I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will."
I'd say that having a home tutor two and a half days a week was preferable to being in a class full of children.
Good on yoru son for his achievements |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will.
I'd say that having a home tutor two and a half days a week was preferable to being in a class full of children.
Good on yoru son for his achievements"
Thanks. That's 2 half days, not 2 and s half |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
 |
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Well done to your son on his fantastic achievement.
Please remember though that all children are different and learn differently. Some pick things up easily, some need a little more help. Some are suited to solitary learning while others thrive in groups,bouncing ideas off their peers. Some are self motivated, others less so. Some will keep up grand, others will need the pace adjusted to suit. One size doesn't fit all when it comes to education and that's where great teachers are worth their weight in gold. For some children, every day of learning lost can be detrimental - not only to their education but also their classmates'. It's one reason why such importance is ordinarily placed on attendance. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will."
Well done to your son
As a parent of a child with medical issues it's a shame you can't be more empathetic towards others though, as you have no idea of other people's circumstances. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Well done to your son
I would say though that as he has gone on to PhD level, he is not necessarily average or representative of the population. And I’d suggest that studying at PhD level suggests a propensity for independent studying |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Your son is clearly an extraordinary individual and you must be very proud.
I can't see that holding every child to extraordinary standards will end well though, because children, like adults, run the gamut from extraordinary to mediocre. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will."
Great work for your son. Inspiring in fact. But people learn in different ways. Not all are as self starting as yours. Not all have supportive parents at all. I've argued in the past that it's a great opportunity for parents and child to try new things, be creative and step up to the plate. And it is for some. But we need to provide opportunities for all, not just the few who are able to deal with these challenging times. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will."
Most people can not afford a home tutor for their kids. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *ady LickWoman
over a year ago
Northampton Somewhere |
There's no doubting your son has achieved amazing results, but, please, show a little empathy to the 1000's of children who find themselves in the situation they are in at the moment!!! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Congratulations to your son, he's obviously gifted and has worked hard.
But I do have sympathy for kids whose parents have had to home school and work at the same time especially if they have more than one child (not enough hours in the day). To the kids who have missed out on warm meals because they're parents are in poverty, to the kids to use school to avoid abusive homes. What about parents who aren't educationally gifted though their child is?
Life isn't just black and white, and as someone who had a similar experience to your son and followed the same path, I do sympathise a lot for today's children
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *sGivesWoodWoman
over a year ago
ST. AUSTELL, CORNWALL |
"Congratulations to your son, he's obviously gifted and has worked hard.
But I do have sympathy for kids whose parents have had to home school and work at the same time especially if they have more than one child (not enough hours in the day). To the kids who have missed out on warm meals because they're parents are in poverty, to the kids to use school to avoid abusive homes. What about parents who aren't educationally gifted though their child is?
Life isn't just black and white, and as someone who had a similar experience to your son and followed the same path, I do sympathise a lot for today's children
"
Well put. X |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will."
Despite being happy for your son your words both upset me and angered me as you are obviously clueless about so many things. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will.
Despite being happy for your son your words both upset me and angered me as you are obviously clueless about so many things."
It's tough and confusing for kids at the moment. I was speaking to my sons school asking if they would be making any adjustments to exams to account for the massively disrupted almost year of the 2 year A level course. The answer was a flat "no". Like adults some kids have been able to thrive, most are just muddling along but doing worse, some have been pretty much entirely disengaged and left way behind and some are in real trouble. I don't know the answer, but I do know they need better than what is happening in many cases. This is their long covid. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *oggoneMan
over a year ago
Derry |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will.
Despite being happy for your son your words both upset me and angered me as you are obviously clueless about so many things."
The OP is absolutely irrelevant. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will.
Most people can not afford a home tutor for their kids."
The tutor was supplied by the local education authority |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing. "
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing.
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked."
Sounds like a great school doing their best. Not all schools are the same unfortunately. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing.
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked."
That’s great news, however more worked for the already overworked teachers |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing.
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked.
Sounds like a great school doing their best. Not all schools are the same unfortunately. "
It is. It was the reason I moved from Norfolk back to my hometown in Northern Ireland, and I'm eternally grateful for the lengths they're going to. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing.
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked.
That’s great news, however more worked for the already overworked teachers"
Indeed. However having spoken to one of those teachers extensively, they feel it's worth it. Yes frustrated, but determined to get all their pupils back on an even footing. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing.
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked.
That’s great news, however more worked for the already overworked teachers
Indeed. However having spoken to one of those teachers extensively, they feel it's worth it. Yes frustrated, but determined to get all their pupils back on an even footing. "
It helps hugely having engaged and supportive parents who can find the time needed to make it work. Great for those that can. But there are plenty of kids who are being left behind at the moment and that can't be right. No idea the solutions.... Maybe retake a year or part of it...? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My kids schools did online lessons for the kids all the way through lockdown, as most did.
Whilst it doesn’t replace classroom teaching they were valuable.
However this required parents to make their children log in and work. What you have now are classes where kids worked hard all the way through are being held back by kids who didn’t do a thing That said, the governments promise of supplying laptops and WiFi to families without them came to nothing.
Or being held back perhaps by some for whom online learning was extremely difficult for a myriad of reasons? Try not to be so judgemental.
Incidentally, at my daughter's school no-one is being held back. Children who, for whatever reason, struggled with their learning during lockdown are receiving intensive catch up classes across all subjects during break and lunchtimes, no questions asked.
That’s great news, however more worked for the already overworked teachers
Indeed. However having spoken to one of those teachers extensively, they feel it's worth it. Yes frustrated, but determined to get all their pupils back on an even footing.
It helps hugely having engaged and supportive parents who can find the time needed to make it work. Great for those that can. But there are plenty of kids who are being left behind at the moment and that can't be right. No idea the solutions.... Maybe retake a year or part of it...? "
I completely agree with you (as you'll see from further up the thread  )
These are challenging times for students, teachers and schools alike |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will.
Most people can not afford a home tutor for their kids.
The tutor was supplied by the local education authority"
Do you think the local education authority sent a home tutor to every single home during the lockdown? Do you think children who's families don't have access to a computer or who have one machine between multiple children of different age groups, plus mum/dad needing to work, or those who have no/poor home internet or those who live in unsafe home situations etc etc found it easy/possible to keep up with their learning?
There are children who, for a multitude of reasons, were unable to access their education during the lockdown. Even the most motivated and eager pupil cannot magic laptops, WiFi, a quiet space to work (in lockdown) etc. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *sGivesWoodWoman
over a year ago
ST. AUSTELL, CORNWALL |
"I'm afraid I have no sympathy for the people that are moaning about the amount of school time lost during the first lockdown. How they will never catch up. If they want to learn, they will catch up.
My eldest son was diagnosed with M.E. when he was 9. He lost nearly 2 years of full time school, only having a home tutor for 2 half days a week.
He passed his A levels, got a degree in Psychology, then got his Master's and is now studying for his PhD.
If they want to learn, they will.
Most people can not afford a home tutor for their kids.
The tutor was supplied by the local education authority
Do you think the local education authority sent a home tutor to every single home during the lockdown? Do you think children who's families don't have access to a computer or who have one machine between multiple children of different age groups, plus mum/dad needing to work, or those who have no/poor home internet or those who live in unsafe home situations etc etc found it easy/possible to keep up with their learning?
There are children who, for a multitude of reasons, were unable to access their education during the lockdown. Even the most motivated and eager pupil cannot magic laptops, WiFi, a quiet space to work (in lockdown) etc."
Well said. Not everyone is as fortunate as the OP and not every situation is as black and white as he thinks it is. Reality check needed, I think. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
» Add a new message to this topic
