Creeping dread of Monday

[VashtaNerada]

Starting to feel sick at the thought of school on Monday. I just feel under so much pressure at the moment. SLT appear to have gone slightly insane with all the stress and are being much harder on us than usual so I’m worried about all the normal behavioural issues and the criticism I’ll get if the class are too noisy etc, but also worried about the increased pressure if my TA is off (she missed loads of school last term due to her and/or her DC needing to self isolate - not her fault at all but adding significantly to my workload). And it doesn’t help that I’m teaching in one of the highest rates of Covid in the country, travelling in on public transport and feeling completely vulnerable to it at all times
I don’t know if I’ll feel better if I try to get some work done today or worse.

I'm planning in about 3-4 hours each day from today in the mornings then I still have some time free in the afternoons. If you have a lot to do, it"s better to start now than be up all night over the weekend, I"d have thought. It's so uncertain at the moment, but I feel better in my head if I am organised. I am sorry about your SLT. I have certainly felt the change of emphasis from 'wellbeing and recovery' in September to progress and targets in December. It's going to be a tough one I think.

Thanks. Yes I think I will do a bit today. It’s so strange because I’m planning for classroom teaching but there’s always that chance the government will change their minds and it will be remote teaching instead, in which case most of my planning will be for nothing! (If it’s remote we will almost certainly do completely different lessons).

Spent the morning doing work and I genuinely feel a bit better now! It’s possibly reminded me about the GOOD bits about being a teacher which I really couldn’t remember first thing this morning!

Just wanted to say hello and I sympathise / empathise, VashtaNerada. Covid isn't making things easy for schools / teachers at all, and the current unpredictability about the start of the new term, whether that will be in person or online, plus the demands of senior leaders, is whipping up a perfect storm for many teachers out there, I suspect.

My advice? Take it easy - one step at a time. Planning in stages over the next few days makes sense, but equally, so does getting some rest!

Thanks @CJFJ1

@VashtaNerada

I clicked on here tonight to say exactly the same thing. I have been awful today, checking news updates every five minutes.

I'm not so bothered about the planning, just the uncertainty. Having been isolating over most of the holiday, I'm dreading the next few weeks.

If you start some planning I'm sure you'll feel better.

In light of today’s announcements Not all will be going back on Monday. Most primaries are but I must admit to feeling very worried now after all the mingling and mixing over Xmas.

I still don’t know as my area is one of those in dispute! Hope I get a definitive answer soon.

Are there areas in dispute? I thought there had been a definitive list of the areas that had to close.
If we weren't on it, I thought we were ok to open?

The list changed within about an hour of being published! There are several areas with really high covid rates that were left off - either by mistake or design - so local politicians have contacted the government for clarification.

I'm feeling the same, the pressure is mounting already. I really must start planning today. I was waiting to see as we've already in tier 4 and high rates in south east. Schools closed about 1/2 hour drive from us but not our area.....

I start a new job on Monday - feeling very wobbly and pressure to hit the ground running (job share). I did some planning before Christmas and will do some more, but what a crap time to be starting anew 😢

On the plus side @MrsZola at least everyone will be so preoccupied you’ll slip under the radar and just be able to get on with it!
Hope the planning helps @Flyingaway16 - I felt a bit better once I’d done a bit.