Longer school days to make up for lost learning

[StitchInLime]

Source: Various newspapers, give it a Google (admittedly with a right wing lean)

Apparently one of the options being considered, nothing set in stone of course but for the purposes of discussion...

AIBU to feel both joy and sadness at the prospect of this (joy for me so I can claw back work hours, joy for children so they can claw back some school time but sadness for my teacher friends and all teachers who will need to add more hours to already heavy workload).

This will never happen.

The government won’t pay staff to do it anyway so it just won’t get off the ground. Children won’t learn more just by doing more of the same after an already full day at school.

If they want children to do more sports/activities after school-great; invest in clubs and sports centres run by qualified instructors-it doesn’t need to operate in schools buildings. Let everyone who wants to, do subsidised swimming/cycling/gymnastics/football or learn musical instruments.

The problem with asking teachers to teach another 2 hours a day is that you’re actually asking them to work twice that. Most teachers I know already work til half 5 every day - or else they make up for it evenings/ very early mornings to catch up. It’s not just teaching time, it’s all the planning/ marking/ assessing that goes along with it. I just can’t see how they could make up for that while still maintaining quality. Not to to mention the kids will be shattered and probably wanting to get back to their hobbies. My children and most of their friends train with their sports teams/ other activities after school. I can’t see any benefit in them sacrificing these for the somewhat iffy benefits of two hours extra in the classroom.

I don't think we have a right to expect anyone to do extra hours to teach our kids. A lot of what is written appears to be based on victimhood and entitlement.

It is parent's responsibility to educate their children. You don't get to abdicate that responsibility just because you pay tax on your income. It is your responsibility to make sure your child is educated. Not anyone else's.

I don’t think you know much about how the human brain works. More hours at school does not equal more quality learning.

@BungleandGeorge that wasn’t my question?

Teachers are also currently working longer hours too- well the ones I know anyway due to online teaching.

My question was would they work longer to catch up with missed appts and ops? I haven’t yet seen a request from the govt to do this

I don't think anyone should be paid extra for doing their job. It is a salary and you do what hours needs to be done to get your job done, just like everyone who is not employed on the government purse does.

That said, you definitely should not be paying people extra to do the parent's job, which is to fill in the gaps and make sure their children have a suitable and balanced education.

Lets stop bashing teachers and start asking why so few parents are willing to take responsibility for making sure their kids get a decent level of education.

And of course it’s done on a voluntary basis with pay attached for those who want it- that’s fine. Your post reads like people are being forced and doing it for free.

@Lavanderrose

I don’t think you know much about how the human brain works. More hours at school does not equal more quality learning.

Bravo.

Why stop bashing teachers- everyone loves a teacher bashing thread don’t they. Mention anything about our precious nhs and people will have your guts for garters.

I noticed the other day that my son's school (he's in year 1) have published their skeleton plan as to how they will spend the catch up funding they will receive (£80 per pupil). Seems to be a mix of investment in resources and technology, support for teachers so they have release time to plan reiteration of foundation knowledge alongside new teaching, support for teachers to be able to have increased one to one and small group time for kids needing to catch up, spending on speech and language therapy and friendship and social skills groups.

Nothing suggests either extended days or summer school. I kind of wish there was the suggestion of summer school for small groups. My son has additional needs and an EHCP and he is very behind despite our best efforts at home. But I know it would be extremely challenging to staff so can understand why this doesn't appear to have made it on to their plan.

@Flitter123

The problem with asking teachers to teach another 2 hours a day is that you’re actually asking them to work twice that. Most teachers I know already work til half 5 every day - or else they make up for it evenings/ very early mornings to catch up. It’s not just teaching time, it’s all the planning/ marking/ assessing that goes along with it. I just can’t see how they could make up for that while still maintaining quality. Not to to mention the kids will be shattered and probably wanting to get back to their hobbies. My children and most of their friends train with their sports teams/ other activities after school. I can’t see any benefit in them sacrificing these for the somewhat iffy benefits of two hours extra in the classroom.

I just don't get why this is an issue? Most people do this anyway, they work roughly 9am to 5pm during the day (in the office!) and then log back on in the evenings and their finish work.

In my role under normal circumstances I work 9am to 5pm and then 1.5 hours in the evening after the kids are in bed (usually between 8:30pm and 10pm). This is what most people in professional jobs do. Why is it so shocking to ask teachers to do it for a while?

@ElliFAntspoo Absolutely agree. The children that do well academically are nearly always the ones with a parent or parents that support their learning in whatever way they can.

@NanooCov

I noticed the other day that my son's school (he's in year 1) have published their skeleton plan as to how they will spend the catch up funding they will receive (£80 per pupil). Seems to be a mix of investment in resources and technology, support for teachers so they have release time to plan reiteration of foundation knowledge alongside new teaching, support for teachers to be able to have increased one to one and small group time for kids needing to catch up, spending on speech and language therapy and friendship and social skills groups.

Nothing suggests either extended days or summer school. I kind of wish there was the suggestion of summer school for small groups. My son has additional needs and an EHCP and he is very behind despite our best efforts at home. But I know it would be extremely challenging to staff so can understand why this doesn't appear to have made it on to their plan.

Maybe put together and publish guidelines for parents on how to improve their children's education at home. Just think what taking a couple of hours away from the TV and spending it on your child's education would do for those who believe their kids 'are behind', whatever 'behind' means to you.

[quote Countdowntonothing]@yomommasmomma

So when are teachers meant to plan/mark/do the 100 other jobs? If I finish TEACHING at 5pm I'll still have 2-3 hours work that needs to be done before 8am the next day. So I would leave work at 7- 8pm. Could potentially be 9pm before my children get home. Their bedtime is 7pm as we're all up before 6am to leave the house at 7am. [/quote]
You do the work at home in the evenings, after your children are in bed. That's exactly what most people in private sector jobs do.

@yomommasmomma Do these private sector workers get paid for the extra hours they do?

In my role under normal circumstances I work 9am to 5pm and then 1.5 hours in the evening after the kids are in bed (usually between 8:30pm and 10pm). This is what most people in professional jobs do. Why is it so shocking to ask teachers to do it for a while?

Because I already do work those hours in ‘normal’ times. I get to school at 7.30am and leave at 5.30/6. I also do work in the evenings to finish off. I’ve always worked those hours and am happy to do so. I do them to get my work done.

I am not doing more, unpaid.

[quote Nicknamegoeshere]@ElliFAntspoo Absolutely agree. The children that do well academically are nearly always the ones with a parent or parents that support their learning in whatever way they can.[/quote]
Thanks for pointing out my misgiving too. Yes, there are plenty of single parents who are invested in their children's education and do a sterling job. I am married and don't know how I'd cope on my own. So I am really impressed with the sterling job some single parents do with supporting their children's education.

‘My question was would they work longer to catch up with missed appts and ops? I haven’t yet seen a request from the govt to do this’

The government don’t have to appeal to HCPs to step up.
Who the hell do you think has been rolling out the vaccination programs? Who has answered workforce appeals within their own trusts and organisations to cover the THOUSANDS of infected, isolating and post COVID vacancies that are happening every day? Who has been redeployed into the most needed clinical settings? Sometimes without any knowledge or experience of the speciality they have been moved to? But yeah. Don’t let the fact that HCPs across the country have been going above and beyond for the last year without needing a ‘government appeal’ stop you from spouting rubbish

[quote Fatas]@BungleandGeorge that wasn’t my question?

Teachers are also currently working longer hours too- well the ones I know anyway due to online teaching.

My question was would they work longer to catch up with missed appts and ops? I haven’t yet seen a request from the govt to do this[/quote]
Yes there were lots of extra catch up clinics and appointments last year., including at weekends. The vaccination scheme is additional work in additional time so that not so many appointments are missed, GP staff don’t usually work 12 hour days including weekends. It’s totally additional work, yes. It’s very normal for employers to expect overtime and flexible hours wherever you work. Including ringing up on the day and sending people to other locations, cancelling holiday etc. Should people be forced to do it? No, I don’t think so, but it’s hardly an unusual situation to request people to work extra or altered hours. The flexibility that you are required to provide depends on your contract. Unsurprisingly most employers have quite a lot of flexibility allowed as it’s in their interests!

@Letseatgrandma This is exactly why I don't really fancy going back into teaching. I'm too old/poor to do anything else though!

Kolo
Hilarious that posters think that teachers who expect to be paid for their hours, and treat it like a job rather than a vocation (or civic duty) are monsters who should leave the profession, whilst simultaneously thinking that the rise in teacher training applications seen because the economy is busting will solve the problem.

Were you referring to me? I only posted about the rise in teacher training applications - nothing else.

No way do I want this for my kids, for lots of the reasons given above - but primarily my children are most behind on fun, socialising and creativity.

You do the work at home in the evenings, after your children are in bed. That's exactly what most people in private sector jobs do.
The point is the poster should not be doing the parent's job. Just because the parent is unwilling to support the education of their child, does not mean the education system should have to.

It is the difference between self entitlement and teaching your child to be self entitled, and taking responsibility for educating your child, and teaching your child to take responsibility in life.

You are responsible for you child's education. Not the state. You cannot abdicate that responsibility and whine that someone else is not doing what you are meant to do. That is both ignorant and selfish.