REFLECTIONS February 2024
THE STAFFROOM TABLE
The emotional nerve centre of the school DAMIAN WHITE PRINCIPAL OF SCOIL SHINCHILL, KILLEIGH, CO. OFFALY AND IPPN PRESIDENT 2019-2021 Recently, as a mark of respect to ourselves and our years of lugging an awkward old Hoover up and down the stairs, we splashed out and bought a Dyson, which comes without wires, stays charged for about 25 minutes on low suction before it is restored to its charging port for its next assignment. My wife looked on in astonishment as I drove it around on the first evening with all the abandon of a child manoeuvring a fairground dodgem. The astonishment came from the fact that I hadn’t to be asked or reminded to do it. Finally, with the drum as full as could be with carpet detritus, I sat down to figure out how to open it, pulled an irresistible lever, and the contents emptied on my lap, leaving my new trousers looking like I worked in a bakery! In the staffroom the following day, discussing my foibles with technology, I discovered that my fancy vac had the same effect as if I arrived at a bike rally with a Raleigh Chopper, so far behind was I in the household appliance scheme of things as the conversation switched to the merits of the various robots now available to carry out such chores. I was well educated listening to my younger colleagues at our staffroom table! I sat down to scribble a few harmless thoughts about the staffroom table when a WhatsApp popped in from a colleague. Her friend is doing presentation boxes of delicious treats and in a brilliant marketing ploy decided to send in some of her wares for sampling by the staff. ‘Throwing in a pinkeen to catch a shark’, if you will. A promise made to my overburdened bathroom scales was postponed for another 24 hours, at least. The staffroom table is, by some distance, the most important piece of furniture in your school, whether you have 2 or 82 in staff. It is the platform from which so many initiatives are launched, so many problems are discussed and ironed out, and most importantly, it is the centre of
As a principal, I love the staffroom table, and any day I don’t get to break bread with at least some of my colleagues is a long and less productive use of my time. It is also important to move around where you sit, to ensure you have a sociable conversation with everyone during the week. the earth for those seeking temporary refuge from the madding crowds, twice and occasionally, 3 times a day. It is a place where school leaders should find themselves as often as humanly possible at appointed times. Conversations over the staffroom table can lead anywhere. A recent admiration for the fragrance of someone’s soup led to a discussion on the merits of homemade broth, the value of a soup maker, and ultimately, a run on those kettle-shaped wonders of the modern kitchen in the local D.I.D. store. Another discussion amongst our SNAs about the quality of fleece jackets available in a major chain store, saw another boost for commerce in Tullamore. It is only when something is gone that you miss it most. During what has come to be known as the Covid Years, what school staff missed most, apart from the face-to-face contact with children, was the noisy sanctuary that is the staffroom, and the chance to unwind for short periods with empathetic colleagues and friends during busy school days. Split breaks, divided yards, and social
distancing, which in the average staffroom meant there was room for only a small fraction of the workforce at any one time, was the biggest challenge for most people. Since the pandemic receded into the dim and not-so-distant past, many schools have decided to remain with split breaks, two 20-minute periods as opposed to the previous 10 and 30-minute periods of downtime. The split breaks allow for fewer children in the yard, and consequently, fewer opportunities for accidents to occur, more room for games and more relaxed yard duty for teachers. Many teachers contend that when break time was longer, there was most likely to be a disagreement during the last 10 minutes as the schoolyard cup finals reached an emotional crescendo. The downside now is that apart from during Croke Park meetings, the full teaching staff is never in the same room together, leaning on the same staffroom table, sharing the goodies that some generous staff member or pupil has donated. As a principal, I love the staffroom table, and any day I don’t get to break bread with at least some of my colleagues is a long and less productive use of my time. It is also important to move around where you sit, to ensure you have a sociable conversation with everyone during the week. I often recall meeting a friend many years ago who when I asked him how he was getting on in his new school replied ‘Four teachers, four kettles - work to do!’ The staffroom table remains key to any successful, happy, and productive school. It is also important I have somewhere to turn to for advice should something go wrong with my shiny new soup-maker. If you would like to contact Damian in relation to this article, you can send an email to damian.white@scoilshinchill.com. 21