But I Smile Anyway…

“It’s not the load that breaks you down. It’s the way you carry it.”

C.S Lewis

Wow. Profound quote, you found there, Spidey!

And quite apt, again. (Seriously, how do you do that, every week? Find something that suits my mindset?)

As I type this, I am mulling over the aannouncements made by BoZo, sorry, BoJo, aka Boris Johnson, our bumbling buffoon of a Prime Minister, this afternoon evening. (It was due for 4 pm, then stretched to 5pm after which, it was sometime after 5 pm, which ended up just after 6.30 pm, I think.

Sorry, where was I?

Oh, yes. That announcement.

Well, it appears that as of Thursday, (because the virus knows to wait until then before spreading more) England will be entering national lockdown take 2.

Similar to that of March, but different, still.

Last time we all thought it was a couple of weeks, but it ended up months, before measures were eased.

This time, it runs for four weeks, until December 2nd. Because them, up above, think that a month should be enough to help us get back to some semblance of normality by spring, and quite possibly a better Christmas… I wait and watch.

Actually, no, I don’t wait at all. Because it’ll be daily duty as usual for me, and all the other staff in the education sector.

Baasically, all non-essential business have to close, incuding retail shops, hospitality businesses, like bars and restaurants, gyms, etc.

If you are in offices, you are back to working from home, indefinitely.

Certain industries that can’t function from home, such as construction, and manufacturing, may still be open.

But don’t worry, the drs and hospitals will be in full swing. As will all other emergency services, and supermarkets.

And nurseries, schools, colleges and universities.

I am so torn by this decision.

On the one hand, why are schools not being shut too, as they seem to be the areas where infection rates are rising, and though children may suffer much less from the virus, they are also carriers who can transfer it to members of their own families?

And on the other, it is important for schools to be open, because of the effect the last lockdown and closures have already had on the progress of many children, and, more improtantly, their mental wellbeing.

If we closed, it would be to go to remote learning, which we are lucky to be able to access, and provide for ‘most’ children. (‘Most’ because not all have electronic devices at their fingertips for a whole day at a time. Especially if you are in a family with several children of a younger age.) My two being in secondary, are computer literate, and though they don’t like it, they can access everything.

But, I hate Remote Learning for the younger kids.

It’s much more accessible for the older kids, who can take instructions, understand computers and technology, and hand in work. aside from ensuring your kid is up and logged in, most parents shouldn’t have to do much more.

With the younger ones, firstly, exactly how long do the Government really expect them to be on a screen for? My class are of an age where we are teaching them about behaviour and social interraction. Not sitting, staring at a screen, which most are pretty good at, but that’s only if it’s mindless YouTube videos. Kinda impossible when they are at home.

Secondly, we are responsible for laying the foundations of what will be a good base for a child’s education. That’s why we are called the EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage.

I may be able to record an input, and design tasks for a child to do at home, to begin to understand addition, takeaway, language of position and size. I can set work to help them learn their sounds, and form letters. I can read stories for them, and ask questions. But, it’s then down to the parents to ensure they are doing these things, and to sit down and participate with the child. And they’re not teachers. Sure, many will try their hardest. But some parents have more than one child, in different classes, of different abilities. How are they expected to cope with trying to supervise ‘lessons’ for all their kids?

I hope most of my class turns up, come Monday, for their education’s sake. But I worry about if we suddenly have to provide for both home learning and in school learning, if parents decided they don’t want to send their children in. It’s a busy enough life, as a teacher, but this means teraing yourself in two. Providing content which is consistently updated and uploaded to our hub, and teaching the same, if not more, to the children who are in.

Then I also have to deal with the worry that my own family have, about us, as school staff, and pupils (Lil Man and Lil Princess) being in school, while the rest of the country is in lockdown. I know it is preying on Hubby Dearest’s mind a lot. He is so tense, and is still suggesting I jack in my job in school, as my health and wellbeing is more important to him than my salary.

But, it’s not about the money. Teaching, and the children; it’s in my blood. It’s what I’ve wanted to do, since I was six. It’s my vocation in life, and with a vocation, you take the ups with the downs.

Oh, and you cannot mix with another household, inside, or out, unless it is with one other member, and that is for recreational exercise purposes… (in the cold and dark, at the moment). But, you can look after children from another household as part of childcare… (and risk your kids taking the virus into the heart of another houshold, filled with more of your loved ones who you might not be able to actually meet, because you can’t actually mix with them!)

Seriously, my brain is all a-kerfuffle… but, I’ll have it all in place, come the next set of changes…

So… tell me, are you someone who knows how to carry your load, or does change unbalance you?

Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps.  And enjoy your week!