Tea Room the Nineteenth

[amberlight]

All in need of a restful break and a chat are more than welcome to the nineteenth Tea Room.

We find ourselves in the South of France, where the warm sunshine is just the thing for those who are missing the summer. The tea room has its aga and its distressed chintz sofa...and its potted plants. The usual fictional tea room inhabitants are here, as ever: Mellors, the gardener/handyperson with the handy ways with massage; the collection of tea room animals including the horses, camel, bison, guineapigs and sundry others; the Bishops and other faith leaders who joined us a while back and potter in for the occasional cuppa. It may not make sense, but that's not important. What matters is the lovely people here and the chance to just relax.

Tea anyone?

Anyone else?
Carrots?

Donki is on facebook - but under her RL name, so definitely not me. Was it Justabout (as she used to be known on here)? Not that she has ever been a donkey. [nosey emoticon]

Remembrance Day tomorrow - and I am spending the day building bridges. Three times. A somewhat tenuous link to Remembrance Day. "We wondered if you could do something Sciency to do with the Armistice to balance Art and History"

I had better go and finish my notebook file to try and make the link a bit less tenuous.

Night all

Nice to see you, Donki.

Mmmm
Carrots! Thankyou SmallBunch! Now to make sure I don't slobber orange bits all over my marking...

Unis lobs special jar of carrot marmalade over to Donki. Now you won;t drop orange crunchy bits. they are all specially stuck together by the marmalade. spoon away dear donki.

So folks, given that being a teacher seems to be a thankless and all consuming task, how do we feel about primary school mealtime assistants? should I go for it... school are always looking to recruit.. which may in it self be a warning I guess.

I suspect, UniS, that it's pretty relentless, especially if you have to help with cutting up food, making sure everyone has eaten something, tidying up the mayhem afterwards etc. But if you like small children and want a job that fits in with school hours and holidays then I imagine there are some plusses too.

Would this be at Boy's school? How doable would it be if your other work picked up again?

UniS - could be fun!

Thanks for all the advice on domestic bliss. It is funny, married life is much like dancing, sometimes we float effortlessly and other times we just trip each other up.

We live in a TINY apartment with a TINY kitchen and Beer says it is emotionally draining to be so cramped all the time.

Anyway, the dance is going well now... he has just presented me with a plate of peppered salmon and Chinese cabbage so I better get back to rl!!!

We had another step (at Seniors) tonight!

Off to go catch up on everyone else's news....

DOnki - have just sent you a PM. If you haven't had one before, look at the very top of your page, there is a small envelope that should have a red blob on it now - click on that and it will take you to the private messaging area. :)

amber - hope the SW and advocacy situation works something out for you.

I fully appreciate the problem with a class of 35 and only one teacher to cope. That's partly why we're mortgaged up to the hilt and mistlechick is in a school with 4 Yr one classes, with just 18 or 19 in each class. Each class with a teacher and a TA.

One of my work colleagues was complaining the other day that her daughter spent all the time asking questions and talking about interesting things - and that her younger son (2) was just so physical - the talking hasn't really started in any major way yet. I thought to myself - I have just one child - but I've got both of those characteristics....

UniS - mouth open - its the tongue sticking out of the mouth that I can't get over... but his father also does it to a lesser extent

JBM - glad you're behaving [puts on strict face] and please make sure you continue to do so!

Goodness Racing. Sounds grim. Do you think your job would be easier if you had fewer children or if the chidren had the same ability level (million dollar question but I mean you personally as a teacher not a political view )
do you think the small quiet girls get a good education or do they just learn lonely compliance?

ACK! So much to do, so little time! Though MrScout free tonight (staying over at conference/training thing) so can work to my own timetable which is a positive.

My son needs help at school, and its causing difficulties as its not available (tries not to cry)

Morning, I have just come across the one child board. We have one DD age 11yrs.

May I come in please?

MaryBS What help does he need? (((hugs)))

He has Asperger Syndrome, and the other kids sometimes pick on him. He has now started lashing out (and he's not a violent kid), and has asked for a quiet place he can go, but they've said due to staff shortages he can't :(.

Need to draft a letter to the school - today's job I think...

Ooo hello WhyIsThatThen, welcome
Have a cuppa, and a sit on the distressed chintz sofa. Breakfast?

Mary, ((((hugs)))) for you and grr re the school not helping. Have a tea room duvet. The priest hole is kitted out for emergencies if needed.

Hello, Why, of course you may come in. Have a mug of steaming coffee while you watch the rain stream down the windows.

Some of us have one child, a few of us have more and are still very welcome, and we discuss various things, from schools (bit of a theme at the moment), to the exact nature of smores and clotted cream - not together, I think - to the exact look of Mellors the handyman, who looks, I feel, NOTHING like Daniel Craig, but more like a youthful Alan Rickman or even Gerard Depardieu. In RL we inhabit three different continents, but at the moment the tea room is located in the very south of France ... can't really explain the driving rain then.

Oh, and, in answer to your question, Oxeye, small quiet girls generally learn lonely compliance. I was one of those and I don't think much has changed. Amazingly, most children do learn, whatever we do. I'm still debating (seriously) the teachers' role. Would be interested in tea roomers' views on the matter.

MaryBS, we had a little boy in Y1 who had a tent in the corner of the classroom to retreat to when necessary. I can't remember how old your son is; maybe too old for this. I'm afraid that schools have so many problems with H&S, people looking to sue and just plain bloody difficult parents, that having a child alone and out of sight just isn't an option. What about a retreat in the office with the secretary?

Aww, thanks everyone. *takes steaming cuppa, pulls up chair and settles in

MaryBS Does your son have a statement? Or a SENCO?
The school should be compassionate about your DS's condition and support you as much as possible. I know often school need a kick up the arse in these areas. I should think DS is very confused by his feelings and, with his condition, he will find it hard to control. He needs help to integrate and interact. Then he will feel more accepted. Perhaps he feels excluded, hence his anger. Poor lad. Write a letter, hand it in and make an appointment to see his teachers and the head for a few days after they get the letter. Writing is often easier than words, easier to be expressive. Keep a copy and take it to the meeting. (((hugs)))

Morning all

Do we think it is fair to expect your elderly, not exactly compos mentis mother who hates the computer, now usually has a melt down if she tries to use it, and only has dial up anyway to select any wedding photos she wants from the vast photographers website which is a bit complicated anyway ? So I have to choose and organise a selection for my mum and dad. Thanks brother I needed another job.

On the upside, I actually know what to buy my parents for christmas - dad wants an antique map of our area, and mum wants a photobook like I did last year which had lots of memory prompts.

Must phone dad now to get the real story on their week - I have to speak to him when she is out so he can offload

Morning WiTT - nice to meet you (smile) I can see you're going to fit in just fine. Would you like some toast with quince jam with your tea?

Amber - glad to see you out and about - how are things going today? Breakfast looks good.

We have, this morning, requested a karate suit (I have no idea what you call them) for ds - you had to measure them - he's 1.21m tall . Its strange isn't it that the Karate masters (just two of them) can get a mixed class of Yr1 and Yr2 children - probably about 40 - 50 of them - to do exactly what they want, in a sensible manner, and yet a teacher and a TA is struggling with a group of just 18. I think mistlechick will thrive on the karate - he knows exactly where he stands, and knows that he'll be doing push ups if he steps out of line. Not that he minds doing push ups mind you . With the Just William tendencies, one of the things I think I'm going to have to really watch is that he doesn't become the 'joker' in the class - a role he would be very happy to take on, but one, I'm sure, that will not help him in the long run.

Quiet girls - I suppose I became one - easier to conform like that. Although I never did. Lessons were the easy part - it was the rest of school that was vile.

Thanks Mistle.

I think I was fairly quiet at senior school. I was very little and allowed myself to disappear into the crowd. I was always worried I would be bullied so I never made myself get any attention. Apart from a few fashionable dodgy 1980's hair do's

I'm v v nervous - just off for meeting with social worker about new advocacy thingy and had alarming news just now. Nothing for anyone here to do - will get it sorted, but eeek and urk.

Good luck Amber. I hope it all goes well today x

Amber - lots of non contact hug vibes coming your way.

I hope that the meeting goes better than you are anticipating.

Have you got something you can take with you to calm your thoughts a bit - a familiar picture or something?