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No school for us til 9th April at the earliest. Royally fucked off now.

725 replies

WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo · 18/02/2021 17:30

Announcement just made for NI that most kids won't be going back to school until after the Easter holidays, and there's no guarantee of that. So fed up.

OP posts:
teamdebbievssorelosers · 20/02/2021 09:23

If you cannot manage to educate your own children, you need to start reading and educating yourselves.

😂

so on top of a full time job
providing a full time education to your children
taking care of their well-being - at least a couple of outdoor activities a day
and taking care of basic chores - like.. food

the best advice is to add to your day by reading some bullshit material
😂 😂

brilliant.

Inastatus · 20/02/2021 09:26

@Woolff - but no one can teach ‘like you’re supposed to’ at the moment. Kids sitting in front of a screen all day long just listening and working in solitude is nowhere near the same. You are kidding yourself if you think it is. My DD and many of her friends are struggling.

teamdebbievssorelosers · 20/02/2021 09:29

Pre-covid, how many kids had to listen to their parents at the schoos gates say, "Bah.. holidays.. now what do I/we do? We can't cope..."

true from SOME parents. Why do you put everybody in the same basket?

It's always the opposite in my house, I try to hide my disappointment that holidays are over and they have to go back to school.

you are just spectacularly missing the point that the lockdown is not a holiday!

It's not a holiday to be stuck at home, it's not a holiday to have homeschooling to do, it's not even a holiday to be stuck in the uk, let alone having no friends, nothing to do, nowhere to go, no clubs, no parties.

Your comments are incredibly stupid.

Ylvamoon · 20/02/2021 09:34

@teamdebbievssorelosers - there are 24 hours in a day... that makes 48 if you half then. Plenty of time to do all thous things. It's just a case of timing and organising!

🤫🤫🤫 it's a secret!

Kokeshi123 · 20/02/2021 09:43

I wonder if the birthdate round go town if there was no schools

I assume you were trying to write "I wonder if the birthrate goes down if there were no schools."

Yes, of course it does, idiot. Have you looked at the news? The birthrate and fertility rate have dropped in basically all developed and middle income countries.

teamdebbievssorelosers · 20/02/2021 09:49

Ylvamoon
shit, I have done it completely wrong so far 😂

thanks!

TheKeatingFive · 20/02/2021 09:57

I have a PhD in an education related subject and I'm struggling because I've not yet figured out how to be in two places at once.

If you actually cared about your child’s education, you’d try harder. Have you looked into cloning yourself? Honestly, what a lazy fucker. Wink

TheKeatingFive · 20/02/2021 09:58

teamdebbievssorelosers

Loving your username btw 😂

TheJerkStore · 20/02/2021 10:03

@TheKeatingFive

I have a PhD in an education related subject and I'm struggling because I've not yet figured out how to be in two places at once.

If you actually cared about your child’s education, you’d try harder. Have you looked into cloning yourself? Honestly, what a lazy fucker. Wink

I know. I just can't be arsed. I only had kids so they could bring me things and make me cups of tea but they're shit at that. I've failed as a parent
Zolrets · 20/02/2021 10:43

The elephant in the room here is that one third to a half of kids ARE in school anyway. If, as I suspect, on 8th March infants go back in England, in a school of 210, 150 kids will be in. Unfortunately not my year 3, who also got no summer term at all last year too.

I’m dreading next week already. Two full time wfh on calls all day, presenting data in some, presenting other material in others. Every school is doing things a bit differently however we get one 20-40 minute live lesson per day - not knowing the length of that is a problem in itself. Then two prerecorded videos. Plus reading - I’m meant to listen but my ds is a good reader and enjoys it so I leave him to it just to get 30 minutes where I don’t need to supervise.

To give an outline of my day. I start work at 6.30, come off at 8.30 to get printed sheets, feedback on the previous days work based on teacher comments submitted the day before and check the tech is working for registration. My child is 7 and wasn’t allowed much IT access before this lockdown. Sometimes class will go to the wrong call, internet will drop out etc etc so he needs help from me. I’m sitting at the same table and can’t string a single complete thought together some days the distraction is so bad. Sometimes the conversation has distressed him so much he has come off the call and I’ve had to deal with this. He’s upset by various things such as he can see his best friends in school, he can see examples of good work (not his) being shown, he is hearing tales of the fun activities that other parents have managed to lay on, he has been ‘ignored’ in a conversation. What would take 20 minutes in school drags on for hours as he is unmotivated, can’t get help when he needs it, doesn’t have peers sat near to look at their work, doesn’t have the teacher or ta going round checking to move along. Meanwhile I am equally distracted. I can’t rearrange calls to times more convenient to myself as they may involve SE Asia or large groups of people where I am not a decision maker. Meanwhile, work won’t furlough and thinks they are noble for not taking government funds.

Lunchtime rocks round and we are probably an hour behind school schedule. Generally I do get to break off though sometimes I will have a call on in the background. DS watches bbc bite size as he eats.

One o’clock we are back on registration. There could be tears again as the chances are he won’t get to speak and the other kids who do will be on track and planning lovely ways to complete the afternoon activities. We will try to finish off the morning activities and do as much of the afternoon activities as possible. On a good day we’ve both finished at 4.30. On a bad day, we are still doing maths at 6.00pm. I then need to photograph and upload all the work. This can take 30 minutes, moving files etc. Tea, chores, a bit of exercise if I’m very lucky, follows. I am also a carer to an elderly relative so that’s an hour a night and a full day of the weekend gone too. 9.00pm, it’s time to get going again as the work appears on line. I need to get an overview to stand any chance of helping the next day. This normally takes half an hour too. Then it’s pretty much time for bed.

It’s a dismal existence. Meanwhile the so called key worker parents drop their child at school and pick up as per; full day to work (from home in many cases), no prepping material, feeding back, uploading work or checking the next days lessons. Only difference for the child is that the teacher goes home at lunch to prep the work for next day having taught the key subjects in class and leaves the class with their TA and/or sports coach.

It’s a relentless grind. Clearly no walk in the park for the teacher either. It’s very hard to accept that this is for the public good when half the class are in. The pain is not shared equally and I am riled at posts that suggest it is and that all families are suffering just in ‘different ways’. The reality of home schooling young children is painful and that is why parents are at the end of their tether. As pp have said, it’s not a sustainable way to function for children or parents.

mumwalk · 20/02/2021 11:25

@zolrets I can relate to so much of this! It is good to know that there are others in the same situation and experiencing the same frustrations.

Tianatiers · 20/02/2021 11:57

@zolrets wow that sounds so tough. I really wish teachers wouldn't gush in the live lessons about how well certain pupils are doing, sure tell them privately but really we're all just doing the best we can and it's not a level playing field at all. If a child is doing well at home schooling then they either have a parent who is able to devote their time to really support and help them or they are incredibly self motivated. With younger children I am sure it's usually the former reason. So any public praise from teachers is really aimed at the parents who to be honest are just in a lucky position that they are able to give their children that much support and help.

Woolff · 20/02/2021 12:08

@Zolrets Meanwhile the so called key worker parents drop their child at school and pick up as per; full day to work (from home in many cases), no prepping material, feeding back, uploading work or checking the next days lessons.

Lists of what we're all expected to do all day, especially at the moment, with many having extra caring responsibilities in addition to children and full time jobs will seem overwhelming.

Most is ordinary life though. Presenting information in a work call. Cooking tea and exercising after work, then it's nearly bed. That's normal for most and not the fault of school closures.

But as you say, printing materials, reading your child's feedback and looking at the next day's lessons are adding to your to do list, where critical workers don't have these same demands.

The planning and preparing of those resources (and photocopying pre-Covid) is outside a teacher's core working hours normally. They often do this before school, for the benefit of your child.

The feedback you're reading. Again, written for every child as an extension of the working day, for their progress.

If teachers can't physically hand these things to children at the minute, is it really such a huge ask to ask parents to, when it HAS been for the public good that people have been frustrated at home instead of mixing in huge numbers.

MmeLaraque · 20/02/2021 12:09

[quote whenwillthemadnessend]@MmeLaraque

Do you honestly think working parents have time in too if everything else to learn to be a teacher in open university. I've literally heard it all now.

And do you honestly expect parents to remember and be able to explain subject like language maths science to an adequate level

How are parents supposed to provide practical skill wood work - metal work - practical science - textiles - can you put. a zip In a skirt for example. Needed for GCSE textiles. Do you have the chemicals for science experiments. Have you a heated pool to teach a primary school child swimming on the school curriculum and expected a child can swim 25 meters by year 6. This could save their life.

These opportunities are now lost. They can't all be caught up on.

This have got to be one of the most patronising statements I've EVER read in Mumsnet. [/quote]
If you can find time to post to places like mumsnet, you can find time to read the free courses on the Open Learn website.

Parents are legally their child's primary educators. The fact that most of you choose to discharge your responsibilities by sending your children to school does not negate from the fact that *you remain responsible for their education.

It's a rule of thumb, academically speaking, that anyone who has successfully completed a course of education should be in a position to explain the content of that to another learner. The fact that so many adults *cannot do so is perhaps a reflection of the dire education system in the UK. So many people here seem to wear their ignorance as a badge od pride, rather than something to be resolved.

Languages are relatively easy to learn, provided one has the motivation. The swimming thing: any person who cannot swim (and even those who can) should be instructed to try to float on their back and reserve their energy. Very few people are strong enough to fight natural currents and tides.

Ylvamoon · 20/02/2021 12:28

So many people here seem to wear their ignorance as a badge od pride, rather than something to be resolved

There is a huge difference between having subject knowledge and teaching academic knowledge to set standards.

That's why teaching is actually a profession. But that knowledge has skipped you @MmeLaraque

Languages are relatively easy to learn, provided one has the motivation

I'm bi lingual and pretty good at a 2 more languages- it comes naturally to me.

Your comments are very ill thought out. There is more to it than just motivation.
But then you wouldn't know as you probably only ever speak English and leaned a bit of French/ Spanish/ German at school.

Beline4u · 20/02/2021 12:40

I have one included in the p2 who will be returning. But also one who is meant be starting his study for transfer tests. I can see a massive impact on his literacy. He has his school picked out and he needs an A to get in. I feel so stressed for him. It's a complete shit show. Kids dont need this right now, an the adults who are meant to be running country cant seem to get their act together!!

Zolrets · 20/02/2021 14:50

@Woolff I am not complaining about my everyday life! The problem is being asked to do two things at once. Imagine that you are teaching a class and someone asks you to teach another class in a different subject at the same time. Now imagine that you are told it’s for an hour because it’s an emergency so you think ok, I’ll do that. Then the hour becomes a day then a week then a month. Your energy is continually sapped, your patience is wearing thin - that’s the issue, as well as the 1.5 hours that I spend on extra tasks directly relating to the process of home schooling. As my child’s day is time bound and my day is too, we can’t unilaterally decide to do one or the other. Everything is diluted down so there is no end, no beginning, just a continuous expanse of stress and half completed tasks.

And yes, I can see the teacher is working hard - hence me engaging as well as I can even though I’m exhausted and stressed and angry at the parents who don’t have to give any thought to this and have no appreciation of what the last months and year have been like for those at home. I don’t think that last point makes me a bad person, it makes me human. They probably, like you, think it’s not actually that bad, though it is bad enough for them not to want to engage with it at all on the flimsiest of premises. The load borne is not equal and failure to recognise that makes it feel so much worse.

But, to the COVID point, I am increasingly perplexed as to how my child being at home is critical to the health of the nation as opposed to the other 15 kids in his class who are in school and wrap around care. I strongly suspect that Monday will see an announcement of infants returning in England so that will leave 30% of kids excluded from the education system and the logic will be even more warped. It’s massively unfair and I would like to see a rota of some sort.

Woolff · 20/02/2021 16:24

[quote Zolrets]@Woolff I am not complaining about my everyday life! The problem is being asked to do two things at once. Imagine that you are teaching a class and someone asks you to teach another class in a different subject at the same time. Now imagine that you are told it’s for an hour because it’s an emergency so you think ok, I’ll do that. Then the hour becomes a day then a week then a month. Your energy is continually sapped, your patience is wearing thin - that’s the issue, as well as the 1.5 hours that I spend on extra tasks directly relating to the process of home schooling. As my child’s day is time bound and my day is too, we can’t unilaterally decide to do one or the other. Everything is diluted down so there is no end, no beginning, just a continuous expanse of stress and half completed tasks.

And yes, I can see the teacher is working hard - hence me engaging as well as I can even though I’m exhausted and stressed and angry at the parents who don’t have to give any thought to this and have no appreciation of what the last months and year have been like for those at home. I don’t think that last point makes me a bad person, it makes me human. They probably, like you, think it’s not actually that bad, though it is bad enough for them not to want to engage with it at all on the flimsiest of premises. The load borne is not equal and failure to recognise that makes it feel so much worse.

But, to the COVID point, I am increasingly perplexed as to how my child being at home is critical to the health of the nation as opposed to the other 15 kids in his class who are in school and wrap around care. I strongly suspect that Monday will see an announcement of infants returning in England so that will leave 30% of kids excluded from the education system and the logic will be even more warped. It’s massively unfair and I would like to see a rota of some sort.[/quote]
Imagine that you are teaching a class...

We are. We're looking after many children in the school building and helping them with their learning AND teaching our own classes, out of which, the majority are at home.

We were doing it last term when groups were sent home to isolate - teaching them, from afar and teaching our own classes.

We can't choose one or the other either, which is why we're looking after so many kids while trying to do our jobs. My 'remote' version of my job could just include me sitting at a computer and delivering my lesson to my class, but I'm doing it with 13 children (of different ages) to be physically responsible for too, not just 1 like you.

It's harder than normal. But it's also tough.

You keep mentioning percentages...we couldn't have 100% in the building and do what the coubtry have achieved since January. So some need to stay at home. You've been judged, rightly or wrongly (not my call) as not to he critical to the fight against Covid 19, so your job has been treated as less essential, and your child is at home. That's not an argument, and I doubt it would be yours if your child was one of the 'chosen few' in school, for everyone back at once.

A rota would be great. But this government seem to be all or nothing (except critical worker/vulnerable).

Bolshybun · 20/02/2021 17:06

@Zolrets your day sounds exactly like mine. The key worker places are so inconsistent between schools too. I know of two loosely termed key workers with one child, mum is part time and dad is full time. They both are working from home and their roles aren’t critical, they have a full time place. Meanwhile I am trying to teach two young children and work at the same time as my husband is a key worker. I am not expecting special sympathy but just wanted to say I absolutely identify with your situation of trying do three jobs at once.

MmeLaraque · 20/02/2021 17:23

@Ylvamoon

So many people here seem to wear their ignorance as a badge od pride, rather than something to be resolved

There is a huge difference between having subject knowledge and teaching academic knowledge to set standards.

That's why teaching is actually a profession. But that knowledge has skipped you @MmeLaraque

Languages are relatively easy to learn, provided one has the motivation

I'm bi lingual and pretty good at a 2 more languages- it comes naturally to me.

Your comments are very ill thought out. There is more to it than just motivation.
But then you wouldn't know as you probably only ever speak English and leaned a bit of French/ Spanish/ German at school.

I know what teacher training is in the UK . I did it. That's part of the reason that I know exactly what's expected of teachers and parents in the UK, legally and otherwise.

I 'm a polyglot. French, Spanish, English (trilingual), some Italian, German, Euskera, Latin and others. Mostly because I wanted to, and it was fun. My family are able to understand and use a few of those, too, because they've been exposed to them.

Yes, we work full-time. Our down-time is ours. So we enjoy learning new things, and applying that knowledge. Life is short, and we're making the most of ours.

MmeLaraque · 20/02/2021 17:29

@teamdebbievssorelosers

Pre-covid, how many kids had to listen to their parents at the schoos gates say, "Bah.. holidays.. now what do I/we do? We can't cope..."

true from SOME parents. Why do you put everybody in the same basket?

It's always the opposite in my house, I try to hide my disappointment that holidays are over and they have to go back to school.

you are just spectacularly missing the point that the lockdown is not a holiday!

It's not a holiday to be stuck at home, it's not a holiday to have homeschooling to do, it's not even a holiday to be stuck in the uk, let alone having no friends, nothing to do, nowhere to go, no clubs, no parties.

Your comments are incredibly stupid.

I didn't say all parents. *You didn't read the post correctly.

My comments are not incredibly stupid. You just disagree with them.

thefallthroughtheair · 20/02/2021 17:31

Zolrets
I so sympathise - it's completely unmanageable. But I would just say that while I 100% understand your points about the unfairness on children, the government has done a spectacular job of setting different sections of society against each other and however infuriating it is - and I have been driven to madness this last year - I really don't think parents can be blamed for using keyworker spaces even when we might question it. Quite often we don't fully understand what someone does to make them a key worker and there have been a few threads eg about lawyers and accountants etc. I think we have to all keep in mind that we should be directing our fury at the government not at each other. And the whole problem with this shitshow is that modern society is so complicated and interlinked that saying that one person is 'key' and another isn't actually becomes a bit meaningless in the grand scheme. But that's not to take away from how crap it all is. I absolutely f'ing hate it and I can't believe I'm still almost hanging on to sanity.

Sumwin1 · 20/02/2021 17:33

@PatriciaValiant

If all the children go back to school in the was it was in December, we will be back in the same mess again within weeks.

Something needs to change to make this work 🤦‍♀️

This is true. You would think Borris would have learnt by now. We don’t want to be stuck indoors as the weather gets warmer.
Ylvamoon · 20/02/2021 17:48

@MmeLaraque - ahh I get it now: Super Human!
I gess your day has 96 15 minute slots! 😉

HauntedPencil · 20/02/2021 18:51

It's not in the same way as December

There are vaccines and the programme is moving fast
nothing else is open
People are on a very strict lockdown otherwise
We are heading into spring not winter

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