For some the holidays just go on and on

[Snoopy]

I have just been informed that the THW will not be attending school today. Despite what seems to have been an extraordinarily long break for Easter the teaching staff will not be in today as they have the day off in lieu of the Royal Wedding Bank Holiday which they "missed" as they were on holiday at the time.

Oh and the reason that Welsh Schools have been off longer than those in England is because most examination boards have, due to the lateness of Easter this year with the subsequent shortening of the Summer Term, "Brought forward" their examination dates. The WJEC (Welsh Exam Board) have deferred the start of the exams (GCSE, As and A2s) and have an almighty pile up of examinations to cram into the shortened term ..... with a much delayed results announcement date as a consequence.
But still the teachers must have their day in lieu 

SWWLTBO meanwhile has to go to work as she is a Tutor at a College of FE and not a teacher. I do not understand the logic of any of it.

[beerhead]

I have recently taken on two University students to help wth a project. Apparently they are both finished for the year-AT EASTER. I would't pay £9,000 in fees for only two terms of so called education !

[Snoopy]

Indeed not but the £9k fees don't apply until new undergrads start in October 2012. Those already at university or who are starting this coming October are only paying £3275 pa (plus inflation increases) until the end of their courses. It will not be until the start of the academic year 2015/16 that all students will be on the new fees.

[beerhead]

Fair enough, but they obviously don't have enough academic work. Both are doing "silly" degrees

[Snoopy]

Oh ~ Don't start me on "silly" degrees.

Part of SWWLTBO's duties include teaching History to "Access Students" ie those who for one reason or another failed their A levels and now are trying to get into uni. They have to do "Humanities" (History or Geography to you and me) Numeracy and Literacy (Maths and English) CTC (Computer use) and other courses of their choosing from a list including the likes of Psychology, Media Studies and similar crap .... even Drama (AKA Poncing about in Tights).

What worries her most is (i) The average student's inability to write comprehensible English (ii) The subjects they want to study when/if they eventually get to University. These range from Nursing to Bereavement Counselling. Some want to be Social Workers and others plan careers in "Beauty and Hair-dressing". Trying to beat into their skulls the intricacies of the Crusades, the Politics of the Wars of the Roses and the intrigues of the Court of Elizabeth 1st is ageing her visibly.

She promises to physically harm the very next student who writes "Wouldn't of" in an essay. Honestly even though my two boys (12 and 10 Years of age) use such expressions when they are speaking neither would dream of writing such.

She has had much marking to do over the Easter Break and I found her one morning banging her head on the desk. She handed me the piece of "work" submitted by one student. I kid you not, the "child" (age is actually 21) would never have passed an 11+ when I was at school. "And he wants to be a fucking teacher" she wailed "God help us, he cannot spell Assignment even with the help of his spell checker. Surely to God he must notice that his screen is covered in red and green under-linings". (He had typed asinement and to compound the felony had managed to write 137 words without a single punctuation mark in his first paragraph).

I would not do her job for all the tea in China!

[apc2010]

I wouldn't of wanted that job..........

[Snoopy]

Be afraid ..... be very, very afraid 

[Miss Demeanour]

Its' a good job we ere talk perfick Engerlish like 

[Snoopy]

This is different.
Here we are not submitting academic work but carrying on a multi-person conversation, all be it in a virtual mode. We type as if we were speaking face to face. No-one expects any of the others to proof read everything they type (say) and, were we to so do, the whole thing would sound pompous and stilted and would soon collapse.
Yes we all make mistakes and typos and sometimes we poke fun at them but generally we have evolved a language we all understand .... Prolly.

This place is as it should be ~ a group of like minded (some might say "simple minded") people chatting as if we were working in the same office or meeting up in a real pub. 

[Miss Demeanour]

Ooh i'll have a diet coke then please 

[Snoopy]

Paper umbrella and slice of lemon?

[Miss Demeanour]

...and ice please. Thank you new and improved Barman 

[Miss Creant Commander of the picklement and baking BAb(Hons)]

A competent bar man with hair now that really makes a change.

[Snoopy]

'ere you goes Meees D.
BM has run out of paper umbrellas so I've made zee swizel ting just for you .... with a leetle dash of rum to take off the sweetness.



And for your dancing friend is zee 'ouse speciality

[Baldy]

Paper umbrella and slice of lemon?

Nick nicked the umbrellas.