Teachers - day off at the slightest sign of snow

zoominatorone · 6 December 2012 at 1:17PM

Yes, the teachers do think they are some kind of special breed when it comes to getting to work on days that are anything less than sunny.

The rest of the population just have to get on with it and spend hours making SURE they get to work.

peter_the_piper · 6 December 2012 at 1:35PM

School where DD teaches is out in the sticks, unless there are 6ft drifts all the teachers make it in. The parents, however, are not allowed to get the wheels of their chelsea tractors dirty so most don't turn up.

gregg1 · 6 December 2012 at 1:48PM

bugbyte wrote: »

Hum.

I have part responsibility for closing my school here in the Midlands (and no we haven't closed!) and what most of you don't realise is that most schools close not because staff can't get in - I could run my school for a day on 1/2 staff if needs be - but because if the site and routes are not secure your little darlings may slip over on their way in - not even in the school grounds and we would have our asses sued. If we do close - and I haven't for two years - staff often make their way in and those that don't have to account for what they have done in the time. Blame the gov. safeguarding policy if you like it is not the school's fault.

Well said.

gregg1 · 6 December 2012 at 1:56PM

Loanranger wrote: »

Your point being amply made that you have a well developed excuse for not doing the job of work for which you were amply paid.

If teachers did the work they are paid to do the the schools would be closed more often!!

Also, FYI, at my OH's school, if they close because of bad weather, the work is made up by opening the school during the next half term (but I suspect that is not what you want to hear is it?)

lindsaygalaxy · 6 December 2012 at 2:02PM

If it snows (and it usualy the ice that is more of a problem) then as a teacher who is also a parent it can be a nightmare! My youngest goes to nursery, so I first have to get him there (if they are open), then my daughter to school (though luckily she is old enough to come to my school for the day if she needs to). I then have to keep an eye on the weater as would need to get back to my son to pick him up! We all try to get to school which is a few miles away and down and up lots of hills *scares me the most when driving!

Saying all this, most kids want to be at home when it snows so they can play outside then go in and warm up with a hot chocolate and a blanket!

zoominatorone · 6 December 2012 at 2:07PM

lindsaygalaxy wrote: »

If it snows (and it usualy the ice that is more of a problem) then as a teacher who is also a parent it can be a nightmare! My youngest goes to nursery, so I first have to get him there (if they are open), then my daughter to school (though luckily she is old enough to come to my school for the day if she needs to). I then have to keep an eye on the weater as would need to get back to my son to pick him up! We all try to get to school which is a few miles away and down and up lots of hills *scares me the most when driving!

Saying all this, most kids want to be at home when it snows so they can play outside then go in and warm up with a hot chocolate and a blanket!

In the real world, we would be told off/sanctioned/verbally warned/sacked for not turning up to work because we didn't try to get into work in bad weather. Some teachers think they are some kind of special breed.

I don't really care whether kids want to be at home when it snows. Most parents want their kids at school learning something in the 180 days of the year they are actually there.

lindsaygalaxy · 6 December 2012 at 2:17PM

Zoom - I think people have a big chip on their shoulders about teachers. I'm not sure why. Most work their butts of to do the best for their students. Most teachers don't get paid a huge amount. The amazing holidays we are supposed to have get filled with planning, sorting and making. They certainly dont make up for having to work every evening and then more at the weekend. You have to work in a school to really know what goes in to make it successful. Also, before anyone else says about the REAL world - I have worked in it for may years before teaching! There was no standing out in the freezing cold, having no lunch break or being under constant in any of those jobs. The yearly bonus', better pay and paid for xmas party was also quite good. BUT I teach because I love my job. The only REALLY bad thing about it is the constant we hate teachers bashers by all the people that without teachers wouldn't even be in the job they are in now!

stephen77 · 6 December 2012 at 2:18PM

quite a fewq companies if you do not turn up when it snows will either
A) ask you take it as a holiday ( i guess teacher not allowed holidya in school year)

dock a days pay(where i worked previously would pay if your turned up even if 1/2 a day as you made the effort)

If teacher lacked a day pay for not turning up, would they all be able to get in?

Azari · 6 December 2012 at 2:29PM

lindsaygalaxy wrote: »

Zoom - I think people have a big chip on their shoulders about teachers. I'm not sure why. Most work their butts of to do the best for their students. Most teachers don't get paid a huge amount. The amazing holidays we are supposed to have get filled with planning, sorting and making. They certainly dont make up for having to work every evening and then more at the weekend. You have to work in a school to really know what goes in to make it successful. Also, before anyone else says about the REAL world - I have worked in it for may years before teaching! There was no standing out in the freezing cold, having no lunch break or being under constant in any of those jobs. The yearly bonus', better pay and paid for xmas party was also quite good. BUT I teach because I love my job. The only REALLY bad thing about it is the constant we hate teachers bashers by all the people that without teachers wouldn't even be in the job they are in now!

I think the problem is not a general antipathy towards teachers.

Rather, it's that, until recently, schools did not shut down, even if there had been very heavy snowfalls.

Now it seems that if a single snowflake is spotted that's it. School closed for the day and several hundred people are late for work or possibly cannot work at all as arrangements need to be made to look after the displaced children.

I very much doubt that this 'hair trigger' approach is down to the teachers working at the chalk face.

PinkLipgloss · 6 December 2012 at 2:31PM

lindsaygalaxy wrote: »

Zoom - I think people have a big chip on their shoulders about teachers. I'm not sure why. Most work their butts of to do the best for their students. Most teachers don't get paid a huge amount. The amazing holidays we are supposed to have get filled with planning, sorting and making. They certainly dont make up for having to work every evening and then more at the weekend. You have to work in a school to really know what goes in to make it successful. Also, before anyone else says about the REAL world - I have worked in it for may years before teaching! There was no standing out in the freezing cold, having no lunch break or being under constant in any of those jobs. The yearly bonus', better pay and paid for xmas party was also quite good. BUT I teach because I love my job. The only REALLY bad thing about it is the constant we hate teachers bashers by all the people that without teachers wouldn't even be in the job they are in now!

Teacher bashing is a constant topic in these forums.

I find that those responsible have NO IDEA exactly what our jobs involve (despite many taking their children to/from school every day).

I actually had a parent come to see me just at the end of the school day (at 3pm) asking if it would be possible to have a chat or he could arrange another day/time if I was about to rush off! I actually laughed out loud - I never left school until AT LEAST 7pm most evenings (and often did further work at home).

A lot of parents seem to be under the impression that we skip in at 0855 and leave at 3pm. If only it were that easy!

PS No doubt some posters will come on saying how, at their local school, the staff car park is empty at 3:10pm etc. That may well be the case but 95% of teachers i have worked with work late every night (be it in school or at home). Many prefer to work from home as there are no distractions from other staff/cleaners etc.

Teachers - day off at the slightest sign of snow

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