The Forty Third Republic - Lockdown learning continues - when is half term?

[Staffdontblowitnow]

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

@noblegiraffe

People certainly changed their tune on vaccinating teachers as soon as they thought it might open schools sooner.

Amazing how schools being closed has actually focused minds on the issue of school safety when before people were quite happy to turn a blind eye.

Exactly

No, Herc, there wouldn't. But we know from lockdown one that kids who got no feedback just stopped working - entirely reasonably! I also won't backmark ... but then there a lot of things that I won't do, so rarely need to, if you see what I mean 😂
We've already had complaints about work not being marked so I think we might be storing up trouble for ourselves if we shift to bookwork which is then harder to mark. It's all just a juggling act. With knives. And fire.

We were doing ‘live’ lessons from March and it was a sad moment when SLT told us (with great joy) that now it was all set up, we could still work every time it snowed, when the water went off in school or if we broke our legs. We were left wondering about the effect of snow on home WiFi access 🙂. Snow days are one of the joys of life and should be untouchable. Honestly, will no one think of the kids?!?

It does sound like you have reason to think you might get a diagnosis, Honey

I'm not surprised that you never considered it though, I'm not sure I can think of any girls I teach with ADHD, and we certainly rarely think of it as something adults might have.

It must be quite a realisation to have had though. Are you ok?

I think like autism it can present different,y in girls. And they tend to be better at masking than boys. DNiece2 has ADHD but it wasn’t diagnosed until yr 8.

We've not doing hwk except a level groups.

I'm trying to do approximately a 20 min video with quick tasks built in then set them an extended task and encourage them to do it on paper and photograph. In reality I think only those on phones go and do it on paper.

Live lessons have been cut to 45minutes so students and staff can get a screen break but doesn't seem like many 'got the memo' on that. It was kind of buried in an email and really needs flagging more clearly.

I teach some girls with diagnoses of ADHD and they do present as more mixed/closer to ASD than some of the boys (though that probably means loads of boys are undiagnosed, too).

I have a friend recently diagnosed at age 40 after all three of her children were. She has always been pretty classically ADHD to me. I identify with some of the things you mention - need for absolute silence, being able to produce great things in short bursts but not always sustain it, and coming across as rude in some situations, like waiting rooms...mine is much more a sensory thing, though, and I believe I'm definitely on the autistic spectrum (though very mildly). I adult very well and don't cope with people who can't . (I actually have infinite patience with children and teenagers and very little with other adults. Rather unreasonably, I know.)

<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=mobile.twitter.com/Unlocked_UK_/status/1353076622669176833?s=19&fbclid=IwAR1zCc8Ob6w8rC9XS1ma-z2li1Qou-V5OJPt66vot_xqG3iMYFibKeSM50A" target="blank">http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=mobile.twitter.com/Unlocked<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=mobile.twitter.com/Unlocked_UK/status/1353076622669176833?s=19&fbclid=IwAR1zCc8Ob6w8rC9XS1ma-z2li1Qou-V5OJPt66vot_xqG3iMYFibKeSM50A" target="blank">UKK<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=mobile.twitter.com/Unlocked_UK/status/1353076622669176833?s=19&fbclid=IwAR1zCc8Ob6w8rC9XS1ma-z2li1Qou-V5OJPt66vot_xqG3iMYFibKeSM50A" target="_blank">/status/1353076622669176833?s=19&fbclid=IwAR1zCc8Ob6w8rC9XS1ma-z2li1Qou-V5OJPt66votxqG3iMYFibKeSM50A

🤦‍♀️

@noblegiraffe

It does sound like you have reason to think you might get a diagnosis, Honey

I'm not surprised that you never considered it though, I'm not sure I can think of any girls I teach with ADHD, and we certainly rarely think of it as something adults might have.

It must be quite a realisation to have had though. Are you ok?

Thanks. I am ok. Don't know if it's even worth talking to a doctor about. If I had access I'd probably just do a month's trial on adhd meds and see if it made a difference. Not sure about jumping through hoops and all that it would take.

☃️ a dad and two kids have made a human-sized snowman on the grass opposite us! I love how beautiful everything looks in the snow. 😊

I have a friend who was diagnosed with ADHD aged 50. His wife was very relieved to finally have an explanation!

That unlocked poll had No as well ahead this morning-that result looks highly suspicious!

Thank you for the secondary comments everyone-that’s really useful. I think probably just making the lessons 10/15 minutes shorter would help

Can I ask your opinion? I've got sinus pain and have had since Friday, should I book a test?

No temp or change in taste/smell or a cough.

I have heard some people saying it was their first symptom.... I think I'd test, yes.

Another vote for test

Yes, test

eitak22 that was one of my first symptoms which became a full head cold.

We are worried about the amount of screen time for staff and students. Our lessons are now 5 mins shorter and we have an extra 15 mins at lunch just to give people the opportunity to stop looking at screens but it is bloody hard.

I am really conscious that I don’t want death by PowerPoint and so trying to get a mix of things to do. For example watch a documentary then discuss on Teams

I am thinking of setting my year 12s a task this week - so they can research in their own time and then do a team’s presentation on Friday.

Anyone got an MP who isn’t a prick?

Mine’s a prick but then I already knew that.

ismympaprick.co.uk/

Mine’s a prick. I wasn’t sure.

I think he’s an I always follow the Tory party line sort of prick. Sometimes he doesn’t look like a prick on twitter.

Mine is too.

I knew that anyway.

Mine is a total prick. I’ve stopped writing to him because his replies were actually rather nasty. The MP where my school is is even worse.

Oh, come on, we all know mine is!

Two words : Nadine and Dorries.

Mind you that site doesn't even recognise the marvellous Labour MP that I pretend is mine because if I was 2/3 mile away he would be.

Therefore, I conclude the algorithm might be racist..

Guardian today says Gav/Boris are set to announce that schools will remain online after half term. Was mostly expecting it tbh.

I do worry about the amount of screen time for all! I mainly teach GCSE/A-level (all sciences to GCSE and Physics at A-level) with just two Y9 lessons pw.

With the massive amount of content, I am trying to plough on but Fri and yesterday, I had the most horrendous headaches. I wear glasses all of the time and I genuinely worry that my eyesight will deteriorate even more

Mine isn't a prick!