In which I didn't really make much effort...
I'm not at work today.
On the radio at 6.45am (Radio 4, no less) they interviewed a reporter in Leeds who said it was treacherous on the roads, only travel if it is essential. I got up and checked the school website and it says "WE ARE OPEN" and yes, it is written in capitals. Well to be frank, there is more snow on the ground than there was yesterday, although it looks like most of today's snowfall will miss us. I drove in yesterday... which was my first time driving in the snow... for us to have so few staff in (less than half) and even less pupils (around 300 out of 1100), that we had to collapse all the classes. This morning there is more snow on the ground, but none is falling, so I doubt that anyone who missed yesterday will make it in today, plus all the kids who struggled in yesterday to sit in classes with teachers they didn't know doing boring unplanned work will probably not make much of an effort to get in.
I live on a flat street. There are 15 small terraced houses on my section with a hill at either end. You have to go up to the main road, maybe 50 metres from my front door... but 50 metres driving over 3" of snow (probably with ice underneath as it was melting yesterday evening and was freezing overnight) up a hill, when your first ever experience of driving in snow was yesterday! I didn't fancy it. My school catchment area is the whole city... so it's not really as if pupils could really walk in. If they had, I might have made more of an effort, because the benefits (actually getting to teach my classes and provide an education) would outweigh the risks of driving all that way only to be sent home at lunchtime or before it gets dark. In fact they sent us home at lunchtime so we wouldn't have to drive in the dark, and yet it is only just about light now at 8.20am, and I would have had to set off about an hour ago.
I don't know, maybe I'm just trying to justify this... part of me does feel bad about it. But the fact is they never make the decision to close... which makes me have very little faith that this is the right decision. They kept us open on the last day of term which was a half day anyway... two lessons (watching a video as it was the end of term) and then a concert... where is the real educational benefit in that? They kept us open yesterday and when we had bad snow in February, but Zac drove me in then, because he wasn't working.
Ho Hum... At least I can crack on with more of my
Hunt out plates and cups from upstairs
More washing up
Laundry
Ironing
Empty Tumble Dryer
More tumble drying
Put away shopping
Put away craft stuff from front room
Put away Christmas presents
Vacuum/Sweep the kitchen
Make a start on Yr 11 coursework marking
On a happier note... Zac just emailed me to say he got to work ok (he took the car, but has got 6 more years driving experience than me... plus he doesn't get paid if he doesn't go, this is the nature of temping... and I do!) and that he is getting a pay increase! From £6.50 an hour to £7.50... If you've been reading thinmuffet you'll know why that makes me extra happy.
On the radio at 6.45am (Radio 4, no less) they interviewed a reporter in Leeds who said it was treacherous on the roads, only travel if it is essential. I got up and checked the school website and it says "WE ARE OPEN" and yes, it is written in capitals. Well to be frank, there is more snow on the ground than there was yesterday, although it looks like most of today's snowfall will miss us. I drove in yesterday... which was my first time driving in the snow... for us to have so few staff in (less than half) and even less pupils (around 300 out of 1100), that we had to collapse all the classes. This morning there is more snow on the ground, but none is falling, so I doubt that anyone who missed yesterday will make it in today, plus all the kids who struggled in yesterday to sit in classes with teachers they didn't know doing boring unplanned work will probably not make much of an effort to get in.
I live on a flat street. There are 15 small terraced houses on my section with a hill at either end. You have to go up to the main road, maybe 50 metres from my front door... but 50 metres driving over 3" of snow (probably with ice underneath as it was melting yesterday evening and was freezing overnight) up a hill, when your first ever experience of driving in snow was yesterday! I didn't fancy it. My school catchment area is the whole city... so it's not really as if pupils could really walk in. If they had, I might have made more of an effort, because the benefits (actually getting to teach my classes and provide an education) would outweigh the risks of driving all that way only to be sent home at lunchtime or before it gets dark. In fact they sent us home at lunchtime so we wouldn't have to drive in the dark, and yet it is only just about light now at 8.20am, and I would have had to set off about an hour ago.
I don't know, maybe I'm just trying to justify this... part of me does feel bad about it. But the fact is they never make the decision to close... which makes me have very little faith that this is the right decision. They kept us open on the last day of term which was a half day anyway... two lessons (watching a video as it was the end of term) and then a concert... where is the real educational benefit in that? They kept us open yesterday and when we had bad snow in February, but Zac drove me in then, because he wasn't working.
Ho Hum... At least I can crack on with more of my
On a happier note... Zac just emailed me to say he got to work ok (he took the car, but has got 6 more years driving experience than me... plus he doesn't get paid if he doesn't go, this is the nature of temping... and I do!) and that he is getting a pay increase! From £6.50 an hour to £7.50... If you've been reading thinmuffet you'll know why that makes me extra happy.