Grim afternoon in Yorkshire.
So the schools will largely remain shut until at least the 8th March. Key worker parents can still send their kids into the classrooms. So it’s another 6 weeks of the full school online system. That means more structured lessons and class work. Hawklad has definitely noticed a difference. No being forgotten about. Actually getting some marks back and a few comments. That helps.
Hawklad hasn’t been in a classroom since the start of March. Apart from a few brief emails he has had no direct conversations with his teachers in that time. In fact those emails are often not from the teacher but the class teaching assistants. Without feedback he just can’t gauge progress and teachers can’t assess any learning issues.
It’s no better from a parenting point of view. The last face to face meeting with teachers was back in 2019. The school reports are issued at the end of each term. A one page sheet comprising of scores for behaviour, attendance and expected final attainment. No narrative from teachers. I’ve tried sending direct emails to teachers but with little real impact. So do the teachers have a grip on Hawklads learning needs. Do they really know what’s going well and whats not going well. That really matters.
I guess I must not be the only parent asking for a chance to directly speak to some of the teachers. School is now going to run an online parents evening. You can book a slot with a teacher. One problem. Each video call will be time limited to 4 minutes. After 4 minutes the call will automatically end. That’s not much time at all. Especially as it’s almost time to pick which subjects Hawklad will study for the final two years. Yep that’s a lot to discuss in just 4 minutes. Anybody who knows me will understand that it takes me about 4 minutes to just say ‘Hello my name is Kermit the Frog’.
Can you book more than one time slot? Or can you preface each meeting with an email of your questions and concerns?
Here in The Far Far North of Alberta, we are now meeting some health specialists by phone, and probably will be starting to use Zoom or other chat rooms soon. After the first fiasco, I have learned to send my specialists emails with my current symptoms, concerns, issues, and questions. I number them 1 through whatever, and when the call is made we both have a copy of the email in front of us. We go through the list, he or she makes comments, suggestions, med changes, whatever. At the end there is an anything else period as the last item on my list. This has made our contacts much more efficient, with better understandings and outcomes. We miss nothing, unless I forgot to put it on the list, and failed to bring it up before we hang up–that is on me.
The difference is, we take as long as we need. If I had only 4 minutes, I would probably be in dire distress, if not dead!
But so it goes…
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No only one allowed. If you miss it tough….
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Good way to run a school. If you skip out the class they give you all the exam answers, that’s on you. Makes a lot of sense to me–NOT!
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Not exactly
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That’s terrible. The only thing to say is, “I need more time.” Ours are ten minutes long and that seems to be enough. But I guess I do have the ability to send an email to a teacher if there is a problem. Four minutes is too short.
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It’s the fact that they state that the call switches off automatically at 4 minutes.
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You should shorten your name! 😂
I agree that 4 minutes are way too less but at least it’s something.
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I am so impressed with your dedication and patience with all this. You’re such a great dad. I hope someway communicating will get better with them. Everyone one should matter. ❤️
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Thank you
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You’re welcome ❤️
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🙏
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4 minutes is absolute crap. You get more time speaking with the doctor. Ask if you can make an appointment with them? 😉
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It’s not good is it.
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It’s terrible.
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It is
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4 minutes? Who decided that ? I mean why bother? It’s some kind of black farce.
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I can at least brew a tea in the time
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Even Roger Bannister would have had trouble with that
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I could try and see how far I get in 4 minutes
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🙂
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🙏
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Four minutes? That’s it? That’s ridiculous!! That is not slightly an alternative to the face-to-face talks.
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4 minutes is nothing. Not even a song on the radio.
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You have not even explained the problem in 4 minutes.
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4 hours needed.
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I could imagine!
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This is terrible. Hope there is a solution.
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Thank you
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4 minutes??? What’s the point?!
GRRRR!!!
sending HUGS!!💌💌💌
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Not much… xxx
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Good luck. So much frustration but it’s nice to see an iota of progress. No good… but at least recognizing a need.
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That’s true
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What a mess. Four minutes is insane. When our students had in-person conferences, they were 15 minutes and took about a total of either a day and a half or two and a half days of the teachers’ time.
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What a fluffing joke!
Wtf good is 4 minutes??
The whole education system in this country is a Heart Break Ridge ClusterFluck!
This is just a mess for both you and your Son , Gary 😦
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4 minutes is like hello, my child is called and goodnight.
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I know, it’s a serious piss take without the brewery.
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Couldn’t get a pint in a pub in 4 minutes
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No , although there was a time back in the 80’s when pint pulling was as fast as the new Maccy Dees 🙂
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I remember those waits….
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Wow! That’s so crazy. I am not surprised though after reading some of the appalling things you’ve shared here. Perhaps make yourself a list and prioritize what you feel is most important – not easy because it’s all important. Wishing you all the best, and Hawklad too.
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Might just send them extended emails.
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I hope you do and I hope you get positive responses.
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Let’s hope so
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Praying for you and for Hawklad. Hang tough!
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I will. Thank you x
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You’re welcome. ❤
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🤗
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Four minutes. Ri-damn-diculous. Why even bother? Absolutely nothing will be accomplished.
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It’s just not enough.
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