...do teachers really work that hard?

[User298895613]

I know the general idea on AIBU is that teachers work load is ridiculous, that they work extra hard and that they never never stop to the point that they r all seemingly leaving the profession.

But, AIBU to wonder if they are any different to anyone else? and actually might have it a bit easier? I mean, I also work myself into the ground, am exhausted, never stop etc... But I don't have summer holidays off to look after my kids, and I often work well into the small hours at night.

I'm not saying teachers don't work hard, but sometimes on munsnet I just feel like some teachers kind of spend a lot of time complaining about the workload, when maybe it's just the same as everyone elses, but with a nice long summer holiday?

(Sorry, I appreciate this will really inflame some posters, but it just had been annoying me lately)

but I don’t buy all this working long hours stuff. If they need to do that they must be really inefficient and desperately need a time mamangement course!

Ah yes all the teachers who are off with stress, have quit the profession entirely, the endless studies about unmanageable workload, the evidence from the DFE about it being unmanageable, all irrelevant, teacher's just need to manage their time better.

I've worked in several piggy and I'm not really assertive. honestly. I just don't know why you'd let them make you do things that aren't in your working agreement. Maybe it comes with experience. Certainly the ones who are running lots of extras are usually the young, single and inexperienced.
I'm not in a bubble (although I work rurally at the moment I have worked in city)
I know it's a tough shift... I'm not denying that. But it's a job and I don't let it own me. I have no complaints... my results are good and I love working with kids. I don't like the current climate and CFE is a joke but you'll know that.
There's no wonder there's a staffing crisis.

and yes compared to our English colleagues I certainly think we seem to have it easy... which makes me wonder why they put up with it.

I don't let it own me either arkos. I reckon I work a 40 hour week, sometimes 50. And I , and you, think that is reasonable. The shame is that otehrs, teachers and non, would like to see us worked into the ground before we have any right to complain about any other working conditions. I still find my job inordinatley stressful.

I don’t mind working long hours, I don’t even think my pay is bad (I’m not an NQT) but I do mind people telling me I DON’T work hard because I’m a teacher.

Like the OP (who never came back) or this poster for example, who suggests this about nursing/the police etc

None of those are as easy as a teachers job, so not sure of your point tbh

Suggesting that teachers have an ‘easy’ job is pretty unfair and that’s what’s pisses me off.

they mark whilst the kids are getting on with their work

So while I’m sitting at the front concentrating on marking, who is supervising and disciplining the kids? Making sure they’re actually working and not just messing about or fighting etc? Looking over their shoulders to check their work and advising them? Helping them when they get stuck?

When you’re teaching you have to actually teach. You can’t just sit at the front and ignore a class of 30 kids.

they mark whilst the kids are getting on with their work

I’d be sacked or on capability if I did this.

Those who think we sit at the front marking are probably remembering their own school days. I used to mark at the front in the early 90s. Those days are long gone unfortunately.

Piggy- if you had even read my single post you would see I didn’t say there wasn’t a recruitment or retention issue (although dunno if I’d call it a crisis). Lots of people leave my profession too though. And as I said, there’s a cap on numbers doing teacher training where I live.

Teaching like many other professions is not for everyone. But it’s not uniquely hard or stressful and it’s not poorly paid. All of the teachers I know have never done anything else. Have you piggy? What job is there where you could go home at 4 cos the “clients” have gone home?

Perspective is needed!

But it’s not uniquely hard or stressful

Nope, and very few teachers say it is. As I’ve said repeatedly, what annoys teachers is posters like the OP saying things like

But, AIBU to wonder if they are any different to anyone else? and actually might have it a bit easier?

I have never said I work harder than anyone else. I resent being told I’ve got it easier though.

Plenty of jobs zsazsa. Would you sneer at a GP or Nurse for leaving work? My FIL works in the patent office. He left teaching years ago to do this and has great hours including flesh time and comparable pay. He spends most of the day looking at things on the internet and eating.

No, have never done anything else. Wasn't aware until MN that that makes me less effective teacher or that that means my observations on how much the job has changed are worthless.

If you do read the thread you will find the value opinions of many career changers.

Flexi time not flesh !!!

I also don't believe there is a cap on teacher recruitment in your area. The DfE is desperate for recruits. I'd like evidence of that statement!

And as I said, there’s a cap on numbers doing teacher training where I live.

Where is that?

Last year I was working 70 hour weeks and family life really suffered. I’ve since went part time still working 38-40 hours over 3 days but it’s not as constant.

The actual teaching part is easy, you have to be fully prepared for every lesson, within that lesson you’ll have 2-3 differing sets of work for differing abilities, fast finisher tasks etc. Then you’ll have the marking and evaluating.

It really is apparently easy to ignore the DfE's own figures and research, surveys that place teaching in the top 5 most stressful jobs and the recent survey which found teachers do,in fact work longer hours than nurses and the police and the evidence from teachers in this thread...so it seems.

The very fact the government have released their first ever teacher recruitment and retention strategy suggests there might be one or two issues...

My friends who aren't teachers have no idea how hard I work, because I only discuss these things with fellow teachers. The last things teachers want on a night out with friends is a 'debate' like this about holidays, hours etc. Some of you have no idea. Sitting at the front marking indeed.
Imagine planning, holding and tidying up after a 6 hour children's party for 30 kids every day, Monday to Friday. Imagine that every party game has to have a written evaluation and assessment and will sometimes be observed and your skills criticised. Then imagine dealing with phone calls after every party because wee Jimmy didn't win any of the games and it wasn't fair, and Harriet lost her hairband and you didn't help her look for it. That's a bit what it's like to teach in early primary. Hard doesn't get close.

Ah, yet again we see the common misconception that teachers get the school holidays entirely off as holiday....

I probably work the same hours but get paid twice as much. Also, I get flexibility, and don’t have the relentlessness of the day in day out that years do. So yeah, I think they work hard, and are accountable in a way that a lot of professions aren’t.

I sent to remember you saying you were a teacher a while back OP?!?

Teachers work bloody hard! Yes you may feel that you work as hard/even harder but so do most of us! Teaching is SO much harder than it used to be. And no. I am not a teacher. Nor would I want to be. They are amazing individuals who help shape, teach and nurture our children for later life who quite honestly have the patience of a saint. These days not only do they take an unacceptable level of shit from the little darlings they teach, they also have to put up with nasty abuse from parents as well. So yes, YABVU

My friends are teachers and both work 10 hours actually in school and then go home to do marking, lesson planning and all the rest of the stuff that they need to do. And to work all day Saturdays to have Sunday to do housework and washing/ironing is not uncommon. And their pay is atrocious. I for one take my hat off to all you teachers out there.

It’s like every job, some teachers work extremely hard and others that don’t. As for being well paid, they are well paid more than they let on plus don’t forgot all the holidays they have. Emergency services work extremely hard and are badly paid. Who wants to do that job on a Friday/ Saturday night

Yes teachers and school staff get holidays and 6 weeks off, did you know it impacts our income? They take up to 5,000 off our yearly salary and I'm sure its more for the senior members of staff.

Just remember the next time you send your child into school in a bad mood or not feeling 100%... Its the teaching staff that take over. They are not robots!

6 week holidays, what 6 week holidays? Most teachers are expected to work through a lot of it to get the classrooms ready and the books all labelled for the new year. Never mind the planning.