New ‘return to school’ potential guidelines suggest that: due to social distancing and classroom sizes, classes will likely be no bigger than 8 children.
Whilst part of me celebrating the fact that will mean the supply network will be roped into full time work for a good few months.
The other part of me is frustrated that it’s taken 30,000 deaths from flu for this to happen.
What about the mental health tragedies over the past decade or two? The lives that have been damaged and lost by the over populated classrooms and pathetic excuses for an education system?
Look at what it’s taken. Take a good look. This is what your society and government have done. They haven’t had your child’s best interests at heart at all. They have had money and control at the centre of their decision making. Only when they absolutely cannot ignore the health impact, have they made this change happen. Look. At. What. It’s. Taken.
For too long, teachers have been forced to be corporate parent to up to 30 children at a time, whilst child minders are restricted to playing with just 8, for ‘childrens health and wellbeing’. Funny how the bit the government doesn’t have to outright pay for, has different regulations to the bit the government has to provide free of charge.
I’m going to go out on a limb and predict a great improvement in health, wellbeing and educational progress when we go back. Particularly if these current guidelines go ahead. I hope they do.
We will reap the benefits of teachers not splitting their corporate parenting focus between up to 30 children. Children with more behavioural needs will get the attention they require and it WONT have to disrupt the other 20 kid’s learning. Children learning faster, won’t be held back by half the class who haven’t grasped a concept yet.
I know it’s much to hope for. But the struggle is real. It has been for so long that ANY change, is good change.
Whilst we’re at it… Let’s do everything in our power to make sure those damn exams never come back. And Ofsted? Useless in a crisis…. Useless in reality.
Accountability where accountability is due, however. Child welfare must be protected. Every Ofsted inspector should be retrained as a social work officer and they should go into homes and advise parents on parenting techniques and assess their child development understanding. Critique parents on their decisions and demand proof that children’s welfare and education is their upmost priority. Come on now… There’s enough research showing who has the most impact on a child, and it AIN’T the teachers!
In the words of Parkway Drive..
Because they came for our minds
We said nothing
They came for our hopes
We said nothing
They came for our souls
And still we said nothing
Now they’re coming for our lives
So what’s it gonna take?!
FaerieFalls 