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

Yes noble, when in KW classes and I also have access to everyone else's teams as part of a whole school role. It's also the stuff like "can you upload the work cus PE finished an hour ago and I'm bored". PE should be giving you enough work for 2 hours.

YY to sharing good practise. Although remote learning has put paid to some of this as the ones with the higher workload are the ones finding all the efficient work rounds and tricks.

HoD has been ill and has been off in patches. They are not very forward thinking as a person. Can be not very pleasant. Lots I could say but very outing

Nobody picked up their role officially whilst HoD was off, we just did it between us. HoD returned (but has had to WFH since October due to shielding).

The rest of the department do all the assessment writing and planning, lesson/SoW writing, general day to day running of things. So far I have said nothing but I can feel the straws building on the camel's back

I really do enjoy the school, students and other colleagues. Lockdown stress added to it and I've got the whole anxiety works now: chest pain, teary, flight/flight feeling.

Have no idea what to do for the best.

Guy it doesn't sound like you're ready to talk about it and represent yourself well. I'm with Nobel. You're ill with stress. Go off sick, talk to your doctor, those free teacher counselling phone services and possibly union. Talk and address things when you're feeling stronger and clearer. Unmumsnetty but hugs coming your way. I think most of us have been there at least once.

Will do.
I'll try and get GP appointment. I have handled situations so much 'worse' than this,and I think that's why I'm struggling to understand why I feel so rubbish right now.

The teacher counselling place sounds good. I might give them a call tonight. Not sure what they can advise? Nor unions. I think realistically I am going to have to leave, for my own sanity and career but I don't want to.

I completely agree with Honey

I'm just glum and fed up today. Feels a bit like it's a crime to want to do more than the absolute bare minimum. Can't actually understand colleagues claiming to be oh so busy when only planning for one year group and setting bridging work for every other lesson even then. I know the hod has full time nursery for her child and a really light timetable and a pe teacher husband so?

They only mark one piece of work per fortnight and think it's apparently unreasonable for me to expect the trainee to mark the work of my class who I can't support because she's meant to be doing it more regularly than that.

I don't get why standards are so low.

Guy I echo what the others say, that sounds like severe mh difficulties. Phone in sick tomorrow, please and make a Gp appt

@GuyFawkesDay what everyone has said

Also VERY fed up today.
Found myself crying during the 6 o'clock news just now at footage of Captain Sir Tom, bless him. He was such a cheering icon of optimism in the first lockdown and also, something about him just reminds me of my dear old dad who died last year (just before Covid hit us).
I played back a recorded lesson I did this morning and caught myself giving the deepest, heaviest sigh just before (I thought) the recording kicked in and I switched my bright "hello" smile on. Couldn't be arsed to re-do the whole thing.

I'm sure with me it's a combo of stress, lockdown blues like everyone else.

Thanks all. Will ring the teacher helpline thing and see what advice I get. I didn't know it existed.

Hugs to all. This term sucks right now.

to all of you who aren’t feeling so good today. I’m OK because on leave (not tied to academic year), but I should have been in warmer climes today, walking in the mountains.
Here’s a tip: when you do retire, take a short holiday in early November or Feb in a warm, sunny place. It’s a fantastic boost before and after the shortest days. I was lucky enough to get away to Madeira (very safe, negligible infection rates) just before the November lockdown and it kept me going until - well - now...

I re-did video yesterday when I listened back and heard myself say okaaaay like Mr Mackey in South Park about 20 times.

Well, I also got the giggles part-way through, when dh arrived home from a dog walk and started pulling silly faces at me through the window.
Still didn't warrant being arsed to re-record.

These new variants are worrying me, I have to say. Can't see this ever ending at the moment.

@GuyFawkesDay

I'm experiencing full on visceral anxiety for the first time in my life.

It's precipitated by Covid and lockdown but it's caused by work stress: specifically the situation in my department. It cannot carry on. Now I have to work out how to talk to the head/head of faculty about how I'm feeling and why.

I'm terrified.

Agree with others take the day off first. And then broach talking about it.

If you can write it down for yourself first it might help working out how to broach it and it might help with the anxiety feelings too. Once you’ve done that try to put it to one side though. Don’t sit and keep going over what you’ve written until you are ready to tackle it.

Similarly, if you do take tomorrow off. Don’t sit around worrying about the stuff that’s making you anxious. Do something nice for yourself and something you enjoy. Try and get out too. It’s tempting not to because you are ill and feel,like you should stay in, but not getting any fresh air won’t help.

@noblegiraffe

But the DfE set up that new teacher training route that was neither wanted nor needed. How can you say they have been wasting their time?!

I don't even think I heard about that. But I guess I was too busy having all of my Apply 1 options cancel my application because the school direct funding had been cut for primary after applications opened in October. (I'm not bitching too much because I did end up getting a salaried spot for September but the get into teaching Facebook groups are in CHAOS)

I’m genuinely not sure I can cope with Covid now Captain Sir Tom Moore has passed-so so sad!

Oh Guy so so sorry and

I shared some good practice and I'm now roped into an INSET day session. Bah.

The older I get, the less I say to others what I do so I can stay under the radar for requests like this!

I played back a recorded lesson I did this morning and caught myself giving the deepest, heaviest sigh just before (I thought) the recording kicked in and I switched my bright "hello" smile on. Couldn't be arsed to re-do the whole thing.

This made me smile in solidarity and understanding. Thank you! I fear that I talk way too fast in my live lessons

Walks definitely help. I do 5km when I can. Need to start running again but it's so COLD and wet 😫

I'm going to chat to the helpline later. See what they say.

Ok and, right! Over feature in my teaching. Right! Is said like some magic word that will make me and them efficient and eager.

I'm worried that I'm building up grudges and resentment towards colleagues/school. Issues with ds's teachers refusing to follow protocols too. Lessons should be 45 minutes now but his maths teacher keeps them over an hour and then sets more work to do ignoring the fact they have 4 other lessons in a day. I emailed him again politely about it because yesterday Ds was late to his next lesson and today he'd have to leave at the school set time because he had 3 lives in a row without a break and really needed to attend the next one as there's a btec deadline they need helping to meet.

His answer is that he doesn't subscribe to 45 minute lessons as there's too much work to cover and maths is important. I'm afraid I've given up and just forwarded it to the head of remote learning. People just make it up as they go along

@CallmeAngelina

Well, I also got the giggles part-way through, when dh arrived home from a dog walk and started pulling silly faces at me through the window. Still didn't warrant being arsed to re-record.

These new variants are worrying me, I have to say. Can't see this ever ending at the moment.

I’m with you there. Literally made myself leave the house this afternoon to go to the chemist and pick up a few bits. It’s definitely making me twitchier again even though everywhere is quieter with fewer people around.

My colleagues are doing that too.

The conscientious kids are starting to struggle.

Some of the comments on here cheered me up anyway :

twitter.com/EnserMark/status/1356506998624423936

You know I have no luck with white goods??? Freezer now making a very. very. loud noise.

Guy

Ok and, right! Over feature in my teaching. Right! Is said like some magic word that will make me and them efficient and eager. totally me!

I once shared good practice and now I partially lead teaching and learning including remote learning 🙄 that’s been fun...

I think we’ve all gone past the initial adrenaline for remote teaching. It’s cold and miserable and feels like half term isn’t really worth looking forward to.

I am trying to get out for runs (by run people walk faster than me) I did 3.5 km yesterday and then jogged 2.7 km to my retinal eye screening today... not sure I can make it tomorrow as well 🤣

Me too, MrsHP
I'm afraid I now rope others in too.

I say "right" and "so" a lot. A big lot.