Gifts for Teachers

profpatpending

purplepurple wrote:

Curious to know why you work in a school environment as school admin when you clearly have little respect for the people you work with. At my school, support staff and admin staff are just as valued as teachers, caretakers, dinner supervisors etc etc We work as a team. It does sound like you're in the wrong field, or at the wrong school?

It's nice to hear that at your school everyone is valued the same and, therefore, work as a team, as I feel that is how it should be (and certainly has been in previous jobs I have had) It is probably because of the lack of respect support staff are shown where I work that I have become so cynical of the teaching profession. I must say though that from meetings with other school admin staff in the area, my views are certainly not unrepresentative. For all those who do value their support staff I apologise but I fear you may be a minority.

pennineman

profpatpending wrote:

Sorry Pennineman, but it is true, you see I actually work there so I know what's going on.

Although I don't know the circumstances of your early retirement I have seen teachers I've worked with take early retirement and then come back and work as supply teachers at £25+ an hour, thus getting TWO incomes out of education at the same time.

Ill health retirement. I've had MS for 22 years . . . got a bit much recently.
Ill health retirees are not allowed to teach (or work of any kind). This only relatively recently however.

profpatpending wrote:

I must admit you did make me laugh with your description of your working day, it was a bit like the sketch of the 3 Yorkshiremen in Monty Python. If teaching is as bad as teachers make out, why do the majority of them stay in the same profession until they retire?

The line in my original post said I enjoyed what I did despite the long hours.

profpatpending wrote:

As for joining the teaching profession, I don't think it would be for me. I prefer to use my brain a bit more. I don't think its a well known fact that schools buy in schemes of work which actually tell teachers what questions to ask and what kind of answers to expect from the kids. Not for me I'm afraid, but each to their own.

It's true that central intervention in teaching has dictated what we should teach, when, and how. Good teachers then try to adapt this centrally dictated work for the children in their classes. What you say is not accurate. And Government is now relaxing this crazy, central dictation of teaching method because of its ill effects - which stifles creativity in the classrooms.

profpatpending wrote:

Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent teachers out there, but there are other excellent people in all walks of life who get very little recognition for the work they do, work longer hours and don't get paid half the salary.

I don't disagree with you here, profpatpending except for the longer hours where I would take issue with you.

And, as an aside, I valued my support staff, both TAs and administrative very highly.

. . .and thought they did not get paid half of what they should do - but I cannot influence that.

gregg1

Willxx wrote:

If anyone is so envious of teachers its not exactly a closed shop all they have to do is go to University for 4 years or do a PGCE course then take relatively poor wages for several years, learn and impart the national curriculum to unwilling or uninterested "clients", be prodded poked and interrogated by OFSTED occasionally, perhaps run some after hours clubs, sports teams, drama clubs, societies etc and oh yes I forgot a small matter of working most weekends, evenings and even in all those long long holidays!

Oh yes and btw if you have them, the swines still expect you to look after your own kids as well!

well said - I was hoping someone would point out the extra hours (weekends, evenings, HOLIDAYS!) that teachers put in. 70 hour week is the norm for the majority. Think on that before you have a go at the holidays they (don't) get!!!

Careful_girl

I repeat what I said before. Schools could not run without support staff. I cannot reflect upon all education only teaching for 13 years in 7 primary schools where all staff were highly valued. I have often heard Heads say that the school secreatary runs the school, my parents know that I always send them to the office to check on all details - I only know about children and teaching them!!!
CG

gregg1

profpatpending wrote:

Don't set me off about teachers! I'm a school administrator and I see just how pampered they actually are and they still have the cheek to moan. They complain that they are low paid, but they actually only work part time hours 32.5 hours a week for only 39 weeks a year. They get over an hour for lunch and a morning and afternoon break when they aren't doing a playground duty. They also get to sit in the staff room stuffing their faces during assembly. On top of this they get half a day a week out of the classroom for planning an preparation. If anybody should moan it's the office staff who work much longer hours for much less pay (but we don't moan 'cos we're lovely!!). Most of them have never had a job in the 'real' world having never really left school (school, uni, then back to school). When I was a lass (many moons ago) teachers worked much harder and were more prepared to partake in clubs out of school hours (football, netball, cricket etc). Save your money on pressies - you pay enought out of your taxes for them! Anyway, rant over.

what a load of garbage. You should apply to Mills and Boon for a job as a fiction writer!!

My OH is secondary maths teacher, works a 70 hour week (usual), spends morning and pm breaks preparing for next lesson, 35 mins lunch first 10 of which is spent clearing up after last lesson, last 10 of which are spent preparing for the next, comes home most evening not having had time to eat lunch. The half a day per week they are supposed to get for prepartion is invariably eaten up with cover lessons. Oh and did I mention, worked in the "real" world for 20 years and yet still finds teaching the hardest job OH has ever done (although rewarding).

By the way, with regard to your last sentence, teachers pay tax as well you know!!!! Also, OH has no desire for kids to spend their money on presents, merely knowing they have fulfilled their potential is sufficient!!!

Can I also say that if you have sufficient time during your working day to spend on such a farcical "time and study motion" on teachers, then you are the one who is being overpaid and underworked!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gregg1

pennineman wrote:

Just not true . . . . again.

I've just got early retirement from my teaching job. For the last 16 years I've worked part-time. All that that meant was that I was paid part-time but actually still worked full-time.

I'd get to school around 8:00 a.m. and there'd almost inevitably be a child waiting for me with an issue that needed sorting. I'd then work straight through to around 4:30. I'd have no break or lunch. I'd try to grab a bite to eat sometime during the day but often didn't manage it.

Then go home after an eight and a half hour day without a break. After grabbing tea I'd then process all the paperwork that my day had generated and prepare the next day's work. Some nights I'd email parents or maybe phone them. I'd also phone the mentors who worked with me.

I'd probably stop work around 10:30 p.m.

That's a long day. Sure I got paid reasonably well for it but not what other professionals get.

I enjoyed what I did. The only downside was hearing people go on about the long holidays we got and the short days we worked. But they wouldn't join us to share in these supposed perks.

And then there were the days when I wasn't in school (4.5 days because I worked 2.5) These again were taken up with phone calls to school to check on children or to pass on info to other teachers who I had no free time to see when I was in the building. And then there was the continuing masses of paperwork. And work on the education website I run for other teachers and parents. And yet more preparation. I worked out my hourly rate given the hours that I actually worked. It came out to something around £6 or £7 an hour . . .

If you want to moan that's OK but try to get your facts right. And maybe put in the training and come and join us if it's such a cushy job. I mean, why not?

And presents? I don't expect them. If I get them that's nice but not necessary.

And it's the small, quirky hand-made ones that I value. I have one such sitting next to me now. It was given to me around 20 years ago.

well said - that post really riled me! Anyone who is a teacher or who lives with a teacher knows that post was complete and utter fabrication.

gregg1

Mishy wrote:

Teachers do have to put up with alot. They have to deal with the parents that think it's down to the schools to bring their children up.

I think that is probably why the country is turning out a lot of mad children. When really imput from both parents and teachers would probably make the children's lives much better therefore improving the country.

Sorry for ranting.

you are quite right. Too many parents these days seem to expect a babysitting service from teachers rather than an education. Also,my OH regularly buys lollipops (about £40 per year) to hand out occasionally as a special treat to those kids who have tried really hard in class. No one ever comments on that though.

Careful_girl

Oh just spent £20 on stickers. That is just normal. Not very moneysaving but essential!
CG

gregg1

Careful_girl wrote:

Oh just spent £20 on stickers. That is just normal. Not very moneysaving but essential!
CG

I don't think people realise teachers do spend their own money on this sort of stuff.

Sorry - I know I have ranted on a bit but that poster really got my back up.

Bagpuss1973

Wow do people get upset by this! I am not a teacher but I don't think you could pay me enough to do it! I don't have children yet either but do hope that when I do I will support their teachers throughout their school years. I can't stand this let's all blame the teachers and government policy for all our childrens bad behaviour etc, I believe this should start in the home.

As for presents, it will depend on the teacher in question, if my child has a wish to buy a small gift/make card etc it will be their choice and I would happily go along with it, I certainly would not spend more than I could afford to keep up with other parents, in my opinion that is just plain sad! That parents should try and score points off each other when it should be about the child/teacher relationship.

I had some naff teachers when I was at school but on the plus side I had some really great ones to! As in all professions the teachers are human and you get some good and some not so good!