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

[loftyclopflop]

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?

Most working parents get home at 6pm and put their young children to bed an hour later. Granted not all jobs require their staff to work in the evening. Although in my previous career I would be required to work away for days at a time, sometimes longer - at least in teaching I get home.

I think that is what irritates people about teachers , some of them state problems with their job, forgetting that many working parents face the same hurdles without the great pension and twelve weeks of holidays.

I became a teacher to have more time with my family and I think that if you pick your school wisely and are determined you can make that happen.

The one frustration I have is that once you reach management part time work is rarely available. I am pregnant with child number five and would like to reduce my hours , that is just not possible - even if I went back to being a standard teacher - which I don't want to do because I like the fact that I can buy nice stuff without having to ask for a handout from my husband. If we manage to have baby number six, I will definitely want to go part time and that may mean that I leave teaching until they start school. Perhaps for good. However I suspect this is the case for many professional working mothers who want to combine a large family with a career.

I also think teaching is tough if you are not fully fit and well. I had a miscarriage a while back and just could not cope at work, because it is a little like acting. My previous job I could do half heartedly , there are some classes I can do this with but certainly not all. I dreaded going back to work after the summer break because I was so exhausted during the early stage of this pregnancy - it is still quite tough. last week I stepped outside my room to throw up in a bin whilst my class were doing a test!

However again, I suspect lots of other jobs are tough when you are pregnant or not well.

And if you think it's not flexible walk a mile in someone else's shoes

I've had to go to the doctor's twice at short notice over the past week (plus another visit for a blood test) and to hospital once. My work accommodated it without a murmur. It would have been much more difficult to sort out if I were still on a school teaching timetable. My colleague had to spend an afternoon with her brother who was taken into hospital suddenly. Again, covering work at 20 minutes' notice would have been much more problematic in a school.

I'm going to a concert in November on a Sunday night and staying over. Impossible in a school. I'm going away from Friday to Monday soon. In a school I'd have to wait for the fixed holidays. In addition I can arrange to leave early on the Thursday to get the cat to the cattery. I may not have as many holidays now but I can choose within reason when I take them.

Traditionally weren`t teachers often spinsters and bachelors due to the level of vocation and commitment required?

Why do so many teachers dislike Ofsted? Is there anything that can be done (including arguing with, ignoring?)

I think the men could marry, as they would have wives to take care of them, freeing them to continue as schoolmasters but not the women.

I was looking at some US rules from back in the day when women were forbidden to loiter in ice cream parlours and had to wear two petticoats. I see the near-same rules applied in Australia.

Has anyone mentioned that Gove went on strike when he was a member of the NUJ....

I think there is a difference between a journalist and a teacher striking.

What makes you say that, Arisbottle?

Because when Gove the journalist went on strike, no one gave a toss?

picture of the hypocrite gove striking

Because striking teachers can harm a child's education, a striking journalist is an annoyance- unless they all went on strike permanently and we never knew what was happening in the world and evil dictators took over.

If Gove has said nobody should withhold their labour - he would be a hypocrite. If he is against frontline teaches striking - I think he is wrong but it is a different issue.

Think Gove would consider going on strike again? I'd support him - don't feel it has to be for just a day either, I think it needs until at least 2015 for it to become effective

I would happily contribute to his days wages, wouldn't want him going short.

If Gove promises to go on strike himself for the next year, I promise I won't strike for the year.

This sums it up for me:

Last year I had two formal lesson observations, both graded outstanding. I am a part timer who runs 3 lunchtime clubs (every day I am in). My marking was fine last year after monitoring. I got over 70% A/A* at GCSE and 100% A-c our VA was nearly +1 overall. Our A level almost 70% A grade (100% A-c). We do concerts, workshops, trips etc etc.

Yet I really worry about my job. I worry about being got rid of under the 'requires improvement' heading and then competency. I am not alone in my fear.

stillenacht Why would you worry with that record? Obviously we should not be complacent but to worry about competency seems very odd to me

I worry about being 'found out'. I have good results, good observations, get on with the kids, but often don't do plenaries (unless reading out the answers counts), get the kids to work from a textbook and hate group work.

I keep my head down.

Because you never know who has an agenda to get you out.. These lesson obs can be such a close call between good or requires improvement, just down to one persons opinion and how they believe your lesson should fit in those boxes. When you have new management, you worry.

I'm the same. Had a rough ride at PGCE where my second placement school wanted to fail me. At my current school (9th year now) I've only had Outstandings. Still I worry.

You're only ever as good as your last observation....

Exactly redlocks 30... I felt good for about a week after last obs now feel scared again.

I have a lot of respect for the teachers of today i really do.

I know they are nothing like the ones from the 1980s but i just cant
understand some ideas some teachers have about the private sector.

The idea some teachers have that they would somehow be earning more
money in the private sector amazes me. I understand that many teachers in term time are in effect doing 60 hr weeks. I understand that
it is stupid and unreasonable to except teachers to teach rowdy and
undisciplined pupils to the age of 67. The reality is though that most people in the private sector earning pro rata to teachers are under similar levels of stress and worry. Many people in management postions
dont earn pro rata what teachers earn and many have no pensions at all.

Soul2000 I have worked in the private sector and have earned more, it is therefore not unrealistic to imagine that I could earn more now. I went to the kind of university that companies love to recruit from with a very traditional degree and postgraduate qualifications.