taking children out of school at term time

ifonlyitwaseasier

mum2one wrote: »

So instead of haveing a go at the OP or anyone who takes a holiday in term time, think about lobbying the goverment and get them to put pressure on the the travel industry and make the holidays affordable all year round.

the problem isn't the travel industry, it's the fact that all of Europe has holidays at about the same time, i know parts of spain shut down for almost a month in the summer.

all the resorts have people wanting to come to them and can charge what they like as they know that it'll be paid.

i totally understand that taking the kids out during normal term time is far cheaper, in fact a friend of mine did so, and as they were going to egypt, they agreed with the school that their child would do a presentation on egypt and it's culture once they got back, it ended up being educational for the whole class

sturll

andyrules wrote: »

Who said 12 weeks isn't enough? Never heard any complain about that one:D

And it isn't the kids that cause the stress - read the article
“The sick days are nothing to do with children though, but the stress of Ofsted, disciplinary hearings, competency procedures and the endless supply of reform to change the way teachers are supposed to teach.”

I never said kid cause the stress - read my post

Make no wonder standards have dropped. A simple sentence stumped you.

Kez100

andyrules wrote: »

Who said 12 weeks isn't enough? Never heard any complain about that one:D

And it isn't the kids that cause the stress - read the article
“The sick days are nothing to do with children though, but the stress of Ofsted, disciplinary hearings, competency procedures and the endless supply of reform to change the way teachers are supposed to teach.”

There are very few of us not subject to supervision by an outside body. We also have to stay brilliantly competent or we will be out of business pronto. No income - zilch. At least teachers have procedures under which they are given chance to improve and many get away with being just OK for the whole of their career. Also, reform and change - industries and professionas all have to move with the times. I have major changes at least twice a year requiring constant training. I work in excess of 50 hours a week and I am supposed to be part time 25 hours. I get 5 weeks holiday a year. I am also a Governor which is, as you will know, demanding and voluntary - so I am also subject to Ofsted but without pay.

The only thing I feel sorry for teachers over is childrens behaviour and the lack of ability to discipline persistently difficult children in (what I think of as) a really effective way.

Anyone in the public sector who says it is better/easier/higher paid in the private should be made to take a gap year every ten years in the real world and then they could go back and I bet they'd make better and happier teachers.

continualdiamond

sturll wrote: »

Its not my fault your career choice has turned out to be one you don't enjoy - count yourself lucky that teaching these days is one of the few safe careers. Millions right now can't even get a job tossing burgers.

And ill not take you up on trying to plan a lesson for kids thanks - its you who has been trained for that - not me.

I have little time for a lot of teachers - my sons is one such example. She went on strike last year with no concern to my childs education, his school has teacher training days in school time, closes when we have 1 inch of snow, i mean talk about work dodgers.

Not only that but when my son gets sent to the headteacher for playing rough games (rugby) is it any wonder our schools are churning out the type of child we have today. (not all)

Besides, my sons teacher can't be older than mid twenties and she drives a brand new Mini Cooper - so she cant be that skint.

And as for finishing work when work finishes - does any professional? I know i certainly don't. And i can guarantee you what i do outside of work is a damn sight more boring than marking the output of the amazing imagination of children.

Never any where in my post did i say my career choice turned out to be one i don't enjoy. I love it to bits, i work with 7 students who do not communicate verbally, cannot walk, sit unaided or feed and toilet themselves. Im a trained first aider and emergency medication trained to deal with the students in my class who have seizures.

Aside from my class i obviously have contact with other students, so i deal with a table being throw at me, spat on, hit, kicked, pinched. All in a days work working in a special needs school, yet i go back every day, never do i wake up thinking, oh not today, call in sick. Every small achievement i love seeing, its very rewarding, but the pay isn't great, i do my job because i enjoy it.

So don't tell me i implied i didn't enjoy my job. Again i am a teaching assistant, not a teacher, therefore i am not trained like you state to plan lessons for my class. I was pointing out what my teacher must plan for.

It is not our fault when our school is closed because of snow, the head teacher makes that call very early on in the morning. Mine closed for 1 day and i was nearly out the door to make the journey when i got the phone call to say where closed.

Neither is it our decision about school training days, county council decides those, just looking at my calendar for school days from the county council it says 'a total of 4 in service training days for staff will be taken by each school'. Take it up with your council if you don't like the school closing for staff training days.

In terms of the teacher having a brand new car and the implying that she can't be that skint, well where all not that lucky, i drive a 02 reg car for christ sake and have an income of £15,000. Yep im loaded :rolleyes:

sturll

continualdiamond wrote: »

Never any where in my post did i say my career choice turned out to be one i don't enjoy. I love it to bits, i work with 7 students who do not communicate verbally, cannot walk, sit unaided or feed and toilet themselves. Im a trained first aider and emergency medication trained to deal with the students in my class who have seizures.

Aside from my class i obviously have contact with other students, so i deal with a table being throw at me, spat on, hit, kicked, pinched. All in a days work working in a special needs school, yet i go back every day, never do i wake up thinking, oh not today, call in sick. Every small achievement i love seeing, its very rewarding, but the pay isn't great, i do my job because i enjoy it.

So don't tell me i implied i didn't enjoy my job. Again i am a teaching assistant, not a teacher, therefore i am not trained like you state to plan lessons for my class. I was pointing out what my teacher must plan for.

It is not our fault when our school is closed because of snow, the head teacher makes that call very early on in the morning. Mine closed for 1 day and i was nearly out the door to make the journey when i got the phone call to say where closed.

Neither is it our decision about school training days, county council decides those, just looking at my calendar for school days from the county council it says 'a total of 4 in service training days for staff will be taken by each school'. Take it up with your council if you don't like the school closing for staff training days.

In terms of the teacher having a brand new car and the implying that she can't be that skint, well where all not that lucky, i drive a 02 reg car for christ sake and have an income of £15,000. Yep im loaded :rolleyes:

You're on £15k and have a secure job you clearly love and are passionate about.

What you whinging about?

andyrules

sturll wrote: »

You're on £15k and have a secure job you clearly love and are passionate about.

What you whinging about?

continualdiamond isn't the one doing the whinging;)

And just so you know, teaching jobs aren't secure - depending upon your age/subject.

sturll

andyrules wrote: »

continualdiamond isn't the one doing the whinging;)

And just so you know, teaching jobs aren't secure - depending upon your age/subject.

Well lets be honest - lets look at the math of the situation:

Population growing = More kids = More need for schooling = more need for teachers.

Its a thriving industry at a time when almost every other profession is feeling the squeeze of the current climate.

andyrules

sturll wrote: »

Well lets be honest - lets look at the math of the situation:

Population growing = More kids = More need for schooling = more need for teachers.

Its a thriving industry at a time when almost every other profession is feeling the squeeze of the current climate.

Teachers are made redundant as well, generally quite quietly.:D Recently, in some areas, the population has taken a downturn, resulting in smaller yeargroups, so less teachers needed.

Of course, if you are a maths or physics teacher at KS3/4 you will be more secure. Something to aim for if you are feeling vulnerable.:cool:
HTH

sturll

andyrules wrote: »

Teachers are made redundant as well, generally quite quietly.:D Recently, in some areas, the population has taken a downturn, resulting in smaller yeargroups, so less teachers needed.

Of course, if you are a maths or physics teacher at KS3/4 you will be more secure. Something to aim for if you are feeling vulnerable.:cool:
HTH

I feel quite secure in my job. Although i perhaps don't enjoy it as much as your friend the special needs assistant and even though i only get 4 weeks each year, the flexi hours and nice salary makes up for it.

continualdiamond

sturll wrote: »

You're on £15k and have a secure job you clearly love and are passionate about.

What you whinging about?

I wasn't whinging at all, i simply replied coming from a schools view and seeing what my teachers and others in my school do.

A lot of issues are out of the immediate staffs control, yet what i put as i feared got totally shot down in flames.

I guess you'll also look down on me for going on strike about our pay rise we got offered. But you'll be pleased to know the govt now is doing job evulations and not looking at special schools separate.

So i've just gone through a whole job description evaulation and then someone who has never stepped foot in a special school will decide from reading a piece of paper whether i get paid more or in fact take a pay cut.

So that sounds totally fair, same pay for teaching assistants no matter what school you work at.

Its a good thing all the teaching assistants at my school love their job and don't quit and go and work in a mainstream class.

I can see both sides to the issue of taking children out of school for cheaper holidays, but i don't think its fair to be so quick to judge teachers.

With that i'll end my thoughts. Have a nice weekend everyone, whats left of it anyway.