Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Asking teachers & doctors...

142 replies

PolkaDotMankini · 11/03/2023 12:37

Would you rather:

a) Be paid more
b) Have your working environment fully resourced, with enough time to do everything well in standard hours, the right number of staff, decent equipment, computer systems etc.

The rules on strikes seem to force strikes to be about pay when actually pay would be ok if it wasn't for the awful conditions. Conversely, IMHO no amount of dosh is going to make up for a terrible working environment and ridiculous hours.

Obviously both would be best, but am I right?

OP posts:
twinkletoesimnot · 11/03/2023 21:37

Teacher. C as noble says.

But out of your 2 options, I'll have to say B.

Ontheup75 · 11/03/2023 21:47

B

It's Saturday night and I'm working.
That's my punishment for meeting a friend this afternoon.
I'll be working tomorrow too
If I don't, I won't have the resources needed to teach on Monday.

We need reduced contact time (so more teachers), reduced class sizes (so more teachers) and better funding for resources.

If we had the above, we'd be better placed to recruit and retain new teachers. So many quit within 2 years, after being funded to train.

If I taught 75% of the working week instead of 90, I'd have a hope of only working on some weekday evenings. 60% and I might be able to do 8-5.30 and be done.

Gooseysgirl · 11/03/2023 21:52

Former teacher - B

dapsnotplimsolls · 11/03/2023 21:58

wonders if this thread is just a cunning way of outing all the teachers on mumsnet

BrutusMcDogface · 11/03/2023 21:59

You’re absolutely right, and b) all the way for me!

mrsmacmc · 11/03/2023 22:00

B all the way, not a teacher but do school service delivery

saraclara · 11/03/2023 22:03

I shamelessly gathered together a lot of the stuff that I'd bought or brought from home for my classroom, when I retired. But even so, the consumables and the other stuff that I decided to leave would have come to hundreds of pounds. And the stuff that I'd bought over my teaching career? Thousands.

Every time I go out with my daughter, she buys stuff for work. Mostly from charity shops and poundland, but I'd day at least £10 a week, and sometimes significantly more (and that's just the stuff I see her buy).

surreygirl1987 · 11/03/2023 22:03

B times a million. I can't even imagine.

AuntieObnoxious · 11/03/2023 22:43

B , that would stop so many teachers leaving.

Iwannabeacrocodilehunter · 11/03/2023 23:57

Teacher here.

B! B! B! B! B!

Every single time.

nocoolnamesleft · 12/03/2023 00:01

Doctor: B would help my sanity the more of the two. Because I want to provide excellent care. If they'd sort out the pension tax fiasco and help working conditions, then I could probably forgive A for now.

BlackeyedSusan · 12/03/2023 00:41

Ex teacher: B

Piggywaspushed · 12/03/2023 06:28

In terms of A and B choices, most teachers want to say B... but have a look at the starting salaries in this report...

www.highfliers.co.uk/download/2023/graduate_market/GMReport23.pdf

Sherrystrull · 12/03/2023 07:02
Shock
runningonberocca · 12/03/2023 07:04

Doctor here - and I100% B. I mean more money would be nice. Medics aren’t the millionaires everyone seems to think they are but actually having the resources to do my job , and to have a work life balance rather spending every minute of my time off either catching up on work or worrying about work… thats priceless

MrsJackWhicher · 12/03/2023 07:25

All the responses on here are from teachers not doctors.
Why lump those very different professions on one thread.
Doctors have very onerois academic and other entry requirements -it is hugely competitive and they study for years for years and make life and death decisions
The bar for entry to teaching is quite low...

WillowtreeHouse · 12/03/2023 07:27

b)

Sherrystrull · 12/03/2023 07:42

MrsJackWhicher · 12/03/2023 07:25

All the responses on here are from teachers not doctors.
Why lump those very different professions on one thread.
Doctors have very onerois academic and other entry requirements -it is hugely competitive and they study for years for years and make life and death decisions
The bar for entry to teaching is quite low...

Are you a doctor or teacher?

Your comment has absolutely nothing to do with the original question and is just unnecessary and rude.

saraclara · 12/03/2023 07:42

MrsJackWhicher · 12/03/2023 07:25

All the responses on here are from teachers not doctors.
Why lump those very different professions on one thread.
Doctors have very onerois academic and other entry requirements -it is hugely competitive and they study for years for years and make life and death decisions
The bar for entry to teaching is quite low...

Why lump them together? Because they're both jobs where underfunding is making their jobs very much more stressful than it had to be. Both groups are striking about pay, but both have more concerns about workload and the people that they strive to help.

There are more answers from teachers because there are far more teachers than doctors on mumsnet.

Piggywaspushed · 12/03/2023 07:48

MrsJackWhicher · 12/03/2023 07:25

All the responses on here are from teachers not doctors.
Why lump those very different professions on one thread.
Doctors have very onerois academic and other entry requirements -it is hugely competitive and they study for years for years and make life and death decisions
The bar for entry to teaching is quite low...

Not all.

The one before you posted , for example.

MrsHamlet · 12/03/2023 07:55

MrsJackWhicher · 12/03/2023 07:25

All the responses on here are from teachers not doctors.
Why lump those very different professions on one thread.
Doctors have very onerois academic and other entry requirements -it is hugely competitive and they study for years for years and make life and death decisions
The bar for entry to teaching is quite low...

They're not all from teachers. Perhaps try reading the thread.

Original poster
PolkaDotMankini · 12/03/2023 08:52

MrsJackWhicher · 12/03/2023 07:25

All the responses on here are from teachers not doctors.
Why lump those very different professions on one thread.
Doctors have very onerois academic and other entry requirements -it is hugely competitive and they study for years for years and make life and death decisions
The bar for entry to teaching is quite low...

I asked because they're both professions whose members are striking because of pay.

OP posts:
Original poster
PolkaDotMankini · 12/03/2023 08:54

I'd also say that they're both in the public sector and I hear similar stories of how horrendously underfunded and under-resourced they are.

OP posts:
Ontheup75 · 12/03/2023 10:58

@MrsJackWhicher
Lower, not low.
A first degree (3 years minimum) followed by pgce or equivalent followed by 2 years probation (ECT years).
So 6 years minimum.
Many will have done an undergraduate masters, particularly if science trained.
A number will have done a PhD.
A number will have had the option to study medicine (i.e. be suitably qualified).
We need excellent people in both professions.
Don't write off teachers and hold doctors on a pedestal.

noblegiraffe · 12/03/2023 10:59

Don't write off teachers and hold doctors on a pedestal.

I think that was exactly the intention of that post.

Swipe left for the next trending thread