Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 4 - The Aftermath

foxgloves

Well done, CCL. Just try to be as prepared as possible, sell your skills & do your best. That's all any of us can do in these situations.
F x

Baileys_Babe

Congratulations on being shortlisted, can you speak to your line manager for exam marking and ask them for hints and tips and if they have any interview-style questions so you can prepare and practice?

1LuckyLady

Great news CCL,  well done. 

crazy_cat_lady

Gosh I've already forgotten what lockdown was like.
First week back at school = one very, very tired CCL at the best of times. Chuck in an extended break, a global pandemic, prepping for an interview, new teaching practice and a highly stressed dd and I feel like I could sleep for a month. I've had a lot to do since work started again. I don't like not being able to wander around my class and talk to the kids and see how they're getting on, but Covid says no to that. Lesson prep is blimming awful as well because it's so hard to prepare for what you need to do without being able to see books, and walk around the class marking and checking with them individually. It's not great and the job is definitely less fun than it was.
I also had a task to do to prepare for my interview next week, which I spent hours on - making sure that I did it properly. I researched and checked and researched and checked and spoke to two of the most senior examiners. I have also arranged to have a mock interview with the Head tomorrow morning so I can practise. I think I'm doing everything as well as I can to be prepared. I can't control on the day if anyone is better than me - only what I say and how I get on so I need to stop thinking that someone must be better than me and just do the best I can.
On top of that, dd is already being bombarded with work - which I'm really unhappy about. The amount of mental pressure that they put on the kids is bad at the best of times, but seems to be a hundred times more now. I'm trying not to add to that but it's a bit of a worry seeing her so upset all of the time. Her best friend hasn't been back to school yet either as her dad has Covid so her bestie won't be back for another week - hard not to have anyone at break or lunchtime to talk to.
AND the north east seems to have become the Covid hotspot as well just as my 'bubble' expands to 1100 people. But I can't control that either. Only my own behaviour, which is why I haven't been anywhere or done anything much over the weekend. DD had a young driver lesson, which I watched outside, and I picked up a grocery shop, also outside - but I am avoiding the shops and other stuff with people where I can.
I'm crocheting for the rest of the day and thinking about my interview questions. I really need a couple of hours of doing absolutely nothing before the working week starts again.

Buffythedebtslayer

I hear you. I have taught 5 lessons to one group but have NO IDEA if half of them got it or not. I need to mark books but have to get in early on Monday to get them from the classroom I teach that group in and move them to a neutral working zone(different building), then cart them back again to do feed back. It is grim. And that is the least of it really. Our levels are rising (London) but not as badly. 
I too haven't been out all weekend. lessen the risk eh? 
Big love to you 
XXX 

f0xh0les

You are doing everything you can. That is enough.  Wow on the interview prep - if pom pom waving and virtual cheering mean anything, then you have this in the crocheted bag.  It is the right time to diversify.

  So sorry about DD.  Hopefully she will have her friend back soon - is she doing online catch-up with her mate? So she really knows what is going on in the classroom. 

Stress plays havoc with the immune system, so try and release the stress - I spent all flippin' night having dreams about being made from fabric and my stuffing coming out (so weird!) but I know it is because I feel absolutely guilty as all hell for driving the kids to school.

DS1 dropped one of his 4 A levels last week and didn't bother to tell us - the school told him he should do 3 well rather than waste their time chasing him for his homework for the 4th.  We found out after he had agreed it all and his teacher rang us to let us know what they had decided between them.  So they must think he is an adult.

beanielou

Madly waves pom-poms & whatever. 

Baileys_Babe

Waving pom-poms and cheering loudly.

If they didn't think you could do it they wouldn't have asked you for an interview.
Give me a C, give me an R .....

apple_muncher

Another pom pom waver, here. Along with lycra and all the moves, if that helps...!

Well done getting through the first week and still being able to string a sentence together coherently. I was only able to mumble incoherently after just one day...! Hugs for dd x

crazy_cat_lady

SO TIRED!!!! I didn't get my mock interview with the head because our school only went and got a confirmed COVID case in Year 11 on Monday, which meant that the whole year group had to be sent home after they'd already arrived at school for the day. So the Head spent the morning liaising with Public Health and the council trying to sort stuff out. Bless him though because he still managed to find the time to email me with some hints and tips very late on Monday.
I went into interview having practised loads, with loads of notes and prompts and then I didn't get asked the questions I was expecting to get asked. So I think I fluffed it. It really, really caught me off guard and I messed it up. Did the chemistry stuff brilliantly and think I messed up the competencies bit. I won't know for sure until next week at the earliest but I was fairly devastated after the interview - it's still my dream job... and I wish I was better at interview because I really wanted to get it but just keep on letting myself down.
On top of that I still hate teaching from a 2m+ distance and not being able to look through books. We've been told 'no marking' and with mixed classes it's so hard to pitch your lesson at the right level and see who understands. And then it's been announced during the day that we go back into local lockdown tonight - no visiting people you don't live with outdoors or indoors - except I can see the 1000+ people I work with indoors for 6+ hours every day. I'm sure it makes perfect sense to the buffoons in charge of the country but it means very little to anyone I've spoken to today.
Ah well.