to not want to go in the staff room??

[MrDobalina]

I am volunteering at dds school, to get some experience in order to apply for a PGCE place.

I don't want to go in the staff room! I went home for lunch last week to avoid it

Cant really explain it; its a mixture i think of it being a weird dynamic what with dd being in the school and me being a parent AND being transported back in time to my school days when staff-rooms were terrible places full of teachers that stank of coffee and fags

Can i continue to avoid it without looking like a pratt? or do i just need to woman-up? can i hide behind a magazine?

[WelshMoth]

You could volunteer for yard duty, then head to staff room for your viola when everyone else has gone.

Even yard duty adds up points in your favour when you're applying for the PGCE.

Good luck

[WinklyFriedChicken]

If you want to be a teacher you WILL need to go into the staff rooms at some point! Bite the bullet, bring in nice cakess and offer them out to share - you will be SO popular you won't remember you had ishoos :)

[WelshMoth]

What the 'eckers is viola?
Bladdie predictive. Meant 'cuppa'

[MrDobalina]

haha friedchicken I hadnt really thought of that!

idontwanttoidontwanttoidontwanttoidontwanttoidontwantto

does yard duty give you brownie points welsh?? I can definitely do that. I hung out in the playground at playtime. I liked that

[MrDobalina]

I aint making cakes, ill look like a right lick-arse

[karron]

Are you actually allowed in? Know parent volunteers aren't always due to some reason I don't know.

[karron]

That sounds more cryptic than I meant it too, don't think teachers are masons.

[luckysocks]

Ha but it's true that they can be intimidating! Not least because of the irrational and frankly frightening possessiveness over mugs and chairs (speaking as somebody who became equally guilty of this, without ever realising it was happening )

I always break in by looking busy - usually using computer or studying notice boards - until I've sussed out the above or somebody takes pity on me and talks to me!! Then it all gets easier from there ;)

[MrDobalina]

yeah...i can go in...wish i wasn't allowed

i wonder why they aren't allowed in some schools

[MrDobalina]

well..i dont wonder really, i can completely see the reasoning...

[JumpingThroughMoreHoops]

Not least because of the irrational and frankly frightening possessiveness over mugs and chairs

I cant find my mug, some cow has sat in my seat AND I have no idea who has taken a liking to MY parking space

[WinklyFriedChicken]

You don't need to make cakes, just buy some from the supermarket. You won't look like a lickarse, you're not 14 trying to impress the cool girls now, public sector people love cake

[luckysocks]

Oh christ, don't get me started on parking spaces

[MrDobalina]

oh no really lucky socks?! that would be the end, wouldn't it, if I sat in someones chair or used their mug?!

its good to hear actually that some schools don't let parents in....so its not too weird if I go home/out at lunch time?

i think i would feel better about it if i wasn't a parent, so hopefully this wont be an issue when/if i do PGCE

[JumpingThroughMoreHoops]

Cakes? oh yes cakes ....feed teachers, they are quite easy to train with a chocolate bun [grin}



(((my parking space))) ((bastard in it))

[luckysocks]

It probably will except... it gets easier as you get to know people (and bagsy your own chair)

[larks35]

I'm guessing you're at a primary school, I think I would be a bit nervous in your shoes. I'm a secondary school teacher and only go into the staffroom to empty my PH and fill up my kettle! I don't really do forced social areas.

However, you need to do it, overcome your fears and enter that den of iniquity room! Like the idea of entering armed with cake, you'll win hands down

[WinklyFriedChicken]

Am in public sector and have had no shortage of people willing to do me favours since I baked banana and walnut bread

no bastard would dare touch my mug

of people with parking spaces. We park on the street and some mo'fo' smashed into my car and left it when I was at work.

[MrDobalina]

thing is...i half know half of them already...as a parent. #it just feels like a weird dynamic shift...cuz my role is different

i'm making much more of this than needs be, aren't i?

[WinklyFriedChicken]

Yes. Go in with cake - it will be fine.

[JumpingThroughMoreHoops]

I remember my first day, OMG, I was gob smacked, after 30 years away from school, there were people who taught me! now that was surreal.

I now line manage some of them - that took some doing

[MrDobalina]

sick list???

Thanks for the tips...kim i like the school, dd goes there..its got a good vibe, I like their values etc

see, i dont want to traipse in with, cakes, a mug, coffee...a folding stool!!

[MrDobalina]

And, can i hide behind a magazine?