The Twelfth Republic - push and glide to the summer break

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff. 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.

If you are fed up with cakes and biscuits there is now a cheeseboard on offer

If you come with a stick to beat us with then please do so elsewhere and not in the staffroom

The guardian article about Australia saying children do spread it.

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/12/victoria-records-273-new-covid-19-cases-and-flags-return-to-remote-schooling-in-lockdown-areas

Of course they do.

That's a grim read isn't it. I'm wondering if this is really their first wave though - they were completely different to us in March. I dunno.

Anyway... woohoo.. I've just put up the last online work I have to do for at least 7 weeks. Taking the visualiser back to school tomorrow.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/kids-have-to-go-back-to-school-devos-ducks-repeated-questions-about-how-schools-can-reopen-safely-amid-pandemic/ar-BB16DUJ0?ocid=spartanntp_edu

'Children have to go back to school' seems to be the mantra of all countries who have no other solutions and who just want the virus to go away.

Noble me too - my resting heart rate is usually about 65. That last week it was 90! With peaks that I usually only get when running. My sleep was also awful with about 4 hours average and I was waking with a speeding heart at the earlyhours of the morning. Sometimes it's better not to know!

I've worked hard over lockdown to improve my co2 rate through running a lot so i feel more prepared as a fairly severe asthmatic if/when I get it.

I've got my heart rate down again and my co2 up but I can see it all going to pot again come September. I will lose weight then though because there is no earthly way I will be eating lunch with my class in my classroom. I'll drink from my sealed mug but I will not eat there! We've lost our staff room to the more severly SEND in September with the PPA cover teacher. She'll have 6 nurture group kids in there and we won't even be able to get a cup of tea. Just as well as otherwise i'll need a piss before my 20 minute lunchbreak in a loo fucking miles away from my room.

I have said this before but Emma Barnett ought to be interested in a predominantly female workforce being deprived of toilet breaks... but it just seems no journalists are interested in teachers.

I know. Were you on that thread yesterday where someone was completely refusing to believe that there have been outbreaks in schools, even when the information was put in front of them? Twice? My parents were surprised to hear it today too. Funny that, for a pair of Daily Mail reading 75 year olds.

Yes! I was one of the posters who posted the info for her.

Flat earthers unite, I guess!

Someone on a thread yesterday was saying they were happy to send their 16 year old in because they are at less risk of transmitting it. The mind boggles at what point people think this becomes an issue.

I am feeling very irritable today because people about three gardens down have been having a LOUD party since 11 am. And they have literally just lit a BBQ. FFS.

I cannot stand it when all you can hear is the bass.

And so, they are all SHOUTING at each other. Someone needs to tell them about their droplets.

I had my parents over for lunch today. We sat in the garden, ate food, went for a walk. They were happy to let my daughter sit on them and hold their hands, which was nice. We just did elbow bumps though.

Meanwhile next door but one has been going nuts on the front lawn since around 11am too - family knees up. And the bloke at the back has his kids this weekend so they are screaming in the swimming pool. Lovely.

I really haven’t missed pubs being open on Friday and Saturday nights. At least they are closing earlier so all the yelling and screaming is over by a reasonable time.

It does feel like everyone has got very demonstratively NOISY over the last couple of months.

Meanwhile MIL managed to prod the bear by telling him he wouldn't notice the difference now he is on holiday...

We all just got used to the relative silence I think.

What do you think would happen if we took a stand and wore cloth masks in school in September? After all the guidance is only guidance and not law.....
I am very anxious about it all (my resting heart rate is normally in the mid to high 40s - currently in the high 60s since the September guidance came out). I would feel A LOT happier if we did the same as other countries and had students and staff encouraged to wear masks / face coverings.
I really don't think visors will do much for secondary - probably good for primary as well as a mask. And I also don't think perspex screens around my desk would help - the only time I would be behind them would be if there were no students in my room as I never bloody sit down when students are there!

I rarely sit down but that's because I'm walking all around the room. Since I'll be pinned in a small rectangle at the front I think I will sit down a bit more - either that or pace back and forth in front of the whiteboard and then the pupils will shout at me to sit down!

It's four weeks now till I start back

We can't do masks and teach phonics. Visor would stop spit and coughs in the face. We're allowed to wear both if we want.

Is anyone else a ks1 teacher concerned about how they will help young children learn from 2m away?

Even ks2 have no chance.

For primary would it be impractical to remove masks just for phonics? And try to get kids to keep masks on? I know some would and some wouldn't. My 3,yo loves his "ninja mask " while my 9 yo can't stand even trying one on.

We havent been out, but had to cut hedge and neighbours continued on the path forcing us into our front path. Judging by that- no chance if adults cant even be polite enough to cross over. (Aside from covid even , big green bin, ladder and hedge trimmer you would give them space!
Visor wont help much with airborne though.

I would think kids can pick up phonics without seeing your mouth. Dc1 learnt from alphablocks.
Ours do the JP actions so again no need to see mouth.

I dont think there could possibly be 2m from all reception kids to teacher

and 2m between teacher and ta

Looks like they are cutting 30m from the day. Tbh i would have cut more.
It's still 5h45 so long for 4yos.

If the who does say airborne surely that changes risks to vulnerable. And any enclosed space with people not in masks should be closed with spikes.
Actually maybe that is the plan with shopping masks. If everyone is in masks shops wont shut with lockdowns. But pubs and gyms etc would have to.
With masks in schools could you actually carry on if you had a case though? Aside from anything else i would be less worried about say 1 bubble shuttibg so kids isolating but their siblings still going into another bubble

I'm an sen teacher so won't be keeping 2 meters away if someone needs any physical handling. They also need so much actual support with their work, especially in the lessons I teach. I'm also ppa so crossing a few bubbles. Thankfully part time do not a full weeks worth. Clinically vulnerable too.

I reassure myself that last week in the local authority areas around me and my work rates were between 2-7 positive cases; which was fewer than the previous week.

I suppose it's the asymptomatic ones I worry about. The story of what happened to the man who went to the pub is shocking, but also because he had it and had no idea and visited two pubs with friends. (Positive result was next day)

I'm glad schools are breaking up so we can see what happens to pubs etc; unfortunately schools breaking up will also keep rates low so.

Does anyone know if we are marking books?

I'm back on the beta blockers. I've never felt such whole body physical fear as I did last week. Taking them daily to try to counter the anxiety on Thursday, the day after our last staff meeting. The last two Thursdays have seen me rigid with fear, full panic attack on tbe first and the kids parked in front of screens.

Last Thursday I countered the fear by taking them out for two long walks which helped.