The Forty Ninth Republic - Announcement Week - Roadmap and Exams - Be more Bob

[StaffRepFeistyClub]

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.

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.

@noblegiraffe

Does that mean you want your school to test earlier?

It’s going to be a massive pain in the arse for possibly very little actual benefit whenever it’s done. Doesn’t bother me because it’s not me organising it.

But not happy about the govt saying one thing thing then saying something different two days later again.

Sorry Noble - I completely misread you. Serves me right for checking phone yr9 styler under the desk while teaching online!

People alone in cars with masks might be being super-duper at infection control and waiting until they get home before they remove it after washing their hands?
I roll my eyes at people who come straight from a classroom, whip off their mask, dump it on a coffee table and make a coffee. And I twitch, massively, because there is no point wearing it if you’re going to spread your, and anyone else’s, germs all over the furniture.

My mask wearing is generally about conforming to rules and protecting others rather than thinking it's doing anything for me particularly so it's generally on my face then in my pocket, then back on again etc. It's definitely not proper mask use but not risking anyone but me I think?

Is it bad to smile and mentally air fist pump when you hear that one of your in-school students binned off another subject zoom lesson to do extra work for your subject?
I know I shouldn't. I know it's bad... What's my penance?

Not if it’s going in your pocket, Honey. It’s not optimum infection control but that would be unrealistic. Sticking it on a communal desk or table is stupid, though.
I can’t stand to see a damp mask, makes me feel sick. I change mine at least 3 times a day, plastic bag for used ones etc. Every little helps though, as they say

I'm also currently hiding from my own kids (Captain Underpants is looking after them) for a 10 minutes sanity break.
In the bloody loo of all places

How do they get damp? I get really hot and flustered but my mask is always dry.

What gets me is staff who come waltzing into my classroom right up to me to whisper a message to me whilst they can see me frantically trying to get my mask on as they zoom towards me. I'm a fan of personal space anyway but currently it takes a lot to not tell them to back the fuck off.

Toilet never used to deter ds sadly. He still waltzes in and I have to point out 'I'm on the toilet!' despite the fact he locks himself in and screams don't come in if I knock on his door and he hasn't got a top on.

Hide for as long as you can Enemy! Are you feeling any better now? Know you were stressed out the other night.

Be more Bob. Tell them

the kids would approve and back me up but I doubt it would go down well.

Yes I've bunked off a few lessons (thanks oak Academy) and done some yoga/mindfulness stuff this week so yes much better thanks

I've invested in some Dettol fabric spray to spritz mine with during the day. Smells nice, kills the bugs. Bingo!

I also use the plastic bag thing, we have loads of fabric masks for the kids and us and just bag em up and wash them in one of those mesh undies bag so the washing machine doesn't eat any!

How do they get damp? I get really hot and flustered but my mask is always dry.
I assume some people must have hotter, wetter breath . It’s gross.

Good to hear. I'm using an oak for one of my year 7 lessons this week that I know is going to be hard for them but it won't kill them for once. They don't do the same ks3 programme as us so it's a lesson aimed at year 8 (and a brand of year 8 that doesn't exist in any school I've worked at at that).

My yoga practice seems to have disappeared but I do a lot of breathing exercises and brief meditations.

Mine get damp just from walking from my car through reception to my classroom. I assume it's a menopause thing? I change mine three times a day as it is. That's without teaching in one

TheHoneyBadger

I'm constantly mystified at people driving alone in their cars with their masks on

I do this if I am going to the shop after work, then home As I cba to take it off.

Ah, the universe heard my griping about lack of communication.

Three emails from three different SLT members, gist is 'we don't know, we're scrambling frantically, but for the love of god don't give them any tests in the first two weeks'.

Honestly they are so annoying! Do they not realise schools have to order food, organise the buses etc!

Literally no intelligence at all!

They've found Gav then.

We've had the "we're waiting fod Gav before we fully release the plan" email.

Is Gav going to do the exams announcement as well? Or will that be leaked at 10pm tonight before a select committee meeting with ofqual tomorrow?

@RandomGrammarPun

Mine get damp just from walking from my car through reception to my classroom. I assume it's a menopause thing? I change mine three times a day as it is. That's without teaching in one

I change my blue ones 3 times a day but keep my FFP3 one on.(I double mask) and have gloves on which I sanitise before taking them off then sanitise after. Also have my rather attractive head set on too. Taught like that from October onwards. September I just wore a blue mask in lessons. Glad the kids are going to be in masks but not looking forward to extra hassle it causes.

I never thought of double masking, that could be a plan. I do enjoy the fresh feeling of putting on a clean mask after lunch! You don't notice the other one is a bit damp till you swap for a clean one. I try to be careful with touching the outside of it - it goes into a lidded box (like a sandwich) and I never touch the outside. I won't take it off in car unless I have somewhere to dispose of it and something to sanitise my hands with!
I've caught dh wearing the same one for a week and was not impressed.

I'm delurking (phone wanted to auto correct to delirious!?)

I'm just back from maternity leave too secondary teaching. I'm CV and absolutely terrified about going back. To the point of crying terrified.

Union don't seem to have a firm position, school haven't emailed about plans and I'm still waiting to hear from GP. No vaccine invite even though I'm group 6.

Head wants to do a RA with me sometime in the next week but really it's just unsafe isn't it!?!

Three masks a day is going to get expensive!

@SaltyAF

Three masks a day is going to get expensive!

Yup the FFP3 are costing me £10 a day for me and DH!