More geeky loveliness from xkcd
Friday 27 May 2011
Thursday 26 May 2011
Nothing ever changes
In the course of our big clear up, I have found a report from 1947 on the provision of laboratory assistance in schools:
The really depressing thing is that it's saying almost exactly the same as much more recent reports from CLEAPSS, in terms of how there need to be more technicians in schools with better training, pay and conditions. I can't believe we're still in the same position over 60 years later!
This report is itself an update on one from 1938, although I guess the war kind of got in the way! One thing I'm glad we don't have any more is 'laboratory monitors'. It suggests paying pupils of the school do do lab tech work in their free time. Eep!
At least there has been one major improvement since 1947. The pay scales in this report suggest that women should be paid 80% of the salary that their male counterparts get. Thank goodness we've moved on from those days!
Tuesday 24 May 2011
The Big Clear Up
This is just the beginning, but we need to get the maintenance guys to dispose of this lot before I do anymore, plus my dodgy arm (which I broke and dislocated last year) is starting to really hurt!
Overheard
There's an English Literature exam this morning, and there's a queue of kids outside my prep room waiting to get into the computer suite next door.
Girl 1: I can't believe I was called stupid right before my exam.
Girl 2: What happened?
Girl 1: (boy) said I was as thick as 2 short planks.
Girl 2 (happily): Oh, that's a simile!
Girl 1: I can't believe I was called stupid right before my exam.
Girl 2: What happened?
Girl 1: (boy) said I was as thick as 2 short planks.
Girl 2 (happily): Oh, that's a simile!
Monday 23 May 2011
Job Vacancy
My colleague in biology is retiring at the end of term, so we're now looking for a replacement.
The ad went in the paper the other day, and all the info is on the college website HERE. If you're an experienced biology tech we'd love to hear from you.
The ad went in the paper the other day, and all the info is on the college website HERE. If you're an experienced biology tech we'd love to hear from you.
Friday 20 May 2011
Thursday 19 May 2011
Just weird
As I mentioned before, my HoD is away at the moment and everyone jokes that I am running the department in his absence. Ho ho, very funny ( and mostly true!).
No one told me that I was responsible for his tutees though! I've just had an e-mail from a parent asking me to chase up some details regarding her son being allowed to use a laptop in his A-Level exams. This is so far beyond anything in my job description that I don't have an adequate metaphor for it.
I know the teaching staff seem to think that I do the HoD's job for him most of the time, but I didn't realise that had filtered down to parents too.
I forwarded the e-mail to the exams officer an hopefully that will be the end of it. They really don't pay me enough to deal with parents!
No one told me that I was responsible for his tutees though! I've just had an e-mail from a parent asking me to chase up some details regarding her son being allowed to use a laptop in his A-Level exams. This is so far beyond anything in my job description that I don't have an adequate metaphor for it.
I know the teaching staff seem to think that I do the HoD's job for him most of the time, but I didn't realise that had filtered down to parents too.
I forwarded the e-mail to the exams officer an hopefully that will be the end of it. They really don't pay me enough to deal with parents!
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Clearing up and out
My HoD is out for the next 3 days, and since the GCSE, A-Level and IB exams have all started the department is pretty quiet.
Ideal time to start getting organised ready to relinquish half my prep room from september.
There's a lot of building work starting around the school very shortly, and one consequence is that a lot of teachers are losing their studies. It appears that a studyless teacher is not a happy beast! The head of science is one of those affected and in order to find space for him to have a study in the science block I am being turfed out of the outer section of my prep room (currently my office space). My HoD and another physics teacher are going to have that space for their study and the head of science is (I think) taking over my HoD's room.
This is the perfect excuse to throw out a lot of old junk that's been cluttering up the place. I probably should've done it when I got here 3 years ago, but I didn't have the confidence. No qualms now though!
The major downside to this game of 'musical rooms' is that I'm going to have to walk through the HoD's study every time I go in or out of my room, plus I'll have 2 physics teachers practically in the room with me probably being annoying.
On the plus side though, every time a kid knocks on the door it won't be me who gets disturbed!
Ideal time to start getting organised ready to relinquish half my prep room from september.
There's a lot of building work starting around the school very shortly, and one consequence is that a lot of teachers are losing their studies. It appears that a studyless teacher is not a happy beast! The head of science is one of those affected and in order to find space for him to have a study in the science block I am being turfed out of the outer section of my prep room (currently my office space). My HoD and another physics teacher are going to have that space for their study and the head of science is (I think) taking over my HoD's room.
This is the perfect excuse to throw out a lot of old junk that's been cluttering up the place. I probably should've done it when I got here 3 years ago, but I didn't have the confidence. No qualms now though!
The major downside to this game of 'musical rooms' is that I'm going to have to walk through the HoD's study every time I go in or out of my room, plus I'll have 2 physics teachers practically in the room with me probably being annoying.
On the plus side though, every time a kid knocks on the door it won't be me who gets disturbed!
Monday 16 May 2011
Staffing and other issues
Looks like all change for next academic year.
I mentioned before that we're losing a physicist, well the decision has definitely been made not to replace him. Apparently science is overstaffed. Not quite sure how it's our fault that management keep hiring biologists and chemists, but there we go. As a result we're having 2 chemists and a biologist teaching physics next year. Should be interesting...
Our biology technician is retiring at the end of term too. They haven't started looking for a replacement yet. I just hope they find someone experienced because there's no way that either me or the chemistry technician will have time to train them, and actually chemistry technician has never done bio in his life so it'd end up being me! Advert is meant to be going in the paper this week so I will definitely be posting it on all the technicain sites I can think of.
In other news, it looks like I'm going to lose half my prep room. Not definite yet so more news on that when I have it.
I mentioned before that we're losing a physicist, well the decision has definitely been made not to replace him. Apparently science is overstaffed. Not quite sure how it's our fault that management keep hiring biologists and chemists, but there we go. As a result we're having 2 chemists and a biologist teaching physics next year. Should be interesting...
Our biology technician is retiring at the end of term too. They haven't started looking for a replacement yet. I just hope they find someone experienced because there's no way that either me or the chemistry technician will have time to train them, and actually chemistry technician has never done bio in his life so it'd end up being me! Advert is meant to be going in the paper this week so I will definitely be posting it on all the technicain sites I can think of.
In other news, it looks like I'm going to lose half my prep room. Not definite yet so more news on that when I have it.
Monday 9 May 2011
Positivity
I grumble a lot (and will continue to do so!) but I thought I would start the week on a more positive note by thinking about the stuff I love about my job.
1) The money. Sorry to sound mercenary, but isn't that why we all go to work in the first place? I'd like more money, obviously, but I'm not badly paid at all especially when you take into account...
2) The food. We get all our meals provided while we're at work as well as tea/coffee, and the food is goood as my waist line clearly demonstrates! So far I've managed to avoid the temptation of breakfast. I think a fry up or croissants every day might tip me over the line into the realms of morbid obesity.
3) The location. I have quite a drive to get to work, but it's so worth it. There are stunning views of the countryside and we're only a 5 minute walk from the local reservoir which is a lovely place to take a sandwich and a book during summer lunch breaks.
4) The holidays. Independent school = long holidays. Unpaid sadly, but we can't have everything!
And probably most importantly...
5) The people. My department are lovely even though I complain about them, and the rest of the staff are just as friendly and supportive. In previous schools I've felt a divide between academic and support staff but I don't get that here at all.
Phew, what a lot of nice stuff to think about.
Normal grumbling will resume shortly I'm sure. :)
1) The money. Sorry to sound mercenary, but isn't that why we all go to work in the first place? I'd like more money, obviously, but I'm not badly paid at all especially when you take into account...
2) The food. We get all our meals provided while we're at work as well as tea/coffee, and the food is goood as my waist line clearly demonstrates! So far I've managed to avoid the temptation of breakfast. I think a fry up or croissants every day might tip me over the line into the realms of morbid obesity.
3) The location. I have quite a drive to get to work, but it's so worth it. There are stunning views of the countryside and we're only a 5 minute walk from the local reservoir which is a lovely place to take a sandwich and a book during summer lunch breaks.
4) The holidays. Independent school = long holidays. Unpaid sadly, but we can't have everything!
And probably most importantly...
5) The people. My department are lovely even though I complain about them, and the rest of the staff are just as friendly and supportive. In previous schools I've felt a divide between academic and support staff but I don't get that here at all.
Phew, what a lot of nice stuff to think about.
Normal grumbling will resume shortly I'm sure. :)
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