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

I'm only calm because I'm don't live with anyone who is CV and I'm pretty resigned to getting it at some point.

If I lived with someone or was CV myself I'd be properly bricking it.

I did chuck all my stuff in the wash and jump in the shower when I got in tonight, which I haven't done before. I'm so glad we're enforcing masks from Monday.

@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.

For me it's because the thing I was dreading has now happened so I'm not worrying about it anymore. It's impossible to function and exist in a state of high anxiety, so I suppose you just have to get on with it.

We haven't had any new cases in school since the very first week, which is pretty amazing. According to the covid messenger email cases are falling in my area, although that data is always a few days out of date due to when the government releases it. They're not falling by much though.

I'm not the best at behaviour management, although I'm not bad now I've got 16 years experience. I'm never changing school though, as I just couldn't face the thought of having to re-establish myself in a new place. The kids know me where I am, and they know I'm firm but fair, so if they've got a detention they bloody deserved it.

@Mistressiggi -yes, you're right. If they weren't confrontational it wouldn't be a problem. I suspect there are a number of parents whose names you see and your heart sinks. It's right that you shouldn't have to deal with the thought over the weekend.

It is also a shame we have to have them come through to personal devices because schools are not funding such things properly - I've resorted to taking my own tablet in because the school ones are so old and not all the programmes we need run on them. There isn't even the availability of a device for me to complete mandatory training in school!

We have another positive. They’re not even sending the whole form groups home anymore. I’m really angry, there’s no acknowledgement of the fact COVID is airborne. They’re only sending off people who could have been coughed on it seems.

Well, I have got my usual occupational injury of painful back and hip with nasty sciatic pain. Didn't have that for the whole of lockdown

Ouch piggy sciatica is so horrible. Does anything (apart from lockdown!) help it?

Well, one of the lads who were off this week due to a parent testing positive and isolating, have themselves now tested positive - primary age. Gastric symptoms, not classic covid symptoms, but a positive test.
Apparently, because they haven't been in all week none of the rest of the class have to isolate.

Gah DrMadelineMaxwell. I've sent 3 home with tummy pains in the last 10 days. But of course they won't get tested because of course it isn't a symptom.

Not really august. I need to wear flat shoes for a while I guess.

The positive case in DS's school is the girl he sits next to in Spanish. But she was off for over a week so no isolation. I am now wondering about the cold he had last week...

In other news, I saw a colleague high five a child in the corridor.

This is going to turn into where we're now at with nits. If we're lucky, a note will go home saying that there's been a case in such-and-such a year group and to keep an eye out.

When in the real world, people are shaving heads and burning bedding.
(OK, not really, but you know what I mean).

Dd2 has been invited to test as part of the national study. So we're going to do it. She's a bit bothered about what might happen if she tests positive (she's 8) so we're just reassuring her that she doesn't seem to look or feel ill right now so there's nothing to worry about. Getting her to do the test might be another matter though.

@Piggywaspushed, I wanted to hug one of my students today! He did so fantastically well during a tough challenge for him.

@flumposie do you teach down the road from me? Near an indi and 2 comps and a primary all close together. Waves if that is the case

Well, we have made it to half term! Inset day from home today and sitting with a drink tonight.

Can't quite believe it.

@Kashtan sounds like we could be neighbours!

I'm totally hanging out for half term. Starting with an 8 weeker is tough during normal circs. Congratulations!

I've had shocking sciatica since early August. Have now had a load of physio, but every so often I do the scream/collapse thing.

In my search for sympathy I feel the need to point out when my holiday comes in another week I'll have had a 10 week term
I'd rather have that than sciatica though

My back is much much worse since being back in. Looks like my sofa is ergonomically better than my crappy office chair at school .

Will we all make it to half term???

Dh had back pain so I bought him a fab new ergonomic, supportive computer chair for his birthday. It's almost completely for rid of his back pain. Of course, he sits in it about 15 hours a day (it's in the living room, he works there atm, and it's also where he spends his leisure time playing computer games), so that's not a valid solution for those of us at school. I'm very envious of his lovely comfy chair though.

I would buy one out of my own money to use at school but I don't know what to buy and can't exactly test one now!

@Augustbreeze oh god I can quite see that happening!

Sheer resignsation is how I now deal
With cases. It's shit. Dh deals with it by opening all the windows on car journeys 

Ds1 is practising for his ons test by repeatedly touching his tonsils 

@Frlrlrubert that's shocking!

Brtus person with a letter from school that says they are telling them about this case but not any more

Blimey will have a look now.

@Keepdistance couldn't see it on Twitter

My colleague’s partner has tested positive and he has symptoms. Awaiting test results. I spent some time with him earlier in the week, always with a mask and probably at 2 metres distance. We also had a socially distanced departmental meeting with windows open but no masks. I assume that if he tests positive I might be expected to isolate or is the mask and distance enough to keep me in school? Am worried 😧