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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Staff Room!!!

465 replies

ScienceTeacher · 27/01/2008 14:42

It was suggested on another thread that we should have a staff room, so I thought I'd bite the bullet and start one.

Shall we introduce ourselves?

I teach Science (Physics A-level and GCSE Chemistry plus the usual general science in KS3, and also KS3 Geography). I work in a small girls' independent school. I started this job in September having spent two years in contract and supply. This was a getting back to teaching after an 8-year maternity leave.

I am a mum to five children from 16 (gcse!) TO 5.

OP posts:
crunchynutter · 09/05/2008 19:46

YAY!! It's Friday! My first ever year nine class (yes.. i am an NQT!) have completed there sats and i am absolutely shattered- wheres the wine...?

scaryteacher · 09/05/2008 20:55

Write 100 lines please, 'their' is the word you want not 'there!' Even if it is Friday, spelling mistakes are not allowed, and it should be upper case for 'I' and not lower, and for SATS as well.

Psst, you also need an apostrophe in 'where's' for the wine. There are pedants lurking here, and they will get you and moan about the standard of NQTs these days.

Lucycat · 09/05/2008 22:09

lol scaryteacher! if you can't be allowed a little grammatical leniency on a Friday night post SAT's then when can you!

btw I'm on bottle no2! shared with dh of course!

klimtmum · 10/05/2008 20:06

Hi. Just joined mumsnet. Teach full time in North London comp - English and am Head of Year. Mum to nearly six dd. Lurve my job and my school. Been in this school since September and compared to the souless corporate stab-your-own-mother dictatorship I worked in for the previous three years, it is bliss. However Ofsted are a distinct possibility in the next two week...

crunchynutter · 11/05/2008 19:15

Hello! I am back and will do my best to type correctly... erm, if it really does upset people on a quick message board where we come to let of steam!

And it takes SO long when you are on a small laptop balanced on your lap promising your husband you will be off in two minutes!

Original poster
ScienceTeacher · 11/05/2008 19:40

Welcome, Klimtum!

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 14/05/2008 19:10

Hi all. I was just wondering, I'm a new cover supervisor and should I sign up to a union? And if so, which one would you recommend? Thanks!

Original poster
ScienceTeacher · 14/05/2008 21:17

I have a feeling that CS sign up to the local authority union, Unison, rather than the teaching unions. I'm sure your supervisors can advise.

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 14/05/2008 21:25

Oh thanks ST! I wasn't sure if I should or not. All the CS's are new at our school, they've never had them before! I'll ask Roisin, next time I see her, who she's with!

Shoshe · 14/05/2008 21:45

Mo You've deserted us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gone up in the world our humble staff room not good enough

MaureenMLove · 14/05/2008 22:22

It was deserted today! I didn't have anything interesting to add to the conversation that was going on either! I'll make a big effort to get in there tomorrow. I do lurk every day though!

roisin · 14/05/2008 22:25

MMlove: definitely sign up with a Union. You never know what might happen, or what unfounded accusations you might face. I've never needed my union, but I like the fact that I know they are there!

NUT don't accept CS, I'm not sure about NASUWT. You can join Unison or GMB I think.

I am with ATL, because there's a good rep in school, but also because they cover teachers, TAs, and CSs, and other support staff, and I figure in case of a whole-class-responsibility-crisis/situation, might be better-experienced to offer support than a union who doesn't represent teachers iyswim.

MaureenMLove · 14/05/2008 22:36

Thanks Roisin. GMB has been talked about at my school, so I think I'll make enquiries tomorrow.

Its going really well still. The children are getting used to seeing me around and we have been assigned a faculty. I'm in English, which is a strong teaching department, so that helps! the corridor is always quiet! When they've asked me who I am and I explain that there'll be no more supply teachers, the kids seem genuinely pleased. I'm really getting into it!

crunchynutter · 16/05/2008 20:08

My car is FULL of work! What a great weekend i'm in for haha... It may have to stay in the boot until late tomorrow night!

ilovewashingnappies · 20/05/2008 22:38

WHich b@as^ards decided to change all the A level; specs while I was on maternity leave?!?!?!

Am going on a training course on Thurs. Please god let it hold the answers.....

Original poster
ScienceTeacher · 24/05/2008 06:37

Don't worry, nappies -they basically gone from 6 units to 4.

What do you teach?

OP posts:
Nymphadora · 01/08/2008 11:22

How is everyone? Enjoying hols?

I have left my job and am job hunting for September atm.(Don't recommend going out with the head teacher for career progression!)

BUT I have an interview in 2 weeks for Connexions which would be good except I only get back from hols that am so I may be a bit jetlagged!

roisin · 01/08/2008 12:02

Where are you going on hols?
I thought you had something sorted for September already?
What's the Connexions job?
I've just bought ds1's uniform for next year. ++££ = Ouch!

Whizzz · 03/08/2008 19:37

Any else watching Summer Heights High on BBC3 - very funny, espcially if you work in Secondary!

fizzbuzz · 22/08/2008 13:55

Have just realised.....only week left

the "sunday evening" feeling gets rather strong in this last week

SqueakyPop · 22/08/2008 14:05

I have frittered away the holidays and have loads to get done next week. Bah, it's the Olympics' fault.

SqueakyPop · 03/09/2008 21:57

May I have a quick brag?

We had our Y7s in today, and I am a Y7 form tutor.

I have already mastered all their names. I gave myself a test after about an hour and got 100%; repeated it at the end of the morning and still knew everyone. I could even identify most of them from behind

OK, I only have 12, but I am still pleased with myself. Simple pleasures

Blandmum · 04/09/2008 20:56

I am crap with names, but I have all of next weeks lessons planned, with all the resources made, and everything that needs to be copied is sorted and in plastic wallets on my desk.

as you say simple pleaseures.

I will still plan on sunday, but for the week after next, which in an utterly odd way is less work!

fizzbuzz · 04/09/2008 21:23

Oh names....God, I am truly appalling. My form used to stick labels on their foreheads, and I still called them by the wrong name!

Anyone with brothers or sisters never gets called by their own name, and sometimes I have to call them Little Smith or Big Smith
People who sit together or look alike are always muddled up.

Sometimes I call them by names of people who left years ago...

I just think my memory is full up. Like a hard drive, that can't retain anymore information

MaureenMLove · 04/09/2008 21:30

When I took a register today, I asked them to say, 'here miss' and then tell me one different or interesting thing they did during the holidays. So, effectively, we paused between names and I actually looked at each student and made a connection. Since we were only covering books and writing down classroom rules, I had time to talk to each of them about what they'd told me and I think I got them all sorted! I had 28!! (Of course, if one of them talks to me tomorrow, I'll have no idea again!)