The Twenty-fifth Republic - circuit breaker before/during/after half term

[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 and you will receive a detention

@CountDuckulasKetchup
We have had to do mixed in class and beamed live to any kids isolating since we came back in September. I was really unhappy about it but tbh it has been ok. It’s a little hectic getting it set up, especially if you have just done the dash across school thing.
We use teams, kids have videos and mics off at home, but can unmute themselves to ask a question.
I haven’t tried Nobles desmos, but use classkick Or whiteboard.fi to see students responses in real time ( both are free) The independent work bit we put pdfs in the relevant lesson folder on showbie and everyone annotates their own document whether in school or at home.

@DollyMixtureLulus the one I got did talk about a Covid test, I answered it anyway and at the end it said I would be sent an antibody test.

Omg that's exactly what I need! I was going to duct tape an old iPhone to a type of drawing / camera holder type thing for the same purpose!

Might actually check if we have any in school.

the one I got did talk about a Covid test, I answered it anyway and at the end it said I would be sent an antibody test.

@Mistressiggi I got one yesterday that a few people I know also got- you had to put in the code etc? This one came this morning, warning me not to post it on a Sunday and to put it in a priority post box etc. We'll soon see I suppose.

I tried to get hold of a spare visualiser the other week - apparently all the ones in school are already "out" and they're hard to come by at the moment.
But I then found one in the back of a cupboard in one of the rooms I teach in. The teacher it "belongs to" never uses it apparently, so I've passed it to a colleague who wanted one!

My school is in tier 2. Catchment is tier 1 and 2. Live in tier 2. Dh works in tier 1 - key worker ( how he is classified as that only BoJo knows).

Friends have organised a coffee meet up in tier 1. Only a few minutes drive away. I am not invited as a I am teacher (no shit Sherlock!)

And there is a football match ( men not kids) taking place in the park across the road!

Who actually knows what is going on?

I've done too much work this weekend but I'm still on a mission to do nothing in half term.

Anyone live near enough to Honey to stage an intervention and stop her working unpaid? (Only partly joking). I'd do it but we're not supposed to travel

Where do you live honey? If I'm close enough I'll come and remove your ability to work (that sounds like a threat, but you know what I mean) over half term.

I've done no work whatsoever this weekend. It's lucky I have a free P1 tomorrow so I can do some of the work I should have been doing today. I went for a walk and watched a film instead. 🤷

I'd do it if you are in my bit of the SW 🤣

Honey, I’m not sure if you need to consider why you are filling your unpaid days with schoolwork, especially given the message from your head that you won’t be considered for progression. That should have been a clear prompt to say ‘fuck-it I’m off out/watching Netflix/doing a 3000 piece jigsaw’ instead.

I realistically can't not work and get the job done to a satisfactory level. I had to mark a set of assessments today only to discover no one has done an mark and feedback scheme so had to produce that in order to mark.

I have three more sets of assessments to mark this week, the deadline is Friday so couldn't waste today. I don't really mind at the minute tbh. Ds lies in and then gets on his ps4 then later went out with a friend on their bikes so I've sat in my bed most of the day marking and watching the odd episode of fargo plus done a bit of laundry for next school week.

It's not like it's dragging me away from my rock and roll lifestyle

Honey is it your job to do the mark scheme?

If not, why did you not just email the person whose job it is and ask for one?

I'm not allowed out except for work but I'm happy to declare that "staging an intervention" is work!

I've worked for 5 hours today. Partner took kid away so I could get on. Either that or he needed to take a day off in half term... funnily enough he went for a Sunday afternoon instead of a full day! But it was super useful, hopefully able to do a few evenings this week and not have to work at all over half term. Everything crossed.

Got another day out with my catchup kids tomorrow, then management time on Wednesday, then a day of flu vaccine hassle on Friday... so a relatively quiet week. HA. Famous last words...

I'm still allowed out. I'll do it. But you still haven't told us roughly where you are in the country so we can stage your intervention properly. I could just take you out.

Meh, I made my students mark their own assessments and just read their scores out to me. I'll check their marking during half term if I CBA
When I took the job I basically told them I only do the bare minimum, and took a large step down the pay scale to do so. They are getting a UPS middle management teacher for a low MPS, so they can't complain too much. Or at least they haven't yet and I'm very open about my rigid boundaries around my work life balance . As long as the kids make good progress and get good grades... And I'm good at getting my students good grades so
Sometimes you've just got to let them know where you stand, and I think you'd be surprised at what they accept.

@MsAwesomeDragon "take you out".....
meaning either

A) go and have a naice lunch together somewhere in tier 1 if allowed?

OR

B) render honey physically incapable of any schoolwork (which could possibly be achieved by a) if enough 🍷 and are involved)?

Honey if you're creating marking schemes you need to be on UPS!

Please let it be known loudly that you did that

I've done no work today but will do a good 6 on Tuesday, an unpaid day, paying extra for ds to be in nursery so I can...

We've worked so much better as a family unit since I stopped any work at the weekend. It's a bit more expensive (though in-laws were doing a day before Covid, so wasn't really more than we'd have needed anyway) but bloody worth it.

If we get away at half term, I think it'll be my first ever half term with no work

I have to say, if it weren't for still doing sodding curriculum docs and some home learning prep, I'd actually have very little work to do at home at the moment.

The curriculum docs have taken the proverbial mn biscuit. Subject leaders have essentially written QCA docs during lockdown, of a similar size. I could bloody publish them and make some money.

NTW do it. Teachit pays well for that sort of thing!

Dd1's school have just emailed saying 2 members of staff tested positive. Plus several isloating due to being in close contact. But no students off due to measures in place. Makes me wonder if it's connected to the student case which we were told about 5 days ago...

August I'm open to either interpretation of "take you out". I'd obviously prefer the going out for a walk and a drink, but sniper rifle works as well (shooting the work rather than honey herself)

Honey, sounds like your school has unrealistic marking guidelines. You shouldn't be working full-time for part time wages. Was it you who said there was no union rep? If not speak to them. If it is, either swap unions so you have representation or persuade someone else to do it or think about volunteering yourself. Or sometimes the regional rep will intervene if there's no school rep.