Coronavirus (Non-Politics)

[Tangled up in Blue]

Seems simple to me.If HMG wants the schools to stay open (and they clearly do) then give teachers the same priority as NHS workers for vaccinations.

 

[londonblue]

The teachers are mugging it off again! Just setting work and leaving the kids to it. I don’t understand why they can’t do live lessons for every period. They don’t even have to go into school to do that. With Teams you can share powerpoints and talk through it. They had an inset day yesterday to prep everything. Even if they have key worker kids in the class they can do a live lesson with the kids on teams and those in the classroom which judging by what my kids are saying isn’t even a handful in each class.

Anyone else having the same issue?

No. We did have a webinar last night from the head of our eldest son's (secondary) school where she made the point that it is important to remember that all their teachers are in the same boat: some have kids that need home schooling or looking after, some are actually very ill and can't work and others are looking after family members who are ill.

I think it's important not to jump to conclusions...

 

[Ricey]

No. We did have a webinar last night from the head of our eldest son's (secondary) school where she made the point that it is important to remember that all their teachers are in the same boat: some have kids that need home schooling or looking after, some are actually very ill and can't work and others are looking after family members who are ill.

I think it's important not to jump to conclusions...

I get that, but they’re able to provide lessons for those key workers kids who have been put into school. Why can’t they do the lesson for those and on teams at the same time?

 

[Holy Joe]

The teachers are mugging it off again! Just setting work and leaving the kids to it. I don’t understand why they can’t do live lessons for every period. They don’t even have to go into school to do that. With Teams you can share powerpoints and talk through it. They had an inset day yesterday to prep everything. Even if they have key worker kids in the class they can do a live lesson with the kids on teams and those in the classroom which judging by what my kids are saying isn’t even a handful in each class.

Anyone else having the same issue?

Yes, my 2 have very few 'live' lessons. Mostly it's worksheets that they complete on line or print off

 

[Member]

The teachers are mugging it off again! Just setting work and leaving the kids to it. I don’t understand why they can’t do live lessons for every period. They don’t even have to go into school to do that. With Teams you can share powerpoints and talk through it. They had an inset day yesterday to prep everything. Even if they have key worker kids in the class they can do a live lesson with the kids on teams and those in the classroom which judging by what my kids are saying isn’t even a handful in each class.

Anyone else having the same issue?

Live lessons don't work. Kids don't engage, and parents don't have the flexibility to fit a particular schedule. If I have a call between 10-11, then how can I take that while also helping my 6 year old on a Teams call? Also live video lessons are a safeguarding nightmare, they just aren't workable for younger children.

What does work is pre-recorded videos and then regular calls or catch-ups, and lots of resources that kids can work through at their own pace.

Don't forget that teachers have been working through the Christmas holidays planning lessons on the expectation that it'd be in classrooms (along with also planning extra work for children who are isolating) and then after being made to go into work yesterday have then been told to go remote with about 12 hours notice. They've also been told to set up testing sites, which ended up being a huge waste of time.

Most good schools have already been planning ahead for this, but this has been a huge amount of additional work and effort - don't forget that many teachers have been getting sick or been isolating as well, and many will be going into work to support keyworker children while also having to find time to set work, and have their own childcare situations to support.

Definitely disagree that teachers are 'mugging it off'.

 

[Member]

I get that, but they’re able to provide lessons for those key workers kids who have been put into school. Why can’t they do the lesson for those and on teams at the same time?

They aren't providing lessons for keyworker children. It's basically glorified babysitting/holiday club. They might be given worksheets or things to do but it's not an actual lesson

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Very little difference between Tier 4 and Tier 5 when you look at it. It's mainly just schools shut and we are asked not to go out unless it's for work etc.

Most shops still open for click and collect, so there are alot more Key Workers now like Argos workers.

 

[OldBlueLady]

You know my view on teachers, and I would suggest that @Ricey needs to speak with the SLT at the children's school/s as they seem to have not been the best organised.

The vast majority of schools and teachers are working their proverbial socks off trying to plan and deliver lessons that are workable for home schooling, however, as always, there are some who simply aren't up to it.

My own grand-daughter has had trouble with her teacher for 18 months (she was unlucky enough to get the same teacher for a 2nd year in her school), and my step daughter has had meetings with the SENCo and with the Deputy and Head over her concerns. Sometimes you do need to take that step if you're really unhappy.

 

[Ricey]

Live lessons don't work. Kids don't engage, and parents don't have the flexibility to fit a particular schedule. If I have a call between 10-11, then how can I take that while also helping my 6 year old on a Teams call? Also live video lessons are a safeguarding nightmare, they just aren't workable for younger children.

What does work is pre-recorded videos and then regular calls or catch-ups, and lots of resources that kids can work through at their own pace.

Don't forget that teachers have been working through the Christmas holidays planning lessons on the expectation that it'd be in classrooms (along with also planning extra work for children who are isolating) and then after being made to go into work yesterday have then been told to go remote with about 12 hours notice. They've also been told to set up testing sites, which ended up being a huge waste of time.

Most good schools have already been planning ahead for this, but this has been a huge amount of additional work and effort - don't forget that many teachers have been getting sick or been isolating as well, and many will be going into work to support keyworker children while also having to find time to set work, and have their own childcare situations to support.

Definitely disagree that teachers are 'mugging it off'.

You would disagree, but fortunately your kids don’t go to my kids school where they’ve been home learning since 2 weeks prior to the Christmas break. Where they were promised certain live lessons or work to be set and they were left with nothing to do for those periods with no explanation.

Sorry if I care about my kids education, especially as one of my kids has extra needs.

 

[Member]

You would disagree, but fortunately your kids don’t go to my kids school where they’ve been home learning since 2 weeks prior to the Christmas break. Where they were promised certain live lessons or work to be set and they were left with nothing to do for those periods with no explanation.

Sorry if I care about my kids education, especially as one of my kids has extra needs.

I don't know why you're flying off at me, I put together a thoughtful response to your issue and I feel for anyone in this situation, it's really difficult and frustrating.

Live lessons don't work for the reasons I've explained, and your school probably shouldn't have promised this, and as OBL says you should probably escalate it with your school as it sounds like a specific issue that you're facing with a teacher or miscommunication from the Head.

 

[Member]

Regarding teachers, there's been a lot of chat about these figures being suppressed but I don't want to fuel conspiracy theories, however these numbers are really troubling, and show how even if children are relatively safe, schools are a vector for transmission:

New Magazine Experience

www.tes.com

 

[Ricey]

Very little difference between Tier 4 and Tier 5 when you look at it. It's mainly just schools shut and we are asked not to go out unless it's for work etc.

Most shops still open for click and collect, so there are alot more Key Workers now like Argos workers.

My wife went to our local Tesco yesterday and said they were really under staffed, she spoke to the woman at the till. She said their store 50 cases with staff off, the other one up the road has 170 cases of staff isolating!

 

[Ricey]

I don't know why you're flying off at me, I put together a thoughtful response to your issue and I feel for anyone in this situation, it's really difficult and frustrating.

Live lessons don't work for the reasons I've explained, and your school probably shouldn't have promised this, and as OBL says you should probably escalate it with your school as it sounds like a specific issue that you're facing with a teacher or miscommunication from the Head.

Im on about secondary school kids. I get live lessons don’t work for infant school and they aren’t the school I am having issues with.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

My wife went to our local Tesco yesterday and said they were really under staffed, she spoke to the woman at the till. She said their store 50 cases with staff off, the other one up the road has 170 cases of staff isolating!

Yep just goes to show how more people are catching it now compared to last March.
Very little social distancing between staff and customers.
Tesco have the traffic lights at most stores.... But I have never seen them on red to stop people going in.

 

[Ricey]

Yep just goes to show how more people are catching it now compared to last March.
Very little social distancing between staff and customers.
Tesco have the traffic lights at most stores.... But I have never seen them on red to stop people going in.

I don’t know why they don’t go back to the queuing and one way system. It worked and was affective, would also discourage people from making pointless visits.

 

[GBJ]

One of my missus’ colleagues was admitted into hospital over the weekend. Apparently she felt a bit under the weather on Thursday, and by the Saturday she was carted off in an ambulance.

It seems much closer to home than it did back in the Spring/Summer months.

 

[Mad Cyril]

The teachers are mugging it off again! Just setting work and leaving the kids to it. I don’t understand why they can’t do live lessons for every period. They don’t even have to go into school to do that. With Teams you can share powerpoints and talk through it. They had an inset day yesterday to prep everything. Even if they have key worker kids in the class they can do a live lesson with the kids on teams and those in the classroom which judging by what my kids are saying isn’t even a handful in each class.

Anyone else having the same issue?

I don't have a problem with teachers occasionally setting work but I do have problems making sure my kids have completed it satisfactory because I don't really understand the schools online portals. I occasional get in touch with their tutors to check up.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

This was always the plan - some kind of lockdown until enough people have been vaccinated. Make people so desperate to get out of this nightmare that take-up of the vaccine will be high. This new 'mutant strain' came at a very convenient time.

But if they'd said to people last March: "you're going to be living like this for the best part of a year, and you won't be able to celebrate Christmas with your families", people wouldn't have go along with it. So instead they just keep going round in circles and moving the goalposts.

 

[southendkid]

Regarding teachers, there's been a lot of chat about these figures being suppressed but I don't want to fuel conspiracy theories, however these numbers are really troubling, and show how even if children are relatively safe, schools are a vector for transmission:

New Magazine Experience

www.tes.com

I don't like that they haven't looked at other professions here, it's very unclear if this is a problem only for teachers or for anyone travelling to work. The 333% higher figure is a comparison between teachers and the entire population, but that doesn't necessarily mean schools themselves are the issue. It could just be down to the fact that teachers still need to go in to work whilst large parts of the population are able to work from home and hence minimise their potential exposure to the virus (not to mention the entire population will include high risk groups that are taking extra precautions to make sure they don't get infected).

Anyone that is unable to work from home will be at an increased risk of getting the virus and as rates for other professions haven't been provided it's unclear if schools themselves are more dangerous than other places of work or if we'd see similar figures to the 333% quoted here for any profession that still has to commute to an indoors place of work.

 

[GBJ]

This was always the plan - some kind of lockdown until enough people have been vaccinated. Make people so desperate to get out of this nightmare that take-up of the vaccine will be high. This new 'mutant strain' came at a very convenient time.

If that was “the plan”, can you tell me what the endgame is? What happens once they’ve scared enough people into being vaccinated?