to think my job is easier than DPs?

[theirdaughter]

This is based on everyone telling me how hard I have it (head of English, secondary school.)

Teaching is tough but not THAT tough. DP works odd shifts at anti social times and they're split meaning if he finishes one at 11:30 the next doesn't start until 12 - meaning unpaid trapped time. Minimum wage.

Anyway we were strapped cash wise recently (car troubles) and I did some shifts to help out, my gosh I have NEVER. Worked so hard in my life for such little financial reward.

I've concluded a lot of teachers need to experience just how hard other jobs are.

The thread is a little goady OP, and you know it. Not too much, but a little.

Whilst I think teaching is a hard job, I certainly and absolutely do not do tilt my head to the side and give a sympathetic smile when I hear someone is a teacher. And absolutely no one thinks that teaching is the only tough job, where did you get that idea from OP? Just because people think you have a tough job, doesn't mean they don't think loads and loads of others have tough jobs. No one would immediately assume my DH's job is really tough, but bloody hell.... It's incredible. He works 11 hours a day and then two hour round commute.

So, in short, I think your thread is a little goady, and a lot nonsense.

Did you name change just to start this thread OP?

It might have had a bit more credibility if you hadn't, because people might at least see that you've mentioned your profession before.

Not that it proves anything really on the internet, but you might have looked less goady.

I didn't call you a bully - that's is not what I'm saying at all.

I'm simply saying that the stress levels brought on by employment are entirely down to the individuals situation and personality. What suits one person and their personality is entirely different for someone else.

Lousy pay doesn't wear you out, physically and mentally draining work does. Lots of professions deserve higher pay, not necessarily because they are physically demanding. Higher paid jobs tend to the the ones which require more academia and training.

DPs job is physically and mentally draining trust me.

I (personally) am not sure that holding the hand of a patient with terminal cancer or comforting their family after their passing could be any more draining mentally. Really, genuinely - I don't.

I am quite cross by the repeated insistence that I am indeed 'goady' - it's only goady to teachers who aren't mumsnet's primary readers. If I'd just wanted to goad and annoy I'd have posted it on the tes website or the staffroom section on here. Oh and worra I name change a LOT - if you search you'll see I have contributed to other threads with this name but not many partly as I don't use MN much and partly as it's recent.

I was in spar yesterday and to be honest I was embarrassed as the lady behind the counter was saying she couldn't do my job (had my work badge still on) and I was thinking she probably got as much pressure and stress as me without the pay and decent working hours.

I've used teaching as that's what I do but perhaps more generally many of us in the public sector need to open our eyes to how shite a lot lf jobs are! Unfortunately because I dared imply not all teachers are like Boxer from Animal Farm I am goading

It makes NO SENSE!

Teachers work hard - we are paid reasonably well and people recognise we work hard.

Other people work hard and they are NOT paid well and don't get recognition.

And THAT is goady? Honestly!

Hmm...

Well i am a nurse and have lots of friends who are teachers. I think they work very hard but no harder than me. And by their own virtue they often comment how lucky they are to have the school holidays off. I'm sure a proportion of those holidays are spent marking and lesson planning but it's still 12 weeks a year compared to most people's 6 weeks. You should cut yourself some slack though, you worked hard to get where you are and deserve your pay. I am often envious of how much my dp earns (he is a doctor) when we work equally hard but I remind myself I wasn't prepared to go to medical school for 7 years and he was. I remember the days when he was a junior doctor and would literally have to work 3 days with no sleep when on call. He is reaping the rewards of this now. As others have pointed out, it's just the way of the world: the more training and academia you put into your career the more likely your pay will reflect that.

Worra, if I'd wanted to troll I'd have been a lot ruder

Or were you suggesting something else?

it's only goady to teachers who aren't mumsnet's primary readers.
?? I'll just fuck off then shall I?
It's goady as you are completely ignoring the fact that while teachers do experience "I wouldn't do your job" type comments, they also experience (first hand or through media) zillions of "teachers have an easy life, work half days and are off on holiday 6 months a year". I would suggest the latter type of comments are in the majority, but I have not studied this obviously.

Dunno

This is the internet so I suppose we can choose to be anyone we want, if the mood took us.

Worra
House plant psychiatrist
London

Actually worra - pm me your email and I'll send you proof I am who I say I am.

I am sick of troll hunting.

As a midwife i think I work harder than my dh who is a software engineer.

He gets to sit in an office at a computer and drink tea. I'm sure he has his stresses but idont think it compares to 8 hours on your feet, no break, no food, high responsibility, saving lives, stress of needing perfect paperwork and no mistakes.

I don't think he gets how mentally and physically exhausting my job is. He thinks I'm a lazy arse if I come in and do the bare minimum of feeding kids before sitting down. Tuts if the dishes need stacking when he gets in, etc.

It's goady as you are completely ignoring the fact that while teachers do experience "I wouldn't do your job" type comments, they also experience (first hand or through media) zillions of "teachers have an easy life, work half days and are off on holiday 6 months a year". I would suggest the latter type of comments are in the majority, but I have not studied this obviously.

This

I don't need to know who you are OP.

I'm pointing out that the thread would perhaps have come across as less goady, if anything about your posting history pointed towards you actually being a teacher.

But I've done that now, so I'll bow out.

You could have titled your thread 'AIBU for thinking many low paid workers don't get recognised by society for their hard work and value.'

Surely as a Head of English you realise the importance of making a point accurately, rather than making a pointless comparison?

If you can link to one media article that explicitly states that I will agree. I suspect one stating that hasn't been printed within the last decade because while teachers regularly experience 'bashing' it doesn't tend to be in the form of 'they don't work hard enough' (unless they are supply teachers!)

It's more - the curriculum is too easy/too hard/ the holidays are too long/short/inconvenient for parents - teachers should teach about healthy food /against crime/ about finance (what about their subject?) a teacher said this to my child, a teacher said that to my child, a teacher breathed in my child's direction.

The problem is, I believe, that every criticism of teachers is taken as 'they don't work hard enough' and is responded with by stating indignantly the number of hours worked and the stress involved - often with the faint implication that everyone should be grateful and therefore please don't criticise teachers as we work really hard you know.

We do.

So do others.

Worra I'm sorry but no that is not what you were doing. You were trying to imply I was posting a pack of lies (assuming you're not a psychiatrist.)

The offer stands.

Why on earth can the op not start a discussion about teachers without everyone saying 'goady.'

You could be posting a pack of lies...so can anyone on the internet!

That's my whole point here and why I suggest people take this thread with a pinch of salt, instead of getting wound up about goady aspect.

But every single person who posts on Mumsnet could be posting a pack of lies Worra. Surely we either accept what people are saying as being the truth or, if we don't accept what they're saying as truth, we just don't bother posting on their discussion.

Calling liar liar pants on fire or at least suggesting that's what they are, and that they're only doing it to be goady, is troll hunting.

Depends if you are comparing manual demands of a job to mental demands of a job. I'm imagining his job isn't as mentally draining? I'm a teacher and it isn't very physical but mentally I'm exhausted.

I think lots of people over estimate how hard teaching is, not the number of hours worked ( I think they underestimate that) but when I was teaching and people found out what I did me for a living they looked at me like I was some kind of lion tamer with supernatural powers. Of course there are some challenging schools out there but most students in most schools don't cause too many problems. I was never a super teacher, was not amazingly skilled but did not find it that much of a challenge. The hours were quite long but that was because I chose to work that way so I could have the holidays free.

I think working full time with a family can be hard work. When I was a teacher my day started at 5am and usually finished around 11pm - that was hard but that was about combining a family with a full time career.

I also think that schools vary and in some schools it is harder work than others. individuals vary as well and some will be incredibly dedicated and put in lots of hours, I was never one of those teachers. I went into teaching to have lots of holidays and the flexibility to leave work once a week at 4pm - so that is what I did.

I am a SAHM now and I think the same applies! for some people it is the "hardest job in the world" because of their children, partners or personality but it need not be that way.

I think the reason people think you are being goady, OP is that you start with the premise that "other people" (ie non teachers) seem to suggest that teaching is hard work, then leap to the conclusion that teachers need to learn that other jobs are hard. Which makes it sound like you just want to have a pop at "whinging" teachers (regardless of whether or not you are one).

It sounds like your dh has a job you leave at the door though?
One of the tough thing about teaching is the expectations of doing loads at home. And if you don't then the guilt that you should. Or the stress that you could be working or planning or whatever. It's different "hard".

I've done jobs that are tough, "on display" managing rowdy behaviour, on your feet all day trying to smile. But when you clock off then you're done.
I've also done and currently do jobs where the to do list is never ending and you could always be doing more and hours are not clearly defined.
Both are tough in different ways.

Since posting, I have had a look through previous comments and agree that you could have chosen a better title for your thread. Perhaps something slightly less inflammatory?

Yanbu or goady as far as I am concerned. V interesting thread. I know teachers who do seem to relish their martyrdom a little