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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that many people have no idea how hard teaching is like?

193 replies

malificent7 · 05/12/2017 19:54

I have been criticised on here by some for not teaching full time as i have PGCE. The truth is it makes me ill. It is at least a 60 hour week and o cant cope with the politics, classroom management and workload.

Plus most of the contracts are short term. I am crap at ill i feel and have been managed out before.

I now teach pt and do care work pt. I am skint but happy. Aibu to not teach ft and to think many have no idea how greulling it is?

OP posts:
BuzzKillington · 05/12/2017 19:55

You sure you're a teacher?

Pengggwn · 05/12/2017 19:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sashkin · 05/12/2017 19:58

People on here criticise you for working PT? On what grounds?

You don’t have to convince us that teaching is hard. It wouldn’t matter if you worked PT because you were just a lazy sod, it isn’t anybody on here’s business. It’s up to you, isn’t it?

Fitbitironic · 05/12/2017 19:59

Yanbu. It's one of those jobs which often looks relatively easy from the outside, but I've taught (most stressful thing I've ever done), and agree with you.
No doubt it won't be long before someone mentions the long holidays...

bluesu · 05/12/2017 20:00

You’ve really been criticised for this?

I’m dying to find a PT teaching job but they’re like hens teeth

DeloresJaneUmbridge · 05/12/2017 20:02

YANBU

My niece is a newly qualified secondary teacher. Prior to training she did a year as a TA in a pupil referral unit.

Her experience of teaching in mainstream is not good. It's not only exhausting with little support but there seems to be a tick box exercise with regard to how she is audited. So for English the pupils have been reading and discussing hence a week of nothin to actually mark in their books. That's not good enough....something NEEDS to be in the books because...well OFSTED or something,

Then she looks in horror at how badly children with SEN are supported in her school. A class with autistic children and another win ADHD has not enough 1-1support for the pupils who need them.

She's not thrown in the towel and will complete this year but she is going back to the referral unit come September where pupils who need support actually get that support.

Awful job. I love teachers....and I definitely admire them.

NeganLovesLucille · 05/12/2017 20:02

What business is it of anyone else's how many hours you teach? Ignore the morons. If you are happy and can manage financially then great.

MannersMaketh · 05/12/2017 20:03

If you are being shamed, those people are the problem, not you.

I'm a 30-odd student doing my degree at the moment, and Head of Education asked me if I would ever consider doing a PCGE once I've finished as he had heard about me from lecturers on my course.

I laughed.

And once I was done laughing, I explained I was a School Governor and I wouldn't advise a single person to teach right now.

So no, YANBU - you sanity and mental health come first at all time.

natwebb79 · 05/12/2017 20:38

I hear you. I teach MFL and went down to 3 days a week after I had DS2. For my '3 days a week' I average a 45 hour working week. I'm currently applying for jobs outside of teaching after 15 years in the profession. It's a bit rough at the moment.

Fattymcfaterson · 05/12/2017 20:47

Many people have no idea how truly tough each others jobs are.
Teachers are not the sole hard workers

Ruthlessrooster · 05/12/2017 20:47

Less interested in the number of hours you work than the fact that you don't appear to be able to spell. Or write coherent sentences. Maybe teaching isn't for you.

Crinkle77 · 05/12/2017 20:57

Jeez rooster is a bloody online forum not an English test. I don't write properly on here. Can't be arsed but in a formal setting or at work i would.

sadeyedladyofthelowlands63 · 05/12/2017 20:57

Less interested in the number of hours you work than the fact that you don't appear to be able to spell. Or write coherent sentences. Maybe teaching isn't for you.

I've just got in after getting to school at 7.30 this morning. Same yesterday. I can barely think in coherent sentences, let alone write them.

Original poster
malificent7 · 05/12/2017 21:05

I cant spell properly as i cant type on my phone properly!

OP posts:
MaisyPops · 05/12/2017 21:09

Yes, full time teaching can be hard. It depends on the subject, experience, school setting etc.
I find the workload manageable in and of itself. Juggling it with family commitments is hard but I suppose that's true for a lot of people.
My experience is similar.
Now I have a reasonable balance, still more than my contracted hours but i don't totally begrudge the hours i work.
I've previously been one of those pepple dping 65h weeks and decided it was bad for my health. I'd never work somewhere like that ever again.

noblegiraffe · 05/12/2017 21:15

I'm part time and have never been criticised for it, on here or in real life. I've never seen anyone be criticised for it on here. Confused
Loads of people also post about quitting teaching and no one criticises them either!

Downtheroadfirstonleft · 05/12/2017 21:16

Loads of jobs are really hard. Some physically, some due to stress, some both. Teachers do have a heck of a lot of holidays though.

Appuskidu · 05/12/2017 21:20

Where have you been criticised on here for working part time? Who by?

TheFallenMadonna · 05/12/2017 21:25

This is because of the thread about UC? It is the financial implications people are referring to I think.

StealthPolarBear · 05/12/2017 21:25

Where do we go from here? What needs to happen so teaching gets better?
This is ridiculous. It can't carry on.

Quickchange1 · 05/12/2017 21:30

I think the holidays just go against us all the time. The workload, relentless pressure, multi tasking and accountability have tripled in the last 10 years! ... if reducing holidays meant an ease in workload that would be great. But it's not workable.We can't save all our marking and then do it in the holidays, do all our parents/option/open/information/presentation evenings in the holidays. We can, and do do all our planning, researching, 're writing entire courses in the holidays and also revision sessions! if parents knew how many unqualified, unsuitable people were 'teaching ' their DC I'm sure there's be outrage (or a change in govt) but no parents prefer to moan about INSET days!

Glumglowworm · 05/12/2017 21:30

Lots of jobs are hard. Very few jobs are as heavily criticised by the general public, possibly only politicians are more criticised than teachers.

I’m not a teacher but I am a child of teachers and I have friends who are teachers. I could never ever do that job.

Therealjudgejudy · 05/12/2017 21:32

Loads of jobs are hard and involve working extra hours.

Teachers don't have the monopoly on hard jobs Hmm

wingwalker9 · 05/12/2017 21:32

Downtheroad...teachers do have lots of unpaid leave you mean! Unpaid holidays yet they still spend many hours working during them.

MyDcAreMarvel · 05/12/2017 21:32

Is the " like" a rouge word op? I don't understand your header.