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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do the teachers really get 13 weeks hols a year?

190 replies

GabbyLoggon · 28/06/2011 12:53

I only ask the questions

OP posts:
MilaMae · 28/06/2011 13:40

Also forgetting PPA time.

Jenstar21 · 28/06/2011 13:40

I'd agree that any professional in any job does more than their contracted hours. My OH is a teacher, I work in a University (non lecturing). I couldn't tell you the last time either of us only did our contracted hours. BUT, we chose these careers, and therefore, accept what comes with them. FWIW, I get considerably less holiday than my OH, but still work some of it, doing some writing, reading, preparation, etc. It's not only the domain of the teacher!

ilovesooty · 28/06/2011 13:41

Here, OP, have a Biscuit for creating what's effectively another teacher bashing thread.

Doubt if you're bright enough to get taken on for teacher training anyway.

Omigawd · 28/06/2011 13:46

I have friends who are (or in most cases,were) teachers, for most its at least a 10 hour day and there is at least a 4-5 weeks in those "holidays" sorting stuff out at school.

Not to mention the stress of all the crap they have to deal with - no discipline, no power, huge admin overload

Also, if you look at pay I'd argue its discounted vs what many of them could earn elsewhere.

Which is why many leave after a few years.....

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 13:50

i used to work at a hoilday club and it was full of techers working at £25 a hour no less they will give you the sobb story they sit and plan and mark for most of it blah blah blah my oh cousin is a teacher he gets off next week for the summer hes coming to stay the day after then hes off to bancok and not back till 3 days before the start of term.

LindyHemming · 28/06/2011 13:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 13:53

ilovesotty half the teachers on the training course arnt bright enough lets not get into that otherwise we shall have to bring the stats up on the theachers who got a 3rd and are still teaching our kids.(lord help us)

MilaMae · 28/06/2011 13:54

When I was a teacher I worked for a week during the summer holidays and that was in the days before you got PPA time. None of my teacher friends spend the holidays marking.

TooManyBrownies · 28/06/2011 13:56

Teachers are getting a right bashing at the moment. So much for raising the profile of the profession. We dare not be so flagrantly rude about other professions so why is it ok for teachers?

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 13:58

toomanybrowines really if you start a thead about police responce you soon get your answer

MilaMae · 28/06/2011 13:59

Try working in IT.

TooManyBrownies · 28/06/2011 14:01

?sorry maypole I dont understand?11

clutteredup · 28/06/2011 14:05

Not to mention that you have to have someone else look after your DC if they get sick during term time - I work part time so my DC know they aren't allowed to be poorly on the dyas I work Grin. And we have no choice as to take holidays other than at the most expensive time of year. People with DC can still take them out of school to have a family holiday if they can't afford one during the holidays - not sure how my head would take that if i said I needed to go on holiday in June Hmm.

TooManyBrownies · 28/06/2011 14:07

Btw maypole... I spent my time at uni doing pretty much anything except work. I got a third. I grew up In my 20s and now teach a 'hard' subject in a high achieving school, and my pupils frequently achieve top grades at A level.
I am sure that you shouldn't be judged forever on what you achieved ( or didn't) as a teenager. Angry

ilovesooty · 28/06/2011 14:08

we shall have to bring the stats up on the theachers who got a 3rd and are still teaching our kids.(lord help us)

Do you honestly think that all teachers who got Thirds are unqualified to teach?

Mind you, I think I'd like to know what qualifications your English teacher had...Hmm

Omigawd · 28/06/2011 14:09

@MilaMae I work in IT, and some of my colleagues are ex teachers - most say its a holiday compared to teaching AND the pay is far better.

MilaMae · 28/06/2011 14:10

Cluttered which schools let you take your kids out during term time?

I work and have to deal with my dc when they're ill,so does any working parent. Those of us not teaching have to worry about this all year not just during term time.

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 14:12

toomany you stated teaching is getting a kicking and it wouldn't be done with any other professions just pointing out people are not that happy with many public serves namely the police.

"Doubt if you're bright enough to get taken on for teacher training anyway."
this is a quote from you just pointing out that just because someone managed to blag themselves on a course doesn't mean their bright enough to be a teacher many nm have commented in other posts how they had to correct the teacher after they have correct their child's home work or the teacher's notes are littered with mistakes.

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 14:13

ilovesooty none i was take out of school just after primary

MilaMae · 28/06/2011 14:16

Omi I'm an ex teacher my dp is in IT,believe me his job is not a holiday.Pay far better,thats tosh.If you're a consultant or contracting then fine but with that you get the added stress,work hours,self employed shite that goes with it and actually paywise I'd say senior management teaching posts would be pretty comparable.

IT is a huge job market ranging from low pay/low stress jobs to the other end of the spectrum. Believe me when dp has a project going live it's stressful-and he works weekends/evenings.Due to cuts if a project budget doesn't stretch to overtime which it frequently doesn't he still has to put in the hours-or his arse is on the line.No nice unions are there to fight his corner.

ilovesooty · 28/06/2011 14:16

I asked about your English teacher's qualifications, not about yours. Obviously your comprehension skills are lacking too.

Now perhaps you'll tell me why a teacher who got a Third is unfit to teach...

vintageteacups · 28/06/2011 14:16

I disagree about the whole 3 weeks of the 6 weeks being taken up with prepping the classroom etc.

An experienced, capable teacher does not need to take 3 weeks doing that. I know many teachers and they are extremely good at their jobs and due to their school's joined up planning ethos, the teachers all share planning and re-use each others' plans etc.

I don't disagree about the staff meetings/parents evenings etc but I think if a school is ran effectively and has a sound management team, it can be a good work/life balance for the staff.

And we all know how they copy and paste the reports; last year, dd even had someone else's name on her report. Her teacher looked so embarrassed when I said "I think you forgot change the names when you copied and pasted 'x's' report into dd's Wink."

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 14:16

i am not a teacher am not educating young minds so how i spell or level of education is irrelevant really.

but as a parent i would be more comfortable with someone with top marks just my view my oh cousin just scrapped threw his course and he is not a very good teacher i wouldn't even let him baby sit let alone teach, so my confidence that just because some one has been accepted on the course means their bright enough to teach

ilovesooty · 28/06/2011 14:19

So those who got top marks in their first degree (the PGCE isn't classified in the same way - you pass or get a distinction) is automatically going to be a better teacher?

maypole1 · 28/06/2011 14:19

ilovesooty just explained i was removed from school shortly after primary school so had a English teacher for a very short period of time so didn't get to know that much about her.