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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU - Teachers

191 replies

LouBlue1507 · 14/12/2016 15:44

Hi everyone!

I am so fed up of reading all the teacher bashing threads lately! Most people have no idea the amount of word they have to do and the stress they are under! Angry

So please share positive stories/experiences of teachers!

Show the appreciation! Grin

OP posts:
spiderlight · 14/12/2016 18:34

My DS is in Y5 and most of his teachers have been awesome - I have nothing but respect and gratitude for them. I sat at his Christmas play last night and watched the way they interacted with the kids and how hard they'd worked to get everyone involved, at their lovely Y4 teacher from last year who had come along in her own time just to watch, at the amazing costumes they'd somehow pulled together, and actually got a little bit emotional at the lovely warm school family he's part of.

CaraAspen · 14/12/2016 18:36

"PlayOnWurtz

By the time they get to year 6 most kids barely get to see their teacher until after sats. Most primary teaching seems to be done by ta's these days or at least in our school it was!"

TAs...

dingdongthewitchishere · 14/12/2016 18:38

I think that most people acknowledge that teaching is a difficult job, and it takes long hours. The problem is that most other jobs are just as time confusing, stressful (for different reasons). No one is saying that leaving the house at 6am to come back at 10pm with a bit more work to do before bed is easy, 6 days a weeks plus sometimes Sundays. However, teachers are not the only ones dealing with stupid hours, heavy workloads, but the rest of us don't even have the holidays.

I don't understand this competition about "my job is the worst". If you are lucky to have chosen your career, most jobs have perks and have negative points.

It's not the teachers themselves I blame most of the time, it's the nonsensical ofsted box ticking waste of time I can't bear.

Why does it always have to be teachers vs the rest of the world?

sj257 · 14/12/2016 18:40

My daughter had an amazing teacher 2 years ago, truly wonderful. He retired after that year, she asked me when she went back to a new class in the September if I had his phone number because she was missing him! He inspired a massive love of nature in her, and learning in general, they used to go on class nature walks. She has a lovely teacher now but nobody will ever compare!

Howyoualldoworkme · 14/12/2016 18:42

And a bit of praise for University lecturers who have to give remedial classes to students who have no idea how to write an essay!

PlayOnWurtz · 14/12/2016 18:44

And to the office based buddies who have to teach the junior office staff how to spell correctly

Boundaries · 14/12/2016 18:45

Play I agree that other professions sometimes get criticised, especially SWs. It may be that i just notice the threads started to specifically criticise teachers (as a group, not as individuals) more? I don't see it so much about other jobs.

slummamumma · 14/12/2016 18:45

TAs are vital as they support the teacher and yes they do teach some of the children in class - under the supervision of the teacher. I think all school staff at DS's school do an amazing job... but also social workers, nurses, doctors, etc. hard work, not much financial gain and either love or hate comments! tough!

Original poster
LouBlue1507 · 14/12/2016 18:46

I think what gets my back up is;

A) The attitude that teachers get '12 weeks' holiday when in fact they don't.

B) Yes all other professions work hard but how many are expected to take work home every night, every weekend unpaid? £22,500 a year is not a lot of money.

C) When teachers make every effort to help a child, staying late etc. missing out on seeing their own kids and the paretns have the cheek to complain that they they aren't doing enough or you made my DC cry today!

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 14/12/2016 18:48

I said it on the teacher bashing thread and I'll say it here. 1 in 10 teachers quit last year. The teaching profession was decimated.

And this morning £3 billion budget cuts for schools were announced. A lot of teachers are going to lose their jobs, the working conditions of those that stay are going to get worse, and this will affect your children's education.

If you want the good teachers to stay in teaching, please show them some appreciation, it could make a difference.

PlayOnWurtz · 14/12/2016 18:49

Professions on similar or lower wages that imo deserve more praise than teachers:

Social workers
Police officers
Coroners officers
Prison officers

I could go on

bloodymincepiez · 14/12/2016 18:49

Well, they do get

5 weeks in summer
2 weeks at Christmas
2 weeks at Easter
October half term
February half term
May half term

Looks like 12 to me. Plus may bank holiday and weekends off.

Boundaries · 14/12/2016 18:51

So Play, why not go start a thread praising those praiseworthy jobs?

PlayOnWurtz · 14/12/2016 18:53

Funnily enough...

Original poster
LouBlue1507 · 14/12/2016 18:53

Actually bloodymincepiez - My DPs school is open during those holidays for teachers to do work. My DP spent 60 hours working during the last half term - That doesn't sound like a holiday to me!

OP posts:
bloodymincepiez · 14/12/2016 18:53

Because, well, why would you?

It's faintly patronising to assume people need general and non specific praise. It's lovely if you can give a card to a teacher (or social worker or police officer) to show your appreciation but a generic 'teachers are sooo wonderful' thread is bizarre, not least because they aren't.

SVJAA · 14/12/2016 18:53

Play obviously there will be some shit teachers, which sucks, but a good, inspiring, supportive teacher is a fantastic thing for a child to have.

Boundaries · 14/12/2016 18:53

bloody - go look at the other teacher thread running right now. You will see repeated explanations about the holidays and the paid hours teachers get.

bloodymincepiez · 14/12/2016 18:54

Yes, but Lou, the teachers don't have to be there, do they?

bloodymincepiez · 14/12/2016 18:54

Yes, I know boundaries, I teach myself.

But we still have more holidays than lost people do. I don't think it's teacher bashing to 'confess' to this!

PlayOnWurtz · 14/12/2016 18:55

I worked it out not so long ago that if you average out the hours teachers put in through the year it's a 37 hour week. Just condensed into set times of year.

Original poster
LouBlue1507 · 14/12/2016 18:55

bloodymincepiez But they have to get the work done, doesn't matter where does it? Work is still work, unpaid work at that.

OP posts:
Boundaries · 14/12/2016 18:55

bloody would you agree that a generalised teacher bashing thread is also bizarre?

dingdongthewitchishere · 14/12/2016 18:57

I thought that £22k was the very minimum salary?
getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-salary/teacher-salaries

Again, they have holidays, all the weekends and bank holidays. It's not the same to finish a project from home and dragging yourself in the office. They have job security. They knew before they started that teachers do not work 9 to 3pm!

Frankly, I do not believe for a second that they have an "easy" job, but I don't think that this "my job is the worst" competition is healthy for anyone.

The future of education is a huge worry. Parents struggle to find space for their kids because schools are full, the classes are far too big. It's a shame this aspect is forgotten in the debate.

bloodymincepiez · 14/12/2016 18:58

It depends which one you mean, Boundaries

I do find the amount of complaining teachers do pretty tedious, and I think the 'I worked until midnight / well that's nothing, I worked until 3 am / really; I didn't go to bed at all!' is harmful in the extreme.

I have a great deal of sympathy for some situations teachers find themselves in, but I do think as a profession, we are moaners! Xmas Grin so I can't really argue with a thread that moans about teachers moaning.

I qualified in 2004. I joined tes staff room, as it was. It was filled with moaning teachers then! Twelve years on and teachers are still moaning. We are just moaners!