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

[malificent7]

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?

The artificial barrier is being a 'qualified teacher' - rather than showing to be at the top of the game in the subject.

Let me ask you something? Are children being short-changed by a teacher who qualified 2 years ago? If yes, then it shouldn't be allowed, if not then teaching at the appropriate level is no more than a graduate entry level job.

In computer engineering, we wouldn't allow a graduate to do the same tasks as someone with 20 years experience - and would pay differently. If a graduate is good enough to teach some children, then why the need for experienced teachers or the need to increase their pay?

There is a teaching shortage. Things vary by subject and area

I wish people would understand this. I live in an area of high deprivation where getting a job even in shortage subject areas up until 2 years ago was reasonably competitive. Yet every high school in town advertised for maths, physics and Mfl teachers last year. One school has had a maths vacancy for 18 months. I can only imagine the situation in areas where there has always been a recruitment issue.

But you can't have it both ways - there cannot be a shortage and a lack of high pay for suitable people. It's basic economics.

You clearly didn't study basic economics.

The invisible hand only works in a free market. State education is not a free market - big clue is the word 'state'.

Teaching is great in many ways, but it is definitely underpaid, regardless of the hols. In many secondary schools to maintain discipline requires enormous energy and strength of character. Often schools are poorly run and there are huge discrepancies between the workloads of individual teachers. The media and general public tend to blame teachers for things beyond their control an expect them to do the work of parents more often than not. I like my job but I work very hard and am not rewarded for good results. If you live in a middle class area you probably have no idea what goes on in your average inner-city comp. Thete is no support for kids with woeful parenting but we are judged against the same criteria as the top grammars. Apparently good teachers flock to the best schools, but that has not always been my experience.

why the need for experienced teachers or the need to increase their pay

Are you actually serious? You can’t possibly work out an answer to that?

ohreally agreeing with you completely. Hope I didn't mislead you into thinking that unqualified teachers are ok. I had got to thinking that given the government intervention and rules around academies, qualified teachers won't be needed. Recruitment issues solved. Horrific

The artificial barrier is being a 'qualified teacher' - rather than showing to be at the top of the game in the subject

Do you think teaching just happens? Do you not think teachers consider learning styles of their students, take into consideration special needs, differentiate for the more and the less able? Do you not think that there is an actual....science to teaching? Pedagogy? You can have a double first from Oxbridge in physics but without pedagogical knowledge and practise, your teaching will be lacking?

Are you saying nobody taught the children maths - after all, up to GCSE there really isn't much to teach beyond quadratic equations and 2 linear simultaneous equations; any good teacher should be able to do it.

Admittedly post-16 is different, but who'd want a teacher who couldn't get a first in their subject teaching A-Level - yet many don't have a first, and so lack a good understanding.

". Can you please stop needing your ego stroked"
What a patronising, offensive remark

ohreallyohreallyoh - No, of course not. I just don't think it's a big deal to learn, require a barrier closed shop, and neither do those schools that produce the best results.

Keep those that produce results - drop those that don't.

if you think it's so hard, just change! Just stop moaning.

That's what I did, after 23 years in the classroom. It's what a lot of teachers are doing and it is causing a real recruitment problem for schools.
I am an excellent teacher, but was fed up with too many things.
Since I left (this summer) I have had 3 different schools (including my last school) ask me to apply for jobs, but I won't return in the current climate.

* if you think it's so hard, just change! Just stop moaning.*

Or better still be part of making it more realistic. We don't want all the teachers to leave - surely?

Blink - so how do you get to be an experienced teacher if you're not allowed to teach any children until you are experienced?

If you are really saying "Anyone can teach as long as they know their subject well, so why pay any teachers above the basic NQT salary"... well, firstly you're wrong. Not everyone can teach. And secondly, that's really not going to improve the recruitment crisis.

Some people have a natural talent for teaching. That doesn't mean they don't also get even better through experience.

And what precisely do you mean by being 'at the top of the game in the subject'? There are plenty of people who are very highly qualified in their subject but would be unbelievably shit at teaching.

Blink, you are goady, ignorant and deluded. Great combination.

I know I'm getting a lot of flack - but am happy for the current teachers to leave. It will only be then a real recruitment crisis happens that pay will increase and stronger individuals will be attracted.

As for the economic argument, sorry your wrong. As a regulated requirement to teach maths etc. is present, the price is inelastic. There may seem to be a problem, but until 20% of children are not being taught, there actually isn't a problem - then and only then will the state take the action required. At present, there is sufficient supply at the price, with minor fluctuations.

The artificial barrier is being a 'qualified teacher' - rather than showing to be at the top of the game in the subject.

Bahahahah. Do you really, truly believe that the best mathematicians make the best maths teachers? Or that the best writers would make the best English teachers? It's just not true.

I'm a good teacher, but - despite my username - I'd be a shit author.

Admittedly post-16 is different, but who'd want a teacher who couldn't get a first in their subject teaching A-Level - yet many don't have a first, and so lack a good understanding.

What a total load of bollocks. And I’ve got a first.

Blink there is a recruitment crisis!

am happy for the current teachers to leave. It will only be then a real recruitment crisis happens

I actually agree with that. But not because of anything to do with pay. The reasonably good pay is what keeps many teachers in the profession. The reason I'd rather the recruitment crisis came to an ultimate head is that it might just force the government to think about what's actually wrong with the education system. It's the job that's deterring applicants and forcing people out, not the pay.

I very occasionally help at my kids' primary school and I am completely in awe of their teachers.

I can't thank them enough, even the rubbish ones..

I know several teachers, a couple who think it’s the hardest job ever and a couple who like it.

I know teachers don’t clock off at 3pm and can see that in lots of ways it must be challenging. But seems to me there’s some massive perks that other professions don’t get, ie:

Holidays. Even if you work 50% of your 12 weeks holidays (more for private schools) you still get more annual holiday than most. I get 25 days per year and then I’m often checking emails, doing bits of work on my holidays. You also get Christmas Day etc off.

I’ve never had more than 2 weeks off in one go since I started work. Teachers get 6 weeks each summer (and my teacher friends admit they don’t work more than 2 weeks out of that so get at least a month properly off). One of my teacher friends spends a month travelling in Asia each summer.

Ability to work locally. A teacher living in my house has 3 schools within a 5 minute drive and approx 10 schools within a 20 / 25 minute drive that they could potentially work at. DH and I both have to spend 3 hours per day commuting as there are no jobs in our sectors outside central London.

I like my job and am definitely not volunteering to become a teacher but seems to me like a couple of the teachers I know overlook these massive perks.

Sure some teachers will be along to correct me.

I think we've identified goves posting name

but am happy for the current teachers to leave. It will only be then a real recruitment crisis happens that pay will increase and stronger individuals will be attracted

Sigh. You don’t get it, do you? Teachers are leaving in droves. Training numbers are not being met. Schools have had real funding cuts. Experienced staff are being managed out because they are expensive. The result is not ‘we will pay more to attract the best’ but rather, we will pay less and hope for the best. Your children are being taught by TAs, Cover Supervisors and HLTAs. Right now. None of them need have a degree in a subject taught in schools, let alone even the most basic grasp of pedagogy. That is not because schools have oodles of cash waiting for the better teacher.

Helen in my job I get I I work from home. To take the odd half day toil.