I'm the only one that sees you...

People in the UK will know that there is a big teacher's strike over our below inflation pay rise on Thursday. This isn't driven by greed or laziness or anything other than the fact that most teachers at the bottom of the pay scale, despite being trained professionals, despite doing extra years at uni to train, still live hand to mouth after several years in the profession.

The impact that poor pay has on the quality of education in this country can't be underestimated. It means more excellent teachers leaving the profession due to the financial pressures and less committed and well trained people joining the profession. The knock on effect is disruption to children as supply and cover is used to stop the gaps. The effect this can have on progress is disasterous.

The argument that strikes disrupt the education of children at time when exams are looming seems like a fair point, and it's certainly one that MP's and ministers are using to wag their fingers at teachers over and to try and guilt trip and blackmail people in to not striking, but ultimately you have to ask does one day offset the long term damage that poor pay for teachers is doing to the profession? It's also worth pointing out that this is the first national strike action by teachers in 21 years. In my professional opinion, one day in 21 years is not going to decimate national results.

The sad truth at my school is that some staff who are higher up the pay scale are refusing to strike, despite being NUT members because they earn a 'decent' wage. In my mind this goes against everything unions and the solidarity that unions supposedly represent stands for. (One can only hope that next time their issues are on the agenda, younger members and union leaders pay them back in like.) It's something I am amazingly pissed off about and frankly I think if you join a union, you support a balloted action if it's been passed or you give up your membership. It's disgusting that some older teachers are showing blatant disregard for the value and quality of living of young/new teachers.

Teaching is an exceptionally rewarding profession, but it's one that comes with fairly little recompense for those that work the hardest other than the intrinsic rewards of doing such a job. None of us are expecting medals and sainthood, it's not why we do the job, but we at least deserve a wage that is going to provide a standard of living in line with other professions, none of which expect workers to do so much for so little.

(before anyone smartly mentions the holidays - we don't get any more paid holiday time than any other job. Our wages cover our working weeks only but payments are spread over the year.)

Please support the strike any way you can. Write to your MP, write to schools that are striking to show your agreement and support, join protests or sign petitions. Even just letting teachers know that you support what they're doing is an meaningful action.

I'm planning a unit of work on African-American music (linking in to various social developments and cultural change in America). I want a range of specific artists and songs to look at across the last 100 years.

I'm just after some suggestions at this point.

Who do you think is the most significant/influential African-American musician in the last 100 years (and why would be helpful.) and likewise, which song by an African-American artist would you consider to be most significant in the last 100 years. Again why do you think this.

This would be supremely helpful if you can give me suggestions.

I don't have a firm outline for the project just yet but many ideas swimming around in my head and I'm just after some food for thought right now.

Oh and from my photo-y arty farty crap blog...a little valentines inspired pic.

Not exactly conventional valentines day fare...but this is me we're talking about here.



It's from my classroom window when I arrive at work at stupid o'clock. The heart is a bit battered but I can't quite bring myself to take it down. :)

I know I should do a proper update but being back at school has just turned my brain to mush and I'm not sure I could manage anything coherent right now. It's been intense to say the least for various reasons.

Anyway...a question for you guys. We're starting a book group up at school, targeting years 9-13 (14 to 18 year olds) and we want to get the books for this term bought in. We have funding from both our Gifted and Talented fund and our Literacy fund.

Mostly we're after a good mixture of genres, male and female protagonists, styles and both modern books and classics and obviously appropriate for our age group, also keep in mind we have a very multi-cultural/multi-ethnic school so diversity is key.

In short, anyone have any recommendations? - a short explaination of why you're recommending the books would be good as well, I may even bug people for some reviews. :)

Ta lovelies.

"My biggest problem with Harry Potter is that I went to an English public school and hated it, I would have rather lived under the stairs."

:D

Inspired by aussiephil...because this always gives me a giggle.

If you read this, (even if we don't speak often) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me.

It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE.

Ifyou like, you can choose to post this on your LJ and be surprised (ormortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you.

I don't wanna go to work. *pouts*

I want to stay under my duvet for the entire day. My throat and my head hurts and I've got a temperature....but there's a parents evening tonight and duty calls...another late night at work.
:(

poo.

so my run of shit days continued today....again there's no point in going in to the school politics bullshit that's going on but I had such tension by the end of the day that I decided to treat myself to a Pizza Hut blowout. I ordered way to much and I feel slightly queasy now but MAN it was all good and I feel so much better now. I'm going to cap it off with a vodka or three and that should do nicelythankyouverymuch!

Okay, based on my bizzare celebrity friend dream, I want to know who your celebrity best friend would be and why?

As per my dream, my celebrity best friend would be Neil Gaiman because you would never ever run out things to talk about and he's rather cool and super intelligent and that's the type of person I'd like to show up at parties with, plus I get the feeling he'd be up for some mischief if the opportunity arose. (also I could have a whole secret best friend crush thing going on!)

Yes...I know it's yet another quiz...but it's swiped from lastwordy_mcgee ergo it is a good quiz

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Milady the Right Reverend Ruth the Amicable of Waldenshire under Throcket Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Call me Milady bitches!

What does your drawing say about YOU?

The results of your analysis say:

You tend to pursue many different activities simultaneously. When misfortune does happen, it doesn't actually dishearten you all that much.
You are a thoughtful and cautious person. You like to think about your method, seeking to pursue your goal in the most effective way.
You like following the rules and being objective. You are precise and meticulous, and like to evaluate decisions before making them.
You feel morose and are prone to lethargy.

hmm....possibly, but the questions were stupid because my trees are clearly mighty pine trees and there was no such option. Grr.

Anyway.

Did I miss anything important while I was away?

oh I forgot to say thank you to lonnie_le for the postcard. It was a lovely suprise to find waiting on my doormat when I got home. Thanks! The historical theme was much appreciated! :)

I need a cup of tea, some chocolate and a big hug. :(

at times like this living on your own sucks arse.

For the first time in ages I've become all girly and excited by an item of clothing.

Coming up at the end of this term is our annual staff conference. On the middle night we have a big dinner dance thing. Everyone gets all frocked up and it's great fun. I wanted to wear something a bit more 'alternative' this year rather than digging out stuff that I've worn for weddings and suchlike. I wanted to be dressy but pay homage to my inner rock chick as well I also didn't want to spend a fortune on a dress I'll probably only wear once.

Enter ebay to save the day. After a day of fingers crossed hoping no-one would outbid me, I just won this dress:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=013&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=230094102635&rd=1&rd=1

It is exactly what I was looking for and it only cost me £11.48. (the kind of price that makes you say fuck yeah!) Now I just need to get some killer accessories and I'm all set. Hurrah. (I may have to call in a favour from some of my more girlie friends to help me with said killer accessories, I'm not so good at that stuff!)

I'm all excited about going to the dance now...how quaint!

I've just finished watching Fateless. Which I thought was utterly amazing.

The film is set in the era of WW2 and follows a 14 year old Jewish Hungarian boy, Gyuri Köve, who is arrested en route to work and sent to the concentration camps.

It's a very gruelingand intense film to watch, mostly because you are constantly very close to Gyuri throughout the whole film, there are relentless close up shots and shots of him looking out to camera with utter exhaustion and degradation that are actually more challenging in a way than a film that paints a broad, sweeping picture of the horrors of the Holocaust. There are some agonising scenes of the relentless routine of the camps rather than pits of bodies or lurid violence, for example a scene of the inmates of the camp being forced to stand for hours and hours while escapees are searched for. It is physically and mentally uncomfortable to watch and in a way says volumes more about the regime, purpose and impact of the camps than a more graphic film might. It also shows touching moments of happiness and humanity as friendships are formed within the camp again reflecting that the inmates were human, not objects of pity.

( cut for comments on the ending - not spoilers per se )

There's no 'this is terrible, but hope springs eternal' message in this story and in a way that almost makes it a far more honest film. It almost bears out something that is striven for in Holocaust education, to prevent shock value scenes and the experience of individuals both as victims and perpetrators being brushed over by sweeping generalisations, unimaginable figures or being reduced to a pile of bodies.

When I attended a talk by holocaust survivor Kitty Heart Moxon, she also said that for her and many survivors there weren't happy endings. She experienced severe psychological damage, displacement, the loss of her family and culture, loss of faith and a sense of identity and very much experienced the attitude that people were shocked, shook their heads at the horror of it all and then moved on.

A very, very highly recommended film. The actors are beyond impressive, especially 14 year old Marcell Nagy. The gravitas of his performance has to be seen to be believed. The authenticity of the sets and the cinematography is also stunning, as is the direction. There are many, many well judged and heartbreaking moments that come out tiny things, such as a woman applying lipstick as they arrive at Auschwitz station or long shots of peoples faces that refuse to allow the viewer to look away.

If you can't tell. I was impressed.