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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

The Forty-fifth Republic - Is there anyone there? Surely time for half term

999 replies

Staffdontblowitnow · 02/02/2021 12:46

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

OP posts:
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17
TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 14:58

Thanks for the new thread :)

RigaBalsam · 02/02/2021 15:02

Hancock in the commons today think he was fed up of the schools questions.

There was one question about a mental health study on school closures and Hancock (paraphrased) pretty much answered well there is a mental health problem with an overwhelmed health service too. It's about balance.

Piggywaspushed · 02/02/2021 15:14

Thanks staff.

Had 2 frees today and haven't even scratched the surface. Upset stomach and wobbly legs to boot.

TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 15:20

There was a nice synchronicity in that I turned 44 during the last one Smile

WhenSheWasBad · 02/02/2021 15:20

That’s not good piggy

Everyone seems pissed off today. Teams is hard. Lessons are hard. Life is dull and boring. The weather is shit.

Why oh why is it only Tuesday.

TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 15:22

Riga, this is the thing. Everyone's mental health is being seriously tested.

Mine has been today by my kids and the circumstances, pms and some health issues. Managed to pull out of it now thankfully.

MrsHamlet · 02/02/2021 15:42

I've decided that today was Friday ... CBA!!!!!!

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/02/2021 15:51

@TheHoneyBadger

Yeah I'd have left it up and said it was a brain break strategy Rule.
Oh yes, I left it up and replied.

I'd drop a kitten if it was less than 500mm off the ground (make them work that conversion out into something meaningful), because cats are find at landing on their feet. But I wouldn't drop a kitten if it was from a helicopter.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/02/2021 15:52

The other poll that made me laugh was, how old are you?

6 - 9
10 - 12
47

Considering we're year 3 and 4, everyone answered 6-9 apart from me. Guess which I answered.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/02/2021 15:53

We've got a screen break day tomorrow, so it does feel a bit like the heat is off for 24 hours at least. My marking is up to date, I haven't planned for Thursday though.

RigaBalsam · 02/02/2021 15:55

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

We've got a screen break day tomorrow, so it does feel a bit like the heat is off for 24 hours at least. My marking is up to date, I haven't planned for Thursday though.
We have one of them next week one of the activity suggestions is bird watching. Can't see dd going for that. Bet they are all on screens all day anyway.
eitak22 · 02/02/2021 16:00

Anyone worried that Scotland's news will lead to schools in England going back sooner than they should?

Anyone here in any of the testing zones for the SA variant?

TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 16:02

I've decided Ds1 has a calling as a cbbc presenter, especially crackerjack.

Love him to bits but it would be useful to turn him off occasionally.

TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 16:04

@eitak22

Anyone worried that Scotland's news will lead to schools in England going back sooner than they should?

Anyone here in any of the testing zones for the SA variant?

I think there will be huge resistance now from local authorities, especially in areas where it's bad and this new SA one.

The government wouldn't be so stupid surely.

And Matt H clearly isn't going to fuck it up.

Piggywaspushed · 02/02/2021 16:10

Ah, my local hero has died Sad

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/02/2021 16:10

Bet they are all on screens all day anyway.

Yep - it'll be playing games with each other online. Ah well. We tried. Some parents are really struggling to get the work done, but it's a rock and hard place isn't it. The work gives the day structure, live lessons give them a bit of childcare, story time gives them half an hour of childcare with no pressure, not having any screen at all = having to keep them busy.

it would be useful to turn him off occasionally.

My child has gone chat mental in the last week. She did a monologue on Sunday morning for 40 minutes about how we can manage to live in the house while not having a kitchen due to building work. Apparenetly her grandad can make half a table, put it in the post... then her dad can make the other half and we can put them together in the hall way. WTAF?

MrsHerculePoirot · 02/02/2021 16:11

One of the zones falls in my borough... we have students and staff from that postcode. Big difference between what schools were doing about it today though - lots of confusion and some places offering LFT and not PCR..... not sure it’s going well....

Honestly my screen day yesterday felt like a real treat! Kids still had school so couldn’t do anything but was nice not to work and have a break from live teaching..

TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 16:12

@Piggywaspushed

Ah, my local hero has died Sad

SadThanks it's so sad isn't it.

chocolateisavegetable · 02/02/2021 16:15

Relative has announced that they'd had the vaccine. My age, but works in the care sector - IN AN OFFICE JOB. Can someone please give me a strong talking to and tell me that I need to reply with "oh I'm so happy for you" because so far, my fingers are refusing to type that reply.

TrashedWarrior · 02/02/2021 16:22

It's hard Choc. Thanks

eitak22 · 02/02/2021 16:27

@Piggywaspushed

Ah, my local hero has died Sad
Just seen its really sad news. He became such a symbol of hope in the first lockdown.

As for schools opening, if they listen to local authorities (they didn't before Christmas) and not u4t might be OK but not holding my breath. Reckon infants will be back on 8th.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/02/2021 16:29

I missed the Captain Tom thing a bit. We were on full news avoidance around then. I hope that anyone mentioning him on TV etc also mentions 100,000 other people.

DreamingofBrie · 02/02/2021 16:44

It sounds as if everyone has had enough of this term. I have been crocheting over on Woolly Hugs.... I know I shouldn't because it means I procrastinate even more about work and go to bed even later, but there are so many blanket projects going on at the moment Sad.

Day off and I've finally posted my recorded lesson after about 30 retakes. Have had a go at recording it as a lesson on Teams rather than recording a Powerpoint, then downloading the lesson and including it as a link on OneNote. It means that there's an obvious "pause" button, which I could never seem to find when just sending a Powerpoint with inking and narration!

Had a parent taking up far too much of my time this week. Am getting to the stage where I might need to call in someone more senior to intervene.

RandomGrammarPun · 02/02/2021 16:45

@chocolateisavegetable

Relative has announced that they'd had the vaccine. My age, but works in the care sector - IN AN OFFICE JOB. Can someone please give me a strong talking to and tell me that I need to reply with "oh I'm so happy for you" because so far, my fingers are refusing to type that reply.
I thought it was interesting that the two people flanking the PM (yesterday?) - head of NHS and deputy somebody or other (losing the will to live clearly) said they'd not had the vaccine as they'd not been frontline recently. I think that was probably political to turn it down as we all know admin staff and wfh NHS and social care staff who have. Surely these two are more important?
WhenSheWasBad · 02/02/2021 16:53

Trashed
The government wouldn't be so stupid surely. (To open schools to quickly)

Based on their past record I very much think yes. They would be that stupid.

A lot of parents are desperate to get their kids back to school.

And to be fair helping learning from home whilst trying to do your own job is a nightmare.