Brace yourselves. Sickness is coming. Schools are going into meltdown as the ever present staff absence list rises in number during Autumn and Winter.
It seems everyone is dropping like flies at my school. The sickness has spread with symptoms such as runny noses, headaches, coughs, sore throats, inability to focus and irritability taking down teachers. I woke up today with one such symptom being the dreaded sore throat. As most teachers know, this is our most powerful weapon.
I still soldiered on and attended our usual Monday briefing, where we found out 11 teachers were absence for the day and many of these classes would need to be split amongst the survivors across each year level due to budget restraints. Scanning the room, there probably are a few more teachers who need to wave the white flag. However we all are standing firm knowing that this will be a long week.
I grab a coffee back to my classroom out in Siberia. I switch the heater onto tropical and raid my draw, searching for my stash of throat lozenges. After finding them, I drink a quick mouthful of water, and set up the learning space. My bones are aching and my ears are ringing with the sound of 1H's voices outside the room.
Then I see it. As the I open the door at 9am it stares at me. The snot crusted noses and bleary eyes of the students lining up. Parents quickly patting their childs heads before dashing off, leaving dust in their wake. Those parents of the sick ones, clearly in the lead.
"Hi Mr Hyde!" spluttered a voice in the line before coughing up half a lung.
Brace yourselves teachers.
