To sue Gove for ruining my back

[teacherinpain]

3 prolapsed discs

This is down to the crippling weight of paper work and marking I've had to lug round with me all day every day since Gove came to power. ( The hospital confirms this)

This will never heal

What if every single teacher who has been physically or mentally damaged by this mad man sued him personally for the results of his insanity.

Don't react people, don't react...

To be fair, the problem seems to be with poor planning at the school and the lack of storage, timetabling that requires the staff to lug huge quantities of material around with them, not Gove (although there are plenty of other things to blame him for) It would be more productive to raise it with the unions or school management rather than impotently shaking your fist at Gove.

This thread has gone the way of most teaching threads. A bit of really silly teacher bashing, but most sensible people recognise that teachers have a difficult and demanding job that requires lots of out of hours work.

But then some (not all teachers) do themselves no favours by portraying themselves as being uniquely put upon and that teaching is the hardest job in the world. Most if not all jobs that have the pay, status and prospects of teaching require extensive out of hours work. It is shite, but then it isn't exclusive to teachers.

Do you own the text books?

A Japanese friend of mine did a very clever thing, she cut her text books up into several smaller books and taped the edges.

Then she brought in the section she needed on the days she attended.

She carried WAY less than I did.

Just to add another incendiary into the mix: I may not be able to stand Toby Young, but I do feel really sorry for his teachers. Three separate sites to move between! I hope they have someone sensible working on the logistics from a staff point of view, as well as from the pupils', but I can't imagine the staff are holding their breath.

Composhat the last bit of your post was just perfect. I know I always come off as a teacher basher but I really think most have no real idea of work in the real world. Most after school go to college, university then back to school.

Threads like this just perpetuate the myth that teachers are just moaners with no idea of the real world. I say that as a teacher.

Lugging around loads of books and general stuff has always been an occupational hazard of teaching.

I know as well as any other teacher the pressures of the job, especially during term time, and especially since Gove came to power. But seriously, if you hate it so much, resign. But wave goodbye to the 13 weeks a year holiday!

'Sue Gove' - FFS.

It is so bloody patronising to say that teachers aren't 'in the real world'. They are helping our children to gain the skills and knowledge they will need in order to get ahead in life - it doesn't get much more real than that.

Plus they work long hours, do plenty of paperwork, lift heavy stuff, deal with all sorts of difficult individuals and groups, offer support and pastoral care to children in need - I could go on and on, but bottom line is that all of these are real life skills and jobs.

We have a lift at school, but teachers aren't allowed to use it.

Of course they're in the real world!

They're just not some special exception.

All jobs have difficulties. But the pluses are usually more than the negatives, hence why people STAY in those jobs.

When people make comments like wanting to smack Gove round the face with a frying pan, clearly no-one would actually do this.

People use language for dramatic and comic effect.

Hardly something to worry about.

But seriously, if you hate it so much, resign.

'But seriously', many do - in droves. 40% within 5 years. There is a significant problem in retention of teachers; but if course, being a teacher, you would know that.

Yes I am aware of that feenie, I was nearly one of them at one point very early on in my career (pre Gove actually!)

What has that got to do with the ones who hate it and yet still stay? All I am saying is life is too short to stay in a job you truly hate?

Oh and at you thinking in not really a teacher.

You are allowed to be a teacher and quite enjoy it and think its not the Hardest Job In The World and that there are some perks you know

I have tried to leave teaching - I couldn't get another job. My years in teaching blew any previous work experience into insignificance.

By the way, I would be first in line to smack Michael Gove in the face with a frying pan. I just hate the top trumping that ALWAYS comes on these threads. It does nothing for teachers reputation as Moaniest Profession.

I hate the non-support for fellow colleagues - in this case the OP who is clearly suffering and is obviously not going to sue Gove

Why do these threads always turn into a "I work harder than you" thing? Can we not just accept that most jobs have down sides, just different ones?

FWIW, I'm a nurse, I also have a disc prolapse. (The idea of a 20kg weight limit is an utter joke btw OP!). I'm debating not renewing my registration this year because the job is, frankly, shit.

they turn into a working harder competition because teachers discuss their job in the staffroom topic, often depressed and moaning about the workload and other stresses then someone else comes on and bangs on about how teachers don't have it worse than any other job etc etc and spout bollocks about them not being in the real world. Teachers then get defensive and justify their position and it goes on.

I also cannot believe the real world comments. What bloody world do we live in then? I did many other jobs before I became a teacher, none of them REMOTELY as grim as teaching became in the latter stages of my career.

Teachers aren't alone in this though - nursing is just as attacked and vilified, usually by people who have no idea what they're talking about.

If a job is so horrendous that it makes you physically and mentally unwell - either find a new job or retrain, downsize mortgage etc, whatever it takes. It IS that simple, no job is worth dying for.

no one claims they are though. that is exactly my point, teachers are just discussing their own situation.

other stresses then someone else comes on and bangs on about how teachers don't have it worse than any other job etc etc and spout bollocks about them not being in the real world

I think the idea that teachers don't live in the real world is a complete nonsense, but (as someone who is the offspring of two teachers and friends with many others) there is a lack of awareness that almost every other professional job in the public pressure is subject to extremely similar pressures and stresses. An acknowledgement of that from teachers would be nice. But far too often the attitude is 'we have it worse. No one suffers like us.' I think part of that is that teachers are isolated from other public sector workers on a school site, whereas as a social worker/probation officer/nurse etc. you end up coming into contact with a wider range of other public sector workers on a day to day basis.

But fuck me, some (by no means all) teachers can be world class whingers This thread - it is the Education's secretary's fault I have to carry around the books I've marked fits comfortably into that tradition.

dismissing the op as moaning about carrying around the books I marked is EXACTLY what I am talking about. I could point out that it is not just about the books, more about the huge amount of repetitious paperwork, sixty or so textbooks, all the resources you need to teach six different lessons and the fact that you have six seconds to get from a to b - but if I did so you would just write me off as whining, so I won't bother

This is the staffroom topic. For teachers to talk about their work. Not for teachers to talk about how hard other people have it. I presume they may have their own forum in which to discuss this stuff? In which case, I promise never to go on them and tell them that they should realise teachers have it harder.

This is the staffroom topic

Nope, this is AIBU!

well that showed me, didn't it?