The Twenty Fourth Republic - conditions not great and are teachers becoming modern day lepers?

[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 yo

Lol they can email; they might not get it read!

Of the 'experts' I recommend Tom Bennett. He used to be on the tes behaviour forums and I learned a lot from him. My main tactic is a pincer movement of phone calls home, positive and negative. I'm making much more than normal now that I can't set detentions. Word soon gets around and they want that positive call. Also merits for every little good thing and behaviour points for every little bad thing and picking a student of the day/week. Even my Yr11s remind me if I forget to pick a student of the week. (pre Covid they got to sit on a comfy teacher chair the next lesson). I was rubbish at behaviour management when I started but now I can silence a classroom just by walking in. I've been in the same school for 10 years and have no intention of leaving!

A third case in DH's school!

His head said this time PHE England told him there were lots of schools with cases in the 10s. The data thread would say that was anecdotal but PHE have no reason to exaggerate!!

I'm a bit at the generalised schools data blackout.

I note the NEU Have started a campaign and petition for nightingale schools.

And who bears the brunt of the increased anxiety of these women, eh?? Come and look at MN!

www.theguardian.com/society/2020/oct/09/women-bear-brunt-of-covid-related-work-stress-uk-study-finds

I'm really concerned that I've taught a specific class and two other pupils, who have been in contact with separate positive cases. Because I haven't directly been in contact with the positives myself, I don't have to SI. No one gives a shit about staff of course.

A 7th case at my school today and over 160 pupils now off isolating.

Ds has been invited to take part in the imperial college testing survey.

Given he moans when I put a thermometer under his arm, I'm about whether it will give a viable result.

Where are you flump? understand if you don't want to say.

My la has gone up to 97 a week. A growth of 102%!
No universities. But we did have a lot of school cases. Wonder how much effect the lack of t&t had on that. But also there is no way you can t&t 17k people a day.
Why cant they include a link to load up your contacts with the positive result?I
Or maybe a call me back?

My area has increased 150% on last week.

Where are we finding our areas rates of increase/decrease. Off to the gym shortly I'm knackered but exercise is keeping me vaguely sane at the minute.

Still no positive kids at our school. Think we're the only school within miles who haven't had any. God knows how.

@Mistressiggi - I kind of see the point that if a physical letter was sent, it would be sent at the parent's convenience and read upon receipt at the teacher's. But I also know how hard it is to switch off when emails are coming through on personal devices.

I think I shall have to look at this Tom Bennett chap. I've been finding it difficult to help when there's lots of small but disruptive acts going on from the moment they arrive at the classroom door, but I've been employing the 'catch them being good' trick and praising the smallest thing. It's working well with my supported students. Just have to push it to the others too.

2nd positive at DSs school, he’s now SI for a fortnight as a close contact. One confirmed case at DHs rural school. I really thought it’s be me that won the family SI sweepstake given that I work in a pru but there you go!

Hmm should I give any credence to the Y11 who told me that some people "paid" the recent positive case in their year to say they were close contacts of his to get them a fortnight "off school"?

How closely are kids questioned about friends, who they hang out with at lunchtime etc, anyone know?

I was reminded of it by yr comment on the Data thread, @NeurotrashWarrior, about kids not telling parents of symptoms because they'd heard the test hurt!

Not the same thing obvs, but both examples of how human behaviour and motivations have to be factored into any system.

@TheHoneyBadger sign up for @littleowl1's daily emails at www.covidmessenger.com

Third positive pupil today. 'Close contacts' (1/3rd of the year bubble) sent home.

She's been off since Monday (positive parent)

Though I don't teach her I have taught the 'close contacts' multiple times over the past four days, and I had kids in front of me today that swore blind she hugged them on Monday at break when she was last in (but haven't been sent home because they don't sit near her in a classroom).

@minisoksmakehardwork if the emails from parents were positive ones it wouldn't be an issue! But you'd have a firm heart and a steady hand to just choose not to click on an email from a parent that you see on your device until Monday morning - it's the stress that bleeds into your time out of school even when you aren't actually working. Parental contacts have become more confrontational over the time I've been a teacher, though they do often calm down after your reply - still enough to ruin your weekend though.

I'm in awe at how calmly you guys are dealing with your positive cases in school. We haven't had one yet, though neighbouring schools have.

Oh and our head is trying to not pay a teacher for last week because she was off with 'childcare issues'. Her DC had symptoms!! She HAD to SI under the guidelines! Obviously the unions are now involved. I'm actually shocked he's trying to pull this.

@NurotrashWarrior North Yorkshire town but school serves areas such as Leeds

@Frlrlrubert

Oh and our head is trying to not pay a teacher for last week because she was off with 'childcare issues'. Her DC had symptoms!! She HAD to SI under the guidelines! Obviously the unions are now involved. I'm actually shocked he's trying to pull this.

Jesus. I’m not surprised but that’s awful behaviour. Weren’t some heads looking into not paying staff if they went away over half term and then had to SI due to changes in guidance?

Found the breakdown by setting. Schools are still way out there ahead of universities (we are week 49 aren't we?)

@Mistressiggi

I'm in awe at how calmly you guys are dealing with your positive cases in school. We haven't had one yet, though neighbouring schools have.

It's a case of having no choice. Its very strange to think that I've been in contact with a whole year group all week, who now have to self isolate, but somehow I don't. They swarm around us at pinch points in the day. It's nuts.

Yes, salty, but as a % unis are way ahead.

However, that bar graph doesn't make sense because it doesn't go up to 325!