The Thirty-First Republic - oh the joy of on-line parents evenings

[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 staffroom password just in case it attracts the wrong sort

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 booze is stashed - Thirsty Tuesdays, Fizz Fridays now in operation.

If you come with a stick to goad us then that is not allowed in the staffroom and you will receive a detention

@WhyNotMe40

Is that on SIMs? I had no idea those other codes existed! We just use X

I had no idea either! All very suspicious...

Ooooh, our foot-in-mouth-NQT asked our HT today if she would be given a budget for Christmas decorations. It was gruesome. Like watching a car crash in action.

I'm totally failing my weak kids since I'm not allowed to go and help them. Staff have been told off for getting out of their boxes, and parents have complained. Now I'm in trouble for predicting too low grades for kids who have done nothing to show they're capable of the 1 I've predicted, much Jess their target grade. Rage crying whilst marking real exams is probably not conducive to accuracy.

Definitely take the full day for the hysterectomy appointment!

Today started a bit tense as someone in my faculty was off (not covid) so I had to set cover. However, I marked my Y13 mock papers and they did quite well. A student who has really struggled for many reasons and was getting U grades passed. SLT presentation went well too. So not bad overall -Y9s were a bit bouncy though

@DollyMixtureLulus oh dear!

@MrsHamlet you're not failing them - you are doing your best under tough circumstances. Your SLT are being ridiculous!

@Isthatitnow

And in the news tonight, a TA has died. So that’s 2 deaths and 2 in intensive care in the last 3 weeks local to me. But schools really aren’t a problem, are they?!

Oh no :( It's just awful.

Then the instant I get them started on independent work. Hands go up for help (typically 3/4 and the rest are working). They get told to read for the answer in the blurb I’ve given them (this is after they’ve been taught 30 seconds previously).

Some kids do just need everything repeating again. Especially with mixed ability, do your normal explanation, check for understanding, then set the good ones off on the task and go through it all again for the rest. If you have a load of hands up the minute you put them to work, you need to do more input instead of berate them for not listening (a hard-won lesson during my NQT year).

"Staff have been told off for getting out of their boxes, and parents have complained."
Complained about you getting out of your box and going too close? Or for not getting out, and leaving their kids to flounder?

Then the instant I get them started on independent work. Hands go up for help (typically 3/4 and the rest are working). They get told to read for the answer in the blurb I’ve given them (this is after they’ve been taught 30 seconds previously).

It's always good to get one of them to tell you what they're doing before setting them off. The rest are also more likely to listen to a peer. Use a random name generator or lollipop sticks and reward for a good answer.

Those codes don't exist in Sims in my school. We're using X to represent anyone self-isolating as a close contact or waiting for test results. Anyone who tests positive goes down as I because at that point they are actually ill apparently. And anyone who is self isolating because they decided for themselves that they were a close contact are down as O. So our attendance is going to look crap as we have so many deciding for themselves that they were actually in close contact with a positive case, and they are probably right, yet they are going down as unauthorised absence.

If you have a load of hands up the minute you put them to work, you need to do more input instead of berate them for not listening (a hard-won lesson during my NQT year)

Thanks nobel I’m having a rough two weeks. I don’t think I’m berating them, to be honest I don’t even know anymore.

There’s a distinct lack of willingness to put any effort in and it’s driving me mad.

@WhenSheWasBad sometimes, it can be a case of some kids genuinely just needing more repetition and input. Sometimes they don't want to ask for help so appear not to make the effort.

It's hard,I know, but extra input from you is sometimes the only way.

Keep going! We are half way through the half term now!

Whenshewasbad I wouldn't have believed how instructions could float in and out of a teenager's head until I had one of my own at home (of that age) and I can't believe how woolly his head is sometimes

I don’t think I’m berating them

Oh, I was definitely berating them. It didn't go well. HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN I LITERALLY JUST TOLD YOU?

Give way more support than you think they need. If there are lots of hands up, it's not enough so stop the lesson and do another explanation instead of trying to help individuals. Loads of modelling. Get them to do Q1 only and then go through the answer straight away so they are more confident before being set the rest of the exercise (maths teacher example).

It might be a lack of effort, it might be a lack of confidence. Make sure it's not the second before assuming the first.

2 days to 1000 posts on my latest thread. That's a new record.

You want to get them to the point where they head off into the independent work thinking that the first bits (at least) will be easy. That's what I'm aiming for.

Also, no gap between input and doing the work - they don't have a faff to find equipment, write a date, write a LO or whatever you use - they just go straight into the work.

Tell them to stay on the carpet (if you use one) if they don't get it, or ask children to stay on the carpet if you've seen them not get it. This is where small whiteboards can be useful to assess their understanding at input level.

Sit your 'common' don't get its at the front so you can get to them quickly and in one hit before they start putting their hands up. If you do it quickly enough and the others are all doing the 'easy' stuff you've sent them off to do, they get a go-over without distraction.

@CallmeAngelina

"Staff have been told off for getting out of their boxes, and parents have complained." Complained about you getting out of your box and going too close? Or for not getting out, and leaving their kids to flounder?

Getting out!!!

Those codes don't exist in Sims in my school.
I didn’t think they did at my school either! Scroll down to the bottom of the codes list just in case-SIMs should be the same for everyone if a school has done the updates

@DollyMixtureLulus

Ooooh, our foot-in-mouth-NQT asked our HT today if she would be given a budget for Christmas decorations. It was gruesome. Like watching a car crash in action.

This gave me a well needed laugh tonight. Thank you!

@DollyMixtureLulus

Ooooh, our foot-in-mouth-NQT asked our HT today if she would be given a budget for Christmas decorations. It was gruesome. Like watching a car crash in action.

Eeeeek! Cringe!

A school near me has gone blended learning due to staff absences.

Our sickness seemed huge today.

Give way more support than you think they need. If there are lots of hands up, it's not enough so stop the lesson and do another explanation instead of trying to help individuals. Loads of modelling

Thanks for the advice and letting me moan. I think I’m floundering a lot as it’s mixed ability. Just feel like I’m failing the most able and the least able. I can feel the most able getting pissed off as they want more complex work. It needs modelling, they can’t really teach it to themselves. But I can’t do it as 1/4 of the class are struggling with the basics.
I’ll try and draw on extra patience reserves tomorrow.

I’ve never taught mixed ability before and and finding it incredibly tough.

I can’t teach mixed ability for toffee. We set maths as soon as we can at my school. It’s really hard so don’t be surprised if you’re finding it difficult. Ask to observe people who are good at it.

I second third and fourth modelling. My books are full of models. Makes little odds to some, mind!!