Warning: teachers and striking. AIBU to think that some of you may want to watch this?

[Iffy2014]

Apologies, as teaching and striking are continually done to death on here, and this may have already been posted. I've just been sent this video of slam poetry and thought some folks here may appreciate it.

I reckon this is a pretty clear explanation of how a lot of secondary teachers are feeling at the moment, and why there is copious moaning and striking.

I think if you listen, it's not the actual pay - it's the incredible workload increase, data management, accelerated progress, 2 sublevels or more progress, dicatatorship from above, bullying management etc.

Sounds not dissimilar to my job and many more I would say... why do you presume you role is harder than anyone else's.

I'm not particularly happy with the current system but I don't see what alternatives are being suggested other than "give us more money for left work". What do teachers want? Are they prepared to listen to what parents and employers think? Or will they just say that anyone that doesn't teach doesn't have the right to have an opinion on the matter?

Goblin I don't expect it will be long until that old chestnut about INSET days should be during the holidays is thrown out...

more money for less work.

who's asking for more money for less work, fayrae? Must've missed that memo.

Are they prepared to listen to what parents and employers think? Or will they just say that anyone that doesn't teach doesn't have the right to have an opinion on the matter?

Teachers are defending their terms and conditions against uninformed and ignorant comment. They're not presuming to criticise those in professions whose working practices they know nothing of.

Fayrae, I'd have been happy with a promise of no new initiatives or interference for 5 years, to allow time for strategies and initiatives already created to be embedded. I'd also like the government to make decisions on what constitutes good educational practice without it mattering if it was their idea or that of the last government. Whichever political parties are involved.
Sod the pay, and the hours. I'd like time to process and think.

We were discussing in the staffroom last week how it is becoming more and more like Stalinist Russia in teaching. Set targets that no-one has a chance of meeting and then they have to spend valuable time when they could be helping children to make the progress of which they are capable, coming up with reasons why they didn't hit the ridiculous target with every single child.

Everyone has the right to an opinion on schools. They affect us all. Even childless people. Dismissing opinion as "uninformed and ignorant" does teachers no favours.

And if people think it's a cushy job, then why don't they do it! We could do with more!

If teachers are so disgruntled with their terms & conditions then why do they do it? Why not leave and find another career?

There are lots of careers/jobs where you have to work far more than the contracted hours, never get to take your holiday allowance etc etc etc - it is not just teachers but there do seem to be a lot of teachers with a very entitled attitude on Mumsnet.

My job (£7 an hour, no pension) is full of useless paperwork, dealing with difficult people, paid for seven hours a day but do much more, bring work home, never able to take a lunch break (please don't quote that 'everyone is entitled to a break if they work 6 hours a day rule' to me'), never take my full holiday entitlement and other things I could complain about if I wanted to but overall, it's something that suits my lifestyle and I doubt I could find anything that I would like more so I put up with it and don't moan. . And yes, I am a graduate (so what).

IIRC the pay was split over 12 months to stop teachers getting 2nd jobs in the holiday.

It would be very handy if a teacher posted a break down of what they do on weekend a the children's holidays.

I haven't a clue.

DC have both had really good teachers who have taught my children to a very high standard. I want this to continue but I can't see it continuing if the teachers are burnt out.

So what are your opinions on the initiatives of the last few years Fae?
Which do you think will have the greatest positive effect on the achievements and attainment of our children, from 2 to 18?

"Sounds not dissimilar to my job and many more I would say... why do you presume you role is harder than anyone else's."

I do hate race-to-the-bottom arguments. So teachers (or anyone else) shouldn't complain about soul-destroying terms and conditions because others elsewhere have it just as hard? I bet the rich are laughing all the way to the bank at that one. I'm not a teacher - though I used to work in a school (admin role) for several years, and I've had my eyes opened about the reality of teachers' workloads. Of course they deserve better pay and conditions. As do many groups of workers. Arguing about who has it hardest is completely irrelevant. Everyone deserves decent pay and proper conditions of work, and the fact that so many people don't get that in the UK today is most definitely not the fault of teachers.

would teachers be happy to do away with half term hols?

it's a total pain for most parents, just wondered if teachers felt same way in terms of disruption it must cause?

I can see

The teachers' workload survey, that I linked to up thread, shows how teachers spend their time.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-workload-diary-survey-2013

Fayrae if schools affect us all and everyoe's entitled to an opinion, I'd expect people to inform themselves before criticising. The National Health affects us all. Does that mean people should be listened to if they spout ill informed criticism of doctors' working conditions?

"So what are your opinions on the initiatives of the last few years Fae?"

I have no idea what any of them are. I left school 15 years ago and my daughter is only 3. But I am still permitted to have an opinion on schools, because I live in this country and live and work with people who have been educated in schools in the last few years. Something is certainly lacking. Not all down to schools of course, parents have a lot to do with it. But teachers have to take a fair share of blame, and throwing their hands up and blaming Gove and red tape is not an excuse, because the same problems date back long before the current government.

When I was a class teacher, I planned the following week at the weekend.
I followed the requirements of my school.
So my planning was around 20 pages of A4 a week, and then I had to create any resources from powerpoints to lesson activities to support those plans.
Then there is the marking, which in Y6 was quite a lot especially with maths and writing, and involved a positive comment, and a point to work on for every piece, as well as the actual marking.
One set of 32 books with a piece of independent writing could take 10 minutes a book. That's over 5 hours. For one set.

Teaching to the test is a major problem, as is lack of discipline in schools and the whole "no child left behind" ethos (yes I know it's an American thing but it applies here to).