Naylor's Nuggets- E-mergency Mail only?

Naylor's Natter Podcast 'Just talking to Teachers'

Homeschooling, virtual lessons , teams and zooms . These necessary and vital educational lifelines

have receded from view on the vista of most teachers for the moment . Technology played a vital

and essential role in supporting schools and students during lockdowns. As a profession we have

settled on various ‘keepers’ from this period, notably virtual parents evenings. What we have

developed in the authors view from this period is a culture of 24/7 ‘contact-ability and consequent

accountability due to the misuse and over-reliance on email.

During the periods of partial closure, schools immediately and successfully flipped to an online

learning model . This was facilitated primarily by email accounts allowing access to the suite of

services offered by Google/Microsoft or other providers. At the time , schools were also able to

bolster their contacts for parents/carers with email addresses . The speed at which contact could be

made was a huge advantage for attendance, safeguarding and of course learning . These email

addresses also became a lifeline for families to gain support for free school meal vouchers, access to

services and a direct line to teachers .At the time , there was also limited access to many external

agencies. Schools stepped into this void , notably in the area of healthcare becoming testing centres

overnight. They also plugged gaps in many other areas helping to support the most vulnerable in

society at a time when it was needed the most.

As schools returned to normal in September , the normal business of schools resumed . Leading

schools in 2021 is hugely demanding and rewarding . It requires fortitude , strength of will , huge

reservoirs of energy and to maintain this a healthy work-life balance. The number of adverts

currently in TES for senior leaders is testament to the size and scale of the challenge

.Alongside the everyday work schools do in providing quality of education, personal development,

curriculum and outcomes and behaviour , many of the expectations added during partial closures

have continued to be the expected ‘norm’ for school leaders . I noticed this building during the

summer holidays of 2021 when significant numbers of emails would land in my inbox daily from

external agencies , parents and teachers . These extra expectations are demanding in and of

themselves but the added accountability and contact-ability have the potential to considerably add

to the challenges leaders and teachers already feel . There is also the added expectation of

immediate contact from both parents and students. Having engaged parents and keen learners is

obviously a very positive situation fro schools , however issues can arise when emails are not

returned immediately and there is also the potential for misunderstanding on both sides . During the

lockdowns and partial closures , working patterns shifted and life was restricted . Now that society

and schools are fully open, we need to regain the work/life balance that is essential to maintain

equilibrium in a very demanding job , the use of email needs a fundamental reassessment