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

GobbledyGook

Parents don't get fine for taking their children out for a day so the comparison is hardly fair.

Mine are off today and I back the teachers entirely. It's about time the teacher bashing stopped in this country. Their work load has become ridiculous. More and more and more paperwork, less back up, more pupils with needs that are almost impossible to deal with in a mainstream setting and less support because of cut budgets.

I don't know any teacher that starts at 8.30, finishes at 4 and is off every day of the holidays, but I do know too many damn good teachers leaving the job because of the stresses they are under.

mummyroysof3

I've 3 children all in different schools are non are closed today

saveallmymoney

pjcox2005 wrote: »

Not bashing, just interested in teachers views as to whether comments quoted re hours of work are correct as an average week. "primary school teachers working 60-hour weeks and secondary school teachers working 56 hours."

I'm married to a Primary Teacher, and this seems accurate. Not a job i would do.

FBaby

My post was in response to the teacher on daybreak this morning who sits she arrived at school before 8 am and rarely left before 6pm. I have three teacher friends and yes they do at times stay later or go in earlier but certainly not every day very much like most of my colleagues do. The teacher on the programme made it sounds like it was a routine day for all teachers hence complaint about workload.

DigForVictory

Mine all in school (Lancashire) & I'm thankful & grateful.

One son says he wants to teach - and has the sort of personality that would be good at it - but we're gently trying to steer him away. If you love a subject, I think it must be a special kind of hell to have to teach it at the minute.

Caroline_a

Surely these 60-hour weeks aren't happening in the excessively long holidays? I work a 45 - 50 hour week as standard as do most of my colleagues but we only get 25 days holiday a year...

pollypenny

pjcox2005 wrote: »

Not bashing, just interested in teachers views as to whether comments quoted re hours of work are correct as an average week. "primary school teachers working 60-hour weeks and secondary school teachers working 56 hours."

From what I've seen I'd expect teachers to be in at around 8/8.30 and leave at four. Potentially having to take break times at some point.

So assuming no breaks at all, and those times 5 days a week that would be 40hrs. Do primary school teachers really do 4 hrs a night of homework. Assuming commute, dinner etc, that's basically 6-10pm on a nightly basis.

That seems very high. What's the bit that takes the most time and what would you look to change in order for it to be more manageable? Also, I would have expected secondary school teachers to work longer hours or is it because they may specialise in a subject and therefore not teach for the full day?

I think the problem for primary teachers is the amount of paperwork, such as target setting in every subject. Secondly, have you not noticed the high quality display work in classrooms? In theory, it's done by an assistant, but she won't have enough hours in her day, will be paid peanuts and should leave promptly.

As for breaks, there are usually pupils asking to see a teacher for extra help or some who would be kept in for detention, lack of homework, misbehaviours etcetera. Secondary school, of course.

I would never, ever give up my 11.15 coffee break, having been in since 8.15, but most lunchtimes I'd grab a quick sandwich after working with some pupils from 12.30 -1 pm, before bell at 1.15. After school lessons are increasingly common, especially in run up to exams.

Btw: daft as we are, some of these lunchtime sessions would be to help pupils who have been on holiday in term time. :cool:

pollypenny

Caroline_a wrote: »

Surely these 60-hour weeks aren't happening in the excessively long holidays? I work a 45 - 50 hour week as standard as do most of my colleagues but we only get 25 days holiday a year...

No, agreed. The second week of Christmas hols, I'd work four hours a day. Feb half term, five hours a day, finalising coursework. Easter hols, producing revision guides if there are new texts. Summer, three weeks prep, again four or five hours a day, two days giving results out, another couple advising on next stage.

Oh, it's a cushy number, with these fabulous holidays. :cool:

Buzzybee90

There are some teachers that work 8-8
There are some teachers that work 9-5

There are some office workers that work 8-8
There are some office workers that work 9-5

There are some architects that work 8-8
There are some architects that work 9-5

Do you get my point?

Tiddlywinks

Great, yet another bandwagon for MSE to jump on... teacher bashing!

The last time I looked, strikes were still legal... I don't want to live in a country where people are scared to stand up for workers' rights.