The Twenty-first Republic - All back but for how long? Why is Big Gav still in post?

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff only – a sort of room of requirement. Baiters, haters, goaders 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 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

Do not give ‘The Every twat for Themselves mob’ the staffroom password as a number of them are operating in an alternative reality.

No DfE muppets allowed

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 goad us then that is not allowed in the staffroom, especially if you have not used the hand gel. Close the door quietly on your way out and put your mask on.

I've just laughed a lot on it. After another day of normality. Feel like the last 6 months was a total waste of time.

Negative result just received for DS, after only 34 hrs, much better than was expecting, thank goodness.

It's like herding cats. They just don't bloody listen.

Phew first day done.

Went ok, of course I scrapped most of the intended plan.

They're a very low ability group for our Sen school. One child was working at a level lower than my just two year old.

But my room is being used by many. Some are eating their lunch in there (with permission and SD. Fewer went in pre Covid.

I was in several situations where I felt a visor would have been extremely important. I simply can't do some of the things I do with that particular group without getting close and face to face. Going to try sitting side by side next time but they respond better face to face.

I'm more worried about me infecting them as I'm talking a lot. They don't.

Oh just what we need mother!

Thanks for the briefing up date. Got through my crazy day (Wednesday week 2 is my wtaf, where am I? day this year).

Duty at break and I must’ve sounded like an annoying aunt with constant outbursts of, haven’t you grown and you have shot up! I got a few, we thought you were deads in return because of my absence last year.

I have way too many year 8s for my sanity but 7s are lovely so far and my year 10’s this afternoon were funny as fuck. They’ve decreed themselves my Wednesday week 2 period 5 entertainment squad. I’m going to need it.

I’m completely reliant on postal tests or the school supplying. Hopefully ds and I will stay symptom free. Having been teaching for a week now I really hope we can avoid masks in the classroom. I can’t understand what people wearing them are saying and I’m already really sweaty faced from running around the school and the flustered from trying to remember when lessons start and end for each year group and whether they’re meant to have a break.

Q: why are people wiping door handles? Our doors have to be wedged open along with open windows for ventilation

I did not Gavs Saturday school witterings but I'm afraid I dismissed it as more nonsense that will never happen.

My brain is fried today. Too many things to think about and sort out
I've put together printed packs for photocopied for home learning and some links on SMH, in case of home learning. It's probably not good enough but I don't have the capacity to do anything better.

I did note Gav's

Another TB thread about water bottles. FFS

I mentioned door handle wiping. I'm teaching with doors and windows always open but during frees I close my door and also during break (I'm taking break in my classroom, not going to staffroom). Also before and after school. So, sometimes, staff or students have opened the door looking for me during those times. I clean it every time!

Ah of course. We’ve zones and doors open at all times so rooms are ventilating even when unused. It’s about the only mitigation we have got really so I’m hanging onto it

I am necessarily mean. I asked a child today if he had a mute button...

I have to lock my room when out of it.

Gah this whole other staff eating lunch in there thing has put me on edge. Most are with the kids I teach though.

I feel we are more like secondary where many classes are bubbles but the staff are part of it too as we get so close.

Oh for mute buttons...

Is there an easy way of making these home learning packs? Surely teachers nationwide are doing them! I was on maternity leave till this term so I missed the first go round this merry go round!

One of our year group bubbles has had a positive case and they've all been sent home to SI for 2 weeks. This included our cover teacher!

Our school has had a pasting on social media for not holding a leavers' session to allow the 60 kids to meet and sign shirts, get certificates etc. At that time, in Wales, we were only having 1/4 of the class back each day on a rota. Even now, groups of over 30 are still not legally allowed.
Apparently they have found a local hotel that will host it! We've not been limited to the 6, but the limit of 30 still applies, so that's an indication of what we are up against.

Apparently, this same hotel has hosted several leavers' group parties in numbers of 30 or more, which must have a knock on for the transmission of cases in pupils who are now year 7s.

I'm so mean. I told a child to stop messing around today and when he started to excuse his behaviour (the usual 'I dropped x' I assume) I pointed out that I'd just seen him do a 360 spin on his stool, and not to call my eyes liars.

I also asked a child if they were lacking a neck after they asked a question to which the answer was on the board and claimed they couldn't see the board because someone's head was in the way (then I moved them to the front, so mean).

I may have PMS though, so I might be extra mean this week.

Im hoping the 6 limit will reduce down the birthday parties.
Thing is the numbers of cases are one thing but we arent getting told where people are catching it.
I havent seen any london schools with cases yet.
But what is silly though is we dont know about immunity and infectiousness once youve had it. So in london say a case might mean all isolate but theyve all already had it.
Should boris be si if he shook that teachers hand.
Surely with the travellers site the cousins should be in as theyve been in contact.

I cannot be doing with all the "mean teacher" crap. I have a fearsome reputation because I take no shit, but if you're one of "my" kids, I'll walk over hot coals for you. I invariably get the kids other people don't want because I can mostly make them work for me, because I take no shit but they know that I care and that I'm fair. If I get it wrong I apologise.

MN seems to be completely incapable of distinguishing between mean and strict. Although it also seems to think strict = old, jaded and nearing retirement.

Years ago my hod moved a kid out of my class after repeated complaints. I kept setting homework which the kid wouldn't do, so he kept getting lunchtime detentions which he wouldn't attend, so he kept getting after school detentions. I was following the system and mum didn't like it.
Eventually he was moved into another class where he got away with not doing any work. 🤷‍♀️

I had a child spit at two other children today then shout 'Haha, you've got covid and you're going to die'

Ace.