How are teachers actually feeling at the moment?

[ermmm2021]

Just in general really? How are you all feeling knowing you have to go back or not go back to school tomorrow? About the amount of news you've got?

It's hard enough being a parent right now so I'm trying to imagine the position you're all in to remember you have little control of it all and you all have feelings too.

I'm angry our school have not given any information or responded to any concerns but I'm guessing you may not be in a position to.

Despite schools being off and children not in, teachers are in school [Scotland here] Bit anxious as atm we dont know the plan.

However, the Scottish Government did the right thing and I am relieved.
The UK Governments handling of everything to do with covid or actually everything they touch is absolutely disgusting.

Fortheroses no reason at all for you to be in unless you're needed for key worker children.

You're very sweet

I suspect very similar to how you're feeling as a parent. Confused and anxious due to the uncertainty. I've no idea if I'll be physically in the school building on Monday for inset or on Tuesday when pupils will begin key worker/vulnerable provision and online learning.

I was all set to go back normally but I think my borough council made the right decision to overrule the government and support primaries to close - the surrounding boroughs were closed and attendance would have been awful, with parents being scared like they were last March. I had covid just before the holiday so little personal risk, but I do worry about my colleagues who are at higher risk for many reasons, and for the families of the children that I teach, and the country as a whole.

I’m a primary teacher and won’t be back in school even though my school will be open. I’m pregnant with higher risk factors and it’s been deemed not safe enough for me to work in school. My child will be going to school and so will my colleagues. I am worried for them. I am worried for their family members. I am worried for the children and their family members. I am also worried for myself and colleagues teaching online. It was very stressful in lockdown 1. Remote teaching while somehow juggling key worker provision is something no teachers want to return to! My school will be lucky that I am at home to manage some of it but I can’t cover remote lessons for seven year groups by myself. We all just want things to be normal again. And if they can’t be normal again we want to be safe. And if we can’t be completely safe then we want just some safety measures. Just some beyond hand washing! Why have part-time rotas not been considered? Why won’t the government facilitate smaller class sizes? Why won’t they even give schools some money for extra cleaning? Why are teachers and schools getting all the blame when it is the DfE that are wholly negligent and care so little for state school pupils and staff? The wrong people are being painted as the bad guys in this.

@BustopherPonsonbyJones

A generalisation, but I have noticed that teachers under the age of, say, 35 are not so worried whilst those heading towards fifty and beyond are very worried. Obviously, knowing you are more at risk affects how you face this virus although the hospital situation should concern everyone. I would grab furlough if it were offered to me. I am very envious of those who are still furloughed or working from home, despite understanding there are other pressures. I could have coped- just- if the virus hadn’t mutated and become more infectious.

This.

Tired, anxious, fed up.

Being an 'older' teacher (tapping on the shoulders of 50) it is concerning.

I'm mainly feeling frustrated.
Frustrated that SEN schools have barely been mentioned, never mind the additional risks acknowledged.
Frustrated the government told secondary headteachers they weren't expected to do anything over the holiday to plan for the testing but have piled on all sorts of extra work.
Frustrated that none of this was properly planned for. It's not as though the education profession didn't see this coming.
Frustrated that as an SEN teacher, if my pupils end up staying at home, I won't be able to teach them on a bit of pavement outside this time because it'll be too cold and wet to do so.
Frustrated that my DH has had to spend the past week replanning entire units of work for his secondary school department team to go online with tomorrow.
Frustrated that my Y11 child is stressed out about whether or not GCSE exams will go ahead and upset by media and social media constantly blaming teachers for school closures and pretty much saying both her parents are lazy shits who don't care about the children they teach.

I want to be in school, teaching my pupils and I want us all to be as safe as we can be. Prioritise school staff for the vaccine if that's what's needed to disrupt the transmission cycle but don't lie, don't use schools as political pawns and don't assume every teacher is in the NEU.

I miss the kids and feel a strong sense that they need us to be open (SEN). I worry about our families, particularly those who face daily struggles. I feel lucky to be in a secure job but angry our working conditions are nowhere near as safe as they should be.
On a personal level, I feel uneasy to be honest. A colleague has recently been hospitalised with Covid although she's slowly improving. She is 45 and a single Mum of two - fell ill shortly after a student in her class tested positive and their bubble "burst" so likely school transmission. She's CV with diabetes. We've had other cases in school. DH had the virus earlier in the year and still has respiratory issues as a result. He's CEV and I obviously don't want him to get it a second time as it wasn't a barrel of laughs the first. We're in an area with a high number of cases.
I wish we could all be vaccinated so we could get on with our work. I know this is a low point and am trying to look to brighter times.
Many thanks for asking us.

@IHeartKingThistle - I hear you. It's interesting that quite a few folk who are anxious have already had a tough time with Covid and worry about getting it again. I do understand this and hope you have some immunity. I also understand those who haven't had it feeling less concerned. It's a lottery and I know it can be really mild for some people.
Although I'm quite alright now, I've never been quite so ill and it was quite scary. I guess I've been lucky and never had flu or a chest infection before...
Stay safe and well ⚘

I work in a through school so am in for primary lessons but not senior. I am CV and have a child who is also CV. I am fortunate in that I can afford to walk out if needs be (and it is looking increasingly likely that will happen) but I love my school and don’t want to burn my bridges. Very worried although I find when in school, it feels OK.

@Andi2020 how to wreck the teaching profession with a few insensitive remarks!

Hardly. Plainly bullshit of the highest order on the part of @Andi2020. Funny how it has had such detailed and unanimous conversations with such a number of teachers. As if.

Less bad than I'd feel if I was a lazy incompetent 'journalist' 🤷🏻‍♀️

Well, as everyone has been isolating under the tier 4 rules, then I assume no one will be bringing the virus into school.

Obviously the opposite could be true too.

I feel ill. Recovering from Covid as are half my colleagues. Last week I genuinely thought I was going to die as I had an episode of laboured breathing and my lips turned blue.
I’d much rather have my children in school that teach them remotely but I also wouldn’t wish this on anyone. We’re in a shit situation and some proper leadership from the government would be most welcome.

I’m not worried for myself, but my school was very hard hit prior to Christmas and the catchment area is still doing very badly.

I found the constant disruption and on off isolating very stressful. It is hard to get controlled assessments done when the year group keeps having to isolate.
If all schools were remote learning for uniform dates, I wouldn’t feel like we were at such a disadvantage.

Many of my year 11 students, I haven’t seen since the beginning of October.
It’s been very erratic and trying to plan online learning and teach in school is quite a challenge to organise. I have OCD, so I’m better concentrating on one thing at a time.

I prefer being in school and teaching face-to-face than remote teaching...but at the same time, I can’t do another half term like the last one.

DH is an HLTA in a primary that is just open for KW and V pupils. I am a nursery teacher in a nursery 1 mile from that school and we are open, expected to take 50 children over the next week (lots aren’t sending but we are want to be) Talking tonight on zoom, his colleagues all feel differently for different reasons but the one common trend is hey feel saddened for the school workforce generally. The governments silence and inability to respond to questions over safety with anything that could be reassuring to genuinely concerned school staff (and parents tbh) shows total lack of disregard and disrespect. The country who lefties them deserve better from their government. There has been no mixing over for tier 4 areas and people are fed up, confused and frightened and the government couldn’t care less

In all honesty, tearful and anxious. I don’t mind teaching in person or teaching remotely from home or teaching remotely from school, but it has changed about five times this week and each time I get a new piece of information it affects what’s going to happen with my own DC. I want the government to set out a clear and transparent policy about which schools should be open and why, with a clear exit strategy for the schools doing remote learning. I honestly don’t know whether I’m coming or going at the moment.

I’m happy to go back but I am also nervous as since our return in September there has been no social distancing, no PPE, I’ve had to deliver intimate care (changing bottoms) several times a week and schools are very much back to normal. In July I was in a class bubble of 10, the felt safe, social distancing was manageable. The number then were significantly less than now, what has changed? Why wasn’t I safe then but I am now? Added to that I’m pregnant so that’s an extra concern.

I'm a Primary School Head, and I'm worried as I have the vast majority of my teachers considering following advice from their union and staging the section 44 walkout from tomorrow. We have a zoom staff meeting today to discuss.

Not a teacher.

Specialist support role in special school.

I'm ok because we have small class sizes. 7-9. So we have the sort of set up other teachers are fighting for via KW and vulnerable.

I do have some concerns but our HT is very open to suggestions and implements most of them.

If I was primary or secondary I'd be terrified.

30+ students in a room when "covid loves a crowd"

Up to 150 different students a day is just too dangerous.

I completely support my education colleagues in their actions.

Please blame the government not the school for lack of info. Our school have sent out a letter, but it's pure speculation!

Torn. I know closing schools and moving to online learning will be safer but face to face education is the most effective way to support our learners right now. Not to mention the social and pastoral support that students would miss out on if schools do close.

Mostly I feel sad. Sad that media outlets skew things to inflame those that will be easily inflamed by giving the impression that teachers are lazy and we just want a holiday. Sad that there is little trust left in this profession mainly from the government but also some sections of the general public. I wish those critics could walk a mile in our shoes. I don't know any colleagues in it for the holidays or the money (though of course everyone has bills to pay) we do it because we love the students, helping them progress, and our subject.

Yes if schools close I'll be gaining back 3 hours a day which I currently spend commuting but otherwise I'll be working. My current lessons need to be adapted to online learning, I'm swamped in marking and spend most of my holidays doing it so I don't relish the thought of moving online.

My husband is a teacher in SEN in a PRU and he has taught face to face with kids who don't know the meaning of social distancing, don't wear masks, even try to lick his face and cough on him.

He's been forgotten by this government and all those teachers that work in this environment. It disgusts me.

He will be going in Monday because the kids are vulnerable. He's over 50. What about his vulnerability??

Which newspaper do you work for OP? 😂

I'll be in whether we're open or not as we will need staff for keyworker and vulnerable children.

As for what's going on? Got no fucking idea and that's the real disgrace here. Whether I'm teaching in class or online I would have liked more than 5 minutes notice to actually plan and prepare.

Like always though with this government everything is at the last moment and ill thought through.