Can you believe it. 14 months of school at home. Just over half of that time has happened with most of his classmates back at school. Trying to maintain a remote link with his class was always going to be difficult. It can never be perfect. Especially when the Government’s attitude has been to try and force all children back into classrooms as soon as possible. Schools instructed to make it more difficult for children to work remotely. Schools and parents threatened with legal action if pupils are not back in the class. Our school wanted to offer a remote learning option. Wanted to change the school week with most pupils spending part of the school week, remote learning. Wanted to tailor education and create a better school working environment. Unfortunately that was not allowed so the remote learning option had to be largely turned off. That makes things much harder…..

Revision is supposed to start for the upcoming school year exams this week. No idea how they will work for Hawklad. But the individual subjects are now issuing revision guides. Indicating which pieces of school work have to be revisited and revised. In a couple of subjects there are no surprises – we have covered those areas, undertaken the work required. But then there are other subjects. Areas that the class have undertaken that Hawklad was not aware of. In a couple of subjects clearly large tracts of class work, entire areas have not been shared. Is it ok to call it revision when he’s visiting an area for the very first time.

It’s such a mixed bag. Yes a couple of subjects have exceeded expectations, Hawklad has done the entire teaching requirements. A couple have been kind of as expected, covered most areas but with gaps. And some subjects have gone so much worse than expected, with Hawklad being so far behind his classmates.

Surely in the modern world, with everything that technology has to offer in terms of keeping connected, surely my country should be so much better at remote learning. So much better at EDUCATION.

47 thoughts on “Catch up”

  1. Same here. My kids will graduate this year from their bedrooms. I feel rage and anger at the ineptitude of the Canadian government more than the covidiots who forced the prolonged lockdowns.

    I’m sorry for what you’re still going through. Glad you have a chance to share your story here. 😘

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  2. Wow as Winnipeg and Brandon move to remote learning due to a rise in infections our high school is still every other day for students. While T is back in school there is an overflow classroom so that they are able to ensure that we have the correct spacing for the students and teacher. And never have I ever heard of a daft gov’t believing that it can sue a parent who choses the welfare of their child over that of going to school. That is the dumbest thing I mean I literally G I literally cannot fathom and am speechedless. Shaking my head and really wishing that my broom worked. Seems there are few folk who need a good old fashioned beatin’ about the ears much as they did during the 19th C which is the time period these fools are attempting a return to. Arggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
    Hugs to you and Hawklad. 🙂

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      1. Regressing? I am expecting for you to write that Scrooge appeared demanding rent for a farthing (Idk if right or not but if sounds good) I will hold my rant. 🤗🤗🤗

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  3. We just got word yesterday that they are easing mask restrictions for school events outside. The kids do not need to wear their masks on the playground or for sporting events. Catelyn is running school track – there are a lot of kids there with all the different events – and now they do not need to wear masks if they don’t want to. It’ll be weird seeing so many faces.
    I hope that things get better for Hawklad with schooling. They need to make accommodations for every student so they can learn!

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  5. Virtual language is the pits. I get so angry to think about how kids could’ve spent more time with in person school rather than virtual learning if governments have handled the pandemic better. It seems like the ineptitude is universal regardless of which part of the world you are at (unless it’s New Zealand). Hang in there. This nightmare will surely pass soon!

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    1. Some children do much better out of the classroom where they can learn in their own way at their own speed.

      While it’s true that most of our kids in Aotearoa New Zealand faced only 6 weeks of remote learning in March/April 2020, there’s 25,000 who learn this way every day. What was once known as The Correspondence School and now known as Te Kura is a state-funded distance education provider that offers a wide range of personalised learning programmes and courses, from early childhood upwards. It’s free to persons under 19 years of age.

      Additionally, it is relatively easy to provide homeschooling for one’s children, and there are resources provided by the Ministry of Education to assist parents in this regard. Again, the resources are provided free of charge.

      It appears that the the UK government is under the delusion that all kids learn in the same way and at the same pace. They don’t.

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      1. Thanks Barry for sharing your comment. I agree with you that every child learns differently and there isn’t one model fits all. Distance and virtual learning can absolutely benefit a child if it fits their learning style.

        My complaint about virtual learning was not so much about the format but about the challenges of having to virtual school a 6 year old with some special needs while also having to balance a full time job. It’s nearly impossible to sustain this pace without burnout.

        Homeschooling programs also come with community supports where kids can meet up with other homeschooled kids regularly. That kind of social interaction is missing right now during these pandemic days and children – especially such young children – need interaction with other kids as part of healthy development.

        Sorry for the rant. I’m just done with this pandemic. 🤣 And things would be more open now if governments have handled the situation better.

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      2. I have to admit, we Kiwis really have no idea what stresses the folk in the UK and the US are having to cope with. Within our borders we live life practically as we always have, and the most “serious” issues we face are shortages of some imported products due to the breakdown of many international supply chains.

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      3. Thanks Barry. Please know that the rest of the world, including myself, watch with such admiration and a tad of envy at how admirable and effective your administration have handled the pandemic. Very swift, decisive and impactful. I’m a huge fan of your Prime Minister. Please stay well and safe!

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      8. When I was a child I seem to recall a geography lesson where the islands of NZ was compared to the islands of Japan and the British Isles, being slightly smaller than the former and slightly larger than the latter.

        But that was a very long time ago so perhaps tectonic plate movement has caused some changes since. I think this should be something Boris would have a better understanding than I have.

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      11. Here there are some video and teaching packs out there but they are a little disjointed. The better ones you pay. To pay for full online schooling with a tutor and exam materials it’s about £1600 for a couple of subjects per year. Our government believes that it’s up to people to buy this type of stuff, the more you can afford, the better you get.

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  9. By all the struggles and problems you had to face, you and Hawklad did such a good job. You are an amazing father and I am sure, because of that you achieved so much more than many others in the same situation would have.

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