The broom cupboard 2 - just for when we get briefly stranded without a staffroom

[TheHoneyBadger]

I'll pop a link in the old one so you know where to find safe haven. I have tried to clear out some space by getting rid of the ohp and vcr trolley and gin is hidden behind the sick sand bucket.

One for the lefties on here:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55973463

A friend of mine sent me for Christmas, Calvin Robinson and Laurence Fox’s Christmas message which for some reason was filmed on top of a car park. They grimly recited a passage from the Bible and then shared an extremely awkward hug, because they are rebels who don’t obey social distancing guidelines.

It was so awful it genuinely made my Christmas morning.

Good luck born

Congratulations born!
I'm currently looking at civil service or corporate trainer Jobs.

...also a leftie.

Can't sleep. Been doing planning and now I'm all panicky and have palpitations. This is why i need to leave teaching

@borntobequiet

Well I emailed my resignation this evening - notice period is 2 months. Hoping that after a bit of a break, vaccination (and booster), there will be some supply work going in the latter half of the Summer term/start of Autumn term. There’s always tutoring, but actually I prefer being “in work”.

Best wishes to you, Born. Hope everything runs smoothly over the next few months .

Best wishes to you @borntobequiet! Do you feel a huge sense of relief? Or doesn't it seem quite real yet?

All the best born, hope you can deal OK with the next few weeks knowing it'll all be over.

I came late to teaching after twenty odd years in another profession. Even though things are hideous at the moment, I have very few regrets about changing. It is not yet bad enough for me to want to pick up the pieces of my old career and go back! I may regret saying that when inevitably one of the little cherubs gives me Covid in the weeks to come!

Well done @borntobequiet, I know it was difficult even though you know it is right for you just now. I reckon there will be plenty of supply work later in the year/Autumn for sure.

And we are back ....... this cupboard is freezing! I switched the heating on in the staffroom but don't tell the Bursar .

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/4159417-The-Forty-Sixth-Republic-online-learning-has-killed-the-snow-day?watched=1

Oh God that Calvin Robinson. I can put up with Lozza Fox because he is a 3rd rate actor who exerts no influence over anyone really. But Calvin Robinson is a teacher. And he gets support form some quite moderate people on Twitter. He once laid into Jennifer Webb because she did something innocuous like suggest some books by BAME authors for teaching. He did the 'who are you anyway' thing to a twice published author. Embarrassing. And she is lovely and not at all outspoken. He saw her profile pic, read a couple of her tweets and went for her. It worries me how much traction these alt right types are getting these days.

On a side note, he is really thick.

Back in the broom cupboard to give Ophelia book advice!

My DD is 7 and a keen reader - she’s loved Enid Blyton (Amelia Jane, Faraway Tree), she liked the Mummy Fairy books and there’s ones called Naughtiest Unicorn she liked. Horrid Henry was the go-to for ages much to my despair. Mostly now she reads her brother’s 13 Storey Treehouse and Big Nate books (jokes might go over the head of a 5yo but they’re still fun as done in comic style).

@GravityFalls

Back in the broom cupboard to give Ophelia book advice!

My DD is 7 and a keen reader - she’s loved Enid Blyton (Amelia Jane, Faraway Tree), she liked the Mummy Fairy books and there’s ones called Naughtiest Unicorn she liked. Horrid Henry was the go-to for ages much to my despair. Mostly now she reads her brother’s 13 Storey Treehouse and Big Nate books (jokes might go over the head of a 5yo but they’re still fun as done in comic style).

Amazing thank you! I was mildly panicking at the loss of the staffroom that the book recommendations had stopped! Thank goodness for the broom cupboard So this is what I have so far : 3x faraway tree books 4x mummy fairy books 3x isadora moon books (they look sweet )

I'm looking through some more enid blyton ones

I'm pondering d.k.smith - the queens nose. I remember liking that !.

So, The Times article suggests that to "pay" for schools reopening fully on 8th March, that everything else would be slower right down and shops, pubs and restaurants could reopen somewhere between May and August.

Not being funny, but I genuinely think that it would be beyond cruel to give adults zero social life, zero work opportunities, to kill thousands and thousands of businesses, just to get all children back in school full time. I really do. Imagine the mental health of people in their twenties and thirties. Or at any age if they're single. Or not single but in a shit relationship. And the economic fall-out?

It's wrong. They should be focusing on as many mitigation measures as possible in schools so other parts of society can have a chance.

I’m thinking back to what she read most a year or so ago - she’s always been a strong reader but it’s tricky to find the content at that age that isn’t too much. She was definitely reading Harry Potter at the start of first lockdown so when just 6, from choice (I thought they’d be too long/involved for her but she loves them). The Naughtiest Girl in the School was another set of Blytons that she loved, and we’ve started Famous Five/Secret Seven now too (they’re plentiful in charity shops which helps). She’s never much taken to David Wallliams (thank goodness) though there are plenty in the house.

Oh - just remembered the Worst Witch books, they’re nice and the TV series is good wholesome fun too.

Details of survey in ST (part based on recent MN survey). Red Wall do not want extra school hours in the summer /after school day.

51% of people without children support compulsory extra summer schooling but only 45% of those who actually have children. Lots of stuff about stress in parents and children but some interesting stats. Worst in 16-18 age group . Most women said they most wanted their children to be able to get back social time.

A lot of women feel they have lost their own lives/lifestyles to lockdown (this comes through quite strongly) but they don't want their kids in school more, especially Red Wall women. It seems to me that Boris is muddling covid recovery in with his 'levelling up' agenda : it is almost as if it has become a convenient excuse to lengthen school hours.

Question is, do Tories care enough about what women think or want?

I'M actually really cross about this. Crosser than I am about me (us) being thrien back in the classroom full time again.

Why does such a small part of society get such a loud voice?

@OpheliasCrayon - I put these on the end of the other thread.

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue by Paula Harrison - a series, small girl fantasy stuff.
Princess in Black - a series, small girl fantasy stuff.

Ie, stuff they can imagine.

@GravityFalls

I’m thinking back to what she read most a year or so ago - she’s always been a strong reader but it’s tricky to find the content at that age that isn’t too much. She was definitely reading Harry Potter at the start of first lockdown so when just 6, from choice (I thought they’d be too long/involved for her but she loves them). The Naughtiest Girl in the School was another set of Blytons that she loved, and we’ve started Famous Five/Secret Seven now too (they’re plentiful in charity shops which helps). She’s never much taken to David Wallliams (thank goodness) though there are plenty in the house.

Oh - just remembered the Worst Witch books, they’re nice and the TV series is good wholesome fun too.

Naughtiest girl in school! Yes ! I remember that! I get that on there , I loved mallory towers but that's a bit old and I think dated (oh dear now I feel old) for her to understand.

She has all the worst witch books and absolutely adores them. She watches it on tv but only when her little sister is at nursery as she gets pissed off with it as it's not Duggee

[quote RuleWithAWoodenFoot]@OpheliasCrayon - I put these on the end of the other thread.

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue by Paula Harrison - a series, small girl fantasy stuff.
Princess in Black - a series, small girl fantasy stuff.

Ie, stuff they can imagine.[/quote]
Thank you yes. They're both on my samples lists to look at. I think I'm going to get couple of princess in black ones - they're really nicely illustrated as well which I think is good for her as she is still very little and likes a proper colour picture.

On subject of books, I agree How To Train Your Dragon is fab but (English teacher lecture), fluency of reading shouldn't be conflated with comprehension of content .

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark is utterly enchanting still, I think and good for 5/6 year olds. I also think Charlie and Lola are good.

Feelings about Dahl's dodgy views aside, his books are actually quite complex and tortuous for modern kids.

My DD loved the rainbow magic books and there are hundreds of them. I used to get sets on eBay! I’m not into fairy shit but actually the two girls in it are strong women saving the day each time!

Ophelia, not a huge Hunger Games fan (battle royale does that story far better) but her Gregor the overlander books are amazing. Even my non reader child liked them.

@Piggywaspushed

On subject of books, I agree How To Train Your Dragon is fab but (English teacher lecture), fluency of reading shouldn't be conflated with comprehension of content .

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark is utterly enchanting still, I think and good for 5/6 year olds. I also think Charlie and Lola are good.

Feelings about Dahl's dodgy views aside, his books are actually quite complex and tortuous for modern kids.

Oh yes owl who's afraid of the dark , now she's read that and one of the others but you've just reminded me that there's one in that series about an aardvark I believe - i will get that one. I think I love charlie and Lola more than she does

I agree re: dahl - charlie and his racist oompa loompas are somewhat horrifying

The story about schools possibly going back on 8th March seems to be generating some interesting reactions along the lines of “it’s all very well, children should be in school but it’s NOT FAIR that I can’t go back to my ordinary activities too”. Lots of moaning about not being allowed to sit down when exercising...makes you wonder just how concerned some people are about education, and if schools really are just childcare for them. Note: some people, not all, and probably only a small number. But perhaps the most vociferous.