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.

All our kids have been given their own mini whiteboards and pens (which are crap and already running out). They are responsible for bringing them to every lesson, which they are doing well with tbh. Their planners have a mini whiteboard at the back too. Or you can make a reasonable whiteboard from a piece of plain paper in a poly pocket (or laminate a plain piece of paper). I'm more surprised at lack of whiteboards tbh, I can't imagine teaching maths without them!!!

@MrsHamlet

Depts have now been asked to produce a week of online learning for all year groups in case we have to shut.

Which week though? Surely it would be different work if you had to cc lose next week compared with the week before half term?

I'm using a lot of talk partner strategies to support not being able to go up too close too often or for too long to some kids.
And I took them all out this pm to do our lesson on shadows outside. Double win as it was hotter than the sun in my room and my two small windows with a 10cm gap were not cutting it at all.

Sent 3 home with upset stomachs and had 3 more with headaches, but the headaches could just be the heat.

On the plus side they are much quieter this week than they were last week when they were very rowdy and had no concept of an indoor voice.

A third of the school off today.

Testing needs sorting out asap. I've had one off since last Tuesday. Doesn't drive, no walk in option, had postal test, no result yet. By the time the result comes in we'll have all isolated in school. Ha!

Sent two coughers out today who were sent straight back in to me.

I literally give up.

Worryingly, the school that has closed for self isolation purposes says on the school closures site that it is still open to key worker's kids. So that's definitely remote teaching AND babysitting.

I can't see him doing that last bit noble! He only ever marks tests! Plus we are told at my place not to mark anything for 72 hours?

I think his pupils lack resilience and they are also entitled and think they deserve instant help.

I have told him to leave them to struggle for longer and then do a straw poll of difficult questions and work those through on the board. And the whole desired difficulty bit. Trouble is , these kids are pretty able so the Qs are difficult, and once you get stuck on one , you can't do the rest, I guess.

Imo the kids need to adapt. They won't get as much pandering to help and they have to suck it up. Tough. He is the one with the dicky ticker!

So year 9 and year 10 sent home today in dd school , that’s to join the year 7 sent home last week. Oh and a school bus of kids to.

Just looking at the map of affected schools on the BRTUS website. Blimey!!

Do you have a link to that @Piggywaspushed?

The more able kids are the least likely to need me going around to help. They’re the ones who can put their heads together and figure it out among themselves with maybe a nudge from me.

Your DH needs a brain book buddy boss poster, piggy!

France's map is a shocker too. They are coding it black for completely closed, red for bubble closure etc.

We mini whiteboard on carpet, but whiteboard pen write onto tables most of the time. Now we're washing tables more often, it's even better.

www.boycottunsafeschools.co.uk/reported-covid-19-cases/

I think he does the book buddy boss thing (by a less fluffy name!)..

Theses kids expect instant access to teacher it seems.

He says he is just going to be tougher with them.

10% of the school off today. I have my suspicions that some just buggered of to them beach as it was so nice

Piggy - I'm carrying a visualiser (aka cheapo webcam) on a clamp stand around with me. It just plugs into the usb port of a computer and auto recognises. No tech skills needed. I put it on a desk as far away as the cable allows, and if a child needs help they bring their book to the visualiser so I can see it.

Cooeee! May I come in? If I promise to behave?

I'm doing more teacher examples on the board as well. Very explicit modelled examples for a section of the textbook exercise. Then do those questions. Do another teacher example, then do some more questions. But I do example, whiteboards question, textbook exercise. So I know if the majority have got it before I set them off on completely independent stuff. I don't know what I'd do without whiteboards.

Angelina welcome back!! Now just don't insult anyone or swear at anyone!!

ANGE!!!

Hope you bought some biscuits while you were out.

Yay! Angelina!

So we couldn't book a test. Isolating at home. Setting cover without textbooks was a bit of a mare......

I have gin, wine, chocolate and cheese.
I have missed you all, (although I have been spying from afar). I've been mixing with the "wrong sort" behind the bike sheds, hearing all sorts of stuff, but I'm in the same boat as lots of you now.
Our first year group were sent home after 2 days, and the parents were (not unreasonably) quite upset about it. Some demanded their kids could come back as they'd managed to get them tested (HOW????!!!)
I then went down with a bug, (picked the wrong week to be off here, for sure!) but couldn't get a test at all. Not the three main Covid "official" symptoms though, so am allowed back to work tomorrow.

Now just don't insult anyone or swear at anyone!!

I am a reformed character. I am never going to use the F word on here again.

Helloooooooooooooooooooooooooo Angelina! Peace and love!

I thought about visualiser but DH would not know how to use it so it's a bit of a non starter. he was pleased when he managed to use a mini whiteboard with his laptop webcam during lockdown.

technology makes him panic!