What's going to happen with schools?

[NebularNerd]

I'm a secondary teacher and I've posted before about my concerns about going back to work. For context, my husband was previously shielding which adds to my fear of catching this thing & I have two young children.

So I'm back at work, no social distancing possible but at least we wear masks I'm the corridors. I'm in the North East so in local lockdown, so not allowed to see friends or family, but still in daily close contact with hundreds of people.

I'm fucking exhausted at the end of each day as we have to move classroom for every single lesson as the students stay in their bubbles. Behaviour is worse.

Daily cases in schools in the local vicinity.

Staff off self isolating, awaiting test results. Students off in droves too.

And we're only four weeks in.

Honestly, how long is this sustainable?

@deflationexasperation

* teaching via zoom or Google meet is the key.. You can be safe at home, dc are learning and your doing pretty much the same thing except from home! In your slippers, cat on lap and a cup of tea to hand.

This is nothing like teaching in a classroom and children definitely don’t all learn the same at home. Things like lack of access to devices, volatile or unsafe home environment etc, and just generally struggling with a change in routine. It might be what we are forced to do but it’s not a good replacement.

The other issue is that key workers won't be able to access valuable childcare if bubbles are constantly SI. (We shouldn't be seen as childcare but we are.)

If we had blended learning and staff working in shifts we could protect kw spaces and have children coming in week on week off. Minimise spread of the virus. Have staff available to run things.

kiwibee I do have empathy for them, that's why I acknowledged that for them it's not ok. Some people on here are clearly really not coping.

But I don't believe they're the majority and I find it really awkward when people say that teachers have it so hard and must be on our knees after less than a month of work. I'd rather have people say it's a 9-3 job and we're always on holiday because at least those comments can just be laughed off and ignored.

Maybe it's because I know deep down that actually I couldn't cope with a job where I didn't get 13 weeks holiday a year. I love the holidays and I do feel a bit guilty about needing them. I have a lot of mental health issues which have caused physical health issues and I would get burned out too easily to be able to stay in most jobs. But teaching, for me, is a manageable one because it is a little bit easier than jobs with only 4 weeks off a year.

Im in the north east and our schools are rife with it. People dropping like flies.

You're right its not sustainable.

But the exhausted at moving classes remark is a bit much. Try working in the NHS atm.

There's parts of the NHS that are finding things easier right now. A&E local to us has never been so empty. However I would never dream of telling NHS staff how they are working, and thinking that because one part of the job might be easier, the rest is as well. I'm self aware enough to recognise that I don't do that job, I don't know the ins and outs of it, and commenting on a public forum wouldn't be kind.

A lot of the issues are school dependent in terms of the workload.

It's not just exhaustion from moving classes. That is one small part of the picture. But misquote and imply stuff that isn't there,everyone else does.

I thought about downloading the track and trace but then thought, if one of my sixth formers tests positive, i don't have to isolate because I'm not in their bubble.
However if they (as an over 16) and I both had track and trace it would notice that I've spent 4 hours a mere 1.2m away from them in the past week and I'd be told to isolate.
Wondering how long til SMT realise this and tell us not to download it or we'll all be isolating all the time.

I can’t believe that you’re exhausted just because of moving classrooms, but I know that anxiety can be exhausting

It's not just moving classrooms that's stressful. It's massively increased duties, mine have increased by 600% meaning much less time to prepare for the next lesson. Covering other teachers who are sick or isolating with little notice. Staggered starts for different year groups meaning a longer school day. Different routines around handwashing etc. Changing how we teach because group work is no longer appropriate, certain resources are not allowed etc. Having to set work for isolating pupils whilst continuing to teach the ones still in school. Working out which children need more support after lockdown due to gaps in their knowledge, which need mental health support, which ones have struggled with access to tech and so are now behind.

Altogether it is exhausting and has nothing to do with anxiety. Although it would not be unreasonable to feel anxious about being in poorly ventilated spaces with 30 people facing you, all day.

Finally I'd like to know, why some schools have been so proactive about getting on line and some have wilted in the face of it without even trying!
Because not all schools have the same facilities or the same cohort, or the same challenges.

This x 1000

Inner city school, 40%(ish) pupil premium, multiple siblings sharing devices, sometimes the only device with Internet is a PAYG mobile. We simply cannot live teach a full timetable. Even during lock down when we uploaded work that students had a week to complete, some classes did not complete a single task. None.

@manicinsomniac Please, if you are one of the younger staff in school, to help others, leave your windows and doors open, don't come up to staff (right up to them) for a chat, don't make pointless meetings for groups of staff to be physically together, do encourage kids to give staff space, don't walk past staff on the thin one way system the wrong way laughing and chatting with your other unconcerned teacher friends. Thank you, from a more worried teaching colleague.

monkeytennis I don't get windows or doors, they're making me teach outside!! Not do I get to see other adults unless it's needed. Getting the children to follow the one way system however, is ... challenging.

I'm really not unsympathetic. I will follow every rule because I'm terrified too. It's just my terror is of ending up teaching online again which I didn't cope with and won't cope with again. I don't think that's uncommon. So in a way I guess those of us who want schools to stay open are just as likely to follow the rules as those who would be happier if they were closed.

Our kids (primary) were delighted to be back but they’re really struggling with being stuck in their class bubble all day now. No interaction with other children or staff has led to LOTS of arguing and telling tales. Two playtimes and the rest of the time in one small windowless room is hard for seven year olds. Behaviour (in a school always complimented for outstanding behaviour management) has gone to pot, and so learning has been slower than usual.

I can’t really blame the children; it’s been SO hard being stuck in the same small room all day and having no interaction with other members of staff other than via weekly Zoom meetings. When we meet at the photocopier the joy is palpable!

I desperately want schools to stay open to all, but I’d happily take greater restrictions outside of school to allow more mixing within. For everyone’s sanity.

So in a way I guess those of us who want schools to stay open are just as likely to follow the rules as those who would be happier if they were closed

And who exactly would be happier with schools closed? No one on this thread has said that at all. You crack on being terrified of online teaching, you don’t need to make stuff up too.

@manicinsomniac Wow teaching outside?! That must've been chilly the last week or so. Are you in a primary? Fair points.. I guess I'm just talking about my own experience and that of my DH too (secondary).

@manicinsomniac

kiwibee I do have empathy for them, that's why I acknowledged that for them it's not ok. Some people on here are clearly really not coping.

But I don't believe they're the majority and I find it really awkward when people say that teachers have it so hard and must be on our knees after less than a month of work. I'd rather have people say it's a 9-3 job and we're always on holiday because at least those comments can just be laughed off and ignored.

Maybe it's because I know deep down that actually I couldn't cope with a job where I didn't get 13 weeks holiday a year. I love the holidays and I do feel a bit guilty about needing them. I have a lot of mental health issues which have caused physical health issues and I would get burned out too easily to be able to stay in most jobs. But teaching, for me, is a manageable one because it is a little bit easier than jobs with only 4 weeks off a year.

You shouldn't feel guilty at all, you flipping earn those holidays!!!! Never ever feel bad for enjoying a tiny perk of an otherwise very difficult job.

The funny thing is, I bet you wouldn't need then if you worked in a different job.

Carrie - I'm sorry, I wasn't intentionally making anything up. I just assumed that for those who are not coping and/or frightened of being in school, that they'd rather be at home. If that isn't the case, I apologise.

monkeytennis - it was fine until Thursday. Since then, yes, very cold! I'm trying to make it till half term because I don't really have time to rewrite my schemes of work to fit the guidelines till then (I teach performing arts so the children are supposed to distance even within the bubble and a) my Drama classroom is tiny and b) the children are incapable of distanced acting. Dance isn't so bad, they sort of stay on the spots). I'm in an independent school so I teach across Primary and Secondary - KS2 and KS3.

Agree with above poster. I did several jobs before teaching and was fine with 5 weeks holiday a year. Teaching is much much harder in termtime than any other job I've done and the holidays balance that out for me - and I certainly need them!
But that's exactly why the additional demands on the timetable just don't work - because we already work in a system where we are flat out in termtime. This is secondary, of course primary might be different.

@Glitterynails

Just because the teachers are smiling at the schools gates does not mean they are okay. Another poster mentioned game face. This is 100% what is going on at my school with every teacher. They are dedicated. They are professional. They are smiling. But they are not okay.

This. 1000 times over, this.

I'm primary. In Birmingham. We have several positives, staff & children. Yeargroups off self isolating.

It feels like every morning, I have absolutely no idea what the day will bring.

I am utterly resigned to the fact that I will get it. The 'Covid Safe' stuff is horseshit. Yes, children are in bubbles but those bubbles all use the same toilets, the same corridors, the same dinner hall. They are ALL connected by siblings with other bubbles. It's a farce. And let's face it, little ones cannot social distance effectively.

It's a really shit way to work, wondering how and when you will get sick on top of all the other pressures of school life.

The other shit thing is that we've had to completely revamp our schemes of work to enable it to work in school and online. That's something that has added to workload massively.

Mind you, in a way I've also become more philosophical. OK, so I won't get this paperwork done. And I'm not remotely bothered by Ofsted or the normal SLT scrutiny. Meh. My children are happy and having fun learning.

But the average teacher is, in my experience, really doing okay right now!

Really? Where do you live? Come to Birmingham and say that same thing. You'd be laughed at. Don't insult those of us who are not fortunate to have the privilege of not worrying.

@manicinsomniac

Carrie - I'm sorry, I wasn't intentionally making anything up. I just assumed that for those who are not coping and/or frightened of being in school, that they'd rather be at home. If that isn't the case, I apologise.

monkeytennis - it was fine until Thursday. Since then, yes, very cold! I'm trying to make it till half term because I don't really have time to rewrite my schemes of work to fit the guidelines till then (I teach performing arts so the children are supposed to distance even within the bubble and a) my Drama classroom is tiny and b) the children are incapable of distanced acting. Dance isn't so bad, they sort of stay on the spots). I'm in an independent school so I teach across Primary and Secondary - KS2 and KS3.

You work in an independent school. You have absolutely no idea what it's like in the state sector.

Ahh right independent teachers are fine with small classes etc.

Come and see how the state sector is coping.

My friends in independent secondaries are struggling too (I've taught in independents before so have former colleagues in the sector) - less packed classrooms (20-25 rather than 30) and they are getting more cleaning but other than that the same workload issues with teaching doubletime online and in person. Those in boarding have got all the added risks there.
Don't judge all independents by one poster's experience of a Prep School - the secondary school problems with option blocks, bubbles, no social distancing and workload are the same across the sectors.

pooiepooie The pressures are probably different in independent (some of them anyway) but I don't agree that they are lesser.

State school teachers have generally got guaranteed jobs and salaries. Whereas we've all just taken a 10% pay cut and lost 7 staff to redundancies because so many of our parents can no longer afford the fees. Our biggest Covid challenge is having a school left at the end of it.

State schools (in many cases) bring supply teachers in to cover absence. Or are at least protected by their unions from covering for each other except in an emergency. We never use supply and our non contact time is not protected (no such concept as PPA time). We have timetabled non contact periods but getting them is a bonus, not an expectation.

Our classes are smaller but so are our classrooms. My classroom was built for 18, not for 30. There's no extra space just because there are fewer children. Hence not being able to teach in it right now.

Our school day runs from 8am to a minimum of 5pm. 1 night I'm on duty till 7pm and one night till 10pm. I also teach on Saturdays. In return for that we get longer holidays.

Our parents are paying a huge amount of money and that means they are very demanding (not saying they shouldn't be, just that it can be very draining). The value added can't drop because there's a pandemic or we lose all our pupils. We can't just cancel wrap around care, extra curricular clubs, productions etc - we have to adapt them and make sure they can continue. They also want clear, personalised evidence of educational progress, gaps, plans etc. Some parents are requiring daily emails or zoom calls right now. And we aren't in a position to say no.

25% of our pupils have additional needs and are with us because their parents weren't happy with wherever they were before. To keep the pupils, we have to be better.

The school I'm in has significant advantages over others that I know of - 1) we're rural and 2) we're not in a lockdown area. Being private is not, imo, a massive advantage.

And I never set out to claim that teaching isn't a hard job, nor that it isn't harder than normal at the moment. Of course it is. But I just didn't think it did any favours to the profession to suggest that we are all 'on our knees' at the end of week 3 or 4. There are 100s of 1000s of teachers in the UK (probably - I don't actually know how many) - statistically, the majority will be managing ok right now. But Christmas yes, that's definitely time to being out phrases like on our knees. But not September. That just isn't true and encourages the stereotype that we don't work hard. Which I don't think is true of anyone on this thread, whether they're feeling on top of the world at being back or really are clinging on by a thread.

Schrodingers Prep schools aren't immune from problems? In fact, we have some that Senior Schools generally won't have. Off the top of my head:

1. If we go into Tier 3, we will be teaching Year 3-6 on site and Years 7-8 online. The system has been designed for Primary and Secondary and leaves Prep and Middle schools with a tricky hybrid.
2. Very young, very homesick boarders. Some are needing a lot of physical contact right now.
3. Our bubbles are stupidly leaky because we have primary school aged children working on a secondary school model and they aren't old enough to manage the restrictions reliably. If (when?!) we get a positive case, I don't see how we can possibly get away with just closing one bubble. The whole school is basically a big bubble. Which is fine at the moment because we haven't had a case yet.

Maniac, funny then how every single teacher I know (25+) across all age ranges and settings is absolutely exhausted 3-4 weeks in. People really are already on their knees. I've never witnessed so many staff crying in one week. Not because they can't do it, but because they are so exhausted trying to do their best and still it isn't enough.