The Third Republic - solidarity comrades!

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. Baiters and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

If you are not staff and just have a general education query please start your own thread.

You can play here only if you are a member of one the following groups-

-ABBA - anti bashers and baiting association
-SWAB - school workers against bashers
-SWOT - school workers opposing teacherbashers
-STARS - schoolworkers together against ranting + slurs

Other requirements for staff room entry include the ability to find the staff room, the ability to find a clean mug in the staff room, knowledge of the photocopier codes and the ability to sniff out where the toffee vodka is hidden.

piggy:it would be nice of SLT recognised the imbalance that can be created of both workload and expectation ! - absolutely agree. In an ideal world at year 8 and above for example maths, science and english teachers could be relieved of more general duties in recognition of their higher volume of uptake and all the subsequent planning, differentiation and marking etc. Likewise a drama teacher should, hopefully, not be being questioned as to why very few students had engaged (given a) lots not taking it as an option, b) lots of 'we're focussing on core subjects etc) and instead using more of their time for whole school admin eg. checking on students who: haven't been in touch, are vulnerable etc.

That's all very logical though so I don't suppose it's happening

Thanks Piggy

Sorry about your day moss. That's stressful under normal circumstances.

hmmm... that Twitter guy even wrote a twattily smug headline for his research. All it is is meta research based on a load of studies that err in his favour, and that have already been quibbled over.

Exactly what a crap article he is proud of. No ground breaking new research.

pfrench

I worry about the impartiality of anyone who writes that and in 2 of his three tweets states that its "time to get back to school"

Well, to be fair , he is a paediatrician, so what he has to worry about is ill children. I wouldn't object to him doing research to prepare himself and the medical community. I do object to him attaching an ideological agenda to it.

TheHoneyBadger

If you haven't already could I ask that you contact someone at the school to let them know what you have done?

I have no problem with it, but I can see where it would cause problems for the teachers concerned.

Piggywaspushed

It is the bias that he has shown that concerns me.

And I agree that all he has done is pass on numbers that are already out there and are already under question.

I'm skeptical though about that article; it's not just children. It's the adults around the children and taking transport etc. Plus the staff.

And there seem to be other reports not included in that report that indicate children do spread it.

NeurotrashWarrior

It also adds to the issue of parents sending there children in when ill.

Fripp, you mean ignoring the advice to keep off? Yes I highly doubt kids are completely unable to pass it on especially when really ill.

I do struggle with tiring subjects against each other like that though TheHoneyBadger
It is always swings and roundabouts. For example, teaching Computing, I have to give up before school, break and lunch to open up the rooms for pupils to do their homework for other subjects so having to do more general duties on top of that would grate.
Plenty of subjects take slack elsewhere (from not having teach whole year groups in Year 10 and 11) and having lots of lower school up to 10 different classes of Years 7 to 9 means extra marking that way ( and fewer frees in the summer term). Smaller departments means fewer people to lesson plan etc. It’s never that easy
I always think that at pinch points, some staff have more to do than others but it evens out elsewhere (such as productions, sport events at the weekend etc) so I always try not to think of other subjects

Dh's place are temperature checking. Considering dc2 was conceived due to temp charting, you think I'd remember the issues. I've just reminded him about women's temperature. 'Well that's ok, they can just say they're ovulating or going through the change'. Don't know whether to despair or be impressed by his immediate desire to find a solution.

Did anyone watch the Raab briefing today? A question was asked about opening up schools but I didn’t really hear what he said in answer??

Honey totally get where you're coming with your DS. Mine is the same! Also agree that my subject (food) is not core. I would like parents to let me know that their children are not planning on doing the work though. I don't mind, as I'm not seen as essential and pretty sure I'll be irrelevant when we get back.
Would like my kids to carry on making and baking throughout school closure though.

Did anyone see Matt Hancock telling Dr. Rosena Allin-Khan to watch her tone! ?

Asuitablecat

We do a temp check everybody when they come in.

The problem is that some people don't seem to understand the difference between 30 - 40 pupils and 1200 - 2000.

Apologies for stating the obvious.

Yes Appu he said we can't open up all schools but they are looking at combinations ( paraphrased )

He prevaricated quite a lot appu but basically gave a very strong hint that they have no intention of sending many children back any time soon. It seemed a bit of a back pedal.

He's going to design a checklist.

Is it a lady? Yes
Is it an older lady?
Yes. No
Is it The Change? Are you ovulating?

Guessing he'll get a smack.in.the mouth before he gets to ask any more questions.

Appu
Raab says he feels for parents dealing with home schooling, and for teachers.
He says the five tests are crucial. The government wants to avoid a second spike.
He says Sage is looking at different options. But they could not open all schools without a real risk of R going above 1, he says.

pinkrocker

I am in the same situation.

But I have had contradictory information about chasing and no-one has got back to me about what I am supposed to do. So a note form the parent would be good for evidence for when we go back.

RigaBalsam

that is a surprisingly sensible response.

Fripp my school has made it quite clear that none of the work is compulsory and parents should do what works for their families so no I don’t need to contact and tell them which subjects we’re doing.

I do think teachers are forgetting that none of the work they are setting is compulsory and parents and kids are in no way obliged to engage with it.

School has enough to do without parents calling to say why their child isn’t doing the 12 hours of pshe they’ve been sent (for example).

Mustn’t forget that parents aren’t employees and kids aren’t either