Teachers- what are we doing today?

[BelleSausage]

As an antidote to the accusations that we are doing bugger all I thought I’d keep a lockdown WFH diary here. Feel free to join in as an illustration that staff are doing lots in this time.

What am I up to today?

New term has started. I don’t usually teach Monday or Tuesday but I consider that out the window now. Will be putting in about four hours today between meetings and work setting and making explanation videos for students and answering e-mails queries.

I also have DD (4) to look after this morning as DH and I have divided the day in two shift so we can both get chunks of work done. Will be mostly reading and answering e-mails this morning. Can’t do anything that requires quiet until I can lock myself in the office this afternoon.

I’ve got a Teams staff meeting at 3 and that should take another hour. So maybe five in all.

Over the holidays I’ve been making talking Power Points for the students. School are keen for us not to do video lessons with younger years.

How about you all? What are you up to today?

I’ll also be sometimes dressed as a witch while answering e-mails and sometimes also excavating a dinosaur. So good at multi-tasking!

[profpoopsnagle]

I am also 'on holiday' this week as I worked a week in school over Easter, but have volunteered to email work and respond to enquiries as it would be just as much work to give to someone else to do.

So I got up around 7am and emailed the work early on- on Monday it takes quite a few emails as I have 4 different groups of work. I also emailed parents that have to pick up work from school rather than print themselves because of poor internet. (That work I printed, sorted and left last week). Checked all the emails went through, as at least twice a week there's a problem. We have chosen to email daily so that parents are not inundated with work and to keep in touch with children/parents regularly.

I then took my breakfast back to bed to eat it!

Ran an errand , then got my own children up and started their home schooling by 9:30am. They were not in the mood to do any work! I'd rather teach my class anyday than my own kids!

Responded to 4 emails from parents, phoned the school a couple of times to arrange things there, checked out the new resources being promoted online by BBC ad Oakwood and added those I thought useful into this weeks planning and noted for the future. Wrote the email for Tuesday and checked the file attachment size as this can bugger the system up. Until 4 weeks ago I had never used this system and now I'm a bloody expert.

Started on end of year reports. This involves formatting them for the current year (I still forget something, which I then have to go back and amend for all). A much bigger job than that though was to rejig all of the statements for the foundation subjects of this cycle (we teach over 2 years) as the last time we had much bigger report spaces, and I need to make sure that the 3 sentences or so count and say what I want them to say. Managed to do Science, Computing, PE and Geography before I lost the will to carry on. Stopped at around 3:10 to do a jigsaw, but seeing as today was a holiday day I don't Feel At All Guilty.

About to set my laptop up so I can do the same tomorrow.

[stayingaliveisawayoflife]

Up and ready to go in again. I do find teaching such a mix difficult and would so love my class back! It's been nice getting to meet and know new children but trying to teach a nursery child and year 4 in the same lesson is unique for me.

[BelleSausage]

Morning!

Back to the grind stone. I’m on afternoon duty today so am going to try to get as much as possible done this morning. Got to try to annotate all my NEAs before the end of this week. I know the exam board say they won’t be asking for them but I am nervous.

Going to be submitting all the marks on Friday. The terror! I always, always hate that bit. The relief afterwards is always massive.

Still no sign of Yr10. When do we think they will emerge? I reckon a lot of parents are assuming return to school for May 11th. Based on what we were told yesterday it looks like it won’t be until June and even then not all in. Interesting to see how that goes forward.

[borntobequiet]

I teach in FE, 0.8 (retired secondary). I have no kids at home and little else to do so I’m working six or seven days a week including some evenings - it suits my mostly adult learners. It’s the ultimate in flexitime!
We have an excellent online learning platform, learners are enrolled on English and Maths courses. I monitor their learning, encourage and support via email and phone, review work and give feedback. Today I’ll send reminders to those not yet logged on, respond to requests for reviews and feedback, give feedback either verbally or via email, send “touch base” texts or emails to those I haven’t corresponded with for some days, liaise with college staff, chase up exam results, have a meeting with my manager. But because I’m available late into the evening and at weekends, I’ll also bake a cake in the morning and spend two hours sunbathing this afternoon. I’m also planning to radically change the way we work as there are some aspects of this model we could adopt long term which could greatly benefit learners.

[thunderthighsohwoe]

Yesterday I started uploading the week’s home learning onto Seesaw while DD16mo was having her breakfast. Then I was online all day responding to work uploaded and questions. In between questions I was planning for next week, making resources for parents to use and filming videos for the lessons and of me reading our class story.

DP went to work early and then came home at 9 for ‘lunch’ to have DD for an hour while I ploughed on. I took my ‘lunch’ early afternoon to take her for a walk and run off some of her energy. DP got home at 4.30 so took over for another hour while I got through some more work. Then after she was in bed I cracked on with some of the online CPD we’ve been set, I’m about 4 hours into 30 so a while to go! Luckily I got all of my specialist planning for the EHCP children in my class done last week, when there was lower traffic on Seesaw due to Easter.

Will be in on my rota day later this week to look after key worker children, and DP will just not work that day (self employed) and I’ll have to respond to queries/work at night on that day.

It’s bloody hard work with a toddler at home, but I can’t complain because at least I have a job!

[VashtaNerada]

Finding it so hard to WFH and keep my own DC on task with work. Pretty much only working half-days now so I can do DC schooling in the morning and then leave them parked in front of the TV in the afternoon. This week I’m writing work packs for next week, calling children/parents at home, writing reports plus adapting next year’s medium term plans.

[BelleSausage]

I’m in the same boat @VashtaNerada so don’t worry.

I’m getting started at 9 properly. Checked e-mails at 7am and there was nothing really. I’m not full time or a middle leader and my schools has a no e-mails out of hours policy. I’m really appreciating that at the moment!

I do think this WFH situation will really show up which schools have the best working conditions.

[ChloeDecker]

Then after she was in bed I cracked on with some of the online CPD we’ve been set

You’ve just reminded me I was halfway through CPD last week and need to finish it! (to get the certificate for SLT). Thanks!

For all of us working hard in often difficult circumstances, have a read of his article, to put a smile on your face today:

schoolsweek.co.uk/a-testament-to-teachers-in-testing-times/

[Shadowboy]

Today I am creating methodologies for the centre assessed grades. This will take about 4/5 hours. I’ll have to stop this afternoon to look after my 3 and 5 year old and then when they go to bed I’ll deal with today’s emails and students that I didn’t manage to deal with in the morning.

Tomorrow is lesson prep for next week...

[BelleSausage]

Update: I’ve just spoken to the exam board and they don’t want grades for NEAs for entry level qualifications. What a palaver!

Apparently, they might want them sometime at the end of May but they’re not sure!

[TheletterZ]

I’m teaching my normal timetable using OneNote supporting the students using teams and emails. Yesterday worked really but today we have having some technical difficulties.

Some lessons I have been busy with questions but some they just got on with it. The lessons are taking a long time to prepare (about 2 hrs per lesson so far) and then I have to go over the work afterwards, which is reasonably quick but it all adds up.

Would very much prefer to be in the classroom.

[BlessYourCottonSocks]

@NotQuiteThere

The thing that worked for me with parents was reading this:

A fair amount of the criticism that comes your way is flat out mistaken. The other person is wrong on the facts or doesn’t understand the larger context.

That helped me enormously. Parents who make you miserable generally fall into this category - you know as a teacher you are doing your best.

Today I have:
answered lots of emails
reset lots of passwords, etc for access to digital textbooks
marked some A level work
worked on SoW/planning for next year.

[TubereuseNordlys]

I thought today would be less relentless, but it's not.

I hadn't banked on the value of the Look in a classroom when someone talks over someone else: we're using Showbie and the children are really enjoying submitting work and messaging me, but of course they have no idea that they're all pinging things in at once. I feel like a plate spinner!

Have had a positive comments from two parents, so feeling good about that.

I'm going to start using the Oak National Academy for some things next week - now I've seen a couple of videos I can do a bit of cherry-picking. I am grateful to the teachers who have spent their time making videos for it.

[nevergoingoutagain]

No online video lessons allowed here. We can record videos though.

I have 3 kid at home. 1 of whom is 6 so needs supervised learning.

I have just been marking some assignments and answering queries (about an hour) while kids have lunch (they've finished their lessons) will spend another few hours later marking more assignments and setting some more lessons.

I have 16 classes and I only know 3 of them!! I returned to work the week before we closed! The 3 classes I know were mine in December when I tried to leave teaching for good but covid and the economy had other ideas so now I'm back full time teaching mainly a subject which isn't my specialism 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've also agreed to write a scheme of work in my specialist subject which I started before I left and no one has yet finished. I will soon be doing paid work as a tutor for online group tutorials as well! Hope they don't clash with my daughter online trombone lessons lol

[Mammyloveswine]

I was in school over Easter and was in school yesterday.

Had a teams catch up meeting with my depart this morning and set some online tasks for my pupils/checked to see who has been interacting. Now I'm going to teach my own children for a few hours then tonight I'll catch up on my emails.

[Rainuntilseptember]

Well today I've worked all morning online though I don't actually work today (part time)

[superram]

@BelleSausage exam boards won’t be asking for neas-they can’t ofqual have said no. I have marked mine (despite hating marking) and will keep the nea in case they are needed for the ‘resits’-though think this is unlikely too!

[BelleSausage]

@superram

I’m annoyed because I called them before Easter and they said to enter the marks but not send off the papers for moderation (obviously).

I just feel like the entry level qualifications have been left a bit in the dark. Apparently, they still haven’t got any guidance on this. Told me to call back in two week.

[Piggywaspushed]

I have been nagging my exam board about 'resits' and NEAs given a few of my students didn't even get to finish theirs. They have no answer yet...

[NotQuiteThere]

Thank you BlessYourCottonSocks. Really, I just need to get my rational head on and put it out of my mind. Results are fine for that class and they are a nice bunch to teach. My boss is taking care of the situation and will be completely fair.

First day back today. My own dc have been pretty brilliant sorting themselves out, although we've been playing musical rooms depending on who needs to be closest to the wifi box at the time! A few technical problems but otherwise ok.

I taught two live meetings and was available online for 3 exam classes. Messed up my first live lesson just from nerves I think, but the second was much better. The kids were lovely and it was nice to hear from them again. They all had a good attempt at the work set, can't ask for more than that.

Exhausted though! Need to mark the classwork tonight.

[wasgoingmadinthecountry]

I have emailed various parents whose children I'm setting individualised work for, written the SEN transition forms for my class, done some preparation for an upcoming Zoom "chat" with our SIA, completed a 4 hour OU course relating to the subject I lead (in an hour), liaised with our local councillors over a distant project we're running together, done some work on my action plan, had a couple of conversations about children with other staff members, uploaded a couple of stories for the children... and had a wee when chose to without having to wait 2 hours! Probably some other stuff. First checked emails at 7.30 and about to have final check now. I'm not allowed in school right now due to asthma.

[noblegiraffe]

I did the world’s most boring online health and safety CPD today. The woman on the video was so pleasant looking and had such a nice voice that I spent half the time wondering how exactly you get into it as a career. What do they put on the job advert?

[Spagbol88]

I've sent work for the week which is due electronically by Friday. I've replied to email queries about bits and pieces too.
Ive sent my team emails about things we need to be focusing on and I'm waiting patiently for btec guidance on grading. A quiet day today but going to get much busier as the weeks go on. I teach FE so our 2nd year's are done now apart from finishing off bits of coursework.

[BelleSausage]

I’m done for today. Just cooking dinner. I did a few last minute questions for Yr10. They seem to be emerging.

I’m going to try to do that thing where you record your iPad screen to show them exactly where to find everything tomorrow. The written instructions aren’t working.

Have a lovely evening all!

[Ilikefresias]

In school today caring for looked after children