to be annoyed about the end of the scool holidays?

[maxpower]

Only because I'm so sick of listening to and reading fb posts about all the poor teachers who are having to go back to work after 6 weeks off. There are many workers who don't get 6 weeks holiday for a whole a year never mind in one go. I've just read some drivel on fb about how - while I'm 'watching tv' - some self sacrificing teacher is writing a lesson plan to benefit my child. This the post stressed is unpaid. Oh woe is s/he. How about the 5+ unpaid hours I worked this week over and above the full time job I do? Oh and just to clarify, when I got home from work I spent an hour coaching my daughter for school entrance exams, when I discovered that all the amazing teachers she's had have not taught her about calculations involving 'parts' or indeed how to work out the area of a triangle.

So forgive me if I don't lament over how tough it is to have to go back to work (where the rest of us have been all summer long).

[mumsneedwine]

Forgot how much this means to me (just saw it on another thread). I do try and think before I chastise.

Cause I ain’t got a pencil
By Joshua T. Dickerson

I woke myself up
Because we ain’t got an alarm clock
Dug in the dirty clothes basket,
Cause ain’t nobody washed my uniform
Brushed my hair and teeth in the dark,
Cause the lights ain’t on
Even got my baby sister ready
Cause my mama wasn’t home.
Got us both to school on time,
To eat us a good breakfast.
Then when I got to class the teacher fussed
Cause I ain’t got a pencil.

[mumsneedwine]

DakotaFanny I think you are me ! I'll keep at it as I love the classroom and the funny, witty, questioning students. I know more than I should about some of their home lives and have often taken washing home as some don't have one. Or food. Or anyone home who cares. So me and my colleagues try to be there. It is draining and sometimes I want to cry (& sometimes I do). But when they get it, & when they laugh and give me a hug ( yes I know I shouldn't but I don't care), then I know it's worth it. I wish you could all meet my bottom set year 11. They were hard work and I was sworn at and had a few stools chucked about. But we laughed and I will miss them terribly. And they achieved and have futures I hope.

[DakotaFanny]

I think 90% of teachers would say it's not the actual teaching they dislike.

I am going into my 19th year-in a tough secondary school, where only about 1/10 kids have professional parents and fewer than that even dream of university. They swear too much, they don't often know boundaries or manners, their 'worlds' are narrow and, often, incredibly depressing. And do you know what? They're great! They are rough diamonds, pleased to see a welcoming face, funny, warm, entertaining. In my classroom I am as happy as I was when I was a fresh faced NQT. I laugh every day and I am honoured to work with these kids.

In the staffroom however, or more importantly in staff meetings, I want to weep every time SLT tell us we're not doing a good enough job because the targets are ever higher, or how we need to re-write the whole curriculum because of governmental changes. Throw in the ever present tick box exercises, the 3 layer data analysis, the increased duties and meetings, the constant fear of OFSTED, the marking scrutinies, the observations....

They're the things that make me- and I would guess most moaning teachers- whinge.

I thought about quitting last year but I'm not foolish enough to think that I could get an 'easier' job. The pressures on ALL working people now are higher, but I do think that the willingness to bash teachers is ridiculously high. Most of us do this job, and continue to do it, because your children are important to us and their futures might be improved by our presence.

[mumsneedwine]

I always adapt plans as do my colleagues. But having a basis of the resources and experiments for that SOW do simplify things. Tomorrow I will be making lots of colourful explosions with year 7, and then they will be making some themselves. My colleague did the risk assessments for these (we are all doing them) so saved me a job. Oh and year 7 will later in the week be making a traffic light and some slime. Lots of slime - awesome stuff as has properties of a liquid and a solid. I love the first week of science as for a lot of them it's the first chance to play with science.

[verytiredmummy1]

Themed days in school like the ones mentioned give children some different experiences.
How dull it would be if we all taught from plans that others had done for us. Certainly not something I'd want for my class or my own children!

[Munstermonchgirl]

Agree Boney. How often do you see teachers start threads in AIBU just to moan? There is sensible discussion among people who are looking for a career change in the staffroom section on the education area, but I think you'll find its people who want to just take a thinly veiled whinge about teachers who start the AIBU threads. Same old same old. And then of course teachers will respond to criticism.

And you're correct that it's the fact that people seem to think they know everything about teaching that's a big part of the problem. The assumptions people make. People are often surprised that my daily routine is 7.45- 5.30 actually IN school, plus then whatever I bring home to do. I'm not saying no other job is hard work or long hours- I'm sure there are all sorts of stresses I haven't got a clue about- which is why I don't ASSUME and certainly wouldn't start a thread about it. But for some reason people think teachers are fair game for this. So dull

[BoneyBackJefferson]

ZenNudist
There is a definite culture of whinging amongst teachers about how hard it is.

There is a definite culture of teachers standing up for themselves against people claiming that they are whinging.

The truth is that there are a couple of professions that people know that they can have a go at because they can't come back at you in real life.

A parent moans about a teacher giving their DC a detention and the teacher has to be nice/political about it. If you complained about your plumber or electrician, they would swear at you, take their tools and go, then ring up all the local tradesmen and you would have a hell of a job getting someone in.

[Peonie7654]

😄 it may be a problem with this school. They like to attend church a lot too 😁😁😁😁

[rollonthesummer]

That is a problem with that particular school, I must say. I have never worked in a school that practises to excess and the final performance is never perfect!

[mumsneedwine]

At senior school we split the curriculum and lesson plan for parts of it each. Trouble this year is 1/2 my dept left and were not replaced by July so I've had to do loads. And all new exam specs so everything had to be redone. Again. I redid them 3 years ago when they last changed it. We still don't have a full dept, and so I'm teaching all exam year classes and the younger years will get supply. I am not winging for me - I'm winging for YOUR kids. Because there are not enough teachers to go round. Because it's not just hard, it's sole destroying. Not the kids or the teaching (which is tiring - bit like acting in a 6 hour play every day), but the constant scrutiny and stupid, useless paperwork. Just let me teach and I will be a better teacher. I know what other jobs are like as I've done lots - been a chambermaid and waitress, made sandwiches and been a City trader & ended up in HR. I love teaching best but I can't keep doing 70 hour weeks because I can't function. At the end of last term, when I was covering year 7 & 8 because they hadn't had a teacher since Xmas, I sometimes found it hard to think straight. I, and many of my colleagues, didn't have to do this as this is legally our protected time but we felt for the poor kids. People go into teaching because they want to teach kids surprisingly !

[Peonie7654]

Im not a teacher but I do maths/reading in school twice a week. They just practice...lots looking bored with doing it again, and agin.

Yes it's perfect but the time spent is shocking. ( especially when there are children so far behind with the curriculum)

[rollonthesummer]

I have never been in a school where they have done 4 final performances!

We normally do some practising in the classroom and then do it twice through in the hall all together , then a dress rehearsal and then two performances as we would not fit all the parents in the hall with just one performance which parents wouldn't like. Songs are learnt in assemblies. Doesn't eat too much into teaching time and the kids love doing them.

[user1469300540]

Posts like this really make my blood boil! U were a teacher. Not one now. Yes we dread going back because as soon as that alarm goes tomorrow morning the stress will be constant until July next year. You did 5 hrs overtime-a teacher today will 10times that if not more. You had to tutor your child; well done on being a parent! Teachers can't teach everything. Got a problem with the gaps in their learning take it up with the right people or better still help at home more.

And please name one teacher who had 6 weeks off. I know none. All gave up at least one week to go into school and get stuff ready.

Stop degrading teachers and their work load. We don't degrade your job so leave us alone.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

No, haven't seen a rehearsal so am prepared to admit if I am wrong on that one.

[Peonie7654]

I'm not saying don't do a play, I'm saying look at all the lost teaching time.

I'm not surprised they can't fit it all in.

Four performances is very tiring for small children.

[Peonie7654]

I don't think Christmas is the best bit of primary school. Education and developing a love of learning is the best bit of primary.

I think that you have a slightly rose tinted view on a Christmas play. ( have you watched rehearsals?)

I'm not advocated abolishing play time, I'm nearly pointing out that lunch and breaks use up almost two hours. ( from the 6.5)

[Frogers]

To be honest it irritates me. We're Scotland so returned a few weeks ago and on the first day back staff were on the count down to the next holiday and declaring "could have done with another week". My colleagues irritate me sometimes.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Sorry, I cross-posted with your explanation Peonie. The point of lots of performances though is to give parents who work or have other responsibilities more chance to attend isn't it though?

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Christmas is the best bit of primary school! In a Christmas play they learn to work together, take turns, art and design, lifting (science), reading. In break times they forge friendships and learn to navigate social rules. Absolutely not wasted time! Learning is not just about sitting at a desk and I would be appalled if that's all my primary aged DC were doing.

[ZenNudist]

There is a definite culture of whinging amongst teachers about how hard it is. I do feel for them that they don't enjoy the job. I think lots get into it with unrealistic expectations and it seems like NQTs are thrown in the deep end with a sink or swim attitude so only the toughest survive.

My professional life has been more like a lobster cooking, starts off in cold water and turn up the heat, people tend to accustom themselves to harder work better with a longer run up and better support. We still worked our asses off and had standard 20 days holiday. Burn out is common but people don't necessarily leave my profession as its well paid.

I think non public sector workers look at the improved benefits of public sector jobs (holiday/ flexitime/pensions) and feel annoyed that those perks aren't appreciated and that it's not like there's as much publicity for the hardships faced by your average private sector worker (crappy pensions/ lack of flexible working/ large amounts of unpaid overtime in most better paying (than teaching) professional jobs)

So no i don't fancy teaching a class of 29 youngsters. I doubt your average teacher would want to do my dull office job either. Each to his own.

All my friends who are teachers recognise they've got it good to have all the school holidays. It makes childcare over holidays that much easier. Like any job they have their ups and downs. Maybe it's just the teachers you see on FB OP? Perhaps time due a clear out of FB 'friends'?😄

[Peonie7654]

I didn't say the time was wasted, I said that it was gone.
In any job you have to prioritise time.

I'm happy to watch an OK Christmas play that has taken a bit of time to practice, it doesn't need to be a masterpiece.
When your child practices every day for weeks then has two evening productions and two afternoon productions.... I'm cross.

[murmeli]

I'm a teacher. Along with all my teacher (and support staff) friends I moan about going back to school... I have a lot of sympathy for anyone in any job going back to work after hols. Thing is there are not many jobs where you and all your colleagues and friends are all off work for the same amount of time at the same time. In a 'real world job' people where people are on leave at random times throughout the year I am guessing a thread about the horrors of going back to work (which it'd be totally reasonable to start!) would not have same impact/relevance.

[rollonthesummer]

But school is about much more than just teaching time. Things like play time, productions, road safety etc-they are all valuable in different ways. It's not wasted time.

[Peonie7654]

I have children in primary. I help out sometimes.

I think it's a hard/demanding job without doubt. I don't think schools/teachers/government policy help though.
Schools are very inefficient with time. My DS teacher was complaining that it's so hard to fit in all of the curriculum.

Assembly every day. ( that's a good twenty mins gone)
Two breaks. (50mins gone)
The problem with assembly and breaks is the queuing/lining up /coat on /settling down all takes time. It's amazing how much time a 15 min break eats up. ( a good 25mins)
Parents assembly 30mins a week.
Nothing studied in the last two weeks of the year.
Hours and hours on the school play.
Hours and hours on the Christmas play.
Not to mention the random days like bicycle safety/ road safety/ food/ parent days/ health days. Etc etc.

SO much time gone. I worked out that out of the 6.5 hours they are school just over half of it is teaching time. ( and that is before you add in disrupted time ) no wonder they struggle to fit in all of the curriculum.

I also think structured workbooks and lesson plans would be much better than each teacher going off and planning their own. Surely subject experts could do a great job with this. The teacher could just select stretch work/catch up work for each session.

[mumsneedwine]

And we have to go on holiday in term time. Which is more expensive. Even if teachers don't have their own kids it's just part of the job. I'm gong home now to cook dinner - late as usual. Tomorrow is for our year 7s only but we always get a few from other years turning up by mistake. I have some jobs ready for them to do if they want to stay. Enjoy Sunday night all and alarm is set for 6am (for my 8.35 start - I live 15 minutes away and will be in at 7).