Teachers demand 10% pay rise

gemmalouanna

dylansmum wrote: »

Yes and out of interest, I have been asked for a bunch of references lately from employment agencies for final year uni students who want to be cover supervisors - this worries me. Should I be worried?

I think our cover supervisors are great - we have 3 of them and it gives the pupils a bit of consistency when teachers are absent due to illness/on courses rather than getting supply in, plus work gets done when you are not there which is a pleasant surprise and ultimately it means our free period stays free
Shame about the work drying up for supply teacher though I guess.

dylansmum

gemmalouanna wrote: »

I think our cover supervisors are great - we have 3 of them and it gives the pupils a bit of consistency when teachers are absent due to illness/on courses rather than getting supply in, plus work gets done when you are not there which is a pleasant surprise and ultimately it means our free period stays free
Shame about the work drying up for supply teacher though I guess.

But my lot have very litle experience with young people and no training! And thus their pay is much lower than a teacher's: what responsibilities do they have?

gemmalouanna

dylansmum wrote: »

But my lot have very litle experience with young people and no training! And thus their pay is much lower than a teacher's: what responsibilities do they have?

One of ours used to be teaching assisstant in the school so used to school environment, one of ours is from a bank so no former experience and he is great. Lower pay yes but ours arrive 10 mins before school starts and often leave on the bell with no work to do out of school and the bonus of the holidays it suits them especially the one with kids. In terms of responsibilty ours just cover lesson ie. write on board/give out the work left by the teacher and try and keep pupils on-task - no 'teaching'. They are very well supported in our school and we try and make sure pupils see them as an important part of school not just a 'doss' lesson when teacher is not there.

dylansmum

gemmalouanna wrote: »

One of ours used to be teaching assisstant in the school so used to school environment, one of ours is from a bank so no former experience and he is great. Lower pay yes but ours arrive 10 mins before school starts and often leave on the bell with no work to do out of school and the bonus of the holidays it suits them especially the one with kids. In terms of responsibilty ours just cover lesson ie. write on board/give out the work left by the teacher and try and keep pupils on-task - no 'teaching'. They are very well supported in our school and we try and make sure pupils see them as an important part of school not just a 'doss' lesson when teacher is not there.

Thanks - this is very helpful!

Andy_L

Really2 wrote: »

:rolleyes: I have made it fairly clear I was sating what causes distrust.

It was you who said they did it because teachers would know what a scale meant (which means the genral public won't)

But you don't want to see it. (it is not an easy google search at all, and a lot of work for your "average" user)

its the first hit if you google "teachers pay scale" how easy do you want it to be to find?

Really2

Andy_L wrote: »

its the first hit if you google "teachers pay scale" how easy do you want it to be to find?

Wow another person who choses to miss the point.

simongregson

I haven't read this whole thread, but I think a lot of this is tarring teachers with the same brush. The NUT represents only some teachers and is the only teaching union that does not engage constructively with the government. The demand for a 10% increase is reasoned, but this is not the time for it, as all the other unions representing teachers have recognised. However, it is worth pointing out that the pay of teachers has lagged behind inflation and the private sector since 2005. It is only in the last year that inflation has dropped but this is underpinned entirely by the drop in the housing market and makes little difference to those on fixed interest rates.

I am pleased that my union has negotiated a realistic 2.3% increase for this year by engaging with the government and not making unrealistic demands/going on strike etc. but will not be pleased if this is not implemented as my salary has dropped inreal terms for the last few years.

I enjoy my job, and one of the compromises that I accepted was that I would earn a lot less than many of my friends who also have good degrees, the quid pro quo is the stability of the job, engaging nature of it and yes, the holidays. Please remember that your children's teachers are all highly qualified to degree level, have completed postgraduate training, the wage needs to be a realistic graduate level for someone with experience. Currently it is, hence there is no major shortage of teachers in the country. There will be if teacher salaries drop relative to what qualified graduates earn in other professions.

Incidentally, teacher's performance is very closely monitored and does affect pay. However, let's be realistic here, there are many other factors that affect children's attainment, the prime one in my view being their parents' attitude to learning and school.

Oh, and schools aren't 'closed' on training days, that's when we do training and planning for the numerous initiatives that the government seems to want us to implement. If we didn't then teachers would have little time for training/implementing new ideas etc. These days were taken from teacher's holidays by Kenneth Baker, so children attend school for the same 190 days that they have always done. They are notified at the start of the year so parents can arrange childcare if needed.

BillTrac

My OH is a HLTA, and she is regularly used as a stand-in at the primary school when teacher is doing something else. Cheaper than a supply teacher, and although she doesnt work a full week ( she would love to but health reasons and tri-weekly hospital sessions mean she cannot) she does put in extra, unpaid hours, whenever she can because she realises that the kids need all the help they can get. As a matter of fact she is going in tomorrow to prepare some stuff before the kids return next week, her choice nothing asked for by the school.

I dont think the teachers should get an across the board 10%, perhaps a performance bonus? Just seems if you give it all then you cannot take it away when the teaching isnt satisfactory.

Our local education authority have just announced a new pay structure which means that the majority of the support staff will LOSE money (ok not in the next two years as they have guaranteed this period, but in two years no more guarantee). And the "whatever the latest title for dinner ladies is" are losing the school dinner they were given free. Not a great cost to the school/education authority, but quite significant to these ladies(and gents if any out there). But these ladies willingly arrive early to prepare etc and all for nothing it seems

Oh, one other thing. I dont think that OFSTED should give ANY notice of a visit. I know they have reduced the notice time given, but how the hell are they ever going to see the real situation when they give warning and then all hands on deck to pretty up the site. And I know of certain kids who are "advised " to be off sick whenever OFSTED (or SATS) come around.

I know teachers have a hell of a lot of preperation to do, but sometimes it comes down to the poorer teachers finding that hard work and therefore spend more time doing it

just my .02p and sorry for going slightly off-track

Really2

simongregson wrote: »

worth pointing out that the pay of teachers has lagged behind inflation and the private sector since 2005. .

Hi good post.

Not taking you to point but I actualy dont know, what as been the wage increase for teachers since 2004?

Inflation (CPI) as been

2004 = 1.3%
2005 = 2.1%
2006 = 2.3%
2007 = 2.3%
2008 = 3.6%

Edit;
done a it of reaserch I have seen (not sure it is right)

Teachers pay rises

2004 = 2.5%
2005 = 2.95%
2006 = 2.5%
2007 = 2.5%
2008 = 2.45%

edit:
I work that out as over inflation rises over that period.

Radiantsoul

Really2 wrote: »

Wow another person who choses to miss the point.

They are right. It is relatively easy to find out what teachers earn. The salary bands are in the public domain. I don't see what more you could want? Perhaps every teacher to have their salary listed on the school website?