Teachers Tested

TEACHERS TESTED AGAIN

By Stephen Wilson

 

             The switch to online teaching in Russia has placed more pressure on parents, children and teachers as most schools were not prepared for such a national emergency as the Covid 19 crisis. Parents complain of computers breaking

down, chaos, confusion and homework that is either too much or just too difficult to do. Some students just don't have access to the internet or readily access to information technology.

 

            "Parents are always complaining that there is too much online homework, or that it is too difficult to do. They complain they can't get into Google and it does not work or that it is too much strain for their eyes. For example, teachers are asking my daughter Natasha to do more math tasks. I don't know if she can do all this work ... Some of my students have just disappeared into the countryside and are inaccessible. One family went to the Volga region where they

say there is no Internet connection or way of doing online lessons," stated Russian English Teacher Oksana Chebotareva.  

             Olga, a mother who works for a pharmaceutical company, told me: "The teacher of Russian is always asking my daughter to learn this Russian poem or text by heart or enter this Olympiad competition. I am not against this in principle. I would like my daughter to learn good Russian and avoid the slang she can pick up on the internet. But it is still hard work. "

 

             One of the biggest headaches for the parents of children is how to help them deal with difficult problems in math. Math in Russian schools is taught at a much higher      level than at American or British schools. Some parents complain it is taught at too high a level that neither many children or parents can cope with it. Two brains are better than one so you often find parents phoning each other up and asking each other for aid! One mother who is a linguist who has a nine year old daughter stated, "I find it very difficult to help my daughter with her math homework. I mean I have not done this for years". Tanya Rasschepkina  complained that, "My daughter spent 12 hours at her computer. Several teachers send homework without any explanation. Homework has increased by 2 to 3 times. Is this normal? "

 

             Common complaints tend to be not only excessive online school work, but the complexity of tasks, the difficulties of using information technology and the fact that a bewildering number of online platforms are available leading to confusion.

             This exacts a mental and physical strain on school teachers, parents and pupils. Alexander Beghov, a head head official from Saint Petersburg, states that from 507,000 school children in the city, 17,000 don't have access to the internet.

             The government's own Electronic School Service did not work when teachers attempted to use it, leading teachers to resort to Zoom, Whats Up and Google. This is despite the fact that a huge amount of rubles has been invested in Moscow Electronic schools. This service could not cope with the transition and floundered. Vselvolod Lukhovitsky, a spokesman for the Union 'Teacher' asked, "Why is it the case that despite millions of rubles being spent out of the state

budget, Moscow Electronic schools do not work? Teachers are constantly being told they are living in a new century where are new demands and you mustn't work in the old way ... Why is there no sufficient research done into the impact of this new technology in schools before more money is invested

in it?"

 

             Some people view this switch to online as an attempt to test the competence of school teachers. The proficiency of teachers in handling online technology is being tested and if some teachers fail to competently use it their jobs could be on the line. The Covid 19 crisis is being used as a pretext to restructure the whole Russian education system where schools become more online. So there would be less demand for teachers as technology can do their jobs better. If there are such people in the administration pushing such an agenda, then this switch to online during this crisis has backfired. If anything, the crisis starkly reveals the limits of not only online technology in education, but the limits of

over-management and control. The reason why so many teachers give pupils too many tests and too much homework is because they feel that every second of their work is controlled by officials. People don't let teachers get on with their jobs and freely choose their own methodology. If anyone took the trouble to read the Russian Law on Education they would find that teachers have the right to choose their own methodology. This very fact has eluded so many headmasters

and officials who insist, 'This is how you must teach and no other".  

 

             At present, there has been much discussion about amending the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It would be much more constructive if people practiced the existing Constitution, especially Article 37! In this article you can read in 2. 'Forced labor is forbidden, and 5. Everyone has the right to rest.' It seems that teachers, parents and children are being deprived of those very rights in the area of education. Yes, it might seem strange to some people, but teachers do need to sleep from time to time.