Thread for primary teachers about remote learning - figuring out what works!

[RuleWithAWoodenFoot]

Hi,

Just what the title says really. This is ideally for primary teachers to chat about remote learning - what works, what isn't working and so on. I'm thinking about trying to teach 7 year olds who spend 20 minutes trying to find the hands up icon, or those who just like to moo down the mic.

What are you providing? How does it work? What is feedback from parents like? Is it sustainable?

Here's what I've just put on the staffroom aagh thread.

I'm getting loads of work in from the children I'd expect to get loads of work from. There is a point to me marking it beyond just making the child feel good because their parents don't speak English, so can't correct things. I don't mind doing it, but it seems a little work heavy when I could spend that time talking the lower children through related calculations or something.

We are doing:
Half hour meeting in the morning to start the day - I do a register, we have a chat, I read them poem of the day, I then go through the lessons for the day and remind them that they don't have to do all of them. I'm partly speaking to their parents at that point. From today I'm also going to use that half hour (high turn out of kids) to teach the reading session - only 10 mins or do.

They have a video for English (made by us), which links to a Talk for Writing booklet that we've printed out and given them. That way they just write in the booklet.

Reading video done by us. Maths WhiteRose video + some 'alternative' maths for certain children who have been directed towards it.

From 12.30 - 2.30 we're doing group feedback/teaching for maths. based on ability.

Then I mark anything that has come in - snip tool the picture into a notebook doc, draw all over it, snip tool it back into an email and reply. Sounds long winded, actually isn't - but I want to do maybe 2 pieces of decent work a week with that for each child, rather than 10 for one child every day. I have also this week made a whole class feedback vid (about 4 minutes), where I addressed the issues that around 10 kids had.

We then do story time at the end of the day, which is half an hour of chatting really (plus small story).

I'm meant to be planning in the morning while they are working, but in reality I'm dealing with my own child.

It's sort of sustainable, but it's FULL ON. I can't work in the evenings like I usually do because my head is so full.

Thanks Rule, signing in!

Place marking.

Tanks rule!

Not got my glasses on yet.

Thanks!!

Thanks!

We're using Seesaw, no live lessons but lots of videos and voice overs. I've got very good engagement this time - out of the 18 I've got at home, only 1 hasn't shown any signs of logging on and 1 has only done a few random bits.

We're supposed to be marking one thing a day in depth, but to be honest this week I've marked everything- which has been a lot of work but hopefully encouraged them. We've also taught a shielding LSA how to use Seesaw so we can delegate for things like art.

Literacy is a work in progress. I definitely use talking and partner work a lot in my in person teaching so working out how to adapt that is tricky!

Maths we're doing white rose videos and worksheets. My main differentiation challenge is in school, but as I am not always there I've given her a younger years white rose.

Foundation subjects are ok, although DT at home is not going to work!

Oh, we do a morning video every day. Mostly just to talk them through the day but also general feedback in there (this week it's mostly been Seesaw tips so they stop sending me six new posts for one lesson!) and I've also used it to praise anything amazing. Seesaw has a five minute limit on videos which stops me waffling on!

Yeah, our alternative maths section is using younger year group whiterose, or talking over a classroom secrets younger years powerpoint.

We're trying to work out how we can provide this stuff without having to also provide work packs/sheets - we've given them a maths book and an english exercise book, and then showed them how to lay things out.

Anyone using Oak at all?

Our kids are large % EAL, so we need to spend time explaining lots of different things, some of those lessons (particularly English lessons) don't really work.

We've also got really stressed parents - either due to language ability, or due to having to work around this. We've got less than 10% of children in school (mostly through choice rather than Head having to turn them away). The EAL children are often here on the work visa of one parent, but have a trailing spouse who isn't allowed to work - so they have someone at home.

I'm seeing stressed parents especially those who are kw but not given a place in school as school didn't deem them KW enough. Eg a hospital dietician and teachers. We have many consultants married to gps living locally.

Though all the parents are v stressed as far as I can tell.

It's also v hard if you have an under 3.

(Speaking from a parents POV. I'm Sen so most are in.)

Our parents seem ok, but hardly any EAL or pupil premium, and most of my ones that would struggle at home are in school. The most stressed are the ones with multiple younger children.

The children are also used to Seesaw (we used it for homework last term) and most families are quite tech savvy.

I also got in there as quick as possible with a phone call (learnt how much that helps last time!) so they know I'm available

To try and help I'm telling them not to catch up (I think I can archive things in Seesaw so they disappear from the child's to do list, so I will do that on Mondays), to focus on maths and literacy. I'm also only giving positive feedback to the ones I know are struggling. Now is not the time to tell them what to improve!

Voice instructions and feedback are
also definitely helping.

Yep - do the maths sequentially, do the English sequentially, I'm leaving up art - sod the rest.

That basically needs to be the message I think.

I definitely need to get more efficient with feedback! I feel like all I've been doing today is responding to Seesaw posts and yet I still have 69 unapproved posts.

With the maths today they were supposed to mark their own so I've been brutal and sent back any that haven't marked it. If they really can't work out how to do it they can tell me.

I haven't opened the feedback email address yet - I needed to do some planning for next week. Gave myself PPA.

We have purple Mash. No live teaching but put on lots of pre recorded videos. Using Whiterose for maths. Using oak for 1× week music lesson plus have used some Oak for reading but like you say, they aren't great for EAL - lots of talking about words but with no images. Why anyone would try to pre-match the word 'closet' without showing a picture is beyond me.

Putting up daily
1 x 10min spelling activity
1 x 10min timetables quiz
1 x reading lesson
1x writing lesson
1x maths lesson
1 x afternoon lesson
Plus doing a daily zoom social and marking all work.

Many of the parents are drowning so next week swapping to
1x spelling per day
1 x timetables a day these two things will be online games so parents don't need to support at all.
3 x reading lessons a week plus 2x read a book and here is a challenge you can complete but it is optional
3 x writing plus 2 x planned to be shorter and easier grammar bits
4 x maths plus 1x maths games with an optional tricky nrich type challenge for those who really want it.
Am simplifying afternoon lessons and trying to make them either an Oak or bite size that children can just watch without having to ask parents questions or a fun activity.

The DT going to give parents a couple of weeks notice and an ingredients list and then do a cook along on zoom. Have done it in Cubs, it was completely bonkers but a lot of fun. Partner teacher planning a science demo where children can either watch or do the same activity at home. Once again will parents plenty of notice.

Zoom socials are going really well. Totally crazy but are very popular with the children and parents are giving us a lot of positive feedback. Younger and older siblings join in plus all the pets. My DS is enjoying listening and looking in too whilst staying carefully off camera.

We have read stories, played games, shared art they have done plus they like spending a few mins at the end of each once asking questions. Some about school and some just about anything really but I can see having the time to ask about things that are bothering them is making them feel calmer. They are the highlight of my day too.

Anyone seen or hosted a nice ks1 assembly? Looking for ideas!

Hi all, checking in.

We are setting white rose maths daily.

English daily which is always based on a book so have scanned that in and read out relevant parts each day on video. Providing a wagoll too so parents have an idea of what expectations are for writing. Our English tends to start with sentence level and lead up to a big write later in the week so some days are lighter for marking than others.

Whole class reading again based on book so I read aloud the chapter then voice over the Qs so children can access Qs more independently.

Then a subject lesson daily (inc suggestions for PE).

Would enjoy daily zoom social but we aren't allowed to do anything live currently.

Crazy workload as am still in school full time and teaching proper lessons with live marking to large keyworker group around 50% of the day.

Currently, we're doing a normal school day just in digital form.

I have maths in the morning, followed by English reading and then writing before lunch. After lunch, there are two afternoon lessons (most days. Some days there will just be one if it's a more expansive lesson). All lessons have a live input over Zoom and then an independent task to complete and submit. Any time I'm not streaming, I'm marking and giving feedback.

That's hard-core. Our kids don't have the option to be online that much.

@Iamnotthe1

Currently, we're doing a normal school day just in digital form.

I have maths in the morning, followed by English reading and then writing before lunch. After lunch, there are two afternoon lessons (most days. Some days there will just be one if it's a more expansive lesson). All lessons have a live input over Zoom and then an independent task to complete and submit. Any time I'm not streaming, I'm marking and giving feedback.

That's pretty much what we're doing. The livestream is also broadcast in the classroom for the KW children so all children are accessing the same provision.

It's working really well so far. We use Teams. They are Y2 and getting brilliant at logging on for each meeting & clearly some of them are now doing it independently - they are going to be amazing at using tech!

The 'Mute All' button has been our best friend too

There are 2 teachers in each meeting supporting one another. It's a bit like team-teaching and we've got into a pretty good flow with it now...one teacher leads the session & teaches from Powrpoints while the other does the 'admin' of admitting children to the session, muting, spotlighting children, etc. Works v well.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

That's hard-core. Our kids don't have the option to be online that much.

Those of ours who weren't able to access at home were brought in instead.

Every kid who is in school gets a device and logs in to the same structure and "standard" as the remote kids.

@SquashedFlyBiscuits

We have purple Mash. No live teaching but put on lots of pre recorded videos. Using Whiterose for maths. Using oak for 1× week music lesson plus have used some Oak for reading but like you say, they aren't great for EAL - lots of talking about words but with no images. Why anyone would try to pre-match the word 'closet' without showing a picture is beyond me.

Putting up daily
1 x 10min spelling activity
1 x 10min timetables quiz
1 x reading lesson
1x writing lesson
1x maths lesson
1 x afternoon lesson
Plus doing a daily zoom social and marking all work.

Many of the parents are drowning so next week swapping to
1x spelling per day
1 x timetables a day these two things will be online games so parents don't need to support at all.
3 x reading lessons a week plus 2x read a book and here is a challenge you can complete but it is optional
3 x writing plus 2 x planned to be shorter and easier grammar bits
4 x maths plus 1x maths games with an optional tricky nrich type challenge for those who really want it.
Am simplifying afternoon lessons and trying to make them either an Oak or bite size that children can just watch without having to ask parents questions or a fun activity.

The DT going to give parents a couple of weeks notice and an ingredients list and then do a cook along on zoom. Have done it in Cubs, it was completely bonkers but a lot of fun. Partner teacher planning a science demo where children can either watch or do the same activity at home. Once again will parents plenty of notice.

Just wondering what you cooked in your Cubs cook along? This would be something my class would love

It sounds like they get a similar experience whether at home or school for those of you doing 'live' lessons then.

I have concerns that our keyworker children are at a big advantage as they are having 'normal' lessons with their own teacher/year group teacher.