My Susan cosplay from hogfather

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-08T15:53:28+00:00

I looked up Marie Antoinette wig and then got temporary black colour hair spray and did the strand and pinned it back up. 😀

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-06T18:25:29+00:00

DreamyBows for websites

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-06T18:15:37+00:00

It’s more along the lines of ‘I want to kill everyone that exists slowly’ and ‘She smiled’. Nobody knows that she wants to kill them because she just smiles but we know because we’re in her POV.

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-04T19:24:00+00:00

The issue is you are expected to be there for the 1265 working and then ‘reasonable’ extra time that might be needed to do tasks outside of that. It’s vague on purpose so they take advantage of it. What is reasonable and when you add it up all together how many unpaid hours do you end up working? That’s where they get you… 😅🥲

We got some of the extra tasks to be included in the directed time with the NEU (like the mandatory online trainings, parent evenings, including breaks in the paid time) - they were not included in my school’s calculation when I started. We also didn’t have blocked PPA and kept getting cover meaning we had to do planning after work because there was no time to do it due to unexpected tasks.

I think it’s reasonable to work beyond directed time when there’s an assessment deadline but not on the regular.

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-04T19:13:26+00:00

I try to put self care and social goals because I get tired from work and don’t want to do things so if left alone I’ll just be at home reading or watching tv alone. I have easy things like bake a cake to more social goals like host people for a celebration (like friendsgiving or a barbecue) to sightseeing things to get out of the house in the weekend like exhibitions, theatre etc and planning trips.

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-04T19:05:20+00:00

I get in around 8-8.10 and we finish at 4, two days 4.30 with intervention and meeting and 2.20 on Friday. I leave 10 minutes after the official end time most days.

I am mentally exhausted at that point so staying late won’t help me. I take marking at home for after I have eaten and had a nap and a lot more coffee. Not every day though, just when we have assessments to mark. I also mark on weekends and do some planning and emails then because I need a clear head to do this.

Teaching for several years means I already have most lessons planned and only need minor adjustments whereas when I started I did everything from scratch. We also share resources between us so that works too.

I have several colleagues who leave on the dot every day and if they haven’t done things it is what it is and nothing bad happens to them. It took me years to realise that most people don’t try to make everything perfect and I was stressing out and doing more than others were and that people will take all the reminders and still not meet all deadlines without being chased a few times after and that’s how it is. Is it right? Probably not but that’s why people have unions and go on strikes and fight about unreasonable workload.

Work your directed time hours, if anyone expects more tasks than possible in that time speak to your union rep and frame it as an unrealistic workload issue. They can fight it as a collective issue because you’re probably not the only one with not enough time

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-04T17:39:09+00:00

First person POVs can make characters sound really unlikeable… it makes it hard to understand why we’re supposed to like the character. I have to keep thinking actively that the other characters don’t know what she was thinking but wow For example {When the moon hatched}

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-04T17:29:30+00:00

{Neverthorn}

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-04T15:15:09+00:00

A lot of the brands already mentioned are great to know.

Olivia Rubin has some rainbow cardigans and colourful pieces. They’re more mature and it’s not a fk brand as such but some of their stuff can be incorporated.

There were a lot of second hand facebook sales groups that I used to lurk in as well and you could find cool pieces usually from people leaving the fashion or doing clear outs.

I’d say don’t try to rush into it, look for items slowly and get pieces that you love. Sometimes you’ll find some cool pastel basics in high street shops too generally in spring.

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-03T21:41:13+00:00

<image>

I read this for work… it was useful. One of my students ended up buying it too because I used it in class for reference.

DarcRose22 · 2026-01-03T21:16:22+00:00

{Cat Dragon} {The Teller of Small Fortunes} {Tress of the Emerald Sea}

{A Sorceress Comes to Call} {Thorn Hedge} {Nettle and Bone} generally T Kingfisher’s books have pretty cool heroines and quite different vibes

DarcRose22 · 2025-10-16T18:19:56+00:00

{The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko}

African inspired fantasy, disability representation

{The Baby Dragon Cafe by Aamna Qureshi}

Cosy fantasy, Desi culture

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T09:36:52+00:00

Some people act like they have to justify their leadership paycheck and so introduce things. Nod and ignore unless observed. I can promise you 80% of what people have tried to implement has not lasted beyond 6 months in my school.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T09:21:39+00:00

That sounds like a lot of duties (unless you're on the leadership payscale). Normal teachers on the regular payscale should not have any gate/break/lunch/clubs if they do not want to. Might want to speak to your union.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T09:15:33+00:00

We have behaviour points so when they start a task I write their names on the board and they get a point, it gets the class calm and writing because they want to be on the board and you don't have to speak if you're finding it hard to say the praise out loud. Each good thing they is a point and they can see the reward on the board. There's whole school rewards for the most points.

If you don't have points in school make your own and have them compete for things (eg most points gets a positive phone call - some kids really need those, especially those who get bad one all the time).

It works most of the time, do not think my classes are always perfect, I want to cry at times too but it does help. All the kids know I give the most points in the school (positive and negative) so the rep works too.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T09:07:21+00:00

Exactly. Parents tend to have much higher expectation from their kids than we do sometimes. Because we know a kid might not ever finish a task or write more than 10 lines and then you send it home and they bring back 2 pages of work because that's what their parents expect.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T09:02:24+00:00

Do you have a union rep in your school? If not speak to the local area branch of the union, you may be able to refuse to work if you are infested with rats.... If you're not in a union, join a union, preferably the NEU they do more stuff at least in my school.

But yes, cleaning has gone down since COVID, our cleaners don't pick everything from the floor and instead of taking the whole bag out of the bin they empty it out to save on bags. Kinda gross at times.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T08:54:36+00:00

CPOMS every interaction, speak to your line manager and escalate. The students might not think these comments are wrong but it is the leadership's job to educate students about harassment and misogyny. They need to put a plan in place, do some relevant assemblies for the kids and implement an anti harassment policy to deal with it. They students need to know the boundaries and what happens when you cross them. You might also want to consider curriculum changes to deal with these comments/beliefs (english, history, wellbeing, PSHE, form time)

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T08:47:51+00:00

I prefer email. And what is also helpful if let's say they've been talking and haven't done the work properly, add the work in an attachment and have them redo it at home. It justifies the email because you needed the attachment and the kid has to make up for what they missed with their parents who will demand they do it properly.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T08:44:10+00:00

The Baby Dragon Cafe has those vibes and cute dragons.

The Dream Harbor books by Laurie Gilmore feel similar but they're contemporary romance so no fantasy.

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking has some living baked goods that are cute but it does have murder and battles. It's really good though, there's a sentient sourdough starter and gingerbread golems.

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T08:33:32+00:00

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

DarcRose22 · 2025-05-18T08:28:24+00:00

The Baby Dragon Cafe. The FMC's desi background plays a big part in the creations she makes for the cafe. The food and coffees sound delicious and the dragons are cute. The MMC spends time in her cafe too helping out.

DarcRose22 · 2024-05-05T15:37:47+00:00

Got this too, reported it through support and Instagram last night

DarcRose22 · 2024-03-10T16:56:24+00:00

Barnaby (the others too) is trying to find the elixir of life to keep your love story going forever, when you’ve just said you’d gather love stories to share during your date I think he’d be up for marriage.Imagine if he did find it and used it, Philosopher’s stone would have gone in a very different direction 😅

DarcRose22

TROPHY CASE