But the brain is softening and the mind wanders. She finds recent events hard to pin down, but childhood memories of the war flood back with full clarity. The planes flying over her rural Sussex village towards London, and the fear that they might drop their remaining bombs on their way back from the latest blitz on the capital. The men going to war, the family losses, the lifestyle changes. More surprising to a Grandson are the later teenage accounts involving the romance with the Canadian airman. But that is between us, and anyone else she has told. 

This article is not intended to trot out clichéd comparisons with our current pandemic using language around being at war. The Coronavirus experience is altogether different. But there are some lessons we can learn for young people’s sake. Coronavirus is here to stay for a while. Teenagers, whether in lockdown or not, will live under its shadow for years to come. Their normal routine has been disrupted and will continue to be. Certainties around their social life, interests and futures have been thrown out of whack. Parents are watching the news every night and worrying about jobs, money, relatives, and friends. The prism of social media provides an equal dose of isolation and envy as well as much needed connection. 

The teachers we work with are working their socks off to support vulnerable young people – those with challenging family backgrounds, or simply lacking online access. But aren’t all young people vulnerable right now? For many teenagers, the rainbow making is probably a bit childish, and pot banging on a Thursday somewhat excruciating. More pressing will be seeing pictures online of the boyfriend you cannot see in person. Why was he allowed to go out? Or the suffocating relationships with family. Or maybe the uncertainty of exams. Of course we care!

The fear of missing out is at an all-time high. Stress at home is at an all-time high. Routine is shattered, future plans are on ice. Fear of the unknown and fear of loss is real. At that crucial point in your life where growing independence leads to new experiences, relationships, and greater self-awareness a menacing portcullis has slammed down in your face. And worse still, you can see through the bars. Options? People with far more experience than me will tell you how this pattern break will cause and heighten insecurities that will manifest in so many behavioural and attitudinal outcomes. 

At that pivotal moment in her life, Grandma’s experiences of the war as a teenager have left an indelible mark. She will never lose those memories and feelings. They have certainly influenced her whole life, from missed educational and career opportunities to how she thought, behaved, and the choices she made. 

The only comparison here is that neither situation is temporary, and its social, economic, and political impact will be long term. How we respond to young people’s needs now, whether as teachers, parents, or as government, may well define the mental and physical health of the next generation. To do this well will take bravery. We as educators need to accept that returning young people to a version of normality is unfair when normality as we experienced it is now a fantasy. Academic achievement needs to be re-prioritised, allowing significantly more focus on creating emotionally resilient, objective, ethically engaged individuals with a toolkit of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that they can use to understand rapid change and adapt to it. 

As statutory PSHE education limps back into the curriculum it will be down to the education community whether to educate young people under an overarching context of emotional health and well-being or whether to simply bolt on a few topical subjects to an already crowded timetable. The appalling rise in domestic violence because of lockdown makes me want every young person to be able to recognise abuse and know what to do about it. An important ambition of course, but it falls well short of developing a social cognition, confidence, and objectivity to make informed choices in a variety of challenging situations. 

This century will be defined by the human race’s relationship with the world around us, and the choices we all make in relation to that will determine if and how we thrive as individuals and as a society. Coronavirus is the perfect cross-curricular case study. We have a golden opportunity to produce young people who through this experience understand how the products they buy, the jobs they might do, and the way they live will influence the transmission of animal based disease to humans in a far flung country. I am sure that Grandma would be equally keen for the next generation to break those cycles of ignorance.

I think the answer lies somewhere between glorious multicolour creativity and the black and white clarity of intentionally – albeit sneakily – practised key skills. 

Creativity at home doesn’t have to be Instagram level interactive workshops – it’s just about finding something new in the ordinary: noticing flowers or birds, chatting about the news, cooking dinner, and watching Moana for the 6th time this week can all have their role in helping practise key literacy and numeracy skills. 

By trade I’m an English teacher and right now I’m not too worried about ‘new’ content (think whole books/plays/anthologies). Instead, my focus is on not letting that foundational knowledge slip away: recalling basics like adjectives, similes and metaphors, practising more complex vocabulary, and using small interesting stimuli to prompt creative thinking will all prevent gaps appearing before the new academic year begins.

So what could this look like at home? 

• Chatting about tense parts of films can lead to a chat about structure and its impact on an audience 
• Thinking about a really good day before lockdown, or looking at old photos can lead to a descriptive writing piece
• Noticing the changes of Spring outside can lead to a discussion around synonyms, or writing a poem in the shape of a flower or a bird
• Watching the news can lead to a discussion about effective speeches, or responding to current events. These don’t have to lead to writing, but it could offer opportunities to think about speeches, letters and persuasive techniques in non-fiction media

It isn’t just English though: Maths runs our everyday lives and there’s plenty of chances to practise those skills without printing everything Twinkl has to offer and trying to teach algebra to unwilling recipients. 

How then can we embed Maths at home? 

• Measuring ingredients for a meal doesn’t just practise counting skills! It also offers up opportunities to discuss ratios and percentages (and a chance to eat a lot of home baked cakes in the name of revision)
• Looking at petals on flowers can introduce the ideas of the Fibonnaci sequence, patterns and shapes that are all around us in nature
• Cutting shapes to make a real-life Tetris is a good chance to discuss area and shapes. You can also use cutting up shapes to discuss tessellation whilst making some artwork
• Playing with Lego can gently introduce fractions and is a great way to practise mathematical processes.  

Don’t be afraid to leave the creativity up to other people either! Plenty of people, myself included*, have plenty of free resources, recorded and live lessons happening. There’s plenty out there on Youtube, Instagram and other social media sites. A different activity or voice might just be the thing to keep those educational fires burning. 

With so much pressure on teachers and parents at the moment, I think it’s incredibly important to just breathe. Things are strange right now, and no good can come from fighting about learning (not to mention the guilt that will come with that). Instead, we can keep practising those concrete skills as well as celebrate the newfound flexibility that lockdown offers us, which may just be the silver lining in the darkness. 

*I run an hour’s free creative writing lesson every Friday at 10am. Want to join? Drop me a DM and I’ll be glad to share the password. Not able to make it? Don’t worry! All the resources are in a free, public Google drive folder for you access whenever you’d like. https://lauranteaches.co.uk/contact/

My school is also using Teams, so while Facebook groups of “Drama Teachers using Zoom” starting springing up sharing great ideas of warm-up game which had worked well, I knew there would be a maximum of 4 videos I’d be able to see at once (still waiting for that to increase to 9!) so a lot of the sharing of practical work, even if they all did monologues, would be difficult. I am, however, aware I’m working in the very privileged position of being able to assume that the vast majority of my students have a personal device they can work from, fairly reliable broadband and parental support / a quiet work space, which I know is not the case for many. 

My school has gone down the route of live teaching for all lessons. We have increased the time between lessons to 10 minutes to give the students regular short breaks away from the screen, but nevertheless it is draining for both us and them to be at a screen for so long each day. As many of the lessons they experience will be very content driven, I am trying to ensure that my lessons always have an element of interaction and collaboration, to keep the feeling of community there as well as the subject specific skills I want them to continue working on. So much research into distance learning shows that peer interaction is such an important part of the learning experience, that I want to include those opportunities as frequently as I can.

1. Warm up games – getting students out of desk-based lesson mode and into active practical drama mode has always been an integral part of the start of any drama lesson, and possibly even more so now. On platforms like Zoom, lots of drama games work quite well – physical theatre ones, zip/zap/boing, mirroring, dance – join the Facebook group for lots more examples! With Teams it is more challenging, but I’ve had some success with mainly audio-based things like ‘One Word Story’, or memory ‘When I went on Holiday I packed…’ type games, or ones where they call each other’s names to pass on the energy. 

2. Break out rooms – these have been invaluable, allowing students to do small group work where they can rehearse something, or discuss it and present their ideas back to the whole class. The students have really enjoyed this opportunity to be more collaborative and interactive. Both Zoom and Teams have this feature – although it’s easier and more intuitive on Zoom I believe. However, there are lots of training videos on YouTube for Teams, such as How to set up virtual breakout rooms in Microsoft Teams for virtual classrooms. Things to consider though are that it will only allow four live calls at once – so you’re looking at a maximum of three additional break out rooms – not great if you’ve got a class of 30 – and when they shrink to the ‘on hold’ symbol you can only see the first two letters of whatever you’ve named the channel, so make sure you write ‘A Group’ rather than ‘Group A’ or you can go round in circles trying to find which break out room is which! It does allow you to drop into each of these rooms to check the work is being done whenever you like and has allowed my students to do some improvisation and rehearsals, keeping that element alive. If you have a group of 16 or fewer, and your school is happy for students to share their videos (with blurred backgrounds or similar) then they can recreate a discussion-based rehearsal fairly well. Although getting them out of that habit again is going to be a challenge – I normally spend my life saying “don’t just sit there and chat about it, get up and try it out!”

3. Watching theatre – there is so much great stuff out for free at the moment, it’s a wonderful resource. Running a live chat on Teams while watching the NTLive stream each week has given the students a chance to discuss their thoughts in the ‘interval’ or straight afterwards which gives more of a sense of being with other audience members. If you’re lucky enough to have a school log in for Planet eStream, this is one of the best ways I’ve found of helping them work on their close analysis skills. You can do lots of clever things once a programme is saved on there, such as chaptering it (so the students know exactly which bit you want them to watch) and setting quizzes over it (so you can have questions like “what is the atmosphere change here?” or anything else you’d normally say to draw their attention to something.) These both take a fair bit of time to set up but are things that you can use for flipped learning sessions even when we’re back in the classroom, so hopefully won’t feel like a waste of time.

4. Proper character research – for some of the older students who need to perform scripted sections for their coursework, this has been a really useful time to get them into good habits of doing detailed character and play research before diving into the script. This can get overshadowed in normal teaching as the desire to get on and do the fun acting bit takes over, but taking their time and delving properly into their characters will pay dividends in the end.

5. Flipgrid – I love Flipgrid for collating their responses to pretty much anything. The short video format means even some of the more reticent students tend to get involved and its great to see multiple views on the same topic all appear. It’s also another chance for them to see and connect with each other, which I think is really important at the moment to keep them feeling like a community. These have been social based ones of questions like “what’s the most entertaining thing that’s happened this week” to evaluative reflections on a piece of script or performance. You can set the video limit length which helps them understand how much detail to go into. And once they’ve downloaded the app on their phone it’s really easy for them to film and upload a short video.

6. Twitter / Facebook groups / Webinars – these have all been amazing for providing shared ideas, CPD, hints and re-worked schemes. There is so much generosity of time and expertise around that I’m picking up new ideas or research-driven pedagogy every week. Trinity College are running “Lunchtime chat zoom sessions” where drama teachers share their experiences. The Chartered College of Teaching has also collated a page of resources and research which are useful to dip in and out of. https://chartered.college/2020/03/18/covid-19-and-teaching/

TAP was born out of sheer frustration. Founders, Phillip and Sandie Curtis, have received outstanding service from the education sector for their special needs’ son over the past 18 years, but have always found it difficult to relay their appreciation to the right individuals.

“TAP, a unique social thanking platform, was created in early 2019 as we believed there was a genuine human need for a new way to say thanks. The current COVID-19 crisis has confirmed this as we have received hundreds of messages of thanks on our specially created Digital Thanking Walls. However, we want to ensure that this national gratitude for essential workers doesn’t fade away when the crisis is over, which is why I’m delighted to welcome Eyres Monsell Primary School onto our TAP platform”, said Matt Findel-Hawkins, CEO of TAP.

The TAP platform is a private and free-to-use service for parents to acknowledge any member of school staff. Those who receive messages of thanks are also awarded TAP Points which can be redeemed with a range of retail partners.

Kerry Hill, Headteacher of Eyres Monsell Primary School, the only Primary School to hold a Princess Royal Training Award for its work around mental health, said: “I’m pleased that the nation’s school staff are not being overlooked during this current crisis, however I want to make sure that my colleagues continue to be appreciated on an ongoing basis. As a headteacher, I’m excited by the opportunities TAP provides to support staff well-being and as a firm believer in the power of thanks, I know that it will create an environment of positivity.”

You can listen to Kerry’s recent interview on BBC Radio Leicester – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08b4tph (listen from 1:35 in)

TAP has an underlying mission to make the world a better place by improving the well-being and mental health of all those working in education, by encouraging people to show appreciation to them. TAP is delighted to have Eyres Monsell Primary School as its first school in Leicestershire. TAP is rolling out in schools across the country following a successful launch in Berkshire earlier this year and interest following its support for school staff during the COVID-19 crisis.

We can all make a difference by saying ‘thanks’, so if you work at a school or have a child in school, please message us on 07871 064296 on WhatsApp to register with us.

For more information, please contact or follow us on:

• Video – TAP introductory video
• Website – www.thankandpraise.com/TAP 

• Facebook page – www.facebook.com/TAPThankAndPraise 
• Twitter – www.twitter.com/TAPunsungheroes 

• EdTech Impact – https://www.edtechimpact.com/products/tap

If you want to know more please get in touch with:

James McLoughlin, Director, Thank And Praise Ltd,

 james@thankandpraise.com, 07903 420 180 

TAP was born out of sheer frustration. Founders, Phillip and Sandie Curtis, have received outstanding service from the education sector for their special needs’ son over the past 18 years, but have always found it difficult to relay their appreciation to the right individuals.

“TAP, a unique social thanking platform, was created in early 2019 as we believed there was a genuine human need for a new way to say thanks. The current COVID-19 crisis has confirmed this as we have received hundreds of messages of thanks on our specially created Digital Thanking Walls. However, we want to ensure that this national gratitude for essential workers doesn’t fade away when the crisis is over, which is why I’m delighted to welcome Eyres Monsell Primary School onto our TAP platform”, said Matt Findel-Hawkins, CEO of TAP.

The TAP platform is a private and free-to-use service for parents to acknowledge any member of school staff. Those who receive messages of thanks are also awarded TAP Points which can be redeemed with a range of retail partners.

Kerry Hill, Headteacher of Eyres Monsell Primary School, the only Primary School to hold a Princess Royal Training Award for its work around mental health, said: “I’m pleased that the nation’s school staff are not being overlooked during this current crisis, however I want to make sure that my colleagues continue to be appreciated on an ongoing basis. As a headteacher, I’m excited by the opportunities TAP provides to support staff well-being and as a firm believer in the power of thanks, I know that it will create an environment of positivity.”

You can listen to Kerry’s recent interview on BBC Radio Leicester – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08b4tph (listen from 1:35 in)

TAP has an underlying mission to make the world a better place by improving the well-being and mental health of all those working in education, by encouraging people to show appreciation to them. TAP is delighted to have Eyres Monsell Primary School as its first school in Leicestershire. TAP is rolling out in schools across the country following a successful launch in Berkshire earlier this year and interest following its support for school staff during the COVID-19 crisis.

We can all make a difference by saying ‘thanks’, so if you have a child in school please: 

• Message us on 07871 064296 on WhatsApp to register with us 
• Tell us who you would like to thank and where they work, so that we can pass this on, and brighten someone’s day!

For more information, please contact or follow us on:

• Video – TAP introductory video
• Website – www.thankandpraise.com/TAP 

• Facebook page – www.facebook.com/TAPThankAndPraise 
• Twitter – www.twitter.com/TAPunsungheroes 

• EdTech Impact – https://www.edtechimpact.com/products/tap

If you want to know more please get in touch with:

James McLoughlin, Director, Thank And Praise Ltd,

 james@thankandpraise.com, 07903 420 180 

These last few weeks has been a strange time for everyone, as we move into a new normal our sense of what is important has changed. Despite this being a difficult time, it has also allowed us time to reflect, to learn, to make new connections and to try new skills. When not in school or sorting online learning, I have been immersing myself in Twitter. Living on my own, I have found my online family has had a great importance and support to me – people have shared not just resources but thoughts, moments (sad and happy) and their hopes for the future. I have tried to create a small community through hashtags such as #NotGoingAnywhereApril, and one of my favourite times of the week is #TwitterMovieNight. 

It was on one of my walks to the shops that I was thinking about Twitter and Primary Rocks, and how this situation has seen cancellation of conferences everywhere. One of the best things about these conferences is the connections that are made, the buzz and enthusiasm that being at something like Primary Rocks brings to those who attend. It makes us go back to work on the Monday with a renewed vigour and a head full of ideas. 

It was while thinking about this that #BrewEdIsolation came to mind. I had been talking to Ed Finch quite a bit and I had seen a platform called StreamYard used effectively by Mark Anderson for his weekly chat show. Why can’t we use this new technology to live stream an educational event over a day? Invite guests to speak and model it around the #BrewEd idea of not just enjoying the presentations, but interacting, challenging and also enjoying a drink or two in the comfort of your own home. 

I got home and messaged Ed with my idea, and #BrewEdIsolation was created. What has been wonderful about the day is that it not only allowed people to see some amazing speakers sharing some wonderful ideas but it allowed people to connect again, it gave them a renewed interest in teaching and it helped many people with their wellbeing. It also bought out the great side of #EduTwitter, with people like Colin Grimes creating a website for the day and Ben Brown spending an eternity cutting and slicing the original video into chunks and creating a YouTube channel. Not to mention the people that gave up their time to present and those that watched, engaged and shared their comments and thoughts. Amazing!

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”und” dir=”ltr”><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrewEdIsolation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BrewEdIsolation</a&gt; <a href=”https://t.co/Si6yFIWgsN”&gt;https://t.co/Si6yFIWgsN</a></p>&mdash; Graham Andre' (@grahamandre) <a href=”https://twitter.com/grahamandre/status/1253963903903494145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 25, 2020</a></blockquote> https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js 

So, onto our next project: that difficult second album. What can we do to build upon the excellent first #BrewEdIsolation? We knew that the tech worked, so why not go global?

For #GlobalBrewEdIsolation, we want to hear from educators all over the world. We want to hear about their passions, their problems, their thoughts. We want to be able to bring educators to #GlobalBrewEdIsolation that you couldn’t get in your local #BrewEd (not without it costing a fortune). So Ed and I have drawn up a list of fantastic global educators that we are contacting, and I am already excited about the names that have agreed to speak. It will give our conference a global flavour, it will allow you to hear and experience educators that you may not have heard before and it will hopefully help you to create more connections, this time of the global variety.

Now what do we do for the third album? #UniverseBrewEdIsolation?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXj9IBfXQAE9Onf?format=jpg&name=large 

Community thoughts on #BrewEdIsolation:

“It wasn’t the circumstances under which I thought I’d be attending my first ever #BrewEd. The legendary sing-a-longs and chances to meet and bond with the like minded of #EduTwitter was a huge draw – and the opportunity to hear incredible professionals’ takes on education, making me think and challenge my practise. Speaking in a room full of people would have been bad enough – but at least I could have caught the sympathetic glances, smiles of polite encouragement, and the unspoken support of everyone urging you to do well. 

“Speaking online, with no-one to look at other than my reflection in the monitor screen was worse – was I speaking for no-one to hear? Were people judging my dated spare room decor and lack of visible bookshelves? How was my very personal story coming across? Speaking about my inner feelings has never been something I’ve found easy. Naming my emotions to myself behind the simplistic language of ‘angry – sad – happy’ is extremely new. Trying to put across to anyone else how broken and alone I felt articulate, without crying, and trying to put a positive, inspiring slant on it was my own personal Everest. 

“Afterwards, I felt such a release. Reading back the comments made me weep. I was on such a high that I couldn’t really sleep that night, waking to beam with pride. Would I attend #BrewEd again? YES. Would I tell my story again? YES YES YES!” – Lucy Flower

“My first BrewEd event! I nodded, smiled, laughed, made new connections and learned loads. Just what I needed! The whole team did so well, and I’m now working out how I can offer a live event like this to our school communities. – John Taylor

“What happens when everyone is in lockdown? #BrewEdIsolation. #BrewEdIsolation for me was a fantastic opportunity to learn from a wide spectrum of educators on so many different topics. As a presenter, the nerves were there. Would the technology fail? Did what I have to share resonate with others, or would it be relevant to their context? 

“I have to say I have taken so much from the day and being able to watch back the sessions has allowed me to understand more clearly what was shared in that marathon of an event. The online format gave the familiar format of a Twitter educhat an extra dimension. Graham as host made both the viewer and the presenter feel at ease, and the lunchtime entertainment from Graham and Ed was enjoyed by the whole family. In fact through the day as I followed on, my family were also listening in and engaging, particularly my son looking out for his Lego creation appearing to a wider audience. Looking forward to the next BrewEd.” – Mark Boylan

It was only in early February that the first cases of Coronavirus were reported in Britain but, by the end of March, it had quickly spread across the United Kingdom dramatically changing everything and everyone overnight. 

Listening and watching the world react was surreal but, at the beginning, life at school remained unchanged. Lessons continued and pupils worked hard. Year 11s had just completed their mock examinations and the official countdown to GCSE exams had begun. Our utopia however quickly began to evaporate when schools across Europe started to close and confirmed that cases had drastically risen; people rightfully began to worry when the government then enacted a shield to protect vulnerable people. Staff and pupil attendance significantly declined and the government finally ‘partially’ closed all schools. 

I never imagined ever closing our school gates in the middle of the year. We are here to teach, that is our calling. Through the good, the bad and the absolute gruelling, we want the best for our pupils. We are fully aware of the impact that a prolonged closure can have on the majority of pupil progress and motivation and as a School, will do what is realistically possible during and after the lockdown to give our pupils the best education. 

It is a disappointing picture therefore, when looking at the growing number of critical press releases and tweets from politicians, journalists and other industry leaders attacking our professional integrity.

Quotes such as: “Teachers lack courage and need to get back in the classroom” not only suggests that teachers are not as brave as the NHS and should be in schools but implies that teachers are doing little work for their full pay. Recently, there has even been a headline calling for Ofsted to monitor and highlight good and poor practice of all school’s online offer; it is not marvelled upon that Teachers have shut down their physical classroom on a Friday and built a digital one from the ground up by Monday but instead, scrutinised. 

To clarify a few points:

• The partial closure of schools was a government mandate; we did not close them. To suggest that we are not brave or lack courage or that we are not playing our part is nonsense. We want to be in school, we want to teach but it must be safe for the pupils, staff and families. 
• Schools are partially closed which means some teachers are still attending school to provide an educational provision so that frontline workers can continue working as well. 
• Teachers are setting work via online platforms and sharing hardcopies with pupils. However, this is not easy and the quality of work will undoubtedly vary from school to school. Schools are working quickly in extreme disruption to improve their home learning provision and organisations such as BBC Bitesize, GCSE Pod and Oak National Academy have been a massive help in supporting teachers in preparing lessons. Teachers certainly didn’t sign up to teach our classes online, but we’re doing it because ‘showing up for our pupils’ is what we do – a reality that press releases are not seeing or choosing to ignore.
• No doubt there will be some ‘lazy’ teachers but surely this is no different than any other profession but to brand all teachers as lazy is unfair. The vast majority of teachers are not only setting online work but are writing schemes of learning, creating resources and, as many of them will have children, are home schooling as well. Every part of society is affected and I feel for them but when I hear that we are doing nothing- it really grates at me. I could be crass and reply with similar unnecessary spiteful comments about other professions and what their employees are doing with accepted furlough taxpayer funding. And I hope the answer is they and their families are safe and well. Whereas it feels that if you are a teacher, you are tarred and feathered. 

It is disheartening that even in a time of crisis; the profession continues to be battered. Teachers were fleeing the profession before coronavirus but if the ‘teaching bashing brigade’ does not stop, will there be anyone left in the profession to teach on return to a version of normality? 

Traditionally the phrase ‘Hello World’ is used as a function by programmers to output the phrase to the computer screen. This phrase is used when testing systems and learning new programming languages for the first time. This phrase ‘Hello World’ is more apt than ever before in these uncertain times, especially if we link these times to the conundrum of how we get learners to continue learning how to program, without an educator in front of them. A simple solution which commonly springs to mind is to get learners to visit a coding website and follow some simple tutorials, and although this may initially work, there is a lot more involved if we want learners to become successful programmers and gain something worthwhile from the experience.

A successful programmer is someone who can ultimately apply computational thinking when writing and developing code. Computational thinking, in very simple terms, involves the process of breaking down problems into smaller problems to solve them. Some may argue that this process needs to be taught, but in fact it can be nurtured through conversations with the learner. For example, a good starting point with learners is to ask what they would like to program and create. Often learners will say I want to create “X, Y & Z”, which usually involves creating a social media platform bigger than Facebook or creating a supersized computer game! Although this ambition is to be admired, it is important that we encourage learners to be patient and realistic with what they would like to create.

Learners need to appreciate systems, such as social networking sites, are not created by one person. They are developed by teams of extensive staff, who may be dotted across the globe. Therefore, when we encourage learners to code, we should emulate this way of working by encouraging learners to work with their peers and create systems that further develop their coding ability and computational thinking. For example, if a learner wants to develop a mobile app, why not encourage them to work with a set of peers (in an online environment if social distancing is taking place) whereby one peer works on the back-end of the system in terms of the coding required, while another works on the functionality of the system, ensuring it is robust. A further person could then work on the front end of the system, focusing on how the graphical interface looks. This way of working will help learners to gain a better understanding of how the real-world works, whilst at the same time gaining the experience and benefits of working in a team.

Some learners may gain their initial programming skills without the presence of an educator and may have learnt this from online tools such as tutorials, moocs and videos. Although each of these sources have their merits, caution needs to be applied when learners are choosing which source, they would like to utilise. For example, when choosing one of these sources, learners need to consider if the content is up to date, for example is the programming language used the same one as the user has installed on their computer system, and is there support available if it’s needed? Also, is the support environment moderated in terms of safeguarding?  Beyond that, we need to remember that whichever source of learning is chosen by the learner, the source should be just a starting point to help them engage and build up some initial confidence and knowledge. Once the learner has that, they should then be encouraged to use these skills and develop them elsewhere.

Developing these programming skills away from resources such as moocs, tutorials and online videos may seem a little odd to pose as an idea. However, if we want learners to really learn how to code successfully, we should apply the sandpit analogy to this situation. When a child goes into a sandpit for the first time they are informed of some basic rules. Similarly, with learning a programming language, learners are informed of how the language works in terms of the standard conventions they should follow, and the rules that exist. However, when a child is left alone in a sandpit, they explore for themselves, engaging in an activity of not just exploration but also of working out what they can build and develop. This analogy needs to be applied to how we encourage learners to program; learners need to be given space and encouragement to apply and develop their programming skills in a way which suits them (providing the programming activities they carry out are both ethical and legal). To do this, learners need to be nurtured and coached.

It is a misconception that nurturing and coaching a learner how to program, requires a person who knows more about programming than the learner. Yes, if you know more than the learner initially it can help, but you should not be afraid of the learner becoming the master. Therefore, the best way in which parents, carers and educators should help learners to develop their programming skills is to have conversations with learners about what they have done. To ask them in these conversations why they have made certain decisions, and most importantly pose constructive questions, asking them what they are going to do in order to address any limitations their creation may currently have. Within these conversations, expectations need to be kept realistic as learners need to be engaged with what they are doing, and they need to enjoy doing it. If learners do not enjoy learning how to code, how can we expect them to become a successful programmer?

We need to encourage as many learners as possible to try and learn how to code and become successful programmers. Just like with anything in life, some will be better at it than others, and that is ok. Learning how to code is not just about becoming a successful programmer, it is about developing a range of transferable skills, such as: self-motivation, discipline, exploration and most importantly resilience. Resilience is a key skill which learners need more than ever in this changing world, a skill which will help them embrace the new digital world they will soon face when this crisis is over and to which they confidently say ‘Hello World’.

Wow, now that’s a statement that will have a ripple effect over a generation! From selecting college courses to applying for jobs, a large asterisk will always accompany any grades provided coupled with the anxiety, anger or jubilation of the grade that was never officially achieved – even if it was well-deserved. Everyone responds to their results differently but many will take responsibility that they could have worked harder to achieve a higher grade. Not this year. The grade carried by every pupil will be the direct result of the teacher and so we enter the realm of the ‘blame game’.

No pressure at all for teachers, surely predicting the future is easy? Tellingly, data enthusiast Peter Atherton ran a small scale project on the accuracy of last year’s teacher predictions which came in at 40%. I am not surprised by the result, there are too many unforeseen variables but, until now, predictions never counted. Can you imagine if the Premiership Football League pulled in all the clubs and statisticians to predict the final outcome of individual player statistics and then from those findings award the golden boot and player of the year trophies? Or if this year’s Olympic award medals based on an athlete’s prior performance. I can’t see too many athletes being happy about it.

But this is what teachers have to do and are faced with many obstacles along the way such as grade inflation, grading bias, and gender and disadvantage gaps. Once submitted to the examination boards, the final hurdle will be their moderation to ensure that grade distribution fits national trends that could be far removed from the teacher and the initial predictions.

I worry of a backlash from pupils and parents and the weight of their concerns will fall directly on the shoulders of the schools. I don’t think anyone will deny that we are in a tricky situation, but when a pupil receives a grade 3, that understanding could quickly dissipate laying the groundwork to a dispute. Missing a grade 4 can have lasting repercussions but schools are at risk of appeals being levelled at every grade that could very well lead to an administrative meltdown. 

It is here where we need absolute clarity from the Department of Education (DfE) and examination boards about post-GCSE procedures such as clear guidance around the question that many will ask, “Will there be an option for pupils to re-sit?” or “Will pupils be able to appeal the grade?”. At the start of April the DfE released some sweeping statements that both will happen. This all sounds great but, it is now May and there is still a lack of detail. I’m certain that the DfE is working overtime but, to coin a phrase from Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, “the devil is in the detail” and, we need the details so that we can start planning because this is not going to be straightforward.

My hope is that the government and examination boards will support teachers at the highest level. Schools are faced with the potential of an avalanche of resit requests and appeals and I don’t want to sound cynical but, teachers will be the target of blame without a coordinated, coherent and sustained message from the government.

Likewise, schools are accustomed to high levels of scrutiny and accountability, but, in the current situation, holding teachers directly responsible for this year’s outcomes would be disheartening. The DfE have taken the right step by not stating they will not publish the data or school tables and that should be the same with all school’s internal performance reviews. There are already unsubstantiated rumours on the teacher’s gossip vine of high levels of accountability linking predicted grades to performance management; I do hope that this is fake news.

We are living through an unprecedented time, with challenges to the profession not experienced in many generations. The cancelling of GCSEs will have a lasting impact on our pupils and profession. Awarding grades is not ideal without the pupils actually sitting the GCSE but I can’t see a right answer. What I do know, however, is that there needs to be a realistic, common sense understanding to what teachers are facing and that we, as well as everyone connected to education, want the best for our pupils. Our resolve will be put to the test in August and the current comradery within the profession needs to hold to ensure that our pupils get the best possible outcome.

References

Atherton, P. (2020, March 21). Accuracy of Predictions: Research. https://dataeducator.wordpress.com/2020/03/21/accuracy-of-predictions-research/

UCAS is predicting that some students will opt not to go to university in September. Many more students that planned to study abroad will be thinking about changing their plans. When schools are open, many would have careers and future planning ingrained into the curriculum. Whether that’s through pastoral sessions, careers guidance or personalised support. But as education moves online, that careers education should move online too. Not only that, but students considering Higher Education are missing out on those vital Open Days, HE and Careers Fairs.

The important thing for young people is to be informed about all of the options that are out there right now, and get support to make a decision that’s right for them.

Online resources for careers education

Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to support young people with their careers education and future planning. I founded a company that supports students because I was in a similar situation. I lived in Switzerland but wanted to study and work in the UK, but I couldn’t visit and see first hand my options. Since then, the tools that are available online have made decision making easier. 

Here are some:

The UCAS Hub

UCAS is the UK’s universities admissions service, but they offer a range of tools for young people around the world who are thinking about what they’ll do post-18. For those thinking about Higher Education, the UCAS Hub allows students to search courses, speak to a current student, and find out how their grades translate to tariff scores.

UCAS also has advice on writing your CV, finding internships, or planning a gap year. 

The National Careers Service

One of the best tools that the National Careers Service provides is a skills assessment, to help young people identify their top skills, and their potential skills gaps. It’s a great time to develop new skills, particularly if a young person is considering a break come September. 

Target Careers

Target Careers is made for school-leavers who are considering their options. Whether it’s Higher Education, internships, apprenticeships or careers. One of the best features here is the resources for teachers and parents. Some of these will be very helpful for providing that remote support. 

Psychometric assessments

There are lots of psychometric assessments online, which help young people understand their own priorities and motivations. They can help young people understand what they are good at, and help them begin to see why certain experiences might suit them, and others might not. 

These assessments can form a part of the careers advising sessions young people might be missing out on at school or college. 

Virtual Open Days and fairs

Usually, students in their final years of school would start attending university Open Days, or Higher Education fairs, to get an idea of where they will go next. These events help them decide whether they could see themselves attending that institution, and get a sense of belonging. 

Thankfully, universities are moving these events online so students don’t need to miss out. In March, there was a 900% surge in the number of virtual university events that students could attend via Unibuddy. If you can’t find details of a virtual event on the university’s website, you can reach out directly to the university – even via social media. 

A difficult time for decision making

Decision making has always been tough. It’s the reason I founded Unibuddy! Now, it’s tougher than ever. Without those vital in-person events, sessions or meetings young people might feel like they are missing out. There is an abundance of information online, but this overwhelming quantity of content has the effect of making decision making harder, rather than easier.

But impartial advice, a friendly ear and signposting to these brilliant resources will go a long way in supporting school leavers through a difficult time. So don’t neglect that careers education, and don’t hesitate to reach out for support – we’re all in it together!