To think a lot of people are jealous of teachers' holidays but...

[Pengggwn]

...too bitter about it to admit that they wouldn't be teachers themselves?

Just that really.

I have seen so many comments and threads aimed at dissecting teachers' pay and conditions to a forensic level, people complaining that teachers are available over the summer to answer their queries, people arguing that teachers should be working anyway or claim to be working even when they're not (I'm not, at least not for the next month).

And yet, we are in the middle of a teacher recruitment and retention crisis. We can't recruit and keep well-qualified teachers.

Where are all the volunteers??

And I can't think of anything worse @RiddleyW 😬 I definitely wouldn't be boasting about it.

I still think @Clavinova is Govey.

Teachers are ace and in my opinion should be paid a hell of a lot more. I hope they enjoy the holidays. They deserve them.

this is one of the biggest teacher myths - working from 7am to midnight.

Most people would like 13 week's holiday but don't want to be teachers. But of course they would still say that they envy the holiday entitlement of teachers. The pensions are also good.

Teachers may say that they envy the salary of hedge fund managers even though they wouldn't like the relatively low holiday entitlement. I don't see what the issue is.

Clearly there are problems with the teaching profession as evidenced by the retention of staff issues.

I think the answer is for you to understand that of course people will think the holidays are good - because they ARE good.

Except the holidays are not 13 weeks. I wi be working every day of half term either planning, marking or doing the SEF. And at Xmas I'll take a week off. Funnily enough those lessons we teach your kids require resources and tailoring to individual classes. Which I ca t do while I'm teaching. Last week I was at school til 9 on 3 nights. One parents evening, one sixth form open evening and one governor meeting which required my attendance. I still had to mark when got home.
If anyone want to join the profession be aware it's the least family friendly job you can do.

There's another thread on here at the moment about what it's like to be married to a teacher, and the general consensus seems to be that the "family friendly" hours are long gone. Believe it or not, time was when it was seen as a good career choice for a young woman planning to have a family "as the hours and holidays will fit in with those of your children" Don't shout at me; I trained a long time ago.
When it's going well, it's the greatest job in the world, exhilarating and tiring in equal measures, but there are so many side issues added these days which take off the shine. I won't rant; you'll have heard them all before.
I taught for a long time, and I've only been to two retirement "do's" for colleagues who stayed on until pensionable age in full-time teaching, (I probably lasted out because I moved to the independent sector where things aren't quite so silly) and I read somewhere that for every one active teacher, there are ten in the PIT, i.e. Pool of Inactive Teachers; folks who hold the qualification but are not doing the job for whatever reason (some of them, to be fair, life events like old age or long-term illness).
For a long time, the government blithely retorted that they were training loads of teachers, and ignoring the fact that so many were dropping out; finally, they have woken up to the fact that there is a recruitment problem.

Don't forget that anyone arguing for a reduction of the school holidays - e.g. a standardising to the same 28 days across the country - is actually also therefore arguing for an extension of the school term from 195 working days to 220 or thereabouts.

The costing for these extra 25 days for every member of staff in every school in the country would run to billions.

And no, they aren't going to do the extra 25 days for the same salary. Don't be silly.

Teachers get such long holidays to justify low salaries. In a lot of other countries the holidays are for the kids and teachers work every weekday 9-5 as a minimum doing things such as summer schools, marketing work, lesson prep, and admin work; but they do get paid a lot more.

Er Cherries, that's what happens here to !

Maybe for people you know - but I know a lot of teachers and this simply isn’t true for them. Not a single one. Not a single holiday.

These mentions of staying until 9 for parents’ evening - OF COURSE - that’s a really important part of the job. What you don’t realise is your friends who are earning more than you are doing this as a norm - and you never hear them complaining about it.

We all make our choices. If you don’t like it, choose something else.

I worked in the City for years before moving into HR. So I know lots of jobs have long hours. Never said they didn't. But lots of people like to say teachers have 13 weeks holiday and work 9-3, and try don't. When do your friends plan, mark and complete assessment data - these being the bear minimum of work ? Because if they can do it while teaching kids then that's amazing.

helloyolo, that's exactly it - they are choosing something else in their droves.

Oh and be very careful about telling teachers to leave if they don't like it. As lots and lots are. The shortage of teachers is now critical and your little darlings will be being taught by non specialists. Because they've left the cushy 13 week holiday job that is so easy

Those of you moaning about teachers, read this. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-teachers-mental-health-diagnose-issues-targets-education-school-pupils-exams-a8174101.html

No I'm not jealous. The choice they made.
My choice to not teach. So i don't get the holidays. If i want long holidays and feel i could do the job, i would.
I don't feel i could do the job so i don't.
In fact, i get cold sweats at the thought of teachers leaving as i don't know who would educate my high school aged dd.

I think teachers are well paid for the work they do, particularly when you consider their pension and working hours. Their pay and conditions are pretty good relative to many other jobs.

That doesn’t mean I want to be a teacher. I don’t, it’s not for me. But all the “teacher exceptionalists” should try another profession and see how they go. See then if they think they have long hours or poor pay. I have several close family members who are teachers and the kak they come out with about their pay makes me worry what they are teaching my children.

TEACHERS DON' T GET 13 WEEKS HOLIDAY. And yes I am shouting l. And now going off to mark my year 11s papers so I can give them feedback for their half term work by tomorrow.

I do this job now as I enjoy teaching but if one more person tells me my life is so easy and I get endless holidays I may go back to working in HR. For lots more money and lots more pay. My kids are almost done with education thankfully as it's very worrying how many teachers are off. Enjoy your afternoons

And it’s really not the “least family friendly” job you can do mumsneedwine. That’s utterly hilarious that you think that. You need a step into the real world.

In a city job at the beginning of my career I had to work for three days with no sleep and no return home. On the other hand, working the odd evening is a normal part of working life and sounds like you are pretty fortunate when it comes to hours.

Mums - why don’t you then? If it’s so awful. And emm, they do get all those holidays. Having to do some work in your holidays is, again, something that everyone does.

I think teachers are well paid for the work they do, particularly when you consider their pension and working hours.I

Interesting throwaway comment about working hours. I don't think I'm well paid for my 'working hours' of 54+ per week, no. My salary is the main household one and it's depreciated 12% in the last ten years.

Can none of you read ? I've already said I worked in the City for years, as a broker so know about long hours. Moved into HR. So I can comment on other jobs because I've done them. Have you been a teacher ? No, but you obviously know all about what it entails because you once went to school.

And in answer to your question why don't I leave, well I am probably going to at the end of the year. Meaning my school loses yet another science and maths teacher. We steady have 2 science vacancies and 5 maths ones - year 7s and 8s are being taught by PE staff. And if you think this isn't happening in your schools you're delusional. It's so sad that people have so little respect for the very people they entrust their kids to.
But I'm fed up with the under funding and lack of support so yes, I'll be off. Along with several of my colleagues.

I have never complained about teachers on here but I have also never seen a profession so convinced that they have it harder than anyone else. The constant moaning just gets people’s backs up. I am not keen on the rather basic retort of telling anyone that criticised them to take up teaching themselves either.

Lots of people work ridiculous hours, lots of people are stressed and dealing with difficult situations. Private sector jobs do not have all the benefits so often bandied around either.

Many teachers moan about long hours and the fact they work most of their holidays. It is one of the only professions where such angst about working conditions is perpetuated. I bet coal mining was more shit but there wouldn't have been 97580 threads on MN about it.

Those bitter people are sensible people.

My husband decided to change careers and retrain as a teacher. It's practically broken our marriage. He's out 7am-6pm everyday (long commute too) and then works 9pm-midnight and most of the day Sunday. This week is half term, at least 4 days out of the 9 he has off he'll be working. He's tired, moody and stressed the 3 hours a day I do see him.

We were able to take a 4 week holiday this year as I was on maternity leave. It was nice yes, but is it worth it when you literally have no life whatsoever and barely see your own kids for 38 weeks of the year (and then some). Absolutely not.

Justlikedevon

What you call moaning is teachers trying to correct the endless mis-information spread about the job.