My mum told me her colleagues have been bashing teachers in their WhatsApp group today. Saying that their kids aren’t getting enough support from online lessons, and it’s not differentiated perfectly to their child’s needs so they are struggling to do it and they can’t help.

They would like to know “what the hell we are doing” because we aren’t replying to their emails in 30 seconds. First off, I don’t know anything of their schools & their teachers. But they have some resources to work from online. They had them day 1 of lockdown. Which is amazing.

This isn’t a thing most schools were ready for. But most of us pulled it together over 48 hours. Sure it won’t be perfect, but my gosh well try to make it as close as we can. And respond to help as quickly as we can.

They are worried their kids in y10 particularly aren’t getting the support for next year. Which I get, because they’re not, are they? They’re not with us learning every day. But what we are doing at home is working our bums off to make sure when we go back no child is left behind

The thing that really got me out of all of their comments was that “even students in school aren’t doing any learning. Glorified babysitters.” Well no. They’re not most of the time. Because we’re not providing education right now. We’re providing emergency childcare.

These are not NORMAL times. So school is not normal. Education is not normal. And teachers jobs are not normal.
But for crying out loud, do not complain that we are not doing anything. Because I am working so hard every day to make sure kids get the best deal when we go back.

My colleagues are in school helping the kids with key workers as parents and carers to have some semblance of a normal life. Routine. Well-being sessions. Exercise. Learning new things.
Those working from home are marking and returning emails and developing SoW and resources.

I so rarely buy into the negativity and have don’t my best to ignore it in the press but these people KNOW teachers. I’ve personally helped some of their kids with maths work since schools “closed”.
But they’re not really closed. And teachers are working damn hard every day.

I’m not the only one to have heard similar recently, so I just want to acknowledge that all of my teaching colleagues are bloody brilliant. Keep being amazing & working hard for the kids. Because they won’t see it now but parents will appreciate it later, I’m sure. End rant.

I’ll get off my soapbox now.