Luvachicken Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Well, the Coronavirus finally closed the schools yesterday. It was an odd feeling. The children in class has been getting less as the week has gone on, and when I go to school on Monday, there will hardly be any there. It was kind of like the end of term but not with that happy feeling you get at the end. Some children don't have a clue, some aren't bothered and some are scared. They kept asking us when we would come back to school but of course, we don't know. I said goodbye to some of the girls that are now in Yr 6 that I've known since the beginning of Yr 3. I may not see them again before they start senior school I felt quite overwhelmed by the time I'd walked home at lunchtime and just couldn't hold it in any longer. One of the children said "this coronavirus sucks" I couldn't agree with her more. On a happier note, 2 parents still brought us in Easter treats, which was lovely, but I did feel that they should have kept their money for more important things for later. School will be a very strange place to be on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 I’ve been teaching from home since Tuesday, which is a challenge in itself. Had a lovely lesson with some senior kids yesterday over the computer though. Was nice hearing them all. I find it much more draining than normal teaching, it’s a lot more organising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Both my boys...ys year 7 and es year 10... are gutted to stop school now. Both really want to continue and, given that we live in a village and they have to get the school bus, they are feeling more isolated. I am trying to get in touch with other mums, esp year 10 with regard to GCSE, to set up Teams but the response is lukewarm. I am so keen that the gang keep in touch...not only for school work but also for the social side of it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 My son is a teacher in West London. He’s back in school on Monday trying to set up classes for the children of key workers and for vulnerable children. But he’ll also be setting lessons for those remaining at home. So he will be ultra busy. My niece is a respiratory consultant and her children qualify for continued schooling. but she’s not keen on it. She thinks that these children will have a greater chance than others of getting Covid-19 than others simply because of their parents extra exposure. She thinks the schools will act as a Petrie dish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 21, 2020 Author Share Posted March 21, 2020 1 minute ago, Patricia W said: My niece is a respiratory consultant and her children qualify for continued schooling. but she’s not keen on it. She thinks that these children will have a greater chance than others of getting Covid-19 than others simply because of their parents extra exposure. She thinks the schools will act as a Petrie dish. A very good point. Let's hope that doesn't happen xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Our schools have been closed for a week now and I see loads of kids trawl through the streets during the day. That’s not the point is it! We’re closing schools to limit contact and parents just let kids run the streets in packs... And seeing I’m trying to teach the teens from my kitchen and assuming their teachers are trying to do the same, I really struggle to understand what they are doing out during the day! Sorry... rant over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 That’s what we’re worried about here Cattails. Last half term there was a group of teenage lads roaming around committing petty and not so petty crime - one of them threw a rock through my colleagues van window as she was driving out of work to go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Patricia W said: My niece is a respiratory consultant and her children qualify for continued schooling. but she’s not keen on it. She thinks that these children will have a greater chance than others of getting Covid-19 than others simply because of their parents extra exposure. She thinks the schools will act as a Petrie dish. I fear that she may be right. Madam is up in Edinburgh, there are a few of them still there, lectures continue online (they could be taken that way before) and exams are also online. No lab time, which she misses. I suggested that she comes home before the trains get cut on Monday, but not heard back. I assume that she's staying up there, and hopefully won't get sick. This is a strange situation which most of us won't have experienced before; my dad says that it reminds him of the post-war years of curfews and rationing. The odd thing for our generation is that some of us (mostly those younger than me) are used to having what they want and when they want it, and not compromising or being inventive - they are panicking and bulk-buying. I am actually quite calm and just going with the flow.... there is nothing we can do to change the course of this pandemic; it will do what it does and we can only try to stay safe. Now just need those lurchers to come out of retirement and fill the pot like they used to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 21, 2020 Author Share Posted March 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Cat tails said: Our schools have been closed for a week now and I see loads of kids trawl through the streets during the day. That’s not the point is it! We’re closing schools to limit contact and parents just let kids run the streets in packs... And seeing I’m trying to teach the teens from my kitchen and assuming their teachers are trying to do the same, I really struggle to understand what they are doing out during the day! Sorry... rant over... Rant away 😊 I think a lot of the children in my school seem to think that this is an extra holiday and that they don't have to do any work. One seemed a bit miffed when he asked what would happen if he didn't do any of the work 🙄 Today has been beautifully sunny and next door's children have been out screaming on the trampoline, and no doubt, they will be out the first few days of next week, when it is also meant to be sunny when they should be doing their work. The only plus side for me is that I will be at school and I won't be able to hear them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Hi Clare, It’s so lovely of you to offer to get me some chickens. But it’s such a long way for you down here. I think I might be able to tag onto a friend’s rescue hen order. He’s offered to get me 3 - as long as the rescue isn’t cancelled. I’ll keep you posted though. This is such a surreal time. I keep thinking I’ll wake up soon. Take care Tricia xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Let me know if I can help. My understanding is that a lot of rescues have been stood down. Suppliers are all short of stock of hens, feed and bedding too. If you/someone is able to meet me part-way in a car park or layby - no contact of course - then I am happy to help. At the moment, my local outlet has hens and some feed/bedding. A lot of outlets are now rationing what stocks they have, and only selling hens to existing keepers.... there's a worry about hens being dumped as soon as Covid is over, or folks get fed up with looking after them. my neighbour, ho has an allotment warns me that people are raiding lotties for produce and stealing hens. Be careful everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Its certainly odd everywhere. We live in a very small hamlet, only 3 houses permanently occupied, but usually a sprinkle of locals coming to tend something on a small patch of land, its a patchwork system, people own small bits here, there and everywhere and there is always someone doing something from strimming to cutting wood to pruning trees or taking a harvest. Anyway, for days now it has just been me & OH outside. I saw a regular visitor yesterday with a wheelbarrow full of guano going to plant some either onions or leeks. Our neighbour, who is normally out every day fiddling with something, plus his 2 dogs, is nowhere to be seen except scuttling to feed a sheep in a shed once a day. We are on the flight path to the Canaries, so there are usually vapour trails high up, but nothing to be seen or heard for a week. A fighter jet flew over earlier, it really stood out in the silence, is it the end of the world I asked myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 It is a bit like a disaster movie - and hard to believe that this is our life right now. It is lovely to be working outside int eh sun today, and hearing children playing outside. When I took the hounds out yesterday, I was amazed at the number of people walking with their families... so lovely to see I feel a good thing coming from this; nature is teaching us a lesson! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 8 hours ago, The Dogmother said: It is a bit like a disaster movie - and hard to believe that this is our life right now That’s exactly how I feel. I can’t really be properly worried because it’s too big around feel real for me. Don’t get me wrong I’m taking it very seriously and I’ve been self isolating for 11 days now with what I think is a cold, but things like being not able to go out for 12 weeks - it’s just too long - so all I can do is take each day at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 We’ve just heard that all events are cancelled till 1st of June, regardless of how many people. Before the rule was a 100 people or less was fine. Talking about disaster movie: a public channel made a documentary in 2004, about how life would be in 2020. One episode was on a imagined world wide epidemic of bird flu. In 2020... They predicted schools would have to close, we all needed to stay inside, big sport events would be cancelled and lots of people dying from this airborne virus... Talking about a prediction! 😳 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Now in total lockdown. Shame some people couldn’t be responsible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 11 hours ago, Patricia W said: Now in total lockdown. Shame some people couldn’t be responsible Agreed - why are folks such divots? I liked this, which I saw yesterday: "your grandparents were called to fought in world wars; you're being called to wash your hands and sit on the couch. Don't f*** this up." Quite so! Life doesn't change much for me at the moment, and I am hacking my way through the list of Stuff Wot Needs Doing. Take care everyone and keep safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 Speaking of unreal days: They just announced that our central exams are cancelled. They determine 50% of a students grade for a subject and based on that they get a secondary school diploma or not. Now most likely a whole year of students will just pass and get a diploma... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 11 minutes ago, Cat tails said: Speaking of unreal days: They just announced that our central exams are cancelled. They determine 50% of a students grade for a subject and based on that they get a secondary school diploma or not. Now most likely a whole year of students will just pass and get a diploma... Yes, Rosie is confused and worried about how this will affect her results for the year. It's a big thing to her, but smaller in my world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 We just heard that schools will be closed till April 28th. Which means actually May 6th as the first date falls in the May break. So a whole month more teaching from my kitchen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) Ours may be closed till September.. teachers grading students for GCSE and A level.. strange times Just heard that a neighbour a few doors away is on a ventilator in hospital. He’s in his 50s. Most worryingly he’s been ill at home for a week. His wife who was supposed to be self isolating has been taking the dog for a walk. As we’ve had issues with very elderly (90s) neighbours refusing to isolate I hope they haven’t met her Edited March 31, 2020 by Patricia W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 I am on a 3 week rota for school now, even over the Easter holidays. I've missed the children so much, even the irritating ones. I've been given the phone number of the child I work 1 to 1 with, so I have been able to talk to him a few times. He was very sweet, it was so lovely to hear his voice. He even asked about my chickens. I told him they were very safe in their run and that they didn't meet any people other than us. That seemed to reassure him. I love being at home but I also love working with the children I work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
