Renovations and Repayments.

kelpie35 wrote: »

So pleased to see you back Alex.

Sorry to hear that the teaching has not gone too well for you.

I do understand what you mean by the "culture and profession"

You know your own mind now and the things that work best for you.

Enjoy your time off and take care of yourself and your family.

Thank you, kelpie.

Nothing to be sorry about. Whilst I've not been having the best time, I have gained some knowledge and insight. I've been able to step back and think things through rationally rather than overwhelming myself with stress. I know if I choose not to go back it doesn't make me a failure, rather I tried something I wanted to try and it wasn't meant to be. I don't really know what's happened but it's like I've flicked a switch in my mind.

Going to try to enjoy the coming week as much as possible and get out to a few places with my son. However, my father was meant to come out of hospital today and he hasn't, so the coming week is looking mostly like entertaining my mother and helping father.

slowlyfading wrote: »

I think if you feel like that, then you probably shouldn't continue.

As someone who works in secondary teaching, you have to love the job you do. Yes, the days are long, difficult, frustrating, demanding and a host of other things, but something in there has to make you want to be there.

It's the little things, like a Year 7 thanking you for your lesson, to a grumpy Year 9 boy suddenly getting something he didn't understand before. It's your GCSE class having a laugh on an afternoon over something really daft. It's the things children come out with that they don't realise are funny but are actually hilarious. It's about making connections, helping them through the tricky stages and enjoying the fact that you work with wonderful young people.

If you don't feel that, then teaching isn't for you. And I'm saying that in the kindest way possible.

That's the conclusion I'm arriving at, SF.

In my volunteering work / music teaching I've felt it and also really love being a parent. However, I'm not passionate about the things I am teaching and have formed no sort of bond with any of the pupils. I still teach a few pupils Music and go above and beyond for them as they are dedicated, passionate and open to learning. Some I've let go in the past because they are not. In a classroom situation I don't have that control to teach the pupils I wish to teach. My main problem lies with staff and the culture, though. It almost seems unreasonable to have other commitments. I didn't attend one staff meeting (they didn't care about my opinion but apparently did about my presence) because I needed to meet with a tenant resulted in a meeting with the Head that week. The day after, a particular member of staff with a taste for trouble decided to try to alienate me from everyone else. I spoke to the school direct person to be told I need to attend staff meetings regardless and that I am not making it easy for staff to like me. In the time I've been there, I've done everything asked of me other than the one staff meeting and offered to help with all music related things but that isn't good enough because apparently having property to deal with = not making it easy for staff to like you. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

slowlyfading wrote: »

During term time, it is expected that you are there during school hours, regardless. Other commitments need to be arranged at a different time. Did you say to anyone beforehand that you weren't going to the staff meeting? Things like that are directed time, so you shouldn't miss them apart from in an emergency. Meeting with a tenant doesn't fall in this category, at all.

Other members of staff will have other commitments, perhaps property like you, but it's the way you deal with it that matters. When you're in the school, what matters is providing the best opportunities for the young people in front of you. Not disappearing because a tenant needs to speak to you. There are many hours outside of the school day, meetings included, which you could have met them in or spoken to them on the phone in the first instance.

You say you've done everything that has been asked of you - that's the norm surely? You're on your training and you need to do everything by the book. You are there to make a good impression as these are the people who write your references and who, if you want one, will provide support in getting your first job. I do everything I'm asked to as well, even though some things I might not personally agree with, because when I signed the contract for my current post, that's what I agree to do. Including the mountains of paper work!

It does sound as if teaching as a profession is not for you. That's not a bad thing, just make the decision sooner rather than later. For both your sake and where you are doing your placement.

I fail to see how not attending a staff meeting means I am failing to provide opportunities for pupils? On another point, I am not a paid member of staff. In fact, as a student, if I do go back after half term I will be paying to be there. Therefore, I would argue the same rules cannot apply. Further, the terms by which I signed to as a student has no such clauses pertaining to the definition of directed hours.

Whilst I won't go into the full details of why I needed to see the tenant, finding a time was difficult due to the tenant's working hours and had another time worked, I would have been at the meeting.