The Thirty-Fourth Republic - Time to recharge our batteries and make the best of our festive break

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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

Thanks herc!! I'll have a good play with those later. Can you see my attempts at drawing the trig graphs? It might be embarrassing if you can, as it's really tricky to draw them with my finger on a phone

Piggyinblankets And the rise in the ‘there have been no cases in my school and I know that for sure!’ brigade.

[quote Hercwasonasnowball]@MrsHercYulePoirot happy to share, will DM you some links (as long as I can do it from my phone).[/quote]
@Hercwasonasnowball, please may I have some Desmos links too?

Morning all.

Dunno what to say. Too fed up now.

Haha I can if I turn my laptop on! Some of the attempts from the students with a mouse are hilarious. But getting the feedback is so much better than teams chat. You can also respond individually (we had to turn off this feature on teams due to abuse from students and parents).

I only did one before I realised quite how difficult it is to get them right, lol. I don't want you to think I'm a bit dim, I'm just not very coordinated

I do recommend students have a laptop or tablet for desmos lessons. That's the only downfall, if they are on a phone it's not brilliant.

When I put videos in them I'll sometimes teach that bit using the visualiser but the video is there for students accessing it later. Sometimes I just let them watch it, particularly if the school bandwidth is struggling.

@CallmeAngelGabriel take heart, I have just dumped all the left over food from the KS2 Christmas parties on the staffroom table. Help yourself to kit-kats, wotsits, space raiders and penguins galore!

Up since early, obsessively checking phone for test result, as I could do with a nice head-clearing walk in the winter sunshine.
Bin collection rota fallen in our favour this year so I’m killing time by filling bin bags with crap that can go on Thurs.
Then a nifty piece of kit I bought for my hobby is waiting to be unwrapped and put together, so that will cheer me up!

The immediate Wales lockdown came from out of the blue. It makes me angry that governments have known how bad things are looking for some time, but have kept us in those classrooms unprotected watching Home Alone until the last possible moment. I am livid about supermarket workers having to take the risks yet again, unvaccinated and for minimum wage.

I was in a weird situation yesterday. DD (10) decided our only Christmas treat should be having our nails done, which I duly booked. Found someone who works independently but is now based in a salon with a 'state registered' hair dresser, whatever the fuck that means.

Well the entire salon was probably less than 3m X 3m and in it when I got there were two clients, both without a mask (she put it on to leave so clearly wasn't exempt) and neither was the hairdresser wasn't wearing one at that point. The nail technician was wearing a visor. No windows open. Our temps weren't taken and neither were our details.

I asked straight off where the masks were and the nail tech blustered that some people were exempt. The only possible truth in this was the client who didn't out a mask on at any point - no lanyard.

I should have said thanks but no thanks there and then, but felt very awkward and having just had a barney with DD at home, didn't want to cancel her treat (I know, I know, I could have given her Covid for Christmas - in stupid).

Anyway, at one point a man came in to collect a Christmas gift, no mask, and hugged the hairdresser. She went on to say he used to work for her and is from X country, so definitely not her bubble. The final straw was a woman who came in, asked them all what they wanted from the cafe across the road, borrowed a mask to go out and get it, then promptly took it off when she came back and sat awaiting her hair cut. Could not believe it. When she popped out to speak to someone outside the salon, I asked the owner to insist on masks and she said 'well some people are exempt' and the CF who had just popped outside was tested every week at work

I think she must have text CF because she out her mask on when she came back in. During small talk the nail tech mentioned that it must be a pain that I couldn't have my nails done for school - I commented that I could but hadn't been able to when working in the NHS. At that point, CF piped up, 'Oh that's me as well. Not allowed due to infection control.' I assume she's a HCA or a nurse.

I was minded to report them but I'm hoping my direct questions about non-mask wearing were enough to make them think I will. They're shut down for weeks now anyway, thankfully in their case.

I feel terribly sorry for small business owners including responsible salons. Very angry about supermarket workers who don't appear on the vax list either. 24 hour opening starts tomorrow, of course people will be stampeding there for all their non-essential shipping now the rest are shut.

Just stealth wrapped the few gifts I've gotten together for ds so far. That felt a little bit Christmassy

Teens are tricky for the things to unwrap. Lots of 'money for clothes' and'PlayStation credit' requests but they still need little surprise things to unwrap and be surprised by. Think I've managed something he'll definitely want to play with me on Christmas morning. Sadly I need to buy a replacement selection pack. Can't think what happened to the original one...

Wow, let my post be a lesson in the value of proof reading

SquashedFly - I think you nailed on the last page what a lot of the stress has been: the cognitive dissonance required. No, don't worry about social distancing because you can't do your job otherwise, no, don't tell the kids off because, really, what's the point? And then go anywhere else and have to dive sideways others are anything like 3 metres near you, queue to be allowed in the pharmacy one at a time or walk out into the road if you pass someone on a walk...

It's not logical and therefore really stressful. And especially as I come home and DO social distance from my CEV husband. Eurgh. The whole thing has been vile.

I’m glad it’s not just me with the cleaning, although I have lost the sense of urgency that an impending visit from my (scarily house proud) mother can generate!

@BreadSaucery Your bin collection gain is my loss. I seem to have angered the bin gods this year as there will be no collection for us until well after the big day! I suppose it will force me to be mindful of waste

Dreading the supermarket. It’s going to be vile, isn’t it? I would put it off but my isolating neighbour has empty cupboards and three hungry children

We have a hairdresser across the road Salty and every time I walk past there are no masks being worn. It’s a very popular one, too!

@SquashedFlyBiscuitsForSanta - completely agree re: cognitive dissonance. I’m looking forward to two weeks in control of my space, before the madness begins afresh.

@SaltyAF - wtf?! That sounds horrific!

Sophie Ridge just asked Hancock about schools. He has swerved the question and said there are plans to keep them open using testing.

Last time I went to the hairdresser she was very strict on mask wearing, which I was very happy about. Not that she seemed to need to be strict about it, as everyone who came in was wearing their masks, as were the staff. People around here seem very compliant about masks and hand sanitising. I think I live in a rule abiding bubble. I don't get out much though so I'm not sure if that's representative of the whole city or just my little bit of it.

salty what the actual?

Hope everyone is feeling ok. I’ve slept so much and I still feel tired. Going to leave it a few days and then have a look at the Desmos website and see if it makes sense.

My own hair dresser is great. You can't even wait for your appointment inside if.thryre not quite ready for you. I was very shocked by yesterday's experience.

In Wales, primaries went online on Tuesday but teachers' kids weren't allowed to attend as key workers. Thursday and Friday my sister and stepmum had them for me. Saturday I'm told I can't see them any more.

Dr Susan Hopkins emphasising on BBC just now that indoor spaces, loud voices and poor ventilation are linked to spread.

Of course she linked this to the government's decision to limit household mixing but someone needs to join these dots!!

@Piggyinblankets

Dr Susan Hopkins emphasising on BBC just now that indoor spaces, loud voices and poor ventilation are linked to spread.

Of course she linked this to the government's decision to limit household mixing but someone needs to join these dots!!

Wtf are most journalist so shit and don’t bloody ask these questions?!

I think it's more that the scientists don't seem to draw the conclusions! I wonder how many have school age children or teacher relatives?

Why on earth can't teachers access keyworker provision in Wales??