The Fifty-third Republic - Ides of March Part 2

[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

Some instructions say to not eat or drink for 30 mins beforehand, but they obviously haven't said that with the in school ones, so am not convinced it's vital? Esp if yr instructions don't say that mistress.

well we (the UK) have purchased so many of them that I suppose they need to be use

DrMadelineMaxwell thinking of you and your family.

So relieved, just got an invite for a vaccine appointment. It won't be until the holidays so just need to hold the germs off for 2 more weeks.

Catching up with the thread.

for @DrMadelineMaxwell thinking of you and your family.

Same from the exam board we use - topic tests with questions from previous papers and no grade boundaries- great

Today has been good in parts (lessons good) and got lots done. Infuriating member of staff though who consistently misses deadlines. Hadn't done something, did a ten minute rush job giving it no thought at all and then took umbridge when I asked them to add something to it If it had been done by the bloody deadline we could have sorted it earlier. At no point did they come and say there was an issue or that they needed help. A TLR holder as well

Absolutely knackered here too, not helped by being awake half the night worrying. So I was very nearly a cause for concern as ive lost all confidence. I have this week to turn it around. Somehow. Where can i get confidence from? I feel so unsure all the tlme, not feeling good enough. I've always been like this my whole life. I can't change who I am but I need to stop being negative about myself. I'm ok in front of the children. But I doubt my planning. My delivery. Everything. I'm tired which doesn't help and all deadlines coming at once between now and Easter. Also behaviour has been shocking today, not just for but also the class teacher. So how can I change and fix this before the end of this placement? I don't want to fail.

Harriet have you given your Union a call yet? You CAN'T do all day every day without a break!!!! I would honestly have wet myself if I couldn't go to the loo all day. I need to go at least every 3 hours and I don't think I'm massively unusual in that. That's before you even think about toileting while having a period. You MUST be given breaks. If the gaslighty twat doesn't want to shell out for supply staff to cover then HE'LL have to cover you so you can have legally required breaks and PPA time. Get the Union involved!! That's what they're there for.

For piggy twitter.com/williamson_no/status/1371536618113400841?s=21

@MsAwesomeDragon I haven't yet, but I will. Gaslighty twat refuses to step into the classrooms 'because Bubbles' so there is no prospect of them covering anyone. Strangely they can step into the classrooms when they want to carry out observations though.

I think I need to start looking for another job.

named The clue is in the not just for you but for the teacher. I doubt the behaviour is anything that you are doing, is just how it is at the moment. The kids have been out of school for a while and if MN is anything to go by I suspect boundaries about work expectations have been a little flexible.

FWIW I think giving you cause for concern this week and giving you a week to fix it is a little harsh given the circumstances and when lots of experienced teachers are struggling.

Where can i get confidence from?

Chris loves you, namechanged

It sounds like your lack of confidence is the problem, not your teaching. The kids are acting up because they're not used to school. You're training to teach in the maddest year possible. You're going to find it difficult. That doesn't mean that you can't do it. You can. You have done it before, had good lessons and feedback. You can again.

I had some shit lessons today, but I've been teaching long enough to not define myself by my last lesson. Why are you defining yourself by the ones where it goes wrong and not the ones where it goes right?

Hendricks Apparently it isn't as effective if you do it in both nostrils rather than throat and one nostril - but my view is: slightly less accuracy from a test that is already very inaccurate, makes sod all difference.

If anyone completes YouGov questionnaires, there's a section on there today about schools reopening. I had a lovely time filling in the 'other comments' boxes

FWIW I think giving you cause for concern this week and giving you a week to fix it is a little harsh given the circumstances and when lots of experienced teachers are struggling.
Totally unacceptable. They can't bandy terms like that around and a week is not long enough to "fix" anything.
What specifically did they identify as an issue today?

For me it's nostrils or no test. Not poking it onto sore tonsils.

I just did nostrils today. We've done over 2000 tests without a positive. Maybe they didn't just order too many but ordered ones that fell off the back of a lorry. Corridors in the offices area and the staff room look like a warehouse today. Boxes and boxes of kits to send home with kids.

Sponsored by the government is literally propaganda. I may take that article in and do jcknop practice question. The nop stands for nature, origin and purpose. Even my year 8s would be able to identify it as propaganda. We were looking at prohibition posters today.

@namechangedyetagain that sounds a bit harsh of them saying you were nearly a cause for concern and giving you a week to fix it.

Your mentor needs to identify clear, specific targets for you to work towards so you can show progress. It's no good trying to do everything at once.

This year is utterly bonkers and to be a trainee in the middle of it is beyond difficult.

Keep going, keep collecting evidence to show you are making progress towards meeting the standards.

noble that's hilarious. Gave needs to brush his lockdown hair.

I note the bit about behaviour. Never have I seen such a passive bunch of spoonfed students...

In other news, I am sick of hearing about the bloody prom!

Hellooooo my fellow republicans. I haven't been on MN for over a week, so I'm rather behind...

We have so far had 3 students test positive on LFT, with close contacts sent home to self isolate. Despite helping one of those kids with work today, I am apparently not at risk as I wasn't within 2m for 15mins DESPITE the RA stating that less than 1m for 1min is also enough for transmission. I give up. And would like some better ADs please.
On the plus side, vaccine booked for next week.

Just seen a Line of Duty trailer.

Momentarily very very excited.

As you were.

I love Line of Duty.
I am marking some really very poor essays on Paradise Lost and wondering why I said I would. They're not my class but I'm covering them for an absent colleague. Hod said I didn't have to set anything that needed marking... but a term is a long time.
Mind hunter on Netflix is good. Nothing to do with paradise lost though.

piggy Is it this weekend? Bent coppers!!

We've had 5 cases so far. I'm kind of worried community rates are probably higher than this shows too. Keeping as much distance as possible.

Ooh I know Piggy! Very exited too
I know we have joked about the lft being like a pg test, but as I approach my first one I've realised my mind is still set to hoping for a positive - mad isn't it!

Catching up.

Hugs to @DrMadelineMaxwell xx And to all who need them.

Mad day here. Gone through how we are assessing y11 and 13. It's going to be a hellish next term 🙈

Sunday 9pm.

I love Martin Compston.