Secondary school closure not a disaster

[Rowenasemolina]

In among all the doom laden unhappy threads, I just want to put the other side.

Some children prefer home learning , and do better

No teacher time is being wasted on bad behaviour, so the whole lesson is about the lesson.

Given that 25-50% of learning time in schools is wasted For the average child for the average week, there are positives to the current set up

And the school meals sent home are no worse than the school meals served on site. Maybe now the electorate will wake up to the absolute con of s a school meal system which takes millions of pounds and spends almost all of it on wages rather than food. School meals should be got rid of altogether

As a tutor, I would say around a quarter of my students say they prefer being in school, a quarter day they prefer being at home, and half vary in their feelings from day to day.

They certainly have less interruptions to their learning from badly behaved students at home though.

Not surprising, it is the parents of the badly behaved students that are Complaining most in our schools, and pushing hardest to get them back In

[quote OwlWearingGlasses]Teens mental health improvement in lockdown.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-53884401[/quote]
That’s really old.

Survey in May last year. Not much last Easter break

Might be better now than last time I hope with better secondary provision

I can see how it might be good for some, but I guess it very much depends on the child. My eldest just started secondary school in September. He is currently being assessed for ADHD - the inattentive type. Home schooling has been a nightmare for him and for us. DS needs to be chased from subject to subject and checked on time and time again to make sure he is engaging with the work. I feel as though I'm back at school with him and it's not fun. The consultant who is assessing him told me I shouldn't micro manage him, but let him get into trouble and learn to take responsibility for himself. But that was when he was at school and only mornings and homeworks were the lowlights of our day! We don't want him to fall behind, so have effectively become his tutors. We also have an 8yo, who thankfully knuckles down to work without too much bother.

It has helped me understand, though, just what a huge effort DS makes in school to keep on track. He said he would rather have an extra hour of school, than have to do homework! It's as if his brain switches off from work as soon as he arrives home. But now he's at home all day😭😭

I still don’t want it to become too established. I hope they get time with their friends at some point.

@Rowenasemolina

In among all the doom laden unhappy threads, I just want to put the other side.

Some children prefer home learning , and do better

No teacher time is being wasted on bad behaviour, so the whole lesson is about the lesson.

Given that 25-50% of learning time in schools is wasted For the average child for the average week, there are positives to the current set up

And the school meals sent home are no worse than the school meals served on site. Maybe now the electorate will wake up to the absolute con of s a school meal system which takes millions of pounds and spends almost all of it on wages rather than food. School meals should be got rid of altogether

As a tutor, I would say around a quarter of my students say they prefer being in school, a quarter day they prefer being at home, and half vary in their feelings from day to day.

They certainly have less interruptions to their learning from badly behaved students at home though.

Not surprising, it is the parents of the badly behaved students that are Complaining most in our schools, and pushing hardest to get them back In

I agree that we need to take what positives we can but I’d definitely refute the statement that no teaching time is lost on bad behaviour, it still is in the respect of children changing backgrounds, inviting in outsiders, switching cameras on and off etc. Lots of time is also wasted on IT issues. I also don’t believe that home schoolers would ever spend so much time on line, this isn’t homeschooling it’s working from home for kids 😁

I should say, DS is well behaved at school. Every teacher he has had, has flagged up his inattentiveness and lack of organisation, but he's an enthusiastic learner and has never been in trouble. So I'm not trying to foist a badly behaved child onto the school to make my life easier!

My Dc aren’t badly behaved and have no received so much as a detention but I want them to go back as they want to be back and I want them to be be happy.

@MarshaBradyo

I also really feel for anyone not getting much provision.

Our school has been really good and the live lessons, where they respond, works well here.

That’s the point, there is so much disparity of provision and across schools / teachers, it is such an unfair playing field.

My Y10 dd works hard but there are some lessons she could really do with face to face teaching. Maths is something she really struggles to 'teach herself' from the online lessons and she is scared she's going to fail her GCSE. She also misses her friends and having normal teenage interactions. She will be fine with home learning some of the other subjects. Home learning would be fine if they could still be out interacting and see teachers for the subjects they want help with but it doesn't work like that sadly.

I think teachers should crackdown on pupils logging on 10 mins late for no good reason except they forgot and schools should be chasing pupils who do not log on to the lessons they don't like but pick and choose by subject. Parents need to be made aware what is happening. Child has additional needs and attends a special secondary. There are only 3 children in from his form and all 3 in his academic set. He says some days 2 others log on for Art and Science but don't log on for English or Maths. Apparently a lot log on for PHSE as largely.fiscusdion based and no writing. Child has asked teacher what will happen when others return to school will we all just move on or will you.ho over it all again. Teacher gives no answer, he is worried sick.

I should add that I work full time out of the house so my children don't get any support from a parent when they are working at home. It's literally what the teachers are able to provide.

Skyr I know I read one thread and it was so much less. It’s not fair for those students.

My sixth form DDs are fine with home learning academically, but really missing time with other teenagers. It is good they have each other, but they miss hanging around the common room chatting to people, playing cards, etc. Online isnt the same.

It can't be the case that this is working well for all, or even the majority, of children or the govt wouldn't have cancelled GCSEs and A Levels.

I'm guessing you teach an academic subject. I teach performing arts and online learning is a very pale reflection of what we can achieve at school. Our Autumn term was relatively normal. No live audiences of course but we used the drama and dance studios as normal and put on (livestreamed) productions as normal. The difference in the children's attainment, confidence and enthusiasm was incredible after 4 months stuck on Teams. To have had to go back to it now is definitely detrimental. 2 of my Year 8s have scholarship auditions for their next schools this week. Over Zoom. It just can't compare. Obviously all the children are in the same boat so they won't be disadvantaged but it's not the experience they should have had and they know it. I've moved all my Spring Term productions, exams and assessments into the summer term in the hope that they will happen. But there's definitely no guarantees.

My oldest daughters are in year 9 and 13 at a performing arts school. A few years ago, I converted our shed into a dance studio and they can use the facilities where I work in the evenings too. So they are very lucky and still able to make good progress. But a) they don't have the same passion as they do at school and b) not all children can keep up in this way.

If you're talking about English, Maths and the Humanities then yes, I think reasonably privileged children can achieve as well or better than they can in the classroom. But not for Science, Languages, Sport and the Arts.

In my experience in my subjects, remote education is not education as it should be. Not by a very long stretch.

I work for an online school and as you can imagine our numbers are booming.

Where do your students take their exams @MrsKeats?

Are they counted as home educated and do parents have to arrange and pay for exams? Or does the online school arrange it?

Is the online school expensive?

Also- what happens with their exams when it’s all scrapped? Is it the same process as in state schools?

All my kids are learning more being at home as there’s a lot less interruptions from badly behaved kids. They like being at home, getting up later, no travel time and definitely like being away from the kids who mess around constantly.

Remote education is not proper education - staring at a computer screen all day, without face to face time with peers or proper interaction with teachers is not enough and the longer this goes on the more damaged kids will become. Both my kids, 12 and 15, have always worked hard at school, very well behaved.... but are now struggling, losing motivation and their spark. There needs to be an end date, this cannot keep dragging on and be their lives

My DS15 is doing the work but minimum effort. Missing the social interaction

Op I absolutely agree, many dc are happier at home, they like their rooms, family and siblings and speak to friends on line.. They enjoy learning from their beds!!

Of course many are suffering, but many are not at all. It's not ideal but some of dc are fine... Learning, being taught well... And happy!

I agree that it isn't a disaster for many kids. My dd is self motivated and able to learn from home. The live lessons are pretty good, the other work that is set online is also pretty decent. From an educational point of view, it's perfectly adequate for a time limited period. Not perfect, as there aren't any options for practical work, but as you say, much of that would be impossible in the pandemic anyway.

My dd is working very well, but she does really miss the social aspect of school. Not just seeing her friends but learning alongside other people as a shared pursuit. I think it will be damaging to her mental health in the longer term to be denied this contact, and it might also affect her motivation, but she is positive and resilient, so she is coping pretty well for the time being.

I think the real concern in the current situation is for those kids who aren't self motivated and are therefore struggling to get much done from home, and also those kids who need the structure and routine of school to help manage their mental health. I realise that some of those kids will currently be in school as part of the "vulnerable" cohort, but I have no doubt that many will be excluded from this. It's the impact on those children that we really need to think about going forward.

@NeverForgetYourDreams

My DS15 is doing the work but minimum effort. Missing the social interaction

If remote education happens after Covid I can see kids doing their learning side by side at each other's houses.

In theory my kids have quiet places to study so should be able to concentrate but they find it harder than at school because of a lack of company.

I think my 14yo is probably doing the bare minimum too

I think there has been some massive benefits to this online schooling.

It requires the kids to take personal responsibility for their own learning. If you dont understand something you can't just ask your mate or copy their answer. DD doesn't have live lessons so if she gets stuck she either has to find a way to answer it herself or message the teacher. Usually the first as quicker, so she is actively having to think about what resources she can find to resolve the problem. (Ok course she can ask me but I'm not going to help unless she's actively tried herself on principle).

DD has also become far more computer literate in her use of the computer/onedrive/google drive.

DD is not eating crap in the school canteen.

Yes it requires a lot of parenting but as a household actually we are all looking better for it.

If remote education happens after Covid I can see kids doing their learning side by side at each other's houses.

I hope it doesn’t happen after Covid!

Are you crazy?? Secondary school kids shouid be interacting with teachers / friends being in a classroom environment, playing football with thier mates, being in the school play etc etc - my son loves home learning, however I know it isn't good for him!!

All that screen time too!!

theory my kids have quiet places to study so should be able to concentrate but they find it harder than at school because of a lack of company.

Have you tried all round the kitchen table? With noise cancelling headphones as required. I used to hate being shipped off on my own for homework as a kid. DD tried a desk in her room first lockdown but found it impossible. Round the kitchen table with DS works much better.

If remote education happens after Covid I can see kids doing their learning side by side at each other's houses.

Yes!! DD would love this.

And I do think many people have forgotten what a hard environment secondary school especially can be for children. They weren’t very nice places when I was at school and they don’t seem to have changed all that much which is why many kids are happier at home and many parents are saying their kids mental health has improved. I don’t think the bichiness and ‘banter’ at school is character building though like many parents seem to think it is. My kids are happier away from it.