Teacher wellbeing days for shopping

[ForAMinuteThere]

Nope - this isn't a bash. I saw an article in the Fail about it and wanted to add some support for the teachers of this world.

I am a non teacher. It looks hard. One day off for shopping is a nice gesture.

I expect mixed responses but personally, I think teachers staying sane and feeling worthy can only be a good thing.

(This isn't my first post, have NC)

I'm not a teacher but my employer gives everyone a Christmas shopping day :0)

My school offers this. We get half a day shopping day which is covered by other members of staff.

We don't shut the school and we don't brag about it. Our half days are matched up with PPA and we are allowed to PPA from home 'so technically get a full day'. TA's and dinner time staff are also given half a day or the lunch time off.

I'm just sitting here laughing at those who say we finish at 3.30! I bloody wish. It's rare I leave before 5.30 (except a Friday when it's 4.30) and I'm actually sat marking writing on a Saturday!! What about that!! I fully support the opportunity for wellbeing as without it and finishing work on the 21st this year, I'm extremely pushed for time to get Christmas presents! I understand that those in 9-5 Monday to Friday jobs are also 'pushed for time' but they can leave their work behind. Unfortunately, teachers can't!

Thank you OP for your support! It's very much appreciated 😊😊👍🏻 x

Hey Romany?

They 👏 are 👏 not 👏 holidays 👏

weetabix

Did your son not have to teach alongside his PgCE ? Did he not observe the amount of work other teachers do?
i can't understand how anybody going into teaching isn't aware of this.
As for not being able to eat or look after himself, well, there are many teachers with family responsibilities who manage ok.
maybe teaching isn't the career for him if he is struggling so much.

ProfessorMoody

Of course they are holidays, I used to finish in July and go back in September, so do my teaching friends

Not RTFT but why can’t teachers do their Christmas shopping on weekends/evenings or online like a lot of people? I’ve never taken a day off work to go shopping!

Finish actual teaching, yes. Finish working, no.

Firstly haven't rtwt. But DD's school does this. They have no inset days as private school but long holidays. It is programmed a year in advance and always on a Monday.
It gives families a chance of a long weekend or in my case a Christmas themed day out with DD, trip to see Santa etc.
I use a days annual leave and cherish it. I work shifts so otherwise might not get chance to do this.
Coming from a family of teachers, I know how hard they work and think it's a great idea

RomanyRoots

Yes of course he had to, by which time he was already doing it wasn't he? Committed at least for the PGCE year and has made the decision to complete his NQT year and then re think.

As for not being able to eat or look after himself, well, there are many teachers with family responsibilities who manage ok.
maybe teaching isn't the career for him if he is struggling so much.

As for that comment - really? He has a 2 hour commute every day. He's out for 13 or 14 hours a day then comes home to another couple of hours work. He's quite capable of looking after himself he is just too bloody knackered to do it. As would I be. At least living here with my husband we can share the chores, share the cooking and shopping. I wouldn't work 60 hour weeks and then come home and do washing shopping and cooking.

I'll be sure to tell him though that he's not cut out for teaching when he's being consistently judged as outstanding. I'm sure he will be grateful for your resounding moral support.

Are you a HT by any chance? Or secretary of state for education?

Weetabix actually, yes they are. In this house they are anyway, and having to stay away from home overnight. But with 20 days holiday (plus bank holidays to be fair).

This used to happen in my school about twenty years ago . It’s a lovely idea but not one I think is necessary. Parents already think we have a cushy job , they don’t need any more ammunition.
Also amazon .

Give it another decade, I wonder what education in schools will look like, how much more chaotic, confused and fragmented will it be?

I dread to think what it will be like. Although I do wonder if academies, and their CEOs with ridiculously high salaries and no teaching experience will finally be a thing of the past.

p.s. and expected to answer emails and 'phone calls whilst on said precious holiday.

Weetabix actually, yes they are. In this house they are anyway, and having to stay away from home overnight. But with 20 days holiday (plus bank holidays to be fair)

Sorry, you've lost me..

Weetabix my response was to
And most other people are working these hours are they? With only one day off per week?
However I can see why you were lost as lots more responses since then.

Race to the bottom as always on these threads.

I will say though that some subjects have a lot more marking than others.

chocatoo

Oh I see. No teachers aren't the only people working those hours. Do you think it's ok that your children work those hours? I don't think it's right for anyone.

But the pay for the hours that they do work isn't good (certainly at the start. I think £22k for a more than 60 hour week is poor)

And you mention your children answering e mails etc during their holidays - yep. My son's school the students can e mail staff during weekends and holidays with any questions too.

Yes, some teachers have tons of marking.
some teachers don't have a nice salary too and are better off on tax credits than working.
The problem with these threads is that people just see teachers as one group. There are lots of different working conditions and rates of pay for a start.
Giving teachers a day off will do nothing to help ito retaining staff. A change in conditions and pay would be the main ones.
If anything it will make it worse as then it can be said that steps have been taken to support teachers. For me to return it would take more than a day off for shopping.

I think the day off is just a very small acknowledgement by individual schools that they appreciate their staff. They can't give them a pay rise or shorten working hours.

There's very little that they can do and so they are trying to do what they can.

As a trainee teacher I welcome it! And whoever thinks we finish at home 3 is mad 😂 I currently only teach 6 hours a week and still get to school at 7am and work at home until about 8...

Ex teacher here. At a school I used to work at we would have an inset day on the last day of term but work it as twighlights and so were allowed the day off. Win win, the children would have had it off anyway, we get the training throughout the year and get a day off.

My daughter's last day of term is December 13th. Plenty of time for shopping then...

My daughter's last day of term is December 13th. Plenty of time for shopping then

That's not a British state school though is it? Schools here finish on 21st December.

I hope all of the people disagreeing with this have submitted their applications to train as a teacher. We won't have a teacher shortage soon. It's so easy, anyone can do it. [end of sarcasm].

Our school do this. The school stays open via cover staff. Teachers plan the lesson to leave.

It’s a lovely gesture, last year it worked out that it fell on my sons first nativity, where he played Joseph and I was able to watch him. That was absolutely amazing because I can never do things like that.

I don’t particularly broadcast it though because people tend to think I only work 9-3 and then sit on my arse doing nothing outside of school hours.