How are you holding up?

[mineofuselessinformation]

If we get piled up on, I'll just stop posting, but anyway:
How are you doing?
I'm kind of coping, with a few bouts of tears in the evenings - mostly related to how exposed I feel, and how that might impact on family members (one in particular) if I should get the virus and inadvertently pass it on.
But I'm still working, still keeping calm, etc.
to all school staff working in these difficult times.

[scrapingthebarrel]

I'm not afraid of the illness or catching it. I don't feel vulnerable (though we are). But it's the knock on effects of Covid. We are so short staffed because people have to isolate, we ran out of supply teachers so we've had to start merging classes etc. The poor kids are mentally exhausted and anxious, the lack of staff means behaviour problems are rising.

We've lost staff to stress so now planning their lessons is falling on everyone else. As well as unrealistic expectations from SLT.

And I'm SICK of carrying my bloody bag/trolley round! I miss my classroom!

So, I've on average cried once a week so far. Just a bit overwhelmed. A lot of it can't be helped though and I would rather be at work than faffing with doing stuff from home.

[Isthatitnow]

Tired - I feel like it’s June. Over-emotional. Scared. I work in a through school so am in Early Years through all key stages to A Level. Very worrying. Worried for one of my children who is vulnerable. Grumpy. Surviving.

[mineofuselessinformation]

Oh, yes, the not being in your own room! (I'm not even going in mine because I know it's not how I would leave it.) I'm also now very aware of the weather.
I've found everyone is commenting on how tired they are.

[PumpkinPie2016]

Tired is the main thing I miss being in one place -I must walk bloody miles around the school!
I hate having to make sure I remember to take all resources that I need with me. Even things like a couple of spare books for those who need them when I am miles from the prep room.

I miss having the team altogether in one place. I'm
second in faculty and trying to support everyone when we're all over the school is a nightmare.

For some reason I can't get ahead at all.

Just to top it off, one of my wisdom teeth is hurting at the moment managed to get a dentist appointment for after school tomorrow so hoping they can help.

All the covid stuff plus trying to do the general job of actually teaching is hard.

[RuleWithAWoodenFoot]

I'm not afraid of the illness or catching it. I don't feel vulnerable (though we are). But it's the knock on effects of Covid. We are so short staffed because people have to isolate, we ran out of supply teachers so we've had to start merging classes etc. The poor kids are mentally exhausted and anxious, the lack of staff means behaviour problems are rising.

That. Although we still have a supply option at the moment.

Last week things were awful, now they seem a bit better. Fewer staff off, which helps.

It's all about logistics. If I had loads of children isolating who I was having to provide work for, things would be much worse. That's my big dread (and has been my dread since the summer).

[BadgerBadgerMushroom]

Just exhausted.Like the end of term but not. Gone is the recovery curriculum and in comes normality. More deadlines from SLT and behaviour is getting worse. It's a slog.

[mineofuselessinformation]

From my own experience, I know you are all doing an amazing job.
I've been teaching over 30 years now, and have never experienced anything like it.
Onwards and upwards to a fabulous Christmas break - in whatever form it may be.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

I'm in a primary. So a lot of what we do is essentially the same, but with the grinding sense of additional mental load to keep on track with all the new rules and systems that we have to follow. What needs to be done. Where we can go and which way we have to go. What needs cleaning before it's returned in case another class then uses it. Not mixing bubbles. It wears you down.

On top of that there's the isolation as we're not to use our large staffroom or congregate. So you get stuck eating in your classroom. I never feel like I'm away from being 'on duty'. Various children who struggle in the loud lunch hall have been told to have lunch in the area outside our classrooms, so it feels by default that we are also always on duty through our lunchtime.

And on top of that the SLT (of whom I am one, but a minor one) wants to do as much as possible as normal. Like after school clubs (in bubbles) and full on parents evenings etc.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

One of our TAs said every day feels like a Friday at the end of a long week.
And every Friday feels like the end of a long half term.

We've been back a week and a bit and we're all knackered.

[tumpymummy]

All of the above. Drained. It feels like all the parents are complaining about everything. It also feels like we have been forgotten. Once again everyone is saying how hard the NHS are working, how wonderful they are. Which they are, but we are too. But we dont have PPE. Although after a chat with another staff member today we did say that one day when everything goes back to normal it will all feel so easy then!

[VashtaNerada]

Exhausted. I’ve actually been quite ill lately (not Covid) but can’t take any time off because we’re already so short staffed. Just shattered.

[SansaSnark]

I agree with the comment about isolation.

I'm also stressed because we are supposed to have observations this week and I know my books won't be up to scratch.

I had to have a covid test on Tuesday so I've had the last two days off and basically just slept - I am exhausted and I don't really know how I am going to make it to the end of term.

I think it is the additional mental load and the constant battles with kids over mask wearing that have been getting to me.

[ChloeCrocodile]

I'm not holding up tbh. Cried on my way in to work this morning. We currently have 8 teachers off (out of 50ish) and the cover is insane. I've lost half of my ppa time this week because of it. I've told my HoD that I'm not doing any of my normal extra-curricular stuff until cover settles down. He was lovely and pointed out that if we don't get cover sorted soon we're gonna end up with staff being off due to stress.

I desperately need to take the weekend off to recharge, but I'm behind in my marking so should really spend half a day doing that!

[hedgehogger1]

Sick of it all. Tired of dragging myself all over the school. Sick of the behaviour policy not existing as we can't send kids out or give detentions. I want to look forward to Christmas but that will be shit too. Slt keep piling more work despite every one being at breaking point.

[ValancyRedfern]

I'm not too bad. We follow rarely cover so I've only had one emergency cover so far. I hate teaching in classrooms but I'm actually less stressed than normal as I can't do a school show. It's amazing to get to 3.20 and actually have time to do marking and planning!

[mineofuselessinformation]

Well, we made it through another week!
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have an appointment with a wine glass coming on soon.....
I went to work today in thermal leggings under woolly tights, knee boots, thermal top, jumper scarf and fleece jacket. Brrrrrr!
We've had a few 'incidents' this week so some staff had some very stressful days, but it looks like people are supporting each other, which is good.
I hope it's the same for others on here.

[PumpkinPie2016]

I've had a decent week in that I have had a full staff team in my department so cover hasn't been an issue. I lost 2 frees last week covering lessons and faffed sorting cover work as well.

Everything just feels so hard though. Had some pastoral issues in my form this week which has been time consuming to deal with. A couple of potential SEND issues to refer on and staff rubbing eachother up the wrong way

Emails are driving me bonkers. I had about 60 on Monday alone. It's so easy to miss admin tasks when you get so many emails.

My painful tooth hasn't helped but that should be better by Monday. I feel like I've walked miles around the school this week.

Still feel like my to do list is never ending I feel like I can't give enough to the kids because of all the other stuff going on.

On the plus side, my bottom set Y10 can now calculate relative formula mass independently.

[mineofuselessinformation]

@PumpkinPie2016 you probably have walked miles!
And sympathies with your tooth - I have a torn meniscus in my knee at the moment, so the walking isn't fun, and I have to put my foot up when I get the opportunity! (Yes, I can confirm I am an old crock... )
It's a shame about the emails and staff not getting on; we can all do with minimal workload (God bless quality assurance) .
Roll on the end of term, eh?
I was most unamused when a colleague pointed out 'we're nearly half way'. I told him not to say it again! (We get on well, by the way.)

[PumpkinPie2016]

@mineofuselessinformation thank you. Your knee problem doesn't sound like fun either

My NQT has apparently coloured in next Wednesday in his planner because that's the half way point😂

Definitely need the end of term to come around quickly but I reckon we're in for a long 4 weeks!

[uglyface]

Absolutely exhausted. We’re in the SE so cases at school are rising. In our OFE village primary one class is isolating for two weeks after some positive cases so that teacher is too and teaching from home, but all other classes have 6-10 children off and so providing teaching for them alongside full time class teaching plus just one 20 min break a day to ‘eat lunch’ (clean tables, lay out cutlery for children and set up afternoon lessons) is running us all into the ground swiftly....

[uglyface]

It would be fine if I was young and carefree still, but rushing home at 5 to collect the two year old and then dinner, bath and bed etc means that I’m staying up till midnight most nights to catch up. Then of course DD wakes up at 5am....

[mineofuselessinformation]

Hmm, after a weekend of going to see my elderly mum yesterday, then spending the day today washing, ironing, cleaning and marking mocks, I'm not exactly feeling like I've had a break....
I did get up late, but then only because my hips were hurting (thank you arthritis).
Tomorrow, I will have to stream some lessons because of the number of students isolating. That will be a new experience! ( I did it in lockdown, but then everyone was at home.)
It will be a max of 9 degrees here tomorrow, so I'm already thinking about thermal layers.

[MorvaanReed]

Primary School, clinically vulnerable, non-classroom support staff here. We've just had our first member of staff test positive. I have some transitory daily contact with them, but, apparently, not enough to have to isolate (I could just imagine the horror if I did, who would clean the toilets!). Got the phone call this morning - 15 minutes of oh fuck but okay after that. I haven't been that close to them beyong passing each other as we work and I keep the doors and windows open so I will be bloody unlucky if I've caught it off them.

Generally tired. Joints grumbling from extra lugging tables and chairs about and extra cleaning done at a run.

At home, I'm keeping the kitchen and bathroom civilised - everything else waits to the weekend.

Basically, weary sums it up.

[PumpkinPie2016]

By Wed last week,I was about ready to quit teaching and go and work in Asda! Kids have been fine but there are about 3/4 staff in my faculty bickering between eachother. Honestly, the vast majority of my Wednesday was spent sorting out petty 'he said, she said, you said, I said' bickering

Two lovely compliments from two colleagues just about saved my week.

I'm exhausted and there's still 3 weeks to go

[mineofuselessinformation]

Just resurrecting this to say - I'm done. I'm beyond tired (stuff in my personal life going in too).
A big data drop due on Monday, so lots of mock / test marking this week.
I've also been exceptionally cold - last Friday, temperatures were below 15, Monday afternoon they hit 11 in one room thanks to freezing fog.....
Older students are tired of complying with mask-wearing, and I've taught two potential positives in my room.
I'm so looking forward to having a bit of a break.
I'm interested to see if your school is going to invoke the extra training day? It doesn't look like mine is.