Ep 161: Secret Santa Gone Wrong, Awful Staff Parties & Christmas In School!

1
00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,880
Hello everyone, welcome back to
another episode of Teach the

2
00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:02,920
Rabbit.
My name is Dylan.

3
00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:04,360
My name's.
Hayden And you're right, it's

4
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,400
Wednesday.
It's the last four week before

5
00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,280
the end of the term.
And it's not just any term,

6
00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:10,680
Hayden it's Christmas term.
It's on the way.

7
00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:12,560
How exciting.
It's the best term of all,

8
00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,080
wouldn't you say?
I was, I think it's number one

9
00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,640
easily if I had to rank my 6
terms.

10
00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,480
Although it's really exhausting
because it's quite often the

11
00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,560
longest, isn't it?
There is just something magic

12
00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,720
about primary schools,
especially at this time of the

13
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,640
year course.
There is Christmas is magical

14
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:30,640
fortune.
It's all for kids, isn't it?

15
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,320
So if you work it at a place
where everyone you're surrounded

16
00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,600
by is kid, it's like it's gonna
be the most magical time.

17
00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,880
This is so true.
I found because I'm 32 now, I

18
00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,800
have to think about that.
I am 32 now and obviously my son

19
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,640
Rory is 2 years old so my whole
20s there was no baby in the

20
00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,040
family so I'm the oldest of the
siblings and since Roy's been

21
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,560
born we've had Mason as well my
sister's child so there's a

22
00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,920
couple of them now.
But in my all of our 20s it was

23
00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,200
just adults for Christmas.
And I don't know about you but

24
00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,960
like personally Christmas was
just fine.

25
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,680
Like when there was no actual
children involved it it just was

26
00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,440
not the same.
It's, it's because when you're

27
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,480
young, it's still magical to
you, even if, even if that point

28
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,880
where like, you know how it's
going, you know how it works.

29
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:15,840
You know who's got you the
presents really, you know, we

30
00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,960
know what's going on.
It's still magical because you

31
00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:20,120
still really want these toys and
gifts and things and you want to

32
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,240
spend all day playing with it.
And you haven't got the crushing

33
00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,160
reality of, of working in the
capitalist world.

34
00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,760
You know, on your shoulders, you
can just enjoy Christmas.

35
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,760
Whereas like when you're all,
yeah, like you said, because I'm

36
00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,680
exactly the same.
We had a huge, probably like a

37
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,000
decade of just not.
There were just no kids and

38
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,840
there weren't any children.
My siblings and stuff.

39
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,960
So like, you know, even when my
youngest, my youngest sister is

40
00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:44,360
6 years younger than me, Yeah.
So even when I was like 2223,

41
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,840
she was still like she was still
a child, you know, it was still

42
00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:48,320
at that point.
I know getting older.

43
00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:49,160
Yeah, it wasn't.
But.

44
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,520
But there is something special
about the little kids and

45
00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,880
especially with our little ones.
Now, again, this is Rory's third

46
00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,720
Christmas.
First Christmas he was two

47
00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:58,720
months old.
Second Christmas, he just turned

48
00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,160
1.
I didn't really get what was

49
00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,680
going on, but now it's like, see
the pretty lights, see the elf,

50
00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,600
ho ho ho father.
He's like so into it and it's so

51
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,120
good.
Yeah, we, I've literally said

52
00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,640
you didn't.
I like last week that Christmas

53
00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:14,240
for the first time in ages, like
I'm actually like excited, like

54
00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,800
really excited for it.
And I felt it feels really good

55
00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:17,800
and I feel really festive and
stuff.

56
00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,560
And I was like, before I was
like, oh, maybe I'm just a

57
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:21,920
Scrooge.
I'm like, you know, but when I'm

58
00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,000
28 and I'm just not remotely
excited for Christmas, there's

59
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:26,680
no children around.
I was, I was like, oh, am I just

60
00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:28,120
old and boring?
Is that all it is?

61
00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,520
And now actually I'm like, no, I
just you just the whole point of

62
00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,600
Christmas is it's, it's magical
and fun with kids.

63
00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,400
Yeah, and I think actually
circling background to our time

64
00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,200
in school in our whole of our
20s, that did keep it alive

65
00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,680
though, didn't it?
Like I really loved that build

66
00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:41,880
up.
And although you always ended

67
00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,240
school on like, you know, the
the 18th, whatever it might be,

68
00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,680
and it felt like the end early.
And it was weird then because

69
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:49,440
you just said Christmas and it
was nice get together, get

70
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,440
together your family and stuff.
But there were still no children

71
00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,840
around that lead up that that
last two or three weeks of time.

72
00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,840
I think December as a whole in
primary school is such a nice

73
00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,520
place to be.
And I I definitely missed that

74
00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,960
this year.
But it's nice that instead of

75
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,240
that, I've had my own son get to
that age where he's starting to

76
00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,360
really appreciate it.
So yeah, I've definitely felt

77
00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,040
that kind of appreciation of
Christmas a lot more.

78
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,960
I think people listening to this
again, they'll be exhausted at

79
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,400
this point.
I it is real, the tiredness at

80
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,000
the end of end of this time.
So we're going to talk about all

81
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,240
things Christmas in this
episode, but I just wanted to

82
00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,440
big shout out to anyone who
works in the school.

83
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,280
Thank you because you're the
ones who make it special for the

84
00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:27,520
kids as well.
At the end of the day, they're

85
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,880
excited, but you facilitate that
as well.

86
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,880
Well, thinking back then to our
year, you know, we've spent ten

87
00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,960
years in a school, 10
Christmases we would have done,

88
00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,040
you know, put on for the kids
over different ages as well,

89
00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:38,760
because we taught in year 4,
year five, year 6 between us

90
00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,720
mostly.
Can you think of any like

91
00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,080
special moments or certain
things you did with the kids

92
00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,360
where you think that would that
that is what like you made them

93
00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,400
grin, made them smile like when
they came in that you did

94
00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,360
something in the classroom that
was a bit out of the ordinary.

95
00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,240
Can you think of anything?
I it's like for me it was, it

96
00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,000
was just leaning into it and
letting yourself lean into it

97
00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,480
and enjoy it because it can be
quite, you can have some

98
00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,120
trepidation sometimes I think as
a teacher to go off script or

99
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,920
off piste or off the norm
because a huge problem people

100
00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,800
always talk about in this period
is like behaviour because

101
00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,880
structures might be slightly
loosened, etcetera.

102
00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:10,960
But I always just thought I just
lean into it.

103
00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,320
No, we'd play songs a lot more
frequently.

104
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:14,360
Yeah.
The kids would come in the

105
00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,360
morning, there'd be a song play
and they'd sing along.

106
00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:17,560
I don't get like, it was
amazing.

107
00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:18,399
It's time.
Yeah, Yeah.

108
00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:21,040
We'd stop lessons a bit early
and do something related to

109
00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,360
Christmas instead.
We would, you know, do a lot of

110
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:24,480
arts and crafts.
Do.

111
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,280
You do it in your room as well.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

112
00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:28,760
Did you as a teacher quite often
put the effort into just like,

113
00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,400
hang tinsel from the Yeah.
So tinsel, I always had tinsel

114
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,960
across, like the smart white
board.

115
00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,480
Yeah, decorations around and the
kids made me anything.

116
00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,200
The rule was it went up in the
classroom, some sort of

117
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:40,560
Christmas tree on top of my
projector.

118
00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:42,800
I had like a little snowman
hanging off the wall.

119
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,120
And one thing I did do which
worked so nicely is I bought a

120
00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,480
fake tree.
So I kept it in my cupboard for

121
00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,880
the whole time.
In December it came out and for

122
00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,240
the whole of December I used to
not do house points anymore.

123
00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,400
But I used to say to the
children, OK, where I'd give out

124
00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:58,920
a house point or a team point,
I'd say here's a bauble.

125
00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,000
So I'd have a big bag of
baubles.

126
00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,880
And the kids like their, their
prize would be they can put a

127
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,320
bauble on the tree.
So by the end of the IT was, but

128
00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,480
it was so nice.
And I always remember one girl

129
00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,240
because I brought in my own
decorations from home, my old

130
00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,200
ones, and they're all silver.
Like there was this old, old big

131
00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:17,600
silver set we weren't using
anymore.

132
00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,520
And one girl came in and saw it
and went, Mr. Price, you've got

133
00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,720
her up your decorations game.
And I went, sorry, it's just my,

134
00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:26,960
this is my spare one, sorry.
And she was like, can I bring

135
00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:28,640
some in?
I was like, yeah, of course she

136
00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,120
can.
The next day she brought in the

137
00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,080
biggest bag of decorations
you've ever seen, all different

138
00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:35,880
colours, all different bubbles.
And she was like, hey, you got

139
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:36,720
in.
And I was like, is it?

140
00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:38,560
Can we use this like, yeah,
spell I brought in for you?

141
00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,960
I asked my dad.
And then they brought it in this

142
00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:42,400
huge thing.
The tree was so colourful.

143
00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,800
The kids absolutely loved it.
And then again, that sparked

144
00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,720
something where I said to the
children, you can all bring in

145
00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,160
one decoration and we'll put it
on the tree and they bring in

146
00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,720
something from home.
Obviously sometimes it's really

147
00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,320
special to them.
Sometimes just a random one.

148
00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,880
Some kids didn't have 1 and I
just said, should we make

149
00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,320
something?
We made a little aside, but they

150
00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:02,720
could put their own thing on the
tree then.

151
00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,560
And it just, it's little things.
I guess someone might say it's a

152
00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,000
big thing, but it's things like
that where I just

153
00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,680
unapologetically lent into it
because they loved it, they

154
00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,920
liked it, and it's like, at no
point was I thinking I'm going

155
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,600
to get more learning out of them
because of this.

156
00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,760
I was simply thinking they're
having fun.

157
00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:22,280
It's a special, it's a special
moment they can enjoy in a

158
00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:23,840
communal way.
And it's interesting, you know,

159
00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:25,800
you said about how some of them
maybe didn't come in with

160
00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,480
anything I did.
I didn't know this straight away

161
00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:30,160
when I was a teacher.
But you sort of learn it through

162
00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,280
these experiences that you
cannot take for granted what

163
00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:34,920
people, what people do at home
for Christmas.

164
00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,200
Do you know what I mean?
The people that celebrate

165
00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,720
Christmas, that is wildly
different depending on what the

166
00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,360
family, you know, that they're
potentially in.

167
00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,040
So yeah, you have to be so aware
of that stuff.

168
00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,040
If you're doing a thing where
it's like, Oh yeah, everyone

169
00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:46,520
bring in this thing or
everyone's going to do this

170
00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,120
certain thing for Christmas or
make a certain thing or bring

171
00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,200
something from home.
You just, you just, yeah, you've

172
00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,800
got to be prepared for.
There's going to be someone

173
00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,520
whose parents go, no, not doing
that, Yeah.

174
00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:57,560
Or or don't, or they just don't
even get the chance, the

175
00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:58,680
opportunity to do that.
Do you think?

176
00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,200
Do you know what I mean?
And then the idea that they come

177
00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,320
in and then think, oh, no, I
can't join in now.

178
00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,120
I'm not, I can't be part of this
community because everyone was

179
00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,800
brought in this thing because
I'm their parents made it with

180
00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:07,360
them last night and I didn't, I
didn't get to.

181
00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,040
I was always hyper aware of
that.

182
00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:10,960
This, it's such, it's absolutely
right.

183
00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:12,520
It's power forever.
And there's layers of it because

184
00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,360
there were always some families
who don't celebrate Christmas.

185
00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,640
Yeah, but at all.
But then I think you're thinking

186
00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,920
more of as well, those families
who do celebrate Christmas, but

187
00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,800
maybe just don't do as much for
it or or can't bring something

188
00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:22,920
and I can't.
Do it for whatever reason.

189
00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,040
Yeah.
And I think kind of encapsulated

190
00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,560
in that whole thing is I think
you can still celebrate and

191
00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,360
mention Christmas and do things
and be really respectful.

192
00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:32,800
Yeah.
Like, and, and, and I think it's

193
00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,400
important, you know, people
might always say to things like

194
00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,360
what about the children who
don't celebrate Christmas?

195
00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:41,040
And I'm always like, OK, don't
like you don't have to celebrate

196
00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,400
something, but but you know, as
a community, and we're going to

197
00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,760
have these ideas in our
classroom and that's fine.

198
00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,760
No one's forcing you to
celebrate at all, even to the

199
00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,360
extent of I celebrate Christmas,
but I'm not religious at all.

200
00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,120
Yeah, some people might say, you
know, I don't come in and say,

201
00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,880
well, why are we doing our
Christmas maths at our school?

202
00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,760
I'm not, I'm not religious at
all, but I do celebrate

203
00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,000
Christmas, so I think it's OK to
have a tree in the room.

204
00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,160
Someone else might think, well,
I'm not religious and I don't

205
00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,640
celebrate Christmas and I'm part
of a different kind of cultural

206
00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,760
or background.
OK, We can do everything

207
00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,120
respectfully though.
We can still enjoy it, We can

208
00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,000
still have lots of fun with it,
and we don't have to infringe on

209
00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,200
anyone's rights whatsoever.
And I actually really, really,

210
00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,200
really like the spirit and the
community that comes out of it.

211
00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,520
And I understand people's views
who think maybe I've said it

212
00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,840
myself before about how faith
schools in general don't, don't

213
00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,120
sit right with me in like a
secular society when they're

214
00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,919
funded by taxpayers and it's
then a school that's, you know,

215
00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:36,799
maybe Catholic or putting down
like this religious doctrine, in

216
00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:37,960
my opinion, down to the
children.

217
00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,039
I, I completely get all that.
I do think it is different

218
00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:42,559
though when we talk about just
celebrating Christmas.

219
00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,039
And stuff, yeah, when we're
talking about like hanging

220
00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:46,480
light, pretty lights on a tree
and like putting up sparkly

221
00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,760
things on the ceiling, I'm like,
it's, it's just, it's not really

222
00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:50,600
about that.
Do you know what I mean?

223
00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,680
It can be about that.
I understand the link there.

224
00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:54,760
But you can also do it, like you
said, in a way that's just,

225
00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:56,480
we're just celebrating our
community.

226
00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:58,760
And it's and it's, yeah, OK,
it's cultural.

227
00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:00,800
I get it.
But and, but it's not mandatory

228
00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,880
for style.
I'm not going to say no child, I

229
00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:04,840
don't care what your parents
said.

230
00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:06,560
You are going to make this
Christmas thing and you are

231
00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:08,160
going to take it home and hang
it on a tree.

232
00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:09,600
I'm not, I'm not going to do
that.

233
00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:10,920
You know what I mean?
It's just going to be, well, you

234
00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:12,080
can join in.
You don't have to join in.

235
00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,240
Here's a separate thing.
If they were doing Christmas

236
00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,080
colouring for whatever reason,
they can't do that.

237
00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:17,120
It's OK Colour this thing in
now.

238
00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,920
I'm not going to go and sit in
the corner equally and say stare

239
00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:20,840
at the wall now.
You can't.

240
00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,400
Like I feel like people read the
Daily Mail.

241
00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,520
It'll be one or two things.
It'll even be that example I

242
00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,120
just gave there of like, Oh
yeah, making the kids do this or

243
00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,360
it'll be more likely.
Yet woke lefty teachers won't.

244
00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,800
They won't do Christmas now in
their school because there's

245
00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,320
someone that doesn't do it.
So no one gets to.

246
00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,720
Step into a school, Yeah, Step
into a school in December and

247
00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:42,680
tell me Christmas.
Step into Christmas, step into

248
00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:45,040
Christmas.
Absolutely right.

249
00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,560
But yeah, I think that just the
overarching point there is just

250
00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:49,120
like I'd say to people, look,
chill out.

251
00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,600
It's such a nice period of time.
It has connotations with

252
00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,200
religion.
I understand why some people

253
00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,160
might not like that and I
understand why people from

254
00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:58,920
different cultures might think
why am I not being represented,

255
00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:00,880
etcetera, especially in a state
funded school.

256
00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,880
I for one think that we should
be celebrating all cultures in

257
00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:05,440
school.
I think it would be great.

258
00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:06,920
We should really go hard on
Christmas.

259
00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,440
It's fantastic.
Most children in our community,

260
00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,680
in schools that we worked in did
celebrate Christmas.

261
00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:14,200
So it was very relevant.
And there are some children who

262
00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:15,400
celebrate different parts of the
year.

263
00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,560
I think more can be done around
that as well.

264
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,160
You know, if you celebrate parts
of the year that aren't in

265
00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,280
necessarily our calendar as
public holidays but are really

266
00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,320
important to you, I think we
should be doing something around

267
00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:27,160
that as well.
Nodding towards it and do you

268
00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:28,840
know what?
Not telling the whole class, you

269
00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,440
have to observe this new one as
well now for it to be fair and

270
00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,480
equal, but simply saying this
exists, isn't this interesting,

271
00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:36,000
Let's look into it, let's
celebrate.

272
00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,120
What can we take from this,
celebrate from a different

273
00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,240
cultural aspect that we can
share and have strands among us

274
00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,440
community and strengthen our
bonds with each other.

275
00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,360
Just grow up a bit, is what I'd
say to people moaning about it

276
00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,600
when grown adults are bawling
their eyes out about it.

277
00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,240
Both ways, by the way.
Oh, you can't do Christmas in

278
00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:53,160
school.
It's offensive.

279
00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,000
Oh, we should only do Christmas
in school.

280
00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,440
We can't do anything else.
You're indoctrinating.

281
00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:58,920
Like, chill out.
Yeah, none of that's happening.

282
00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:00,640
It's just a nice thing for the
kids.

283
00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,320
Yeah, and come to my class
because they made-up their own

284
00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,560
versions of, you know, extra
ways of doing things because one

285
00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:10,040
year I had a little Christmas
tree as well at the back thanks

286
00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:11,480
to my job share.
Julie, a legend, she brought

287
00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:12,360
that in.
I was like, yes, it's such a.

288
00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:13,280
Great day.
Did you do anything?

289
00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,440
You know, I turned up every now
and then, every now and then.

290
00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:20,840
But yeah, she brought in this
lovely mate, a huge Christmas

291
00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,120
tree to be fair.
And then the kids, for some

292
00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,680
reason, they were just troll
trolling me, decided just to

293
00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:27,800
hide their fruit from the lunch
boxes in the in the tree.

294
00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,520
And at one point I was just
like, sorry.

295
00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:32,640
And I reached in, I just pulled
out this like apple with a bite

296
00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,320
out of it.
So someone put and I could just

297
00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,800
see this group of lads just
laughing.

298
00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,200
I was like, who's put that apple
in the in the Christmas?

299
00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,120
This is not a bauble.
I'll never forget that.

300
00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:45,520
It's a real experience.
Oh.

301
00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:48,920
God, some kind of tradition
made-up.

302
00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,520
Now just just it's the tree
fruit dweller.

303
00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,840
Oh no, it's the lunch tree that
takes away the bits we don't

304
00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:56,360
want to eat.
Brilliant.

305
00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:57,480
Did you eat your apple at lunch?
Yeah.

306
00:11:57,800 --> 00:11:59,760
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Your tree is just like falling

307
00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:01,880
over from the weight of a planet
of grapes or something.

308
00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,200
Don't worry, there's a melon on
the other side holding it up.

309
00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:05,840
Oh.
Absolutely mad.

310
00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,160
You're like Inka Plunk.
Yeah, it's like that one

311
00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:09,520
Christmas tree.
All the fruits.

312
00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,000
Ridiculous.
But I mean, it did make me

313
00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,280
laugh.
I'll just say like, yeah, I was.

314
00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,120
I wasn't even mad.
I was like, it was pretty funny.

315
00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:16,600
It was pretty fun.
It's quite funny to put.

316
00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,160
It out and the more you make out
like it's a horrible thing, the

317
00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,760
more fruit that you will find.
Yeah, literally we had a

318
00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,080
question.
Obviously we had the Q&A on

319
00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,840
Monday, which is all Christmas
theme, but there are a couple we

320
00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,360
thought, let's just let's just
keep this for the main chat

321
00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:30,880
because we're obviously doing a
Christmas episode today.

322
00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,680
And one of the questions we got
asked was very interesting to

323
00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:35,000
me.
And it's in it's kind of in this

324
00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,560
this thing we're talking about
of just, yeah, it's just fun.

325
00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:38,640
It doesn't need to be a
pedagogy.

326
00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,200
It doesn't need to have an
outcome all the time.

327
00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:41,840
It can be for the sake of
enjoying it.

328
00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,120
And one of the questions we got
was about when is it acceptable

329
00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:48,480
to stop work?
You know, you're winding up

330
00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,080
towards the end of the term,
It's coming towards Christmas.

331
00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,640
When's it acceptable to stop
maybe formerly being on the

332
00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,000
timetable and start maybe just
having your Christmas parties,

333
00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,480
doing whatever you want to do,
making Christmas cards,

334
00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,080
decorations, singing, dancing
part, whatever it is?

335
00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,880
Is there a line where you think,
oh it's OK from here?

336
00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,760
I mean loosely.
I think the December rule is

337
00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:10,720
always good.
Like I probably wouldn't start

338
00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,760
doing Christmas things in
general in my class until.

339
00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,320
But would you stop work?
Oh no, that's the question.

340
00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:18,800
Like Chris says, when's it
acceptable to stop work?

341
00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,920
It's like, I think it's almost
flawed.

342
00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:22,720
There's a flawed question
really, because you kind of

343
00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,080
turned it into another question
or equally.

344
00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:25,600
When you were talking.
About it so there's two things

345
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,720
there I wouldn't stop work is
the is the answer to that.

346
00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,560
Like no, like not really.
Like I'm not, there's not a day

347
00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:33,600
in the term where I go from this
point on.

348
00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,760
We're not doing any more like
maths and English or afternoon

349
00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:38,400
subjects at all.
Like I don't do that.

350
00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,440
I, I think it's just that you
just weave in other things that

351
00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:42,880
there's definitely a point in
the term.

352
00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,680
It's kind of what I was getting
at first, where it ramps up a

353
00:13:45,680 --> 00:13:49,560
bit like the ratio of Christmas
activities to normal, quote

354
00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:52,600
unquote work.
It's probably quite high in the

355
00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,640
last week.
But let's go back to the first

356
00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:56,840
bit and now that first, because
I absolutely I think we can come

357
00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,400
on to that with the ratio should
I can come in.

358
00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,320
But in terms of stopping work, a
lot of people say this and I

359
00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,080
think I'm on side of it, which
is we don't stop work.

360
00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:05,840
And I think what you said like
there isn't a hard date.

361
00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,840
I personally think it's I think
it's good for the children

362
00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:13,280
genuinely to have that routine
and it not be like there was

363
00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,800
always something about when you
said, Oh, we're not doing a

364
00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:17,280
maths and English today or
tomorrow.

365
00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,320
And the kids yippeed with joy,
but before they even knew what

366
00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:21,680
they were doing.
And it's like almost like it's a

367
00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:22,920
treat to not do maths and
English.

368
00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,560
I did quite like the whole thing
of no, you know, we're keeping

369
00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:27,840
this routine up until the end of
time.

370
00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:29,120
We're doing it.
We're doing it might be the odd

371
00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,040
time, like you said, we sprinkle
in some bits.

372
00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,680
We're not stop working though,
And I think that routine helps

373
00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,160
the kids gets into the term,
helps the routines, etcetera.

374
00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,200
But I still think you coming on
to the second point.

375
00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:39,800
I agree there.
And I'm wondering where you

376
00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,400
where your line is when you
start springing stuff in.

377
00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,800
When does that start?
How much do you put in?

378
00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:48,040
Just like I'd say like the last
couple of weeks is, is is fair

379
00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:49,680
game to me because you've got,
if you've got a big school,

380
00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:51,320
everyone's got to get their
Christmas party in.

381
00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:52,320
You can't do it all in the last
week.

382
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,200
That's just crazy.
Everyone, you know, a lot of

383
00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,120
schools with their Christmas
fair and some sort of sometimes

384
00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,040
I'll do that in an afternoon
slot, maybe after school if

385
00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,200
you're in different school.
I think in the last couple of

386
00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,360
weeks before Christmas or before
the term breaks up.

387
00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,360
Sorry, it's completely
acceptable to just dot those

388
00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:05,440
things in.
But I want to change you a

389
00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,680
little bit in terms of like,
let's really define as well

390
00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:09,680
normal work.
Does this count?

391
00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,440
So because I know everyone does
this, you're still doing maths

392
00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,880
in the last week and you get out
of the Christmas coordinates,

393
00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,160
does that, does that to you,
does that qualify as what we're

394
00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,200
kind of determining as we're
still doing?

395
00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,680
Normal things, yeah, completely.
Because you're on timetable

396
00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,360
still.
You do maths when you do maths.

397
00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,880
It's still a maths lesson.
What people tend to do, and I

398
00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,200
did it a lot in year 4 and
people wanted to do This was

399
00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,000
you.
Christmas coordinates is such a

400
00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,880
big thing, isn't it?
But it was in the realms of

401
00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,560
cool.
I'll teach it then yeah, it's

402
00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:37,160
still.
It was it was still maths.

403
00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,840
It was still teaching, Yeah.
Oh, but instead of making a

404
00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,160
Pentagon today, you're making
Rudolph, you know, with your,

405
00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,040
with your coordinate, whatever
it might be, it still was rooted

406
00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,560
in here's a lesson, guys.
I'm going to teach how to read

407
00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,800
and write coordinates.
Have a go yourself.

408
00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,960
Oh, by the way, you're creating
a picture which is a snowman.

409
00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:54,160
Do you think that's the best way
to do it?

410
00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:58,040
Like in terms of if you're like,
we just basically just weaving

411
00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,720
in the context of Christmas if
possible using it to still

412
00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:02,360
teach, right?
If possible, like a lot of the

413
00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,880
time people pick their text for
English in knowing it's the last

414
00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,640
couple of weeks of time they
pick a text that is related to

415
00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:10,040
Christmas that they're
celebrating.

416
00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,840
And, and I think, I think that
is when you say the best way to

417
00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,680
do it, it's just a way to do it.
I think ultimately you have to

418
00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,040
think to yourself, look, I'm
balancing everything here by the

419
00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,160
end of the year.
And this is what I always think

420
00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,840
about in my in my views of what
to decide to do when and when

421
00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,520
and even in the moment of
thinking this week and next week

422
00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,160
before Christmas, should I do,
should I do that?

423
00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:34,120
I'm always thinking within this
year, from September to June or

424
00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:38,000
July, whenever you finish, will
the children make the progress I

425
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,000
need them to make and have the
coverage I need them to have?

426
00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,840
The answer is yes.
You can come off a little bit,

427
00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,520
you can have something where
maybe the best maths lesson in

428
00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,240
the world probably wouldn't have
involved them sat there for 20

429
00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,040
minutes in the intricate details
of Rudolph.

430
00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:54,880
Yeah.
Oh, after 10 coordinates, I know

431
00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:56,960
they can do that skill.
And in a really good maths

432
00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:59,360
lesson, I'd be pushing them onto
some, maybe some harder problem

433
00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:01,000
solving or maybe a different
type of thinking, right.

434
00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,640
But in that moment of, oh,
they're making a picture that

435
00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,880
they like and they want to
colour in afterwards, I can make

436
00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:09,640
that decision in that moment to
go, do you know what?

437
00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:11,760
For this it's OK.
It sounds like you've got like a

438
00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,560
hierarchy in your head of like,
like priorities, almost like I

439
00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:16,319
want you to keep.
I want you to go deeper at this

440
00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:19,560
for like I'm I'm picking your
brain here because and I think I

441
00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,599
agree, by the way, like so
because that maths example is

442
00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:25,160
really good because someone
could absolutely come along even

443
00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,920
in my because I was thinking
it's undoubtedly better to weave

444
00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,120
things into the Christmas spirit
and just teach me Christmas.

445
00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:32,680
But there is a point you're
saying which is really good,

446
00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:35,320
which is, well, actually, no,
you might actually get a little

447
00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,400
bit less out of them because
you've gone a bit too hard on,

448
00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,080
OK, they've got a colour in
Rudolph when you could have

449
00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:40,360
moved on to a challenge or
something else.

450
00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,040
Yeah.
So where what's your priorities

451
00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:45,000
then like in terms of what do
you really want out of those few

452
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,560
weeks before Christmas as a
teacher?

453
00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,680
So I think the question you want
the best outcome, right?

454
00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,080
And you said, is it the best?
This really, really, really

455
00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,000
depends on stripping it way
back.

456
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,360
Not to get too meta.
What you mean by best?

457
00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,160
What do you mean by best
outcome?

458
00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,880
If you mean by best outcome,
simply how much information

459
00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,320
they're retaining and learning
and working for the curriculum.

460
00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,960
It's obviously not best that
they have a 100 piece coordinate

461
00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,560
grid to fill out and draw and
colour in, right?

462
00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:16,680
But if we're talking best about
a holistic version of best in

463
00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,440
terms of what they remember and
enjoy doing and like, I think

464
00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,440
you can get a lot out of just
sprinkling in some Christmas

465
00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:23,960
stuff.
Because I always think to

466
00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,120
myself, just put yourself back
in your shoes of your, your

467
00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,880
78910 years old, you're in
primary school.

468
00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,600
What do you remember from
primary school?

469
00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:37,360
And I can guarantee people will
remember vividly doing Christmas

470
00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:41,280
activities, making Christmas
cards, having a Christmas party,

471
00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,440
seeing your teacher put on some
Christmas tunes at the front and

472
00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,480
you going to get some party
rings from the buffet at the

473
00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,360
back on your plate for 1/3 plate
in a row.

474
00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,160
OK.
Is it the best outcome for the

475
00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:54,080
academic success of the future
of the people in the world?

476
00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,680
No, probably not.
Is it the best outcome in terms

477
00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,680
of giving you core memories for
life and enjoying yourself and

478
00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,120
being with your community and
getting out of it in different

479
00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:03,960
ways?
There's more to life than

480
00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,280
there's simply academics.
And school is vital for academia

481
00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,000
and it's our number one priority
alongside safety of children.

482
00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,600
But I really think we need to
start valuing these other things

483
00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,120
way more.
And when it comes to these

484
00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,920
moments, is it best for the kids
or what do you mean by best?

485
00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,280
Because I'd argue yes, it's best
for the children in a.

486
00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,600
Multiple different ways.
Yeah, No, I'm fully with you.

487
00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:23,200
I'm fully with you.
And like what you said there

488
00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,560
like there's more to life,
there's more to school, there's

489
00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:28,720
more to school, which is
probably what you imagine.

490
00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,000
No, you're right, there's more
to school than academia.

491
00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,640
It's just one aspect of it.
And it just annoyingly is the

492
00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,280
aspect that is the only aspect
we really focus on in terms of

493
00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:40,680
metrics and comparisons and and
the data that we can track. 95%

494
00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,440
of the year, rightfully so.
It is what we think about and

495
00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:44,960
do.
It is really important.

496
00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,360
I completely, I'm just talking
about these, these exceptional

497
00:19:47,360 --> 00:19:48,960
circumstances where you just
have a choice.

498
00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,920
And if you can sprinkle stuff in
at this moment, I think there

499
00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:53,880
are some points as well where
it's even better because you're

500
00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,880
engaging the children more.
If you pick a story which is

501
00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,600
really gripping and uses
Christmas as it's like hook.

502
00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,360
Like I remember in year 6 we did
A Christmas Carol.

503
00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,760
Scrooge and, and the ghost,
Christmas Past and bits like

504
00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:07,600
that.
The kids loved it.

505
00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:08,680
Yeah.
Like, not only because it's a

506
00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,200
good book, but because it was
relevant to the time of the year

507
00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,520
we were doing it as well.
And we, it would have been daft

508
00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:14,720
to do that in the summer term,
wouldn't it?

509
00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:16,880
And we could have picked a
different book and we could have

510
00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,840
got good outcomes from it.
But we picked that book.

511
00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,040
And I would say arguably in that
respect, choosing to interweave

512
00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:25,360
it with, with Christmas actually
did force better outcomes as

513
00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:27,280
well, because they're more
engaged in the text in the long

514
00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:28,680
run.
Yeah, I think there are points

515
00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,240
where you can point to it and
think this obviously isn't

516
00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,520
better.
Like, OK, if you're doing an art

517
00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,480
lesson and you're making a
Christmas card, I can imagine

518
00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:38,600
doing an art lesson actually
when you really focus on a

519
00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,200
bespoke skill about shading or
or or tone or something, might

520
00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,800
hit the curriculum better and
help their art technique improve

521
00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,640
more.
But you know what we're going to

522
00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,880
do this afternoon?
Make a Christmas card to take

523
00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:50,120
home to your family.
Yeah, right.

524
00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:51,280
OK.
I'm going to really challenge

525
00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,480
you now, I think based on
everything you've just said.

526
00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,400
Now this whole conversation,
which was all from that first

527
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,200
question of like, when's it
acceptable to stop work?

528
00:20:57,760 --> 00:20:59,240
We kind of said, well, we don't
need to stop work.

529
00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,480
You can just weave things in.
What if someone came up to you

530
00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,800
and said in the last week of
Christmas, there's three days

531
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,560
left?
And I said, I'm not doing any

532
00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,440
formal subjects for these last
three days because I think, and

533
00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,840
they list off all those reasons
about the holistic side of that,

534
00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,160
why they want the kids there and
they're going to be enjoy, enjoy

535
00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:15,560
what they're doing.
They're engaged.

536
00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:17,960
What would you say to them?
Say I've got these activities

537
00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:19,000
planned for these entire three
days?

538
00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:20,080
Not doing maths and English
nothing.

539
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:24,280
Have for them have a great time
and the proof is in the pudding.

540
00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,760
I'm a big, big advocate for
this.

541
00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,400
The proof is in the pudding.
If you do all of that and you

542
00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:31,520
have a track record of children
getting to where they need to be

543
00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:36,320
and the children still make good
progress and then outcomes are

544
00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,320
actually the kids are doing well
academically and they've enjoyed

545
00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,440
themselves.
Crack on.

546
00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,800
I really do believe that.
Crack on the issues come in

547
00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,760
terms of management.
If I was a manager and I'd said

548
00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:49,760
explicitly not to do that and
they say they're going to do it

549
00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:50,960
anyway, I think that's
different.

550
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,400
I think also there are problems
when that you might just have a

551
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,360
staff team where there's one
staff member you trust to do

552
00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:00,040
something like that more than
another staff member.

553
00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,920
And that is just real life and
that is just true.

554
00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:03,320
I think the proof's in the
pudding.

555
00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,240
It has to be backed up with
cool, why explain it to me and

556
00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,440
I'm I'm hopefully quite
consistent with this.

557
00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,640
I really want to just strip it
back to trusting teachers as

558
00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,720
professionals to make decisions
whenever I make decisions like

559
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:17,880
that.
And I'm going to assume this

560
00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,240
person who's come to me and
said, I'm I'm stripping about 3

561
00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:21,240
days.
We're doing all of this.

562
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,520
They're a trained professional,
OK, and they might have

563
00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,400
genuinely fundamentally
different outlook as to how

564
00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,800
they're going to get the
outcomes than I do, but I have

565
00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:32,840
to respect that they are
professional and trust them to

566
00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:34,880
do so.
My baseline is trust.

567
00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,800
Not because I just blindly trust
anyone I meet in the street, but

568
00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,160
this person's come to me with
experience and credentials and

569
00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:41,680
qualified profession in
teaching.

570
00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,720
So when they say they've chosen
to do something as a teacher

571
00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:48,000
because of whatever reason they
have, my baseline is trust.

572
00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,440
And then if they do it and
outcomes are worse because of

573
00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,040
it, then I'll pull them up and
talk about it.

574
00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:54,640
But the baseline is trust
because of the position they're

575
00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:56,680
in and the qualifications.
All right, same person comes up

576
00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,040
with you.
I'm trying to, I've got to get

577
00:22:58,040 --> 00:22:59,880
you here somewhere.
Same person comes up to you and

578
00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:02,000
says actually I'm going to spend
the last two weeks at the

579
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,760
Christmas term doing completely
awkward, not going to single

580
00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,080
maths, English, nothing
curriculum base whatsoever.

581
00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:08,680
Yeah, they need to really back
up.

582
00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,280
Here comes the point.
Like 3 weeks.

583
00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:16,880
So my point here last month.
My point here is and until I'm

584
00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,400
proven wrong, fine, but maybe I
will be proven wrong one day.

585
00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,480
But my.
Clip I'm clipping that.

586
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:25,200
Maybe I will be proven one day.
I mean, I mean, I mean with this

587
00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,160
like Outlook is, if a
professional teacher with

588
00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,680
experience said that to me, I
would be shocked.

589
00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:33,480
I don't think many professional
teachers would think.

590
00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:34,760
That's the right thing to do,
right?

591
00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:36,800
That's my point.
I'm like, you can give me this

592
00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:38,240
hypothetical.
Like what if someone said

593
00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,200
throwing a dart at a child would
be great for their pet?

594
00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:41,280
I was like, they wouldn't say
that.

595
00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,800
Like, OK, my baseline of trust
obviously wouldn't go that far

596
00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,240
to a made-up thing.
So my my point is, I think it's

597
00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,680
really good to stretch it.
I do agree with you, but I think

598
00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,960
that there's a certain base
level of OK, until I see

599
00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:55,680
teachers acting up ridiculously,
I'm going to have that base

600
00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:57,120
level of trust.
I'm just going to.

601
00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,480
I personally would just be like,
OK, why?

602
00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,080
Tell me exactly why you think
that's better?

603
00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,000
Because I'm worried they're not
going to get this, this and

604
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,120
this.
And if they said that's it, oh,

605
00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:05,360
I'm going to do it, then I'm
going to do this.

606
00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:07,120
Then actually I'm going to
interweave it here or I don't

607
00:24:07,120 --> 00:24:09,520
think that's important.
I could either come back and

608
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,000
say, do you know what, let's
give it a go then It's

609
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:13,800
interesting.
Or do you know what?

610
00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,840
I actually, I think I disagree.
The school policy, we need to do

611
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:17,800
this.
You're not going to cover the

612
00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:19,320
curriculum.
There's fundamentals you're not

613
00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:20,920
doing quite right here.
They are.

614
00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:22,360
Do you see them?
And again, I trust as a

615
00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:24,000
professional, maybe they're
going, Oh yeah, that's true.

616
00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:25,440
Let's meet in the middle in this
situation.

617
00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:27,400
Maybe we can weave in some
Christmas, Christmas activities,

618
00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,880
but try and tackle a couple of
these things that we're finding

619
00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:30,320
tricky.
Yeah.

620
00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:31,760
And do that sort of
conversation.

621
00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:33,240
Yeah, I agree.
It is you like, you're right.

622
00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,240
It's all based on conversation.
Trust with your staff.

623
00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,080
You know, you're coming from a
very managerial perspective, but

624
00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:40,200
yeah, that's right.
So going back to that question,

625
00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,640
there's not really, there's not
really a answer, a answer, a

626
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,000
answer.
There is a answer as to how to

627
00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,000
say sentence actually.
Maybe we should teach English

628
00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,200
always.
There's not really an answer.

629
00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:55,280
Welcome to and Christmas Carol.
Yeah, cheers.

630
00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,280
But yeah, you're right.
The I don't think there's a hard

631
00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,440
and fast answer.
I think it's nice to put stuff

632
00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,920
in there.
I, I, I equally don't like it

633
00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,080
when someone says we're not
doing anything Christmas at all,

634
00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,520
ever, compared to when someone
says we're doing all Christmas,

635
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:10,120
all for a month.
Yeah.

636
00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:11,840
Yeah, yeah, They both make you
go, oh, yeah.

637
00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,240
It's kind of a conversation.
Let's just think about it.

638
00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:15,200
Exactly.
Thank you.

639
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:16,480
Let's move on to our next little
question.

640
00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:17,840
We wrote ourselves here,
Christmas parties.

641
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:22,720
Why are they always That's what
we wrote down just word for word

642
00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,360
on our very short bullet point
list here.

643
00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:27,440
Things to talk about.
Why are they Dylan?

644
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,480
It's just.
Nuanced question.

645
00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,280
Just to clarify, adult Christmas
party, it's not the Christmas

646
00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,240
party who just spent 20 minutes
saying with the kids.

647
00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,480
It's like, lovely.
Well, I, I've, I just think

648
00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,840
about Christmas parties in
general in any workplace,

649
00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:41,680
they're going to be sprinkled
with a bit of awkward, like

650
00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:43,720
there's going to be like a
little bit of weirdness going in

651
00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,320
there because.
Oh, Dylan's coming.

652
00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,720
There's a bit of weirdness.
There's a little bit of

653
00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,160
awkwardness.
A little bit in all context.

654
00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,480
By the way, we're filming this
on the morning of when we're

655
00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:55,640
going into our old school to
host their Christmas quiz.

656
00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:57,480
Like for them?
Yeah, but they're still having a

657
00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,040
Christmas party after this.
So like this, even this is set.

658
00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,400
Yeah, having the the classic
formal, Yeah, sit down.

659
00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,200
Me or Christmas party, everyone
pays £50, you go somewhere and

660
00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,080
there's like 400 other people.
There, Yeah, classic Christmas

661
00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:10,680
party.
I just think they're so naff

662
00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,240
because like, at the end of the
day, think about it in terms of

663
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,760
the people you work with.
You might be really good mates

664
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:17,160
with something.
You might work in the best place

665
00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:18,920
in the world where you have some
fantastic friends.

666
00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:21,240
I worked with you.
Let's get real.

667
00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,920
So we met through through work.
We met our partners through

668
00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,960
work.
Like we we got a lot of good

669
00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:30,120
friends in teaching.
But even if every single person

670
00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:33,600
in your school you get on with
and and are fine with, you're

671
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,240
not mates with them all, you're
not friends with them all.

672
00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,600
And because you you come from a
workplace, I think putting that

673
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,160
into like a party atmosphere,
it's it's always going to be a

674
00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,240
bit strange because you're
always going to get someone who

675
00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,200
has no philtre.
And then suddenly you see your

676
00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:48,840
mate dancing on the table.
You've never seen, feel like

677
00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:50,760
you've never cracked a smile all
year.

678
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,320
So it's suddenly like, whoa,
come on, there's someone getting

679
00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,720
with someone who they shouldn't
be in the corner, but it's just

680
00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:58,160
someone's slut dropping on the
floor.

681
00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:00,080
This is all great for me.
This sounds fantastic.

682
00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:01,800
As an observer, I'm like this is
brilliant.

683
00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,400
I think if you just sit back and
watch, so it'd be fantastic.

684
00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,600
But as actual events, like
people don't want to necessarily

685
00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,520
let their hair down all the time
because it can just get a bit

686
00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:10,880
awkward.
They.

687
00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,560
Can be all right.
I think they can be right.

688
00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,880
If, yeah, if, if, if people can
let their hair down, like you

689
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,720
said, and you've got a decent
environment.

690
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:17,920
It's a bit of luck really, isn't
it?

691
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,040
You have a few, you know,
prerequisites to the Christmas

692
00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,520
party being good.
I think that the best the, the

693
00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:27,960
Christmas party, there's like a
correlation between how formal

694
00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:31,440
it was to how good it was.
Like the more formal, the

695
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,960
better, I'm joking, the worse.
Yeah.

696
00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,560
Like, like if you like, we had
it once where like you said, we

697
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,080
went to a big hall of like loads
of other groups of people.

698
00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,360
The whole table sat down, you're
together.

699
00:27:40,360 --> 00:27:42,320
And then there's another company
over there or another school

700
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:42,800
over there.
Yeah.

701
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:44,400
Yeah.
They were just a bit weird and

702
00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,600
clearly money making
opportunities for people to just

703
00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:47,520
like.
Batch.

704
00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,600
Cook these these crappy roasts,
put them out for £50 and just

705
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,120
hire a big hall and make money.
I thought they were just a bit

706
00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:55,960
crappy to most, whereas the best
versions always genuinely.

707
00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:57,760
I'm not saying it could be
hosted quizzes or anything.

708
00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:01,280
We did a quiz every year at our
school and we always wrote the

709
00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:03,200
quiz for anyone to like a fun
quiz.

710
00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:04,800
It's not just like a really high
brown thing.

711
00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:07,720
City rounds, having fun.
People would bring their own

712
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:10,960
food for a buffet, people would
bring their own drink and it was

713
00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,640
like just in in the school hall
like after hours like when

714
00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:18,800
everything shut shut down.
Obviously that to me was better

715
00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,480
because it was more relaxed.
Yeah, it's good fun.

716
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,200
So tonight we're recording this
was on Friday.

717
00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:24,840
So this has happened now when
you're hearing this.

718
00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:28,000
But tonight after our quiz,
we're we're all playing in the

719
00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:29,800
we've got a game where we play
in the dark with a little glow

720
00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,320
bands on with the it's literally
hide and seek for adults in the

721
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,760
whole school lights off.
It's and we've done it before

722
00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,080
and it's honest to God, the like
better than any Christmas the

723
00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:39,840
past that I've ever done just
that bit.

724
00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,480
And we're doing a quiz before
and it's silly and we've got

725
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:43,880
crazy rounds 100.
Percent.

726
00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,800
I think what we should do in the
future is instead of a quiz

727
00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,640
night, you and I should run a
traitors night.

728
00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:50,760
A Traitors.
Night and we should be like

729
00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:52,400
Claudia you.
Be Claudia, I'll be wink on

730
00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:55,240
Yeah, yeah, I'm with you.
I'm with.

731
00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,280
You, this is good.
You'll get a wig.

732
00:28:57,920 --> 00:28:59,200
You're the fringe.
Yeah.

733
00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:00,360
I think we should do a traitors
night.

734
00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:02,560
I think that be so good.
I reckon we could run a really

735
00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:04,480
good traitors night.
But yeah, that quiz we've

736
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,960
written, we used to, we did it
every single year.

737
00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:09,880
We did one for charity one year.
Remember in COVID?

738
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:11,400
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because everyone's locked down

739
00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:13,400
online, raised quite a lot of
money for charity.

740
00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,800
So I'm going to say this right
now to people watching, if you

741
00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,120
want to sit in another charity
quiz.

742
00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,040
Yeah, I think we could.
It doesn't take honestly.

743
00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:22,040
One if one person messages Dylan
and says yes, he'll be like, you

744
00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,400
see one, Yeah, one person, one
person down.

745
00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,440
If you're listening to whatever
you're listening to this arm of

746
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:28,400
YouTube or Spotify already with
the different things we have,

747
00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:30,720
leave a comment down below
saying I want the quiz.

748
00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:32,920
If if at least one person does
it, we'll do it.

749
00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:35,480
If 20 people do it, we won't do
it.

750
00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,280
So we need someone C19C-19.
Don't.

751
00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,880
Comment again, I'm not sure if
Tom's going to be the saviour or

752
00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:44,120
the ruiner of this one because
normally writes into any

753
00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,280
question.
Well, he, you know, puts it out.

754
00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:47,880
Good lad.
Tom really happens out.

755
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,680
So, yeah, I don't know.
Do you like Christmas party?

756
00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,960
Like I, I don't like parties
full stop in normally.

757
00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:57,720
But I tell you what, we're going
out with our with the team we're

758
00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,640
working on with Matsu and I
couldn't be more excited.

759
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,400
I think maybe because we're
remote, we don't see them every

760
00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:04,720
day.
Maybe that's something?

761
00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,560
There's a way to think about it
probably with our Matsu team,

762
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:09,520
like we are just one little unit
right now.

763
00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:11,080
It's kind of like going out of
your year group.

764
00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,920
If I went for a Christmas party
with my year group team, that's

765
00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,200
kind of different and I'm
probably enjoy that, more

766
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:19,120
naturally enjoy that than I do
when it's the entire staff.

767
00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,880
Do you hate every but like, like
you said, because what ends up

768
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:24,640
this is the way I see it, right?
And I don't not enjoy them, by

769
00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,440
the way, My baseline is I'd
always go, they're good enough

770
00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:29,520
for me to me to sit there and
think, is it worth £50?

771
00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:30,640
I'll always be like, yeah, I
think so.

772
00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:32,160
Yeah.
I always think it's all right.

773
00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,200
It's never, it's not the most
amazing thing that you said, but

774
00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,680
it's all right.
And but all that ends up

775
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:40,760
happening really is you just sit
with the people that you you

776
00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:43,040
would have gone out for that
meal with anyway, those five

777
00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:44,800
people.
And you don't really talk to

778
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:45,920
anyone.
I can't speak.

779
00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:47,760
I can't talk.
At all you would talk.

780
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,720
To anyone, don't talk to anyone
else or me or anything.

781
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:53,960
And you're right, though, I
think some, but some I can see

782
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,640
the downside for other people.
If you're, if you're fortunate

783
00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:58,840
enough to have a really nice
team that you work with, you're

784
00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,080
quite good friends of at school,
then that might not be so

785
00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:04,160
daunting to you.
But there's always, always say

786
00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,640
always, most of the time there's
going to be someone or a couple

787
00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,000
of people who just feel a bit
like, I don't really know where

788
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:10,840
I fit.
I don't know what, what click am

789
00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:12,400
I in?
Like some schools we've had

790
00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:14,520
people write in and say that
schools are unbelievably

791
00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,760
clicking.
It's like almost toxic, like

792
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,520
friendship groups.
Like I can imagine in that

793
00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:20,840
environment, people listening
in, you know, that situation,

794
00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:24,600
thinking anything worse than
going to the Christmas party.

795
00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:26,720
They've joked on your own.
What's going on with me?

796
00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,040
I gotta speak.
I wonder, I stayed down to

797
00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,080
speak, how often did you have
like a little side chat or a

798
00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:35,240
little sidebar where you would
go out with like your year grid

799
00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:37,080
team?
And I'd like you said I'd

800
00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:38,680
usually enjoy it more because
you speak to them more.

801
00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,200
Exactly.
And I'm the most awkward person

802
00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,040
in the world anyway.
I didn't speak to anyone in my

803
00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:43,400
school until you joined a year
later.

804
00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:46,760
And even then you were like my
pathway to say hello to

805
00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:47,560
everyone.
Hey, guy it.

806
00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,240
Was tough dragging him up.
You drag me up, I drag you down

807
00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:56,640
and then which were same thing
something a big part of any any

808
00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:02,720
staff meeting or meeting staff
do staff just staff team is

809
00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:07,200
Secret Santa, huge Secret Santa.
And I wanted to come to you

810
00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:12,880
straight away because we had a
few stories written him and I

811
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:16,200
don't think I'll be able to read
this one without losing my mind

812
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:18,360
and dying of laughter.
So I'm going to throw it over to

813
00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:18,880
you.
OK, cool.

814
00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:20,000
This is anonymous submission
ready.

815
00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,880
The staff room was buzzing with
noise, everyone laughing.

816
00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:24,720
It was a great school and a
close team.

817
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,360
A few colleagues on maternity
leave had even dropped in to say

818
00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,840
hello.
The place felt genuinely warm

819
00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,840
and festive.
Then we started opening the

820
00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,320
gifts.
Jane, let's call her Jane for

821
00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,840
this, froze the moment she saw
someone unwrap the present she

822
00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:39,840
had bought.
Her eyes locked on it.

823
00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,880
She had mixed up the tags.
The gift in their hands belonged

824
00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,280
to her partner.
It came from Anne Summers.

825
00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,080
She lets out a tiny squeak and
leapt forward to block the view.

826
00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:54,320
The movement did the opposite of
what she had intended and every

827
00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,920
head turned.
She lifted the box in a panic.

828
00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:01,240
A butt plugs stay back at the
room.

829
00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,320
She tried to hide it.
Silent spread.

830
00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,120
Butt plug stared.
Oh my God.

831
00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,000
Great.
Yeah, great verb choice there.

832
00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,240
The chair of governors broke the
silent room with one line

833
00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:16,680
delivered in the softest voice.
Please put your butt plug away,

834
00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:20,160
Jane.
Secret Santa ended right?

835
00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:21,840
There.
Where's she going to put it

836
00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,320
away?
Oh, Dylan.

837
00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,040
Dylan, back in the box.
It's Christmas.

838
00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:30,840
Don't do that to me.
This was on the verge of that

839
00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:34,520
didn't happen to the absolutely.
Yeah, I was thinking the exact

840
00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:36,360
same thing.
I was like, is this made-up?

841
00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:38,560
But it seems so like.
It's just insane.

842
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,320
Funny, though, that is where
Secret Santa.

843
00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,000
Actually, that was just a
mistake.

844
00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:46,000
Right?
So she's not gone too far there.

845
00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:47,800
That's just a message.
You picked up the wrong box.

846
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,240
Yeah.
How far is too far for you?

847
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,240
Like, what's what's?
I'm thinking back to gifts

848
00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:54,600
you've got where you're quite a
good sport, but for other

849
00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:56,160
people.
You know, a couple of years ago,

850
00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:58,120
remember in the staff room we
did Secret Santa.

851
00:33:58,360 --> 00:33:59,520
Not just a couple of years ago
every.

852
00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:02,000
You've got pretty much every.
True, that's true, But this one

853
00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,400
comes to my eyes.
You'll probably think of the

854
00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:04,040
same one.
Do you know?

855
00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:04,880
Why?
Why?

856
00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:09,320
Because this year you had to buy
a Secret Santa gift with the

857
00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:13,560
initial of the person.
So your Hayden, your gift had to

858
00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:14,960
begin with an H That was a rule
I.

859
00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:16,520
Literally forgot about that
context.

860
00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,719
I just remember the gift.
So it was a head and it was head

861
00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:19,639
and shoulder.
Head and shoulder.

862
00:34:20,159 --> 00:34:21,560
And a hair comb, Right?
Hair brush.

863
00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:23,199
It was a hair brush.
Of course it was.

864
00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:24,440
Yeah.
Oh my God, yeah.

865
00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,440
No, I didn't know who it was.
I was like was obviously from

866
00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:28,320
Dylan.
Oh, he's the only one balls

867
00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:29,960
enough to have got me this and
it wasn't.

868
00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,719
It was from the.
Sweetest woman like who?

869
00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,120
You never ever.
She was a joke.

870
00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:36,000
Creasing up all red wasn't.
She's just so funny.

871
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:37,239
Yeah, that really caught me off
guard.

872
00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:39,679
It was funny.
So what is the line there like I

873
00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:41,480
see like with that.
OK, butt plugs too far.

874
00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:43,040
Yeah, isn't it?
Yeah, but it was an accident.

875
00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:43,960
That's.
The of course, but I'm just

876
00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,199
thinking of lines right now.
But like, if I was thinking of

877
00:34:46,199 --> 00:34:48,120
that as natural Secret Santa,
that's too.

878
00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:49,120
Far, isn't it?
I think so.

879
00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,120
I think.
I think to me though, Secret

880
00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:53,920
Santa, it should be like, not
useful.

881
00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:55,760
It should be funny.
It should be a joke.

882
00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:57,800
It's supposed to embarrass.
Like realistically I see it as

883
00:34:57,800 --> 00:34:58,920
like you try to embarrass the
person.

884
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,360
Well, that's the issue with with
doing it in the workplace is

885
00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,640
like if you get the wrong
person, There's been times

886
00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,000
before where I've done Secret
Santa, I've pulled the name and

887
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,000
I've thought getting I can get
whatever I want.

888
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:10,720
And I've also pulled other names
and thought, for God's sake, I

889
00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:12,800
don't know the get you a candle
or something.

890
00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,760
I don't know what to get you,
especially with like certain

891
00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,200
personalities in schools, like,
yeah, yeah, I don't rub you up

892
00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:21,160
the wrong way, but I think it
should be there's just a base

893
00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:24,480
level of acceptance that when
you do a Secret Santa you all

894
00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,200
sign up to, it's allowed to be a
bit embarrassing, it's allowed

895
00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,720
to be a bit rude, and there's no
repercussions for it.

896
00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:32,560
A. 100% and I think it even like
with our Matsu team, because

897
00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,840
we've agreed to do Secret Santa,
the literal preface to how we're

898
00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:39,080
going to play This was right.
Everyone in Yeah, have £10 limit

899
00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:40,320
yet sounds good.
OK.

900
00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:43,640
It has to be embarrassing.
It has to be funny.

901
00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:46,920
The whole point is to try and
make the person laugh when they

902
00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:50,000
open it like that being the
rules to me, I was like, yes,

903
00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:51,160
this is what's the secret that
is 4.

904
00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,480
No one's now going away and
thinking, oh, do I get the

905
00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,720
candle or should I be silly?
I don't know if they're gonna

906
00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:57,280
like the silly.
Oh, get the silly.

907
00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:58,600
The whole point is it's got to
be silly.

908
00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,360
Now you know I.
Wonder what Wick you're gonna

909
00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:01,760
get?
Yeah, almost.

910
00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:03,400
I'm looking forward to it
because some of the team's

911
00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:04,200
going.
On field day.

912
00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,840
Absolute field day.
Anyway, we had another Secret

913
00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,000
Santa submission.
I don't know if you want to read

914
00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:10,320
this.
One.

915
00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:12,840
OK, I'll read this one.
So this is again, what's the

916
00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,840
story?
OK, I once hijacked the Secret

917
00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,240
Santa.
I did this by printing out a

918
00:36:18,240 --> 00:36:21,600
picture of a guy I worked with
who thought he was God's gift.

919
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:25,840
How did he get a picture of you?
I signed it with an over the top

920
00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:27,920
signature, framed it and wrapped
it.

921
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:31,400
I wrote the gift tag to another
colleague who the guy in the

922
00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:34,360
picture was overly flirtatious
with and waited.

923
00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:38,880
On the day of of the Secret
Santa, I swapped the gift with

924
00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,440
the original and watched the
look of disgust as the signed

925
00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,640
photo was unwrapped.
Never owned up to it still.

926
00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:48,920
You're a genius.
You're.

927
00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:51,800
You're an evil genius.
This is what we're saying about

928
00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:53,080
Secret Santa.
Should be.

929
00:36:53,240 --> 00:36:55,680
Yeah, that is maybe a bit too.
Far.

930
00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,600
Yeah, You know, that's the
perfect example, isn't it, of

931
00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:02,000
taking even the rules of like,
embarrassing, maybe a bit too

932
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:04,480
far because it's like personal.
This person fancies other

933
00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:06,280
person.
And actually, and you pretend

934
00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:08,280
it's from someone else.
Yeah, you got to own it if

935
00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:09,400
you're doing it.
Yeah, that's always you're

936
00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:11,240
breaking the rule.
There's a rule break there.

937
00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,040
I'm swapping the gifts.
Hilarious, really funny and the

938
00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:18,880
kind of banter I would be up for
and would want to see in my.

939
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:23,320
Workplace when we do are quizzes
for people, we always say a

940
00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,280
prize and and it just made me
think they're thinking, oh,

941
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:28,720
someone thinks that God's gift
doing a signed frame picture of

942
00:37:28,720 --> 00:37:31,960
themselves every single year.
And this is the joke.

943
00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:35,360
The winner of the quiz that
we've done for our school gets

944
00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:37,600
some kind of personalised gift
for me and you.

945
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,120
We've had a year where you
photoshopped our faces onto step

946
00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,520
Brothers and put a framed
picture up, which is still

947
00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:45,880
somewhere in that school.
Yep, we've done mouse mats for

948
00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:47,360
the office staff who won.
Do you remember?

949
00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,640
Yeah, well, the old school, our
faces were on it.

950
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:51,400
We were in the garden.
We did like a fake photo shoot.

951
00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,080
Yeah, like live laugh love.
We live, laugh, love.

952
00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,720
We did.
We did a a key ring which is

953
00:37:56,720 --> 00:37:57,880
still on.
We've got still on.

954
00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,840
Ex colleagues still got on their
keys right now.

955
00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:03,160
The plushy, the.
Plushy me my made.

956
00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:04,880
A teddy plushy with Dylan's
faces.

957
00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:06,800
The point is, it's all
completely horribly self

958
00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:09,760
indulgent, over the top, and not
remotely good prizes for anyone

959
00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:11,720
ever.
And, and having done the quiz

960
00:38:11,720 --> 00:38:14,600
already, we can say that we
outdid ourselves this year with

961
00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,760
It's Just Me and Hayden on.
We've got a big framed picture

962
00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:19,520
of making you looking way too
serious.

963
00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,160
Absolutely ridiculous.
I'm hoping it goes up somewhere

964
00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:25,360
on the score, right?
Let's just wrap it up there.

965
00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:27,960
Wrap it up, get it Christmas,
wrap it up, wrap it up.

966
00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,080
Quick one for the next couple of
weeks, we're only going to go

967
00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:32,000
down to 1 episode.
It's going to be Q&A.

968
00:38:32,240 --> 00:38:34,240
We have definitely not already
bulk recorded them so that we

969
00:38:34,240 --> 00:38:35,880
get time off.
We won't be wearing the same

970
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,120
thing and I won't know what's
coming up already because we did

971
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,520
that for some reason 2 days ago
before we recorded these.

972
00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:41,840
Really good prediction skills
there.

973
00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,200
Yeah, I think that will happen.
So one a week for the next

974
00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:46,920
couple of weeks and then in
January we're back and bigger

975
00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:48,600
and better than ever.
There's only one thing to say

976
00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:50,360
now, isn't there?
Oh, after three, you don't know

977
00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,360
what it is.
After three 123.

978
00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:56,440
Merry, leave us a review.
Leave us a review where we get

979
00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:57,760
your podcasts.
We nearly got.

980
00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:59,760
It we need to that call to
action leave us a review doesn't

981
00:38:59,920 --> 00:39:01,640
know what you think.
Listen to other episodes.

982
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:04,240
Share with a friend.
And Merry Christmas.

983
00:39:04,240 --> 00:39:04,640
Bye.