What would tempt you to return to teaching?

[TeaTowelQueen]

If you're a teacher that has left/thinking of leaving the profession for whatever reason, what would tempt you back to the classroom? From a Governor who is trying to get creative with recruitment....thinking more job shares? more training and support? any other bright ideas?

Can't change the political environment unfortunately but how can we make our school an attractive prospect, we're Good with Outstanding features, have a fab Head, fab staff, happy and confident children, rural but not small...

[doodlejump1980]

No cover classes so I could use my prep time as prep time.
Not having to teach national3-advanced higher in the same class...
Cake Friday is always good too.

[StarlightMcKenzee]

I would teach, if there was a part-time entry route (think 40 hours over a 7 day period, rather than 60), followed by a part time job (Again no more than 40 hours)

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

Reduced workload for same pay. I was fed up of 70hour weeks for £30k. It's mad. I now do supply and walk out the door at 4pm latest.
Or, if part time, then not 50% timetable stretched across 4 days, with the day off different in the 2 week timetable so I had to pay for 5 full days of childcare on £15k a D you still have to pay for holidays as no childcare provider here does term time only contracts....

[Stargazing25]

No ridiculous marking policy. It's just not necessary!

[NewLife4Me]

Being able to teach my own subject, even though would probably only be a few hours/ couple of days a week.

having a contract and salary, not hourly paid and only on student contact.

Thats all really.

I wouldn't mind parents evening, staying longer, marking, mentoring trainees, anything at all if I was paid for it.

[doasIsaynotasIdo]

I agree with SusanandBinkyrideforth, a job share where you each do 2or 3 full days a week rather than little bits and pieces spread across all five days would be great.

[Leslieknope45]

Not dragging out the decision on pay rises. I didn't get a 'yes you've passed appraisal' until January and started getting my pay rise in February. The money is why I go to work. I hate having to jump through so many hoops for it.

Appraisal targets that aren't '85% of your group to get 4 levels of progress'

[ImperialBlether]

A loaded gun against my head.

[elephantoverthehill]

I think teachers ought to get the same positive message as the children - catch them being good, 2 stars and a wish etc. I feel that all I receive from SMT are criticisms. No one ever says, for example, 'I've been checking on duties and X,Y and Z are always out there and on time'. We are supposed to be infinitely encouraging but get very little ourselves.

[Finallyonboard]

Absolutely nothing would encourage me to return to teaching, not even a salary of 200k. Worst job I've ever had!

[Sparklycat]

Less extra curricular demands. I run extra curricular most lunchtimes and after school.

[katemiddletonsnudeheels]

Nothing, now. I feel 'been there, done that' and I liked it very much but moving onto a new chapter now.

[WordGetsAround]

2.5 day week for £18k.
No split classes (unless able to teach different areas of subject). Eg time tabling ensures years 7-9 have all their lessons in the first or second half of the week (so no shared classes). If sharing a GCSE class, for it to be equally split with another teacher so can cover different topics.
No form group responsibilities.

[KinkyDorito]

I am still teaching but dream of leaving.

Less scrutiny: we are weekly now with learning walks/marking checks. This is not needed. If you have weaker members of staff, target them, don't blanket everyone with the same strategy.

Encourage less micro management and allow teachers to take control of their own classrooms (Ofsted seem to want this too, but it hasn't filtered to SLT). It annoys me that on the one hand we are held absolutely accountable, but on the other we are told exactly what strategies to teach with, how to mark, etc in a one-size-fits-all approach. It is completely inappropriate and demonstrates no trust that teachers are professionals and able to come up with their own content whilst supporting and mentoring younger and less confident colleagues to find their own style.

Trust: we should be allowed to come and go in frees without asking permission. It's not like we aren't working plenty of hours from home anyway.

Say thank you and well done. Students are given plenty of positives before the targets, yet many managers forget to bother with this when talking to teachers about their performance. It breeds resentment.

Allow things that you can accommodate. So, cover for funerals but still pay for the day, letting parents go to a school event for their child where possible, etc.

Fridges in work rooms. Tea, coffee and milk.

[BetweenTwoLungs]

elephant I totally agree about the difference between how we are expected to help the children, and how we ourselves are treated, so negatively.

I also think if a child was struggling and we let them carry on struggling with no help we'd get RI, yet in observations SLT just stand back and watch if things go wrong. Why? Why not step in and suggest things, say try this, let's plan something together, let's think up a strategy for that class together etc.

We aim to set the children up for success but I feel SLT are constantly trying to catch us out.

[leccybill]

Remove the culture of 'blame teachers for everything' and the culture of suspicion and assumption that we are workshy.

On a practical note, in secondary, timetable everyone with a free/PPA last lesson once a week or fortnight. Let them know they can go home for it if they wish. If I could just pick my DD up from school once a week and get home early to get a wash on and throw the hoover round, my worklife balance would improve immeasurably! I did this today (we had Inset 8am til 1pm) and it made all the difference, I looked forward to it all week.

[Wolfiefan]

Evaluate impact on teacher time of new policies.
Ensure support for tech and data etc. Ensure teachers are free to teach rather than do endless admin.
Management to support rather than constantly looking for things you haven't done.
Useful and relevant training.
Perhaps management should find time to actually teach?!
But really? I'd go back when hell freezes over. The constant demand that kids do better and better and expectation that all kids will make x level of progress. Constant change without considering impact on staff and students. Relentless and exhausting pressure.
No thanks.

[rollonthesummer]

Sensible marking policy. Something like tick= right and X = wrong. With a smiley face if it's really good.

Not entering data into a complicated computer system every half term.

Scrap the bloody learning/climate walks. They're a waste of time.

Don't tell me how often to change displays. I think that should be up to me; please allow me to be professional enough to prioritise my time.

That would be a start.

[YorkieDorkie]

Not being treated like the enemy by govs/SLT. The minute you have a bad observation or result there's the threat of performance management. Just fuck off. The kids are treated with more respect than the teachers.

[cosmicglittergirl]

Everything rollonsummer said.

And being able to job share.

[KateBeckett]

Let me decide how to have my tables and groups. Don't come into my classroom after I've gone home and rearrange all of my furniture without consulting me. Communicate- if I'm being observed or on a course TELL me instead of just putting the on a weekly bulletin.
Don't try to impose a 'corporate' one size fits all system where all classes have to look the same and do the same work. My kids are not the same as the kids next door, even if they are the same age. I know them, trust me with them.

[mercifulTehlu]

Recognise that most of what determines kids' progress is the kids, not the teachers. The kids' ability, the kids' effort, the kids' parental support. Teachers prepare the lessons, teach the lessons, mark the work, but they are not miracle workers.

Holding teachers solely responsible not only for their pupils' exam but for every tiny increment of progress they make or fail to make isn't only illogical and unfair to teachers, it encourages pupils to think their achievement is somebody else's problem.

[mercifulTehlu]

But as things stand, the only things which are successfully tempting me to look for a teaching job (even though I REALLY don't want to) are 1) the money 2) the fact that I'm not qualified to do anything else and 3) the fact that dh is a teacher and is utterly exhausted by it and doesn't want to be in sole charge of the dc in the holidays if I get a job which doesn't have school holidays.

[clam]

Exactly merciful. Let's reverse this mentality:

[elephantoverthehill]

Isn't strange that so many teachers comment on this thread tonight? If it had been posted on a week night there may have been few answers. Add into the equation the bank holiday and Teachers are able to respond.