The Fifty-Sixth Republic - Who is up for a game of TAG?

[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

Ours are scheduled to leave at May half term. All assessments will be done by the week before.

I am feeling virtuous as I went running this morning

I need to do a bit of planning today.

Still feeling grumpy about the KS4 co-ordinator's lack of get up and go when it comes to sorting the assessments.

You have to walk to walk (and then around work) don’t you honey?

*to work

I've just walked 6.5 miles, so that can help the step count. I did 5 miles last night too. Every little helps.

I would definitely invest in a decent little torch for your keyring if you often have to walk in the dark. Dd uses the torch on her phone, but I have a little maglight on my keyring. I use it when I'm out collecting grass for my guinea pigs in the dark (I am aware this makes me look very, very strange, but I don't care)

@JanFebAnyMonth

You have to walk to walk (and then around work) don’t you honey?

I do. I feel like I couldn’t take a day off though as it will look like I’m sulking about the run in with ht.

I’m on the ground floor for my lessons tomorrow so hopefully just slow hobbling will get me through.

Good idea about torch

It would only look like you're sulking to people whose opinion is not worth valuing!

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-10-aide-david-quarrey-caught-covid-on-india-trip-lp7bgqc9g
No 10 aide went to India in March to hussle for more vaccine doses, brings home Indian mutant infection (which wasn’t picked up on flight).... 🤦🏻‍♀️

Two cases in DS's sixth form now. He better avoid this! It is his birthday on Thursday and seeing GPs on Sunday.

Am very impressed by all of you walking and running. I've been sat on my immense bottom most of the weekend trying to plan.

Are you really sure it gets easier and quicker? Because I'm spending a long time looking for things, and things that look great I don't have access to. Like primary stars and classroom secrets. Don't want to fork out on subscriptions until I know where I'll be in September.

Is the NQT year (2 years now) as hard as the scitt PGCE?

It appears that my poor lockdown diet has contributed to diabetes II. Need GP to confirm but red flag symptoms and urine tastes sweet (I know it's rank but I'm a scientist so not a big deal).

May pee on some Benedict's if I have a spare moment tomorrow. For now swapped high GI for low in weekly shop and trying not to think about life without chocolate

It definitely gets quicker and easier.
My rule is that if I've not found the magic thing within 15 minutes, it's easier to make it myself.
NQT is easier than PGCE. I think the ECF will be a bit harder than the the current NQT because they're anticipating a lot of "taught" hours but I've not got my head round it yet. I need to...

May pee on some Benedict's if I have a spare moment tomorrow.

???? The mind is boggling.

Quite impressed by the scientific dedication crackle... but am sorry to hear you may be diabetic.

Are you really sure it gets easier and quicker?

Look at SoL.
I’m teaching adding fractions to Y7 next lesson.
Write ‘adding fractions’ in planner.
Done.

Thanks jan. I’m just hoping to be less hobby tomorrow. Have spent much of the day with it elevated.

Gin is helping with pain management.

Hoping to hobble in and hide out in the year 8 zone teaching and planning then hobble out again without seeing anyone from slt or department. 5 weeks to get through of this term without getting sacked

Arghh, piggy hope he avoids it.
crackle that’s a bit shit.

@noblegiraffe

May pee on some Benedict's if I have a spare moment tomorrow.

???? The mind is boggling.

It will change colour if glucose is present Noble

What noble says.
My planner tomorrow says
Poetry revision
Nitty gritty

I don't have anything written in my planner . I haven't opened it since December, and probably won't go back to it. I know what I'm doing though. Y12: multiply and divide algebraic fractions, chapter 1 exercise B. Y11 problem solving with angles involved, past exam questions. Y10 revision of Pythagoras and trigonometry for their exam. Other y10, money and change for an entry level test. I think as you get more experience you get faster at evaluating whether a resource is suitable, or if you can tweak it quickly for your class. And you get a better idea of where the good resources come from, so you might think "oh, I remember seeing a sheet on twinkl that looked good for this" or you have a folder of worksheets/resources that you've used in the past. So yes it does get quicker, I promise. Possibly not for another year or so yet though.

Crackle I'm diabetic type 2. I had symptoms for quite a few months before I finally had a test (you know how it is when it isn't urgent enough for an emergency appointment but you can't book a routine appointment). I did brilliantly before Christmas with the low carb and got my hbac1 back down to pre diabetic levels (with the aid of medication as well), but I'm not looking forward to my annual review next month as I've fallen face first into ALL the carbs since then .

I'm meant to set an example to my colleagues with my planner. I CBA though.

@noblegiraffe

Are you really sure it gets easier and quicker?

Look at SoL.
I’m teaching adding fractions to Y7 next lesson.
Write ‘adding fractions’ in planner.
Done.

See, this is why secondary is TOTALLY different from primary.

I am an experienced teacher, in a multi-form entry school. However, due to various things too boring to go into here, I have not yet re-used ANY planning from last year. Luckily, I don't have to write and resource every lesson for every subject, as it is split across the year group staff, and hopefully next year will only need some tweaking rather than full re-writing, but it only gets somewhat easier in primary as standardised, codified SoL that does not need re-writing for a new cohort / revised and improved curriculum is relatively rare. Evidence of planning required in a standardised planning format is, however, very common, so busking is NOT approved of!

My planner is short other than adding homeworks in/given and notes to check particular books etc.

Hopefully after nearly 20 years I don't need the nth degree of what I'm teaching. I know in primary the planning is insane.

I don't have anything written in my planner

Me too. I know what I’m teaching and all resources are printed Monday. I always start the year with good intentions re my planner but always forget.

My planner is an excel spreadsheet. It is a one line per lesson layout and I rarely fill that. I put a topic title and that's it. Occasionally record homework but teams keeps a track of that for me. I'd never go back to a paper planner now. It really does get easier. After about 4 years my lesson planning time reduced a lot. I think I'd taught most things by then! I have also lowered my standards re task design. It is important the task links to the lesson but I don't spend hours creating loads of resources. Instead I extend through verbal questioning. I have a few 'go to' places and if it's not there I make it myself.