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

The Number Cruncher in Numberjacks gives me the heebie jeebies

@JanFebAnyMonth

Yep. Numberblocks is a relatively new invention so my ds (6) had it as preschool tv but my dd (8) only had the creepy numberjacks & therefore can’t do maths 🤣

DD is watching Teen Titans in the next room. I’ve just heard an episode about the dangers of pyramid schemes and now Robin is lecturing the Titans about buying rental property as a long term investment. It’s a very odd programme!

Numberjacks was creepy. And my eldest missed out - her underlying grasp of numbers is noticeably poorer than her younger siblings who binge watched numberblocks.
Agreed that teen titans is weird. Middle child is currently watching an episode where Robin becomes and actual bird...

(Don't let's get into weird children's programmes here, potential for massive derail 😃!)

Teen Titans is massively weird. My dc have all sorts of bizarre knowledge as a result!

If you want to read a good covid round-up thread of where we’re at ❤️ Sam Freedman ❤️ has just posted one twitter.com/samfr/status/1357982152927961088?s=21

“We're on track to be in the low 1000s of cases by early March - which is where we were in early September.”

“Overall assessment continues to be positive. On track for schools to open in March ; seeing family/friends and outdoor hospitality in April and indoor hospitality in May (with social distancing). And we should all be vaccinated in time for the summer holidays.”

“We're on track to be in the low 1000s of cases by early March - which is where we were in early September.”

I fear that is optimistic.

Yes but the graph from Israel gives cause for optimism. The vaccines will have an impact.

davidhencke.com/2021/02/05/another-fine-mess-mps-slam-425m-school-food-voucher-scheme-as-firm-walks-off-with-the-profits/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

This is appalling.

JanFeb - clearly I meant simultaneous equations . It didn't seem weird at the time - just 6 of us in the Headmaster's office for maths every day just going at the speed that suited us. This was obviously well before SATs so no idea how that compared to anywhere else until we got to secondary and didn't learn anything new in maths for four years (and thought everyone from every other primary school was really thick).

Don’t forget Edenred won an award for ‘Best Covid Response Initiative’ www.tes.com/news/schools-fury-edenred-fsm-voucher-firm-wins-gong

It’s all appalling. Mutual backslapping and profiteering.

@noblegiraffe thanks for that news from Israel. Literally just posted on another thread asking if there had been any updated news.

Nothing this government does shocks me any more. Which is absolutely tragic.
They should be held personally and jointly responsible for the profiteering from the pandemic.

And on Israel, I read this m.jpost.com/health-science/with-more-kids-sick-with-covid-can-israel-re-open-schools-656791/amp?__twitter_impression=true

I’m frequently amazed (and proud!) in what my 5 year old comes out with having watched so many Numberblocks episodes since she was toddler. Her Maths is pretty good so far.
That and Alphablocks has which has helped her to understand the ‘magic e’ better than when in school they were calling it a split digraph e-e. She gets it now!
I have bought every Numberblocks and Alphablocks CBeebies magazines that have come out and a few reading books too. Brilliant series!

I only came across Numberjacks because her primary school showed it to them whilst they were eating their packed lunch in the classrooms last term and I watched a few with her at the time on Youtube. I found them tedious to be honest (spoilt by Numberblocks!)

Offers alerts!
Sea Salt has 50% off for keyworkers! (MN thread on it)

Turtle Doves are giving away a free pair of fingerless gloves for you to give to someone else, with every £26 pair, 1 per customer (I'm in their email list)

But according to some absolute fruit loop we shouldn't be key workers because we've had 18 months off... so get in quick!

MrsH The utter stupidity of these people never fails to amaze me.

It shouldn't surprise us really... but then I think a lot of teaching relies on living in hope!

Seasalt masks are great!
Off to have a look at the rest, I do love a swingy top and am living in their reversible cowl neck sweaters out of work.

Where is the thread on Seasalt? Is there a discount code??

Same fruit-loop who thinks we should all be fired and re-hired under new, terrible contracts that force us to do extended school hours.

I'm wondering if it might be the parent I know of who has contacted the DfE/Ofsted demanding that they "force" all teachers to run full-time live lessons. Good luck with that, mate.

Isn’t it just our old friend ‘teachers should be supplying schools with hand sanitiser’?

Thought they’d finally fucked off for good.

My prediction for how the “longer days” thing will pan out - schools will be given some paltry sum but be obliged to offer “extra” sessions before and after school - before will be TA-led intervention style and either offered only to those who need them or used by working parents cheaping out on wraparound (that’d be me) and after school will just be a 5-day program of teacher-led clubs as usual or external sports provision, spread out a bit more than usual to look like a full week. Basically the average child will spend no more time in school or being educated than beforehand.

Longer school days won’t happen. Summer school won’t happen. Not as national policy.

There’ll be some local provision for disadvantaged kids using other funding.