The Forty Sixth Republic - online learning has killed the 'snow day'

[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

@WarriorN

Gruffalo costumes are very warm Indeed.

I have a gruffalo onesie. It's amazing

Hi sherry - welcome to the sane place :)

[quote MrsHerculePoirot]@Appuskidu I go through phases of feeling like that as part time. I’m secondary though and have ended up taking on loads of the remote teaching stuff over the last year and have found my groove a bit. Don’t know whether I’ll find something I love heading up again once we return and all the bullshit is back though... financially we’re secure and I’ve thought about leaving and doing some voluntary type stuff instead... maybe if we get a dog I will 🤣 I love being in a classroom mostly, but so much other shit that I’ve got no time for.. and even if I managed not to say anything my face and ragey grumping about I think gives it away! I like just thinking about the teaching right now and nothing else...[/quote]
Thanks for the reply-good to know I’m not alone. I do feel like I need a bit of a plan going forward though and am stuck!

Sorry to be maudlin, chaps-I might start a new post rather than whinging about this all here!

Yes warrior, I do. There is a thread in HE at the moment which is depressing. All about the growth of STEM at uni and one poster referred to history and something else (possibly English) as 'vanilla' subjects. It's as if society only needs , requires and thrives on science.

That is really fucking shocking. The number of artists who have invented major things and the number of scientists who were also artists in the past is huge.

Professor Adam Grant has done lots of research into the value of creative subjects and impact on learning sciences and noted that 'scientists with artistic hobbies, for example, are much more likely to win a Nobel Prize than their peers' - musicians, artists, poets, actors and particularly magicians (!)

www.theatlantic.com/video/index/502958/how-to-raise-creative-children/

Vanilla subjects! Eff off! Have they heard of DaVinci? What about architecture? You need art, design, dt and maths and engineering for that! Medical schools have started getting their students to draw in anatomy lessons again because of the positive impact on their understanding.

@WarriorN Sadly not - I'm in school full time with 50% of my class so will need a full outfit.

Thanks for all your suggestions. If there is a gruffalo costume that will contain my vast circumference, I'm buying it.

Welcome @sherrystrull - pull up a chair!

Thanks everyone! Hope everyone's had a good day!

I have job application just lolling in Word atm. deadline tomorrow. Imposter syndrome mixed with fear and dread of same old disappointment.

@Piggywaspushed

I have job application just lolling in Word atm. deadline tomorrow. Imposter syndrome mixed with fear and dread of same old disappointment.

Go for it! Different school or internal?

I know what you mean about imposter syndrome, but watched quite a good TED talk on ‘how to fake it till you make it’ once which was actually pretty good!!

I don't know anyone in middle management in a school who isn't feeling stuck.

Don't want to be a head.
Be a deputy - deputy is worse of both worlds, all the pressure from every side, or all the shit tye head doesn't want
Be assistant head or KS lead or HoY/D - same as above
Can't step back as not enough £
Can't step back as frustrated by shit management above

Rocks and hard places.

It's internal which is why I know I won't get it!

@Piggywaspushed

It's internal which is why I know I won't get it!

annoying. I hate applying for anything internally-I think I’d rather face a panel of people who I don’t know!!

Harriet - I always did Sophie from the BFG - pyjamas, dressing gown and glasses 😄

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

I don't know anyone in middle management in a school who isn't feeling stuck.

Don't want to be a head.
Be a deputy - deputy is worse of both worlds, all the pressure from every side, or all the shit tye head doesn't want
Be assistant head or KS lead or HoY/D - same as above
Can't step back as not enough £
Can't step back as frustrated by shit management above

Rocks and hard places.

Exactly. I’m also in a particular role in the school as well which brings with it responsibility, paperwork and a mandatory qualification, but no extra money, as we just don’t have any-which grates as well!!

Welcome sherry In case no one else has explained already, when we fill up a thread, you can find us in a temporary broom cupboard in the corner of the staffroom, until staffdontblowitnow has had chance to create a new republic for us.

other rule is that I don't share my chocolate

I know this is a bit of a derail, but when the women's equality party started up I had such high hopes. Which were subsequently dashed.
The way this government is run is absolutely awful and immoral. I'm a great believer in if a person sees a problem, they should try to fix it.
We need this horrible time to be a time of reassessing and making good.
Who wants to man the barricades with me?! (Hard boiled egg included ).
I was all set to do a master's in a touchy feely career change thing but cancelled my application once coronavirus appeared as I had an awful feeling about it getting bad.
I'm ok financially but not strong wrt MH so although I would like to stand as an MP and make a difference, I'm not sure I could actually do it? I strongly feel the need to do SOMETHING though, and being a keyboard warrior doesn't quite cut the mustard.

The other thing I have in the pipeline is a half written fantasy novel.

@Piggywaspushed

It's internal which is why I know I won't get it!

Good luck all the same

The other thing sherry needs to know is that choc is a profligate giver of rewards, and I'm occasionally stroppy. Occasionally.
Piggy - go for it!!!!

responsibility, paperwork and a mandatory qualification

I had that one I think. Didn't like it, didn't get £ for it. In my old deputy role I was paid only a couple of grand less than my head (he arrived after me), so always got stuff heaped on for no more money.

@EnemyOfEducationNo1 I think about being an MP too. But, just no. I have an acquaintance who was roped in from being independent, to stand for the Tories against UKIP. The right thing to do to stop UKIP, but she's been fully Toried. Has never voted against the whip.

Thank you!

@sherrystrull

Hi everyone. Hope it's ok to join.

You are very welcome here-this is one of the very nicest places in the whole of the internet!

I'm middle management as well and would love to step back but in spite of the no extra money and lots of responsibility, no one wants to take on my role!

@MrsHamlet

The other thing sherry needs to know is that choc is a profligate giver of rewards, and I'm occasionally stroppy. Occasionally. Piggy - go for it!!!!

Only when you're awake anyway

I had that one I think. Didn't like it, didn't get £ for it.

It’s shit, isn’t it? Qualification was a bit of a nightmare and didn’t really help much when it came to doing the role, either. I thought it would be an interesting side-step out of the classroom, but it hasn’t really panned out like that at all.

I certainly can’t do another 22 years of it!

Only when you're awake anyway

Ain't that the truth?! 😂