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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask WHY in the name of Gove are teachers striking again?

792 replies

loftyclopflop · 17/09/2013 18:17

DD's school is closing on 1st October because they have chosen to strike. Is it over pay, pensions and conditions? Did they achieve anything by striking a couple of years ago other than massively inconveniencing a lot of parents?

I know Gove is a twat but do they really expect to change anything by taking the day off?

OP posts:
chibi · 21/09/2013 08:22

not sure i understand your post, starlight

it reads as though you think hosting a two hour children's party is more or less easier than teaching. could you clarify please?

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 08:32

What a monumentally stupid post Starlight
Or is it just intended to inflame?

SuffolkNWhat · 21/09/2013 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StarlightMcKenzie · 21/09/2013 08:37

Just saying I loved it and wish I was a teacher, especially for that age group.

I understand paperwork has made the job harder recently, and I imagine it isn't just paperwork but 'pointless' paperwork that is killing teachers.

However, I do know of a group of teachers in a good and supportive school who have got together for the purpose of paperwork efficiency and share ideas on that and the use of IT to speed up the production of the necessary 'proof' required by Ofsted as well as the sharing of lesson plans and resources.

Most of these teachers came into teaching later FROM high admin backgrounds and think that teachers moan about it because they have had no training or experience of admin completion in a competitive environment. They have once a week 'marking cafe's' and do a lot of on-the-go marking and get the children to mark themselves/each other and share strategies for this and work/life balance.

They also try to incorporate evidence-based practice rather than government insisted practice which claims to be evidenced based but is mostly made up. And they get results. I'd definately want to be a teacher in their school (though sadly nowhere near where I live).

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 08:41

in a good and supportive school

Perhaps they would have some empathy with their colleagues in less supportive environments if they had to walk a mile inttheir shoes.

StarlightMcKenzie · 21/09/2013 08:43

But teachers aren't striking about their unsupportive Headreachers [confused{

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 08:46

I didn't say they were.

teacherandguideleader · 21/09/2013 08:48

Exactly ilovesooty. I now work in a good and supportive school after working in one hat can only be described as hell. I listen to some people in my current school moan and think 'if only you knew'.

StarlightMcKenzie · 21/09/2013 08:53

So if teachers know they are haggered and pissed off, how do they know it is the Government causing it and not their leadership team?

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 08:54

teacherandguideleader I left teaching after working I'm a total hell hole run by a bully
Not sure if I'd want to be in the current educational world anyway but an unsupportive environment makes everything very much worse.
I work in criminal justice but at least I'm treated like an adult not a naughty child

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 09:00

I'm no longer a teacher and even I can understand the impact government initiatives have had so I would think that those in the job every day would know.
Poor school managers just make the impact even worse.
I would imagine that teachers have got their heads round that

feelingdizzy · 21/09/2013 09:13

I am a teacher but live in Ireland recently spent a half-term teaching in England(doing my masters there).

Teaching in Ireland is stressful sometimes but the level of paperwork and administration in England is perhaps 10 fold what I do in a similar job in a similar school in Ireland. It's truly incredible and bloody un-necessary.

Although jobs are incredibly scarce here at the moment at least I am allowed to do my job.In England I found I spent more time showing what I was doing what I had done than actually doing it.

I would strike, or work to rule, to lose the paperwork, the data producing, level checking its a con, it all does nothing to improve children's education. Less paperwork ,less stressed tired teachers better education.

noblegiraffe · 21/09/2013 09:42

Starlight, I think you meant to say 'I hosted a party for some reception kids and it was great, I wish I were a children's entertainer' because otherwise it makes no sense.

I know it's the government and not my school causing issues because I've been at the same school the past 8 years. Things are getting tougher due to harsh budget cuts, ever changing curriculum requirements, increasing fear of Ofsted, and Gove and Wilshaw draining morale every time they appear on BBC Breakfast with their latest teacher-bashing wheeze.

StarlightMcKenzie · 21/09/2013 10:03

No. I meant to say what I said Hmm

noblegiraffe · 21/09/2013 10:06

Right, hosting a party made you think of teaching Reception. Because the two situations are so similar Hmm

I went to the cinema yesterday and it made me think how much I'd love to be an English teacher.

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 10:07

So you think a couple of hours of hosting a kids ' party means you know what teaching is like?

Misspixietrix · 21/09/2013 10:08

^^^ Exactly what CreatureRetorts said in their 1st Post. Teachers have my Sympathy and my Full Support.

ilovesooty · 21/09/2013 10:10

Yeah I bet everyone who's seen Dead Poets' Society knows what English teaching is like as well.

Therealamandaclarke · 21/09/2013 10:34

I don't think starlight's post came across as that she thought that experience qualified her for teaching.
Just that spending that time With what sounded like a reasonably demanding group of children/ parents was enjoyable enough for her to consider it.
It's a perfectly reasonable point to make.
No need to get all puffed up about it.

clam · 21/09/2013 10:41

I'd love to know what sort of party had so many children in tears and "injured."

And starlight, how long did it take you to prepare for that party? And clear up? Multiply that between 2 and 3 for a day's teaching, then do it every day of the week. For 15 weeks this term. Whilst still trying to run a family and home. And marriage. Oh, and if you're lucky, a smidgeon of 'me' time once in a blue moon.

Feenie · 21/09/2013 10:41

It has ans

clam · 21/09/2013 10:42

Not to mention all the risk assessments, meetings and paperwork as well. Probably missed a whole host of other things out too, but am brain-dead after a week's entertaining teaching of 8 year-olds.

Feenie · 21/09/2013 10:42

It has absolutely nothing to do with the reasons teachers are striking though.

Therealamandaclarke · 21/09/2013 10:46

As a comparison.
My friend's daughter at age 14 announced she wanted to be a doctor because she found the human body interesting and wanted to help ppl.
I couldn't imagine suggesting that she was missing the point about medicine or criticising her for thinking she "knew what it was to be a doctor" just because she enjoyed biology. Should I have suggested she become a lollipop lady rather than a doctor because she wanted to help people?
Now she's in her second year at medical school. We all have our inspirational moments in relation to career choices.

Therealamandaclarke · 21/09/2013 10:48

But she didn't say it was the same thing as being a teacher. Get over yourselves.

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