The Fifty-second Republic - Beware of Education’s ides of March

[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 to non-staff as it attracts the wrong sort of crowd.

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. Do not sit on the chairs and do wear a mask.

I couldn't cope with the noise today at all and that was just yapping adults.

Evening all! What a day!
I taught two classes face to face in the afternoon as they were coming back from getting their negative results. Fab bunch. Happy to see them back.

You’d also be interested to hear that 2 kids in one class and another in the other class, came in to school with no masks but when they saw my box of disposable masks at the front, they al independently asked for one and said how thankful they were because they wanted to wear them but their parents didn’t. I have never been more proud.

Not only could I hear them speak/ask questions but they could also hear me. I wore one of those clear face masks another Mumsnetter has recommended that don’t fog up and that worked well too as they could see my lips.

All in all, can’t complain!

@lonelyplanet

The worst behaviour in my class today was the key worker kids. Having been in school throughout, they are now over confident. They have got so used to being listened to in their small bubbles that they kept shouting out and answering for the others.

I could have written this word for word!!!

Generally, my littlelies were great today and were all beaming smiles. But yeah, the KE kids who had been in throughout were annoying. Shouting out, getting up whenever they liked...I shall crush that pretty quickly

KW not KE!

Sounds good re kids wanting to mask, Chloe!

Been invited for the jab today, no idea why as I'm in my thirties and fit and healthy!

Evening all

Oh my word, the NOISE! Also my room seemed insanely overcrowded and cramped. I found the KW children quite needy today - a hangover from all the attention they had during lockdown, perhaps? But actually, it wasn't too bad. I kept the activities deliberately short and very light on writing today. Stamina was such an issue in September in my class, and I suspect it will be a problem again this time round too.

@TheHoneyBadger how did your meeting go? Have you said and I’ve missed it?

Well done everyone back in school today. I popped in and collected my tests and had a chat with a colleague inside a building which was nice though!

Complain away honey I’ve got a parent who constantly excuses her child’s (frankly appalling behaviour). Drives me mad. If the parents actually attempted to parent him instead of making excuses, he would possibly be very pleasant.

I’m not coping with the noise and people either. It’s like sensory overload after having no stimulus for 2 months. I’m sure we’ll all get used to it again.

Who knows Cant.

When I had mine I said to the lovely nurses I'm not sure which health issue qualified me to be here and they were like, not a clue, given up trying to work it out and we just jab whoever's on the list. According to them they were flying through the numbers now so no stress.

I appreciate this is cold comfort to those who feel at risk but haven't been invited yet. Hopefully you'll be done soon.

I've been invited for my first vaccine today. Had already booked for 3 weeks time at a centre over an hour away. Have now cancelled that and am going to the GP surgery round the corner this Saturday. Pleased about that. Still furious about my school not leaving tests for 30 minutes though.

I've just celebrated international women's Day with my Brownies, so that's cheered me up. Lovely girls who were thoroughly impressed by notable women from history and found role models.

Nice MsAD

It's always the day before my son's birthday so I don't tend to have time to pay it attention and 14 years ago I was doing my counselling group assessment on all fours on the floor (and apologising to everyone for my arse being in the air) because it was the only way I felt comfortable. Little did I know I was well into labour and a few hours later would be in hospital delivering a baby

Obviously there are narcissistic undertones to mum's making their kids birthdays about them but it kind of was one of the biggest days (actually middle of the night's) of my life. So yes my ds will be 14 at 8am tomorrow morning and all the cake and gifts etc will be for him but it's also the time of year where I go wow, 14 years, well done me for surviving and I tend to quietly say well done and how are you to friends on their kids birthdays.

I guess my international women's day moment was standing up for myself in a meeting and making it clear I won't put up with being treated like shit. My overly good at this stuff child asked why I had make up and heels on today and said oh right so you put on heels and mascara to be assertive - that's so 'super feminist' of you

I didn't really have a come back.

Well done everyone for today.

It's dd's birthday today, and I think I did a wonderful job 11 years ago today. About now, I was in a taxi going to the hospital. I was apparently very, very loud and sweary which is not normally me. But dd was HUGE!!!! 10lb 10 oz, with only gas and air (which they disconnected because I wasn't paying attention ).

@MsAwesomeDragon
Respect to you for doing Brownies on top of your teaching!

Well done MrsAD. Ds was 3 weeks early but had a massive head! I too have a big head. Baby hats never fitted him and women's hats never fit me. Just gas and air here too. So well done to me too lol.

I have to bake a cake in the morning

We were told today would be about wellbeing and return. Hah! By 8.55 they were doing handwriting. Then at 9.10 we did wellbeing, that was until 9.30 ahahahahahaha. No more wellbeing.

Learning walk from SLT tomorrow. FFS.

KWV v returnees behaviour contest: KWV 6, Returnees 1

Also Y3/4 here.
Mine were lovely on the whole, but constantly hungry with pea sized bladders.
The day flew by.

We did a massive well-being survey for staff 3 weeks ago. Nothing has come of it at all. It makes me sad and angry that they waste people's time like that.

The 1:1 TA is very anxious though. I'm actually a bit worried about her. She snapped at 3 different children for no real reason (very out of character) and kept complaining they were noisy ( they really weren't that bad)

She also keeps closing the door ( which is weird if she's worrying about Covid)

I've noticed people's anxiety over Covid doesn't necessarily equate to them having a good understanding of available mitigations.

Have just realised I've thrown away my test strip before logging the result. Oops.

The 1-1 TA in my class is Pakistani and 56. She didn't know about the vaccine booking - she was sorted out by 9am.

Bloody hell, missed 2 threads!

Started already today:
"Put your mask on. "
"Why do I need to if I've tested negative?"

So when, exactly, do yr 11 get to leave? I think too many of them thought they already had.

^Started already today:
"Put your mask on. "
"Why do I need to if I've tested negative^

I’ve had the exact same conversation. Just told him the tests don’t pick up every case.

What is the false negative rate anyway?

At the very best around 50%.

Just checked my register. Several students have mysteriously sprouted medical conditions which mean they can't wear masks even though they were wearing them before , some of them for entire lessons WTAF.