs'
nellodee · 05/08/2020 20:17

That's rubbish. I've heard on Mumsnet that nurses on Covid wards have never had such an easy time of it.

I'm still waiting for the breakdown of exactly what you do all day.

nellodee · 05/08/2020 20:18

Or do you feel I'm being unreasonable?

Maybe a little self-reflection is in order?

askmehowiknow · 05/08/2020 20:19

@nellodee

Or do you feel I'm being unreasonable?

Maybe a little self-reflection is in order?

It at all unreasonable to question what NHS have been doing. I hope I've answered Smile

I'm interested in what teachers have been doing

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 05/08/2020 20:19

Yeah me too.

Come on, itemise it, then we can accuse you of not helping anyone.

nellodee · 05/08/2020 20:21

Yep. We want more detail. You've given us the equivalent of "I've been working with students".

nellodee · 05/08/2020 20:22

Oh, and then, once you've itemised it, do the same thing for some other ignorant arsehole every fucking day for four months.