Renovations and Repayments.

Karmacat

badmemory wrote: »

I too come from a long line of teachers & I decided before I hit my teens that there was no way I was following. Mostly because I didn't like the way they spoke AT people, including family members.

Very concise, and very true!

maman

I've been reading but not posting lately Alex because I've found it painful to see my 'virtual' friend going through what's really a microcosm of what's happening to the profession currently.


I think what made me post today was another instance that I saw yesterday. I belong to a dance class that meets in a local school. We had an event yesterday afternoon where we hired the school hall. I was appalled to see a teacher in the school working away obviously preparing for the week ahead, on a Sunday afternoon! I know that the only difference is that she'd decided to come into the building whereas others would have been working away at home. Class teachers are, on average, putting in 60 hours a week. Lots of this time is spent trying to find ways of making a stultifying, prescriptive curriculum accessible to children or processing data.


You've decided to leave in the first term of training. Others leave in the first year or within 5 years of qualifying. 30%+ of teachers who've qualified in the past 6 years have already left.


There are a few things which have been particular to your circumstances such as your vulnerability to MH health issues and the fact that you made it more difficult for yourself by starting a property project at the same time as embarking on training. Your chosen training route where you needed to be at school every day is also more arduous than a PGCE where part of the time is spent at university. There's also the fact that you have a choice because relatively speaking you are financially better off than the majority of trainee teachers but you also have commitments to your son and your parents.


You just need to move on Alex and focus on yourself, your family what makes you happy and fulfilled.


I think what I'm trying to say is that you're just one of many people that want, in principle, to be part of a caring profession but the job's become just too difficult and costly for many people (and you're just one of them) to work in it and have a life.

Red-Squirrel_2

badmemory wrote: »

I too come from a long line of teachers & I decided before I hit my teens that there was no way I was following. Mostly because I didn't like the way they spoke AT people, including family members.

I think that's very unfair, I have two close friends who are teachers and they are wonderful caring people, and great listeners.

Its not the right path for Alex, and that's fine, I know it wouldn't be the right path for me either in a million years, but there's no need to disparage the people who devote their lives to it.

maddiemay

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

I think that's very unfair, I have two close friends who are teachers and they are wonderful caring people, and great listeners.

Its not the right path for Alex, and that's fine, I know it wouldn't be the right path for me either in a million years, but there's no need to disparage the people who devote their lives to it.

Hang on a minute, badmemory was writing from personal experience and not bad mouthing teachers in general. I too know and have known lots of inspiring caring teachers and sadly some of the type mentioned. Re read the post perhaps?

Wishing Alex all the best, once things settle down, I believe you will be able to be the parent you wish to be to your DS

kelpie35

I think that's very unfair, I have two close friends who are teachers and they are wonderful caring people, and great listeners.

That is your personal opinion, but in my opinion there are many teachers who have "airs and graces" above their station.

I worked in a school for many years (not as a teacher)and their manners were disgusting.

I am sure you have made the right decision Alex.

Your health and well being is far more important.

I am sure that within a few days you will be back to being the wonderful, caring and committed dad you are.

It is lovely to see that your wife is taking a more active roll in the love and care of little K.

Take care

badmemory

Perhaps I should have explained more fully. My father was indeed a very inspiring teacher, even down to the things he taught us after we sat the 11+ (it's a very long time ago) were things that no-one else was teaching. Remove the class & things were very different. Teachers are in many ways actors, from my personal viewpoint it is when they stop acting that it becomes less pleasant.

Red-Squirrel_2

badmemory wrote: »

Teachers are in many ways actors, from my personal viewpoint it is when they stop acting that it becomes less pleasant.

I'm sorry but I still find this offensive. Would you say something like this about any other group of people? There are something like half a million teachers in the UK, and you're making sweeping judgements about all of them based on your feelings about your family members. Saying its your personal viewpoint doesn't make it ok.

Debsnewbudget

I am pleased you have made a decision Alex
Now time to move on.
Please will you look at the progress you made before September and try to get back to that
No alcohol and Getting to bed at a reasonable time as well as the meditation you were doing.
That Alex was a much happier person amd I would like you to get back to that as you were much more able to cope with what life threw at you.
So no more posting around midnight (even to this post !!)

newgirly

At least you tried Alex, you can't ever regret giving things a go. Hopefully making the descision to leave will help get you back on an even keel, you have lots to look forward to.

-taff

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

I'm sorry but I still find this offensive.

You know what happens when you find something offensive? Absolutely nothing.

You can be offended at someone else's personal experience as you like, so can I. Anyone can. It won't change anything though and getting on your horse about it achieves nothing at all.

They are speaking from their point of you, you from yours, obviously neither of you is going to change your minds about it, so why not just let it go otherwise this great thread is going to have a derailment.