Why can't Teacher training be done in summer holidays

[daffodil10]

Why do summer holidays need to be extended by 3 days to cover inset days when teachers have had 6 weeks off. And before I get shot down I realise they may have been in school over the holidays etc. But what is the point in going back to school on a Thursday

So now we've got the question out the way for this year...

See you all same time next year?

*I have had zero engagement from his teacher since June/July, and neither has he.

She will be surprised when he doesn't want to go into the class tomorrow because he is scared (I have taken him to the school fair (teacher phoned in sick) and just to look around the grounds to get him used to the place.

Wish me luck (and his teacher!)*

The teacher was on their holidays. I am not contactable by parents when out of working hours. Afaik in most schools a summer school fair is not obligatory to attend.

Why should she be expected to engage with you once school is over for summer?

@Winebomb you will have had no engagement during those months as the teacher will have been on (unpaid) holiday and the school will have been closed. Were there no transition/induction days at the end of last term?

I don't know, because that's a long time to not speak to anyone, and even longer on small children's development. They change so much by the eek

Why don't you ask some teachers - either on here or on RL - how they spend their holidays? 13 weeks a year.

I think you'd be surprised how much work and planning goes on - yes, project managing if you will.

bit ot i did wonder when inset days started somone said 88 i that right?

prob why i dont remember having them left school in 90

Exactly my point dearoctopus - though you were much more successful in using bold font than I was!

It's amusing how many people think they know everything about teaching because they attended school once upon a time. I must remember to tell the doctor how to do things next time I'm there, what with having been admitted to hospital a couple of years ago and therefore knowing it all.

When I was little, my dad did not get paid in August. There was not credit or anything then, so you had to budget throughout the year to cover the gap. Some people in holiday places used to work in pubs in the summer.

He was also a teacher 24/7 during the months he was paid, available for sport, and field trips and not only was he not paid anything more to spend his weekends camping in youth hostels etc with a load of kids, but he had to pay his own fees.

the majority of parents are more concerned about their DCs than "free childcare".
My DS is returning to year 4, so not a newbie, but is terrified as he feels that, after 7 weeks off school (with inset days added at the end of and beginning of school holidays) he has forgotten everything and will be told off first day back.
This, even though I have spent the summer holidays trying to keep him academically engaged with reading, puzzles, spelling competitions, etc.
To infer that parents see schools as just free childcare is insulting.

wine what do u want the teacher to do make home visits in th holidays

you sound hysterical

It was '88 Gabs

To infer that parents see schools as just free childcare is insulting.

No inference - it's a matter of fact that plenty do. Hang around these boards for a while and you'll see plenty of evidence of it.

I remember when they were introduced, it was some time in the 1980s- they were known a 'Baker Days' back then. Kids have always started back at school on a mid week day.

I don't understand WHY it always dissolves into an angry comparison between "teaching" and "other jobs".

Which teacher brought other jobs in to the thread, the answer is none, Other jobs like these threads where teachers get "defensive" are started by others.

I really don't get the endless hissing of "well if you think that why don't you do it"???!!!

because people don't listen to the explanations, maybe they should try the job to understand it.

It's a job with good bits and bad bits. It isn't the only job where people critisize or even abuse you.

Try "critisizing" your plumber, or builder the next time they do some work and see how far that gets you. Maybe even get shirty with the Drs receptionist and see what happens.

It isn't the only job with long hours. It most certainly isn't the only job where people feel undervalued, exhausted and strung out.

Teacher have never said this, its always brought up by others

I think that's unfair. She sounds like a parent woth a child just starting school, with all the protective feelings that arouses. I remember it well, even though mine are teenagers now. Induction days feel a long way from September.

Private sector pupils get more holidays to make up for the extra hours they work. At least that's what I was led to believe.

And for christs sake - contract 195 days = pay for 195 days and those days only - NOT for the days they are not working. So while the kids are on holidays the teachers are not - guess you could say they are 'between contracts' But what they are not on is holiday pay. Some sensible person long ago thought it a good idea to split the pay for 195 (then 190) into 12 monthly payments. Wise teachers saw the wisdom in this as we all know most of us tend to spend our money pretty much as soon as we get it. Sadly it has meant that people can't seem to understand 195 contract days= 195 paid days because they see teachers being given a payment in the children's holidays, you see what I said there? The children's holidays NOT the teachers. The teachers choose to use that time as a holiday rather than take employment elsewhere as otherwise they would get no holidays, also most work in those holidays not all of them but they do do some work.

As for pissing it up in a pub. They are allowed a lunch break and like many professions grab the one opportunity for a booze pub lunch. They are adults, at lunch, not in charge of any kids - so they have a wine or two with their meal. Get a life! Also, if they manage to get through the training/commitment for the day early, then hell yes they should be able to finish half day. Either way not your concern as your child would not be in school even if the inset days did not exist. If you saw someone who worked at your local law office having a pub lunch would you be clutching your pearls? Or if they had decided to take a half day?If you should ah but the teachers are paid for that full day, well all the extra hours they put in free - like the exam prep classes that happen after school and during holidays and the marking etc etc more than makes up for that. Also while I have been saying 195 days contracted I was always under the impression those extra 5 days were in fact unpaid.

Go train and be a teacher instead of seething with jealousy and driving more people out of the profession. (Not aimed at you OP - can see you've apologised)

Wine bomb, I'm sure your little one will be fine.

Ridiculous isn't it Gabs. Some people seem to expect a teacher to sacrifice themselves to the job.

I like my job, but at the end of the day - it's a job! You can check in with parents on development at the start of the year. I can't say that I do that for all (or most) kids, but that'd be a much more reasonable time to do it. Teachers don't need regular updates throughout summer - unless there's very special circumstances or you're planning to pay me consultancy fees.

Every time I go to a PTA meeting or an event or school concert I always think how tedious it would be to have to attend all those out of hours events. I've worked long hours for no extra money in office based jobs, so it's not that I'm a clockwatcher who refuses to do a minute more than I'm paid for. But the nature of teaching looks uniquely thankless to me.

@dressjunkie66 if you trawl long and far enough, you'll find most parents moan about how they will find childcare during inset days and holidays rather than bemoan the fact that their children are missing out on educational experiences.....

and why don't/can't money be put aside each month to cover holiday pay?
The holiday pay we don't receive, you mean? And anyway, why on earth change a system that works perfectly well for those it's intended for (namely staff in education), just to satisfy those outside the profession (who it's nothing to do with) who don't get it despite having it explained several times.

Maybe even get shirty with the Drs receptionist and see what happens

I have friends who are receptionists at the local surgery, they are regularly berated by patients

Yelled at, called stupid, incompetent etc

Nothing happens

Quite understand that your builder or plumber might tell you to get knotted...

If teachers decided to only work their directed hours (the ones they get paid for), then they would be unable to do their job. Teaching demands are impossible with directed hours.

So they do a lot of unpaid extra hours. And get the job done.

Does a teacher's pay level reflect only the directed hours - or does it really reflect the fact that they have to do a lot of unpaid extra hours?

Nicw to know my DCS are spending their afternoons being taught by people who have been to a "booze pub lunch".
Not sure a driving instructor could get away with that one but, heyho, it's only our DCs education.