To ask teachers why they do it and how they cope and don't end up crying when they come home of an evening?

[LesleyPumpshaft]

I had to take a kids martial arts class last weekend with DS 13. I had a chest infection, granted, but it was fucking traumatic and DS and I never want to do it ever again. I think Sensei is really pissed off with us about it.

How the hell do teachers manage it? Especially ones that teach at secondary school? All I can think is that they must be mad, have not realised what they were getting themselves into or have nerves of steel.

Even teaching the little ones must be nearly as bad. My parents were both teachers, and my dad wangled early retirement. They were always stressed and moaning. My dad hated every minute of it (secondary school). He used to refer to the children and parents as "the shower of shit". The pay is good, and you get good holidays, pension and middle class professional status. Is that the appeal for most people?

How the hell do you not end up having nenrvous breakdowns and being in tears every evening. Hats off to you, I wouldn't and couldn't do it. I like children, but not enough to spend most of my week with 30 of them.

I would love love LOVE to teach year 6!!!!

One day.......

Are you being unreasonable about what?

There are days that it is unbelievably stresful, that I have no time to eat or go to the toilet, or breathe deeply. But every day, somewhere, I laugh with the kids, or help someone to learn, or make them feel better about themselves, or teach them a fact. I am permanently knackered, and only work 3 days a week. But I wouldn't change career for anything - been doing this 22 years, and love it. It's as simple as that.

BTW I teach Year 6 (31 kids) two days a week, and Foundation Stage (30 kids) on the other day. One extreme to the other!

And the worst part of the job is not the kids, it's difficult, rude and aggressive and rude parents.

Teaching is a great job - I love it. No, I don't cry at the end of a day.

I love the fact that I am so busy. A day at work just flies in and I will reach a certain point in the afternoon when I realize I haven't eaten or gone to the toilet. I think that is an indicator of how engrossing a job it is.

I wouldn't want to do anything else.

I quit training as a secondary teacher, but it wasn't the kids. They were lovely even/especially the naughty ones. It was the sheer mountain of paperwork, and jumping through hoops.

Ooh, I remember the last time I was told to fuck off! It was a couple of years ago, a Y9 told me to 'go fuck myself' as he stormed out of the classroom. My response was not to cry, rather to sigh as he had just created extra paperwork for me. He was excluded for 3 days, perhaps that's why I don't get told to fuck off very often! Funnily enough I often see the same lad in the corridor now he's in Y11 and he always has a cheery hello for me.

Bad behaviour tends to wash over me, dealing with it is usually more tedious than frustrating. Sometimes a kid can really wind you up though, especially when they say something like 'I don't get it because you're a crap teacher' when they've not paid the slightest bit of attention to the lesson. Grrr.

I admit to getting wound up when people make jibes about part timers, holidays (at college we don't get the same as the students), gold plated pensions etc. As it happens I do work part time but that is because I am by choice on a fractional contract.

I think the key thing in teaching is relationships. OP you were bound to get the worst behaviour if you were covering a class as a one off. Secondary schools teacher who have worked in the school a long time have mutual respect and good relationships with their pupils.

A class of moody, aggressive 15 year olds is a lot less intimidating if you have known them as eager 11 year olds in brand new blazers!