[News] Mail on Sunday editorial

[Theatre of Trees]

My-ex wife is a teacher at a private school and does every timetabled lesson via Microsoft Teams. Really don't understand why state schools can't do similar.

Safeguarding and privacy issues for starters. Our school initially limited video conferencing to sixth formers only until these were sorted out and have now rolled out to other year groups.

Then there is the question of available devices - some students only have a phone to work with or share a single device between two or three siblings; poor internet and wi-fi connections especially in rural areas - I know of one family whose connections are so poor that when one of the work from home parents has a video conference it knocks everybody else off the internet; lack of parental technical knowledge; then there are the parents themselves who won't engage

Some schools were caught out by the sudden change and probably lacked the infrastructure or technical knowledge to deal with it.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Safeguarding and privacy issues for starters. Our school initially limited video conferencing to sixth formers only until these were sorted out and have now rolled out to other year groups.

Then there is the question of available devices - some students only have a phone to work with or share a single device between two or three siblings; poor internet and wi-fi connections especially in rural areas - I know of one family whose connections are so poor that when one of the work from home parents has a video conference it knocks everybody else off the internet; lack of parental technical knowledge; then there are the parents themselves who won't engage

Some schools were caught out by the sudden change and probably lacked the infrastructure or technical knowledge to deal with it.

Exactly. I would say my family was pretty normal. We had three laptops in the home. One personal each for the parents and my work one. Kids always did their homework on my personal. Now they’ve “borrowed” it semi permanently because I can’t have them touching my work machine.

But that’s one laptop between two kids. Both me and Mrs GB are WFH though I’m on 4 day weeks. When we’re on Teams and the laptop less child is on Xbox the wifi is up and down like a whore’s draws.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lethargic]

My 2 kids are at primary school, year 4 and 5 respectively.

Each week we receive a 'workbook' via email with set work, most of which seems to entail logging onto something called BBC bitesize and watching clips. It's all pretty uninspiring stuff, to be honest. As a parent, none of the set work has a 'learning objective' attached to it, to help us novice teachers understand what we should be driving at. Nor does it suggest a recommended duration for each task, making structuring the day / week more challenging than perhaps it could be. Also, there is no facility in place for returning the work and having it marked or assessed by the teacher. All in all, I have been pretty disappointed by how the teachers at my children's school have stepped up to this. It rather feels like they are doing the very least they could do, rather than the most. I raised these points with the Head. I got the feeling that my feedback wasn't regarded as helpful.

Fair play to those teachers out there who are striving to still educate.

Sounds very similar to my daughters school (Millias in Horsham) they set out the weeks itinerary in Frog with links to the particular subject and off you go, no teaching, no assistance, no marking - woeful in my book we have just sent our feedback to the school we will see what they say.

 

[nicko31]

The war on the public sector countries from the Offshorers at the Daily Mail

Teachers Fireman, NHS workers they all get their turn

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The Government is now insisting that schools will re-open on 1st June, despite not being able to answer any questions as to how this will be safe.

This directive will only apply to State Schools - Private Schools will remain closed until September.

Every member of the Cabinet with school age children sends their children to Private School.

We are dispensable, it would seem.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

This directive will only apply to State Schools - Private Schools will remain closed until September.

Every member of the Cabinet with school age children sends their children to Private School.

We are dispensable, it would seem.

Not true. As I've already said, my ex-wife teaches at a private school and they are planning of following the state sector dates.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

The Government is now insisting that schools will re-open on 1st June, despite not being able to answer any questions as to how this will be safe.

This directive will only apply to State Schools - Private Schools will remain closed until September.

Every member of the Cabinet with school age children sends their children to Private School.

We are dispensable, it would seem.

What are other Countries doing? What are their time frames?

Italy / Germany / Spain / France etc...

Genuine question - I have no idea of the answer.

 

[schmunk]

The Government is now insisting that schools will re-open on 1st June, despite not being able to answer any questions as to how this will be safe.

This directive will only apply to State Schools - Private Schools will remain closed until September.

Every member of the Cabinet with school age children sends their children to Private School.

We are dispensable, it would seem.

I'd think it MORE likely that private schools will open sooner, and children return, as there is a vested financial interest in play.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Not true. As I've already said, my ex-wife teaches at a private school and they are planning of following the state sector dates.

Yes, it seems that you are ight, and not all Private Schools will stay closed.

Eton, Harrow and Winchester, which are obviously le creme de la creme, will not open till 'at least September', though.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Wasn't going to get dragged into this, but there we go.

Firstly, schools probably will reopen when told to. As an NEU member, I've received emails for primary school teachers with checklists and guidelines related to reopening, and secondary and sixth form ones are to follow. This idea that the unions are flat out preventing this is wrong - however they are raising very reasonable objections that are nothing to do with pay or conditions, and everything to do with safety. And it's not the same as doctors and nurses going in - they are dealing with Covid cases. Schools reopening in the wrong manner could create Covid cases. That said, I personally am one of the teachers who would err towards getting back in asap (with the right provisos) - as I can see the damage not being in school will be doing to some kids (including my own) and because I am currently working twice as hard doing remote learning.

Secondly, we are working. I worked all day Sunday planning lessons, and several hours last night. I actually have quite a nice day today as I would have been teaching Yr11 and 13 all day (who have left) so am catching up on marking and chasing up students. I would say it probably takes around an hour to properly plan a good hour's lesson when you are face to face with kids. You can double this if you have to create resources they can use remotely. There's also trying to reach students we aren't hearing from - phone calls, emails to parents etc. It's a lot easier when you can just give them a detention on the spot! And of course bearing in mind there are so many reasons why some students can't do the work - family illness, caring responsibilities, lack of technology, key worker parents etc etc, which we've got to navigate.

In general, being a secondary school teacher is awesome. I recommend it to anyone. The days fly past, you get to continue your passion for a subject you love, there's chances for trips etc. The relationships you build with fellow staff, kids and indeed their parents are amazing. I love bumping into students with their mums/dads at the Amex. The pay is reasonable (although this seems to ebb and flow with inflation) and the holidays are GREAT. This idea that teachers moan all the time doesn't sit well with me.

Personally, given the circumstances this year facing the country, I'd be very willing to give up a large chunk of my summer holidays to do some catch up work with students who've missed out, and I would like to think most teachers would say the same. In fact, I think it's a good idea. It's not like we're going to be doing a lot else. However, I don't see how this populist call to "cancel" it would make a lot of sense. First of all - we don't owe people that time, I'm sorry to say. I work MINIMUM 8am-4.30pm each day in school, although this is usually 7.30-5.30, and then minimum of 2 hours each night Mon-Thurs, and about 4 hours at least on a Sunday. I would say the holidays we receive over and above the average in this country are very much cancelled out by the additional hours we put in (and I know many other professions also take work home etc). I'm sorry if your neighbour/friend's wife/cousin is a teacher and they don't do any work, but I am afraid either a) This is a misconception of yours or b) They are one of those lazy timewasters that we encounter in any profession. Secondly, kids need a break - and most of them have not had one during lockdown. Even if they have - behaviour, concentration etc will not last for students having to do 10+ consecutive weeks of school. Thirdly, we do all spend a lot of the summer sorting things out for September, that needs doing.

The government and indeed the editors at the Daily Mail know all of the above. However, they have just written a huge amount of cheques and are lining up the cuts and austerity that they intend to inflict to pay for them. Can't touch the NHS, so let's plant the idea in the public's heads that teachers didn't do anything during lockdown and were unecessarily obstructive, and make people think that they owe the taxpayer something when we go after them afterwards.

 

[HH Brighton]

Interesting read I thought:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-8327825/MAIL-SUNDAY-COMMENT.html

Why would anyone with even a shred of decency read anything from this hateful rag? Baffles me.

 

[Norman Potting]

Wasn't going to get dragged into this, but there we go.

Firstly, schools probably will reopen when told to. As an NEU member, I've received emails for primary school teachers with checklists and guidelines related to reopening, and secondary and sixth form ones are to follow. This idea that the unions are flat out preventing this is wrong - however they are raising very reasonable objections that are nothing to do with pay or conditions, and everything to do with safety. And it's not the same as doctors and nurses going in - they are dealing with Covid cases. Schools reopening in the wrong manner could create Covid cases. That said, I personally am one of the teachers who would err towards getting back in asap (with the right provisos) - as I can see the damage not being in school will be doing to some kids (including my own) and because I am currently working twice as hard doing remote learning.

Secondly, we are working. I worked all day Sunday planning lessons, and several hours last night. I actually have quite a nice day today as I would have been teaching Yr11 and 13 all day (who have left) so am catching up on marking and chasing up students. I would say it probably takes around an hour to properly plan a good hour's lesson when you are face to face with kids. You can double this if you have to create resources they can use remotely. There's also trying to reach students we aren't hearing from - phone calls, emails to parents etc. It's a lot easier when you can just give them a detention on the spot! And of course bearing in mind there are so many reasons why some students can't do the work - family illness, caring responsibilities, lack of technology, key worker parents etc etc, which we've got to navigate.

In general, being a secondary school teacher is awesome. I recommend it to anyone. The days fly past, you get to continue your passion for a subject you love, there's chances for trips etc. The relationships you build with fellow staff, kids and indeed their parents are amazing. I love bumping into students with their mums/dads at the Amex. The pay is reasonable (although this seems to ebb and flow with inflation) and the holidays are GREAT. This idea that teachers moan all the time doesn't sit well with me.

Personally, given the circumstances this year facing the country, I'd be very willing to give up a large chunk of my summer holidays to do some catch up work with students who've missed out, and I would like to think most teachers would say the same. In fact, I think it's a good idea. It's not like we're going to be doing a lot else. However, I don't see how this populist call to "cancel" it would make a lot of sense. First of all - we don't owe people that time, I'm sorry to say. I work MINIMUM 8am-4.30pm each day in school, although this is usually 7.30-5.30, and then minimum of 2 hours each night Mon-Thurs, and about 4 hours at least on a Sunday. I would say the holidays we receive over and above the average in this country are very much cancelled out by the additional hours we put in (and I know many other professions also take work home etc). I'm sorry if your neighbour/friend's wife/cousin is a teacher and they don't do any work, but I am afraid either a) This is a misconception of yours or b) They are one of those lazy timewasters that we encounter in any profession. Secondly, kids need a break - and most of them have not had one during lockdown. Even if they have - behaviour, concentration etc will not last for students having to do 10+ consecutive weeks of school. Thirdly, we do all spend a lot of the summer sorting things out for September, that needs doing.

The government and indeed the editors at the Daily Mail know all of the above. However, they have just written a huge amount of cheques and are lining up the cuts and austerity that they intend to inflict to pay for them. Can't touch the NHS, so let's plant the idea in the public's heads that teachers didn't do anything during lockdown and were unecessarily obstructive, and make people think that they owe the taxpayer something when we go after them afterwards.

Pretty much echoes Mrs. P's experience although she is a primary teacher. She is doing loads of work on the PC and, not being particularly IT confident, finding it hard.

I liked one of the balanced comments I spotted on a thread from a parent "...If my children's teachers are all staying at home doing nothing who is it who keeps sending my children work to do on line...?"

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

My-ex wife is a teacher at a private school and does every timetabled lesson via Microsoft Teams. Really don't understand why state schools can't do similar.

A lot of teachers are in the classroom teaching. Not the full compliment but nevertheless. Some schools have a very strong safeguarding policy that would make that kind of teaching more problematic. But there is difference between state schools as I know some are using zoom etc.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

A lot of teachers are in the classroom teaching. Not the full compliment but nevertheless. Some schools have a very strong safeguarding policy that would make that kind of teaching more problematic. But there is difference between state schools as I know some are using zoom etc.

I know of one horror story through a friend which involves a year 6 teacher using Zoom to run a lesson.

I’ll save you all the details but suffice to say the school will certainly not be using the same approach again any time soon.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I know of one horror story through a friend which involves a year 6 teacher using Zoom to run a lesson.

I’ll save you all the details but suffice to say the school will certainly not be using the same approach again any time soon.

Yep, it's stories like this that have made some schools think twice about video lessons. Also, the lessons can discriminate against children who are not allowed to appear on film or photos due to various safeguarding reasons. A school in a 'difficult' area can have a surprising number. I have a niece up north and she is an only child. Video lessons have worked well for her, but if she had siblings, she would have had difficulty as her mum and dad have one laptop and she or her siblings would have had to take turns.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

I know of one horror story through a friend which involves a year 6 teacher using Zoom to run a lesson.

I’ll save you all the details but suffice to say the school will certainly not be using the same approach again any time soon.

Our school banned Zoom from the outset for the safeguarding reason. We are slowly evolving using Google Meets.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

A lot of teachers are in the classroom teaching. Not the full compliment but nevertheless. Some schools have a very strong safeguarding policy that would make that kind of teaching more problematic. But there is difference between state schools as I know some are using zoom etc.

I struggle to understand how safeguarding differs between the state and private let alone between different schools. They should all be following the same procedures. I get the difference around the pupils having different resources due to their parents wealth.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

I struggle to understand how safeguarding differs between the state and private let alone between different schools. They should all be following the same procedures. I get the difference around the pupils having different resources due to their parents wealth.

Numbers of looked after, hidden, vulnerable and at risk pupils are very low in private schools. I'll also add some private schools are not particularly good at safeguarding either.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I struggle to understand how safeguarding differs between the state and private let alone between different schools. They should all be following the same procedures. I get the difference around the pupils having different resources due to their parents wealth.

In addition to [MENTION=61]Theatre of Trees[/MENTION] post, the legislation is not clear cut, like GDPR and can be interpreted differently.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Our school banned Zoom from the outset for the safeguarding reason. We are slowly evolving using Google Meets.

How does Google Meets work? And how are your school using it? If you don’t mind me asking!