Logophobians don't write blogs

For this blog a knowledge of some phobias may be of assistance:
Logophobia - Fear of words
Ligyrophobia - fear of loud noises
Triskadekaphobia - fear of the number 13
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia - fear of the number 666
Altophobia - Fear of heights
Phobophobia - Fear of phobias
WARNING: do not read this post if you have phobophobia

It would seem logical that those who were afraid of words would not write blogs, unless they were a touch masochistic. A shame really, I imagine a masochistic logophobe would have plenty to say. I may well be mistaken however and evidence from my own profession of teaching may suggest that it may be more common than reason would dictate.
It strikes me that more and more of my colleagues are going out on stress leave of late. I'm not talking about a couple of mental health sickies here and there. I'm talking long term, bona fide stress leave. Now, I understand as well as anyone the stressful nature of the teaching profession and it is here that my concern sits. Teaching is stressful, that should be no surprise. If you are not good with stress, do not be a teacher. Even more so, if you are not a very good teacher and not good with stress, you should be getting out like a ligyrophobe at an ACDC concert
It got me to thinking how is it even possible. At the time of leaving my previous school there were two teachers who had been getting full pay for a year because, surprisingly enough, things just didn't always go perfectly. Kid's are like that you know.
I can't imagine there being too many accounting firms with a hexakosioihexekontahexaphobe and a triskadekaphobe sitting at home picking up a full paypacket because the sequence of 6's and the pairing of the digits 1 and 3 came up just too often. Or imagine the pilot rocking up to his first day at Qantas. As he boards the 380 airbus looking at his itinery he says, "Oh, this won't do, didn't I tell you about my altophobia, I'm more of a flight simulator man.
No, teacher stress leave seems like a bit of a rort to me. It worries me that I feel that some teachers are starting to factor it into their retirement plans. It worries me, but it's not stressing me out just yet, so I guess I'll be at work again Monday.

Here is a few things that may help keep the stress away, courtesy of teachers index.com
http://teachersindex.com/stress.html

Von Ryan, is that you again

It's reporting time and once again I am setting myself deadlines that I will inevitably fail. I have long been aware of my high level procrastination skills when it comes to tasks such as these. Exactly what I spend my time on during these long periods of distraction sometimes ellude me come the end of another fruitless day. No doubt it's something more interesting like the important task of seeing how many times I can wrap a rubber band around my finger, but this doesn't take a whole day, a mere 45 minutes or so if i recall correctly. My next distraction was, of course, seeing how long it took for the colour to come back to the finger, but I'm young and healthy so this only took a matter of 2 seconds. Then 2 seconds again, then 2 and a half and so on for quite some time.
So where did the time go? I'm not sure but I'm a bit worried that I may have an explanation.
As I put down a thoroughly read copy of the Savation Army's newsletter The Warcry, delivered by Marge and Henry as they went door to door, (It was interesting to hear how Henry is managing with his sciatic nerve and also about Marge's children and grand children. I was only halfway through giving them tips on how to select a good secondary college when they seemed quite anxious to get away. Shame, I had many more questions for them) I noticed that Von Ryan's Express was again on the telly.
I'm not a particular fan of the movie, but I must have seen it at least 15 times. Perhaps not start to finish, but bits and pieces. How is it possible that TV stations could put one interesting, but ultimately fairly average, movie on so many times. A better question may be, why do I watch it when I'm not interested and I have something far more important to do? That is when I had my revelation (cue twighlight zone music). Is it on at all? Is it possible that through years of misery and frustration borne of writing reports my brain has flicked a switch that sends me to a comfortable place. Deluding me, that instead of laboring over a computer to produce reports half of the parents at my school don't bother to collect, let alone read, I am in fact lazying around, content, watching the allies make fools of the nazi's. Kind of like when Bruce Willis thought he was still alive in the 6th sense. He was lucky though, as he was indeed deceased and would not be waking to the waiting pile of reports.
Well end of year reports are only 6 months away and if Von Ryan and his merry band turn up again my suspicions will be confirmed. Having to watch the movie over and over again is also quite frustrating as every time, the brave Von Ryan doesn't quite make it. Another lucky one with no reports to contemplate in his future.
Link to Von Ryan's express review:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059885/

A rose by any other name?

There has been a worrying trend for sometime now, that I would suggest is now an ugly epidemic within our schools. That being, ridiculously spelt names. Let me give you an example of some that I have come across as a teacher:
Kyren: Misguidingly pronounced- Keer-Ren. What it spells in the real world -Ky-Ren.
Kattie: Misguidingly pronounced- Kay-Tee. What it spells in the real world Kat-Tee.
Fear not however, I believe I have the cure that will slowly erradicate this blight on our collective intelligences. It's simple. Call it as you see it. Here's an example. You are in a shop and the assistant has her name tag on, Karylie. She helps you and you say, " Thanks Karylie (you pronounce it Carry-Lie). She says, "no, you said it wrong, it's pronounced Carly". You shoot back straight away, "No, I'm afraid it's your parents who got it wrong Carry-Lie".
It may be uncomfortable at first, but what is the option. Do we allow people to keep making a mockery of the laws of the English language. Do we allow them to continue to make us feel that somehow we got the name wrong as we are not as edgy or avant garde as them. By them I mean; Cloe, Kyeleigh, Shavaughn and Showvon et al.
I am an educator and surely it is my responsibility to point out to someone if they are either spelling incorrectly, or mispronouncing their own name. I ask you to join me in my quest to de-boganfy the new births pages of papers all around the country. If you do join me, be prepared. Upon correcting someone who has deluded themselves for many years about how their names should be articulated, you may get the retort " I think I know how my own name sounds", to which I suggest something like "be honest with yourself, you do know, but don't worry it's your parents fault not yours. Here is the number for the registry for births, deaths and marriages and if you get me a pen I'll fix up the spelling for you".
Please join me in my misson, if not for me then for Kodeigh, Karynne, Mitchall and Leessa'h etc. With your help they will no longer have to explain themselves to every new teacher, receptionist and telcom provider. They will not grow up to believe their names are normal and acceptable, leading them to propagate this travisty.