Teachers' Strike: Is your kids' school on strike today?

Caroline_a

There are a great many occupations that are important to the country. Yes, education is important, but so are nurses, armed forces, firemen, policemen, businessmen, yes, even bankers!

There are people leaving a lot of industries - for a lot of different reasons. I know of one teacher who has just left the job - and to be honest, I'm sure her colleagues and pupils will heave a sigh of relief! There will always be good and bad in every type of job, as has been already said.

I wonder how many youngsters would consider their teachers as 'good teachers'. They surely are the customers?

poet123

Caroline_a wrote: »

There are a great many occupations that are important to the country. Yes, education is important, but so are nurses, armed forces, firemen, policemen, businessmen, yes, even bankers!

There are people leaving a lot of industries - for a lot of different reasons. I know of one teacher who has just left the job - and to be honest, I'm sure her colleagues and pupils will heave a sigh of relief! There will always be good and bad in every type of job, as has been already said.

I wonder how many youngsters would consider their teachers as 'good teachers'. They surely are the customers?

That will probably be the next step, performance related pay based on assessment by learners!!;)

Many kids would judge teachers as good if they allowed them to do no work and banned homework.

I would far rather my kids respected their teachers for their ability to teach and their ability to manage a classroom, than liked them.

lostinrates

Idiophreak wrote: »

A lot do. In fact, many PGCEs have a drop out rate of 50%+

As above, plenty drop out in the first 5 years.

Does that make you happy?

You need to think about the importance of education to the country as a whole. Better education in a country means better opportunities for everyone in that country. Better education means lower crime rates. Better education means lower taxes due to reduced burden on the health service and benefits system. Better education means a continued supply of people to heal you when you're sick, help you buy houses, protect your rights and make cool stuff for you to use.

When you consider all of that seriously, you might conclude that it's critically important we have the best people teaching our children. We currently operate in a system where this isn't always the case. Many talented teachers are quitting the profession not because of inability to do the work, but because of unwillingness to sustain the workloads they're faced with.
.

Is there, as a matter of interest, statistical breakdown, of what career areas they go into?

I know there was a lot of hoohah about bankers and lawyers going to retrain as teachers post crunch, I wonder if there is any follow up on that?

Fwiw, I think its REALLY important good people teach. I come from a background where people work very hard, and the teachers in our social group ( includes a head of department in a rural private school and teachers in inner city schools in London) are Not the hardest workers, in terms or hours for example, but their role is vitally important I feel sympathy for them on the basis of role in society and conditions I. Schools, particularly in areas where large percentages of the community are not education or achievement focused.

Idiophreak

Caroline_a wrote: »

There are a great many occupations that are important to the country. Yes, education is important, but so are nurses, armed forces, firemen, policemen, businessmen, yes, even bankers!

...and I don't think anyone's arguing otherwise.

I certainly don't want to live in a country without any of the above (well, actually, I think we could survive perfectly well without *trading* bankers, but that's an aside). If any of the above feel so aggrieved that they want to strike, I'll support them all the way.

Personally, I think the recent changes to fireman's retirement terms are disgusting, I think the persistent under-resourcing of our armed forces is a joke and don't even get me started on some of the working practices in the NHS...but none of that means that I can't still support teachers and see the problems in our education system.

Idiophreak

lostinrates wrote: »

Is there, as a matter of interest, statistical breakdown, of what career areas they go into?

I'm sure there is, but I wouldn't have it to hand. I imagine if you look on the NUT or NASUWT websites they'll have something along those lines.

My posts are based purely on my observations of my wife's career over the last 7 years. I know the dropout rate on her PGCE was 60%, because she counted them, basically...but I don't know what the rest have gone on to do. I know that at least one NQT every couple of years fails to make the grade. I know a lot of staff at the school have chucked it in for one reason or another. Quite a few get signed off long term sick with stress related disorders and don't come back. Some have babies and can't face coming back *and* caring for a child. Some go to teach in private schools or overseas where conditions are more favourable. And of course, more staff chucking it in, means more NQTs coming in to the school, which means more paperwork, more mentoring and generally more effort for the more senior members of staff, which puts them under more pressure...and round we go.

Actually, from her school, there have been comparatively few that have just walked out and gone and got a different job...but I've read enough to know this is a growing trend. I do know one of the managers at my job was a teacher before he chucked it in for a life in IT instead. He couldn't stick it, which is a shame - guy's got a heart of gold.

lostinrates

Idiophreak wrote: »

I'm sure there is, but I wouldn't have it to hand. I imagine if you look on the NUT or NASUWT websites they'll have something along those lines.

My posts are based purely on my observations of my wife's career over the last 7 years. I know the dropout rate on her PGCE was 60%, because she counted them, basically...but I don't know what the rest have gone on to do. I know that at least one NQT every couple of years fails to make the grade. I know a lot of staff at the school have chucked it in for one reason or another. Quite a few get signed off long term sick with stress related disorders and don't come back. Some have babies and can't face coming back *and* caring for a child. Some go to teach in private schools or overseas where conditions are more favourable. And of course, more staff chucking it in, means more NQTs coming in to the school, which means more paperwork, more mentoring and generally more effort for the more senior members of staff, which puts them under more pressure...and round we go.

Actually, from her school, there have been comparatively few that have just walked out and gone and got a different job...but I've read enough to know this is a growing trend. I do know one of the managers at my job was a teacher before he chucked it in for a life in IT instead. He couldn't stick it, which is a shame - guy's got a heart of gold.

I didn't real use going in to the private sector of teaching count as 'not counting' IYSWIM.

tom9980

Caroline_a wrote: »

There seems to be a lot of complaining about how awful it is being a teacher. However, nobody is forced to do this! If it's that dreadful, find something else. I would suggest that there must be reasons why teachers stay in their jobs that have nothing to do with dedication to their pupils - same as the rest of us. Work is hard whatever you do.

I did see a post on Facebook last night from a soldier who pointed out that he is paid similar to a teacher's pay, although his conditions of work are a lot worse and his hours are certainly longer when he's on a tour. His point was that soldiers don't tend to moan about it, they just get on with it.

Teaching is a vocation my wife loves her job. However its a job that is like a relationship that over time slowly turns sour because the partner grinds you down with small things, eventually you have enough and leave. That is bad for education and its bad for our children, in time if we let things continue this way i guarantee you that things will be worse not better. We need happy teachers not tired and stressed out teachers.

The soldier story seems nonsense to me, my brother is in the RAF he retires after 24 years service at 40 later this year. He gets 33k and will have a lump sum payment and £900 a month pension for life, his job is not hard its basically logistics. He has served all around the world, been shot at in Iraq, restored the embassy in Baghdad, and mortared in Afghanistan. So yes there are times when he's in danger but most of the time outside of tours in warzones he has a pretty easy job and he readily admits this. He is also paid well, has a great pension and importantly has support from the public. But essentially what added value is he giving us the public other than defence of our nation?

Idiophreak

lostinrates wrote: »

I didn't real use going in to the private sector of teaching count as 'not counting' IYSWIM.

Well, I don't "count it", as they have far more available resources, far fewer regulatory requirements and a very specific type of intake. Oh, and they get paid a bunch more.

I'm not an authority on the matter, though.

balletshoes

poet123 wrote: »

That will probably be the next step, performance related pay based on assessment by learners!!;)

Many kids would judge teachers as good if they allowed them to do no work and banned homework.

I would far rather my kids respected their teachers for their ability to teach and their ability to manage a classroom, than liked them.

i totally agree.

plumpmouse

Caroline_a wrote: »

I did see a post on Facebook last night from a soldier who pointed out that he is paid similar to a teacher's pay, although his conditions of work are a lot worse and his hours are certainly longer when he's on a tour. His point was that soldiers don't tend to moan about it, they just get on with it.

I don't think soliders get the same level of hatred and disrespect thrown at them as teachers do.

TBH I read a post on facebook regarding fining teachers (yawn when will people realize it isn't teachers that fine you!) and I was horrified at the venom that is projected at teacher. I really hope that most people don't project there hatred/venom/teachers have it easy attitude on to their children. Sadly I think a lot do and this why teachers are in a no win situation - parents don't respect them thus kids don't.

I read about a nurse grumbling on facebook about teachers being paid well and having it easy. Yet nurses have a similar pay scale from what I can see. And yet if anyone was to say nurses are responsible for MRSA, dirty hospitals, terrible healthcare I bet those same nurses would be up in arms.

It isn't teachers feeling than are harder done than everyone else it is about them wanting an improvement. The NUT does seem to focus on pay and conditions but in truth a lot of teachers want an improvement in education for OUR children.

I have said it before but will say it again without teachers there would not be doctors/nurses/firemen/soldiers. Teachers are vital in our children's lives and we should support them not demonise them.

Incidentally one of my husband's former students is a solider and he credits the person he has become in part to my husband and the input he had. I know that despite his job which undoubtedly while on tour must be awful he is grateful for his teacher!

As another point how many people here work in a job where you are verbally and physically threatened everyday. Many teachers do just this either by kids or even worse by there parents!