Lockdown (And Beyond) Hatchlings

[sally maclennane]

Oh Luce, I know nothing of this stuff but honestly even as a (supposedly) responsible adult, I struggle to get motivated sitting at a desk all day, logged into teams! It's soul destroying and relentlessly boring, and I have realised that I clearly need to be around other people to make me act like an adult. Left to my own devices, I piss* around too much.

I know that doesn't help you at all though, on a practical basis!



*edited because I piss around, not puss

[Heebie Jeebie]

Like Sally I also can't work without supervision, just like my school report card used to say. It's way too much to ask of a child

[Sky]

I'm similar when wfh although I'm better in the office as long as I've my headphones and resting bitchface on to stop people wanting to talk at me. Shall I post you some of my adhd meds?

[Luce]

J’s high school have a “Submitted home learning” category in their achievement system and he gets a point for every lesson he uploads. There are further points for good quality work and occasionally a teacher puts feedback on his work log.

Yep, we've got that too!

I dunno, Kleio, I mean, school would be better for everyone! He was extremely distressed at the idea that if this carries on then he'll be made to go into school. He wouldn't know anyone, he'd be ashamed etc etc. It really seems like quite a lot to take on when we're also getting lots of emails to protect their mental health etc.

No, Sal and others, that does help. My perspective is all off. I just feel so, so sad for him. He's being asked to demonstrate the maturity and respect of an adult whilst getting very little supervision and not putting a foot wrong.

[Ruby]

Feedback is really hard. We do whole-class feedback, praise postcards, achievement points, Forms quizzes with instant feedback etc. But it's essentially like talking to a brick wall.

Being sat on Teams all day is shit - from my perspective and theirs. I swear I'm going to become chair-shaped soon. It's really hard for them to listen all day and never move. I wish there was more flexibility from the government but they just decided - arbitrarily - that full days of live lessons was the way that secondary schools should deliver. I think there was a lot of pressure from parents in the first lockdown and holding up 'zoom lessons' as the gold standard. I really think that a mixed approach would be much much better - 2 hours of live lessons, one worksheet, one TV programme, using a website/programme etc. etc.

Have the school been in touch about his engagement, Luce? They might have some ideas or support they can suggest.

[Kleio]

90% of Cube's lessons are pre-recorded or live with no engagement expected and then recorded to be watched later if needed. He wouldn't handle having to sit on Teams all day either and it must be an internet sucker for everyone else in the house!

There must be another way for him.

[Luce]

You're right about the gold standard, I thought the same myself during the first lockdown but agree a mixed approach would be much better. The whole 'just make sure they're happy' narrative seems to be long gone! And F is told in no uncertain terms whose fault this is (Boris) and that the school have got to be tough on engagement because they have no choice.

The Head of Year has been in touch - he's been ringing every single parent in the year so only just got round to us. At the end he mentioned that he just needs to pick up his engagement (he's there but he's like a ghost apparently, barely answers any questions, doesn't complete work etc) but that if it doesn't pick up then I'm to tell F from him that he'll be requested into school. F cried instantly at the idea (he never, ever cries). He's never in 'trouble' at school and basically has never really struggled at much before. He's got no experience to lean on here.

To be honest, T and I have fucked up the most. Before the call, we'd already been going mad at him every time we got a non-engagement notice and we've been having the same conversations over and over and it doesn't seem to go in. Things here have been so tense and stressful and tearful and just fucking awful, to be honest. Our relationship is at rock bottom and has been for a while. But actually I feel just so sorry for F and we've inadvertently been making a shit time for him even shitter by constantly yelling at him, taking his phone away for longer periods, micro managing him etc.

He's got no choice about getting this done (and he was brilliant today, no negatives at all, all positives) but he needs to see much more sympathy and comfort from me. Sorry, that all turned into a bit of a blurt, I'm so constantly worried about him these past few months that it all becomes a bit much!

[Ruby]

I reckon most of us will have had a screaming row with teenagers during this shitshow. I don't think you're fucking it up. It's just really hard to keep all the plates spinning.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Squeak’s not getting live lessons all day, just live registration so far. I think part of why I’m so surprised that’s she’s now taller than me is because I so rarely see her upright.

I’m more concerned she’ll lose her love of sport if we don’t get out and get some proper not just walking exercise.

[Cerise]

So far all J’s lessons have been prerecorded videos but looks like they’ll introduce some live sessions from next week. I think J will enjoy those for some variety.

We had this update letter yesterday.

I’m sorry things are so shit, Luce. Have you got anything you can do that brings you joy/fun as a family?

[Ruby]

I think J's school sound sensible.

[Cerise]

I think J's school sound sensible.

Yes, I’m really pleased with how they’re handling it. Is it worth writing to the head to express my grateful thanks?

[Ruby]

You should because, reading between the lines, he's getting it in the neck from parents who think they should be doing 5 hours of live lessons.

[Cerise]

You should because, reading between the lines, he's getting it in the neck from parents who think they should be doing 5 hours of live lessons.

It’s a she.

[Ruby]

Of course! It's too sensible to be a man. I feel I have betrayed my gender now though, so I will go and think about what I've done.

[Beena]

That does all sound very sensible.

Bambs' college are running live classes in the same slots as her usual timetable, which are 2 hour blocks. They've also insisted that all students keep their cameras on at all times. It's playing havoc with our working as rural broadband just isn't design for 3 simultaneous Teams calls.

[Beena]

Luce, I've just read through all the stuff about F. It's so unfair. Bambs is much older, contentious to the point of concern and she really struggles with all this (over the summer, I had to teach myself, and then her, the A-Level syllabus she covered during lockdown 1as it hadn't gone in). Screaming rows here too and there's tears on pretty much a weekly basis. She's Year 13. I really don't know how they expect Year 7s to cope. It's too much.

[Heebie Jeebie]

I noted on this morning's call that the parent who made the biggest fuss last year about getting fees refunded, now has a keyworker place. I don't know what the mum does, but he's a lawyer. As far as I can see the only others who have keyworker places are one child whose parents are both doctors and anothwr whose parents are both teachers.

I've edited his name out now.

[sally maclennane]

I went to uni with him, he's a bit of a gobshite.

[Ruby]

I noted on this morning's call that the parent who made the biggest fuss last year about getting fees refunded, now has a keyworker place. I don't know what the mum does, but he's a lawyer (A.amer An.war) As far as I can see the only others who have keyworker places are one child whose parents are both doctors and anothwr whose parents are both teachers.

Google yields pages of results on them. Apparently they're both lawyers, which can apparently be spun as being critical workers.