Teachers exploiting a position AIBU?

[Ackvavit]

Just been to lunch with group of people I've worked with on and off over many years. We all have varying degrees of friendship but generally have always got along well and socialised over the years. I've got in my car and am quite annoyed at the attitude of 2 of the group and disappointed at others for thinking their attitude is funny. We all work in education, all different places. 2 people concerned, one is Headteacher in small school, other is part of management. Head teacher isn't too bad as seems to be doing an ok job, but by her own admission can't quite believe she got the job. The other was working at another school on a part time basis but financially needed more hours due to personal circumstances changing. She sat there today and admitted she "got the job" because her friend was the Head and has manipulated her position into only now teaching a couple of days a week but presenting to the governors the need for a literacy co ordinator. I'm not disagreeing that this is probably a role the school needs but the lunchtime chat was all very " ha ha idiot governors walked right into this plan", it's a cushy number, I've even blagged my own office, the kids we get are from such transient backgrounds that teaching them the alphabet makes us seem amazing". I'm annoyed because I work in the same field and am absolutely passionate about my role, to the point if I had too I would do it for free. All these 2 discussed was salaries, management points and how little teaching they could get away with before they could take their pensions. No mention of teaching being something they felt could help pupils. Just greed and laziness really. I feel sad that they found it funny and were mocking me for explaining initiatives we are doing to enrich our students lives, in our own time. AIBU to feel I am not wrong that many many NQTs are passionate about teaching and these two are milking the system coasting until they take their pensions?. Sorry this is long! I don't think I'll bother with the next get together. Quite embarrassed they think it is ok. They are no better than benefit scroungers, taking money they don't deserve.

They are dreadful and you are right to be shocked. I don't know what you do about it, though.

Welcome to Mumsnet

You get people like this in every career & every workplace up & down the country, its annoying but it happens.

Er, why weren't you all in school?

We have finished for the holidays BTW

It's October hols here in Scotland purpledaisies

They were just playing up/showing off. I bet in a different they group would have presented a whole different side of themselves . It seems to be cool to resent your job in some circles.

Sleepforest, sadly this was not bravado. I've known these people a long time and seen slight evidence in the past that I have put down to bravado. Today was simply, we've got it made and two fingers to anything resembling a vocation. Sadly the school they are at would really benefit from some passionate staff to raise its game. It saddens me as I know there are teachers out there going massively over and above what they need to do solely to make the lives of young people better. Got a very unpleasant taste in my mouth at these types plodding along on inflated salaries, no I'm not jealous before anyone jumps in, when being a teacher should be about the pupils first, salary, management points and holidays are perks that come with hard work. Thanks for positives I did find myself wondering if I was being unreasonable.

Blow the whistle if you feel strongly about it.
As long as you are sure your motives are pure, just light the blue touch paper and send it to the governors.
I wouldn't do that if I suspected myself of spite, but if I thought it might change things for the better for the pupils, I'd play a whole bloody whistle symphony.

Not everybody who teaches goes into it as a vocation. Some are just looking to make as much money as possible as easily as possible, just like people in many other jobs.

I happen to love teaching but I didn't go into it because I thought I'd love it or with any ideals of making a difference to the next generation - I went into it for the money, the security and the holidays! Finding I loved doing it was a bonus.

Plus most people talk rather irreverently about their jobs when around friends.

So I think YAB a bit U

Er, why weren't you all in school?

Er, why assume all posters are in the same country as yourself

Their motivation is different to yours. Im with you, think teaching should be about the kids. But for some people it really isnt. Theres not much you can do about it sadly.

You might be mad enough to teach for free, not everyone is. Its a job, same as any other. Not all teachers are saintly, not all nurses are angels etc etc, step away from the stereotypes and mind your own snout.

Apologies, I'd forgotten about the different holidays in Scotland.

Not naive so I can see all points. I've been in this group before where a thread of arrogance at playing the system has emerged and I have walked away. Totally agree that if I have such an issue I should blow the whistle. Part of me just thinks park it and get on doing what I love. I also think this may sort itself out as they did both say they know they are milking the system and are worried about a new review system the LGB want to introduce which will see those at management level having to justify what they are doing.

Are they doing a decent job?

I'm a teacher. Love my job. I've worked with plenty of perfectly competent teachers who would have packed it in tomorrow given the choice.

Not to mention quite a few who were deeply passionate but also pretty bloody useless.

I'm in no doubt which type I prefer teaching my dc!

...frankly, given the current recruitment crisis, there are a LOT of teachers doing jobs they're surprised to have got...

Not mad to teach for free. Did some charity work over the summer abroad and yes I did do it for free, and the fact education matters so much to these kids, most who have nothing, made me realise if I could make a difference and was able to live without needing an income then yes I would do it for free. I'm a normal person but I saw the impact.

Good grief, I have these conversations all the time with my friends/ colleagues. We are all bloody good at our jobs though, we just all feel undervalued and unloved by the employers most of the time and need a safe space to vent.

I even moan this way about the not for profit boards I'm on, and the stuff I do as a volunteer. And they all do a bloody fantastic job.

It's human nature to vent and moan in a safe space isn't it? (Well, it is if you are a miserable biatch like me). unless you know that the kids are getting short changed, and they are genuinely shirking their responsibilities to them, I would assume that they were just doing that thing where you minimize commitment and your own abilities (loads of women do this) - sort of like imposter syndrome, but with a nod to getting something over on people in positions of power.

It's interesting to try to decipher why folk do it, but in all honesty it probably doesn't say an awful lot about how they are actually doing their jobs.

I spend way more time on my volunteer work than my paid job. (I work ft lol). I don't use pay as a benchmark, but tbh there are few of us lucky enough to be able to do stuff for free unless we have a paid role or a partner in employment. I do it because I believe in it. I'm sure they say exactly the same thing in interviews.

RavenAK. Agree totally with your points about types of teachers. I think my irritation today was more to do with the whole "aren't we clever milking the system" attitude, which I do not like in any job or position in life. It's not nice to listen too.

I think viewing teaching as a vocation is a viewpoint that is ultimately damaging to the profession and therefore to students. It has led to widespread attitudes that see teaching as something that should be done for love, rather than money - any suggestion that it is not reasonable to have to buy your own resources from your own pocket, labour the midnight oil for the good of the children or abandon weekends to accompany students on trips is met by this vocation attitude - if something is motivated by love and not money then it can be taken advantage of.

I also suspect the fact teaching (and nursing for that matter) is dominated by women is one reason for this. Just as your mother cares for you as a baby through love, so teaching is seen as something that should be done because of love. Any reluctance to do anything other sweat, blood and tears is seen as cynical and worse - you just don't care about the children, do you?

The OPs 'shock' that someone would want an easy time of it and a good pension speaks volumes. It involves children, so should the teacher in question be charging around like a bluebottle with the runs in a state of manicness all the times, as the taxpayer simply must have their pound of flesh? I don't see why. It's a job, someone's willing to pay them to do it and they are doing it I'm not getting worked up over that.

I happen to love teaching but I didn't go into it because I thought I'd love it or with any ideals of making a difference to the next generation - I went into it for the money, the security and the holidays! Finding I loved doing it was a bonus

I'm actually shocked (maybe I'm naive) that you could think like that.
I assumed that people who went into teaching actually wanted to make a difference to childrens's lives and impart their knowledge into a group of kids and really inspire them.

Surely that's like saying a vet doesn't like animals??

Is that you Michael Gove? You've changed departments now, remember?

Although I don't like the comments about the children...

Please understand I am well aware all people in all walks of life moan about jobs etc etc, this was much more about the arrogance at "playing the system". If the very educators in this world have that as a priority I'm finding it hard to see them instilling good values into their pupils. They may be superb teachers, it doesn't mean I like their approach to a well paid job with decent perks such as holidays on a regular basis. It was about them as people I suppose rather than teachers per se?

I'm completely with manic there, Verbena.

I needed a career change & a steady income for a few years. I like Eng Lit & long holidays.

Finding I also really enjoy teaching is why I've subsequently made it a long term career.