Teachers - when do you break up?

[40andlovelife]

We break up on the 22nd December so another 5 weeks of what is proving to be an awful HT. Poor behaviour, apologist parents and excessive workload that does not benefit the kids along with shite weather and dark mornings/ evenings are making me long for this 5 weeks to be over. This is really sad because no one should be wishing the weeks away!

What are you doing to pass the next 5 weeks and look after yourself?

I am coming across more and more people handing their notice in without a job to go to. It's really sad that it's come to this. Good luck I bet you feel amazing knowing you're getting out

I do supply and love it! So many teachers have been asking me about supply this year so far as they are tired of the stress and workload. I've also met people doing supply TA jobs and loving life now.

We finish on the 21st and go back on the 8th.

We're going away for 2 weeks to Tenerife and I'm literally counting the days down.

DD2 and I break up on 20th. Term starts back on 4th. DD1 breaks up on 15th and goes back on 4th. DH breaks up 22nd and goes back on 8th Jan.

I'm sure teaching is a demanding stressful and tiring job/ profession.
But this is the same in very many occupations.
Alot of workers probably most will get 25th and 26th December off and then 1st January only. Rest of the festive period normal working.
Teachers appreciate what you have

These people are welcome to become a Teacher. Plenty of vacancies! At my school we have 3 science staff out of a total of 9 posts. I'm sure people with experience in other industries would be snapped up by course providers who can't fill their quota and indeed schools.

I’m in my 25th year of teaching and it is definitely tough at the moment. My mantra is ‘I can only do what I can do’. I lead a non ebacc subject though. Safeguarding trumps everything and if there is no time to do something then it can wait (particularly the pointless crap)! The teacher shortage means that we have the upper hand! Who’s going to sack us.

Try to wind down to the deliver what you have to. Use the behaviour policy the best you can to manage the kids who are mostly bored and fed up. I know it’s easier said than done but we have to look after our own mental health ❤️

Wow it makes me so sad to read posts like this from the people who are meant to teach and inspire all the young people of this country.
I am absolutely not having a go at any of you. Just shows how much is fundamentally wrong with schools and education.

Ours break up on 22nd and Oct break was very very earlier WC 16th Oct so it's a long half term. Kids are all full of colds and getting tired. I don't anticipate a good December for them in school.

22nd Dec for us too but I'd got it in my head that we still had 6 weeks to go so this thread has cheered me up slightly.

I'd love to change career but what I'd like to do instead isn't really an option for me atm

Each term sees mass exodus in so many secondary schools in the north, from admin to teachers and slt. So unfair for the kids that it's happening. I don't remember one teacher leaving when I was at secondary school in the 90's

Haha this made me laugh only 25 get ups instead of 30.

If we could just go to work and teach it would be amazing. It's the pointless shit, toxic slt's and trust leaders and of course behaviour that deteriorates year on year that make it unbearable for many

It is sad but one things for sure - we really try to shield the kids from it and make sure that their experiences are as excellent as we can . It's so important to teachers to do this. We run our rooms how we would want them to be ran for own kids

Break up on 22/12. Back on 8/1.

I'd much rather finish earlier and go back about 2/3rd Jan. The week after NY will be so long with the kids, all the Christmas stuff is finished and not much on to entertain them.

Break up on 22nd and back on 8th Jan. bliss...

I made this halfway through the Halloween break.

And parents. There's a lot wrong with the parents.

Don't you mean

Teachers: appreciate what you have.

I really appreciated spending the last 4.5 hours of this Sunday compiling a report for SLT which will never be fully read, nor will any of the suggestions which will make any difference actually be implemented. But the evidence trail that I'm doing my job was needed.

I have not been able to do any planning yet (I will get up at 3am to do that), nor have I actually been able to do the stuff my faculty leader needs doing.

Yes, I am looking forward to the next break.

13th and Back on the 2nd :/

I know, small wins lol 😅 I've moved from EYs to ks1 this year and feeling like an NQT again, everything is taking me such a long time because I don't know the curriculum and systems inside out like I did. My work-life balance, which wasn't too bad last year, has gone out the window.

It’s a common theme IME of people who come into new leadership roles (not just teaching), particularly those new to leadership or that level of leadership. It’s a “here I am putting my stamp of authority” act that rarely works.
anyway, to answer the question, our schools break up on the 22nd.

Or even -
Teachers! Appreciate What You Have!
Printed and laminated and put up in schools all over the land.

We break up on the 22nd.
The worst thing at the moment is that we have two long term absent colleagues in the department and it's adding significantly to the workload.

And yet with all those fabulous holidays, there is still a huge retention and recruitment crisis, and teachers-both primary and secondary- are leaving in their droves.