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!

This was yesterday.
8.00am online uploading today's videos and tasks to ClassDojo, and writing a daily message to parents about what it involves.
8.30am go through uploads that came in last night that I didn't get around to commenting on and giving feedback to.
9.00am answer message from parent with very able child, giving advice on how to stretch, finding examples of videos and learning to send her. Answer message from parent of child working way below 'expected' level giving him ideas for activities and the sorts of things we were working on in school, based on her EHCP plan.
9.30-12 Make videos for tomorrow's lessons, make resources etc. The whole video thing is very time-consuming as I'm learning as I go, having never done this before, and have limited tech at home.
12-12.30 have lunch and talk to husband. Nag teenagers about their home-learning. Find stuff they need.
12.30-1.30 go through 40+ uploads of tasks that have come in from this morning and approve/give feedback.
1.30- 2.30 go through various emails from work on safe-guarding updates about children in my class, prep for zoom staff meeting on curriculum development tomorrow, answer more questions from parents, start prepping paper pack of home learning to match online content for those parents not able to access.
2.30-3.30 research new online content for my year group on BBC teach and Oak National Academy, watch some of the videos, look at resources and think about whether it would be appropriate for us to use. Look at links Headteacher has emailed to share other online things he thinks could be useful.
3.30-4.00 phone chat with my TA who is also working from home about resources she can continue to prep ready for our return.
4.00-4.30 check-in with teenagers, check their on-going assignments online. Nag some more.
4.30-5.30pm go through 40+ more uploads from children, feedback etc Be continually amazed by some parents creativity and the effort going into home-learning, especially those who I know are in difficult circumstances.
5.30pm onwards - discuss TV viewing for the evening and be delighted that a new Killing Eve is available. Iron for a bit. Have long messenger conversation with other members of staff about how we are using ClassDojo, what is working well, what isn't. Admire GCSE Art work produced today by child 2. Eat delicious tea cooked by husband and open wine 🍷

A bit late to this but today, I did a teams lesson with my A-level group (they all turned up!). We don't do teams lessons with younger years so I have been answering queries about the work set.

Quality assuring schemes of learning/resources my team have sent and providing feedback and support.

Sorting out the weekly bulletin messages.

Trying to write my own scheme of learning and resources in between all of the above.

I had my six year old son on my own this morning as well so was trying to keep hin amused and do his school work with him.

All in all, lots done but still have a to do list a mile long!

I have spent all day yesterday and today making flip charts and resources for entirely new units of work as our academy chain has said all schools need to do the same units for "consistency". Rather annoyingly, we only got told yesterday as had I have known earlier I could have made a start over Easter.

Creating the flips and then recording myself teaching is taking up the bulk of my time. I really think people (non teaching staff/ the general public) are underestimating how time consuming making and preparing these videos are.

I have also had three Teams meetings, replied to various emails, replied to children on our online learning platform and helped with work and provided feedback and phoned parents/children for the weekly check ins.

I am exhausted. I am working far harder and for far longer than I would ordinarily do. My school is going way overboard and I don't think our pupils are going to be any better or further ahead than schools that are taking a much more sensible approach to distance learning.

Morning All!

Just clocked in to start my morning shift. Total radio silence from students today. I’ve booked out some time with DH this afternoon to do two Q&A sessions with the students on Teams. I would say roughly half of mine are still AWOL.

It sound like you are being asked to do way more than the kids @AriadneCrete

Are the parents receptive to the weekly check ins? Is anyone at your workplace actually checking on how you are (emotionally rather than how much you’ve gotten done)?