The Twenty-Seventh Republic - rules or guidelines - Pandemic or Pirates of the Caribbean

[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

[monkeytennis97]

Signing in

[CallmeAngelina]

Phew! That's better. Comfy chairs and a better "ambience."
(thanks to Honey for setting up the interim space though).

[TheHoneyBadger]

Just tried to post this on the other thread:


The kid I referred to is the most profoundly unable to access the curriculum I've ever taught.

Most you can differentiate for to some degree and they can achieve our lowest flight path.

It's very difficult at the minute because I can't even go near to him and he can't follow say instructions that have 2 steps so I literally have to put his task on the drive and have the ta read it to him repeatedly.

I would be better off setting up a scheme of lessons that enable him to show progress on what the subject is and some key terms and skills and concepts but selfishly perhaps I don't have time and no matter how basic I made it I don't think he could access it meaningfully. Now I've said it I'm going to try though.

We have a couple of lessons on castles coming up that I'm hoping he'll be able to engage in. With literally no writing though I can't even get him to label a diagram.

Anyway just wanted to point out he's an extreme example. I've never had to resort to headphones and videos before. I do need to think of ways of evidencing progress though. I may have to give the ta a list of questions that she can ask and mark his verbal responses and score itms.

[CallmeAngelina]

Why does that "sick stuff" smell so bad though? I mean, I suppose it's better than what it's meant to mask but still...

[Saucery]

Morning.
Cried for an hour that Bobby Ball has died last night. I think I need to get a grip, somehow.

Mainstream inclusion discussion on the last thread was very interesting, thank you. That’s sort of my ‘thing’ and I can see both sides (parents wanting mainstream, differentiation being extremely difficult for some needs). In my ideal world every mainstream school would have a dedicated SEN unit for the academic side and a nurturing team for social and emotional side. Very expensive to do well, with trained, experienced staff.

[motherrunner]

👋

DS in day 6 of isolation. Am hoping he is a Covid clear as last contact with positive case was last Weds. Day 3 for me. So bored!

Looks like I’ll be in Tier 3 next week according to local news. Guess it makes no difference to us though - school as usual!

[MrsHamlet]

If you use teams, or word, both have read aloud functions which can be really useful for non-readers or those who aren't very confident.

[HedyPrism]

Hi everyone, useful discussion. I am also finding it impossible to differentiate down to the very lowest ability. Particularly in Y7 there are so many with SEND and behaviour issues that I feel I need to reteach things from lower primary. In the same class are children working at much higher level.

[WhyNotMe40]

Back when we had proper funding, we used to give work books to the lower ability year 7s that had lots of simple colourful diagrams to complete, close activities etc. That combined with exploratory style science practicals meant most could access and achieve.
However we are currently teaching in form groups. No practicals. No budget. Distancing.
I'm afraid I've given up a bit

[Piggywaspushed]

Thanks staff!

News just in : Teachers,students aged 15 -18 in high alert areas of Scotland to wear mask in classrooms.

Shielded pupils to remain at home. not teachers though, it seems.

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

Some follow the rules to the letter some take a Jack Sparrow approach

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

@CallmeAngelina

Phew! That's better. Comfy chairs and a better "ambience."
(thanks to Honey for setting up the interim space though).

Yes that is Tier Hideaway

[Appuskidu]

@Piggywaspushed

Thanks staff!

News just in : Teachers,students aged 15 -18 in high alert areas of Scotland to wear mask in classrooms.

Shielded pupils to remain at home. not teachers though, it seems.

How can they justify saying that vulnerable children should be at home but vulnerable staff don’t need to?!

[Augustbreeze]

Details here:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54748253

So it's not all secondary, just (English) KS4/5?

[MrsHamlet]

The magic 2m will protect vulnerable staff?!

[noblegiraffe]

Today’s ONS survey data. Infection rates in Y7-11 approaching that of uni students - the ones who are blamed for catching it in pubs and illegal raves.

Wonder how that graph will be minimised.

[Piggywaspushed]

Oh, it will be, it will be...

[RigaBalsam]

From the Guardian
When looking at infections across different age groups, rates now seem to be steeply increasing among secondary school children whilst older teenagers and young adults continue to have the highest levels of infection.”

[Piggywaspushed]

How far do you have to dig to find that in The Guardian?

[RigaBalsam]

@Piggywaspushed

How far do you have to dig to find that in The Guardian?

It was in the key events round up

[minisoksmakehardwork]

Checking in.

The talk of inclusion is one close to my heart, both as an LSA and a sen parent.

I know there are teacher who do their best, and even those of you who say you are knowingly selfish in not being able to provide differentiation are showing that it's not because you don't care and don't want to. There is just so much going on and you can only spread yourself so thin.

There is of course the additional problem of differentiating so much that other, able students, suddenly become unable to do basic work - I am seeing this jealousy with some of my supporters students peers. The irony is 1 or 2 of my students would give anything to not be seen to have any help. It's really hard as an LSA to help the teacher differentiate without showing the rest of the class that there are students doing 'easier' work.

[Piggywaspushed]

Right. Barely reported on News just now.

[RigaBalsam]

@Piggywaspushed

How far do you have to dig to find that in The Guardian?

I also caught the tail end of it on LBC though not holding my breath that it won't be minimised.

[Mistressiggi]

I'm pleased about the masks (central belt in scotland all in a higher alert category.)
I plan to take a break between classes - I'm not sure when students get a mask break though as they are supposed to wear in the corridor and in the class. I have yet to manage teaching a full period wearing one, though I put in on whenever I'm not speaking.

[Cracklefraggle]

Our cases are dropping now in tier 3. Hopefully they will continue to do so but over the next 2 weeks how are 'they' going to be able to tell what is due to tier 3 restrictions and whats due to schools being closed over half term