Announcement made, Johnson retreats and leaves the workers to pick up the pieces.
As Monday nights go it was a cut above, as we discovered the way our Govt. had decided that school life actually in schools should recommence. A measured and cautious return would surely fit the seemingly more measured and cautious profile currently being presented.
WTF, it’s the big bang – all back in, all at the same time for crying out loud! Every child must be tested 3 times before they can be tested at home so consequently children are coming in before lockdown ends in order that they can be tested and then return to school on the same day. Carnage and again no assistance, just a confused directive and everyone scrabbling to pick up the pieces and still teach all their lessons and don’t get me started on exams …… ffs.
However, it will be good to return to a semblance of normality, to interact, to acknowledge and to share a space with up to 30 people at a time and talk to colleagues in groups of more than one. It’ll be good to share a joke and know it’s landed (or not as is usually the case) in real-time rather than wait for an emoji or a semi-frozen rictus grin on a poor zoom connection.
Three weeks of face to face teaching before the Easter break and hopefully my vaccine first dose, I’m not as anxious as I was returning in September as I got through that term but still need to remember it ain’t over yet and lots of the kids have lost people. The damage will last for years and as is usual with kids it will seep out slowly, manifesting itself in many forms. Hopefully, this generation, more than any other before it, know to seek support; many of them are going to need it. If teaching is about anything it’s about nurturing the future and I’m very glad to be doing it from a shed or in the classroom.
Three crackers this week for you sink your teeth into. Firstly to reflect the positivity of returning to school a real blast of optimism from Brittany Howard with a great video; secondly a gentle Drakeian Ethan John’s track from his underrated debut album; and lastly a splash of righteous feeling from Alynda Segarra. As ever… take from them what you need or want.
Good
Mellow
Righteous
Really liked all this week’s choices Keith. BTW one of my favourite book tubers was raving about Mark Lanegan’s autobiography. Pretty self lacerating and filled with regret but still a compelling read. Your thoughts?
Thanks Andrew. Sing backwards and weep is a wonderful, scabrous book that I have sent to people as a Get Well present during COVID. A bracing read!