...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)

I think teaching is very hard work and I would not want to do it. However they do get paid well in my opinion - isn't a teacher on 30kish? That sounds very good to me.

30k?! snort

NQTs start on 22 here.

A hahahahaha. I've been a childminder. If you are seriously comparing that to teaching then I suggest you try both and get back to us. They are WORLDS apart.

Op - if you think it's easier, give it a go.
It's a choice.

What isn't untrue however is that teachers are leaving the profession in droves, and there is a massive recruitment issue. Why is that? And what is being done to try to prevent it? Why aren't many other professions seeing the same issues?

How do you know what the staffroom is like and how used it is??

To be fair - I know my kids' school one - often it's the only place available in the school to have a meeting. I'm still bemused the head tries desperately to convince me whatever cake/biscuit related product on the table is "not typical" because I've been in enough schools to know that they're ALL fuelled by coffee and cake-related products to get through the term! I don't begrudge them any of it - indeed I send cakes in on occasion just to thank them for how hard they all bloody work (DD2's current teacher is a bit of an exception and we're surviving the year with gritted teeth but she's just the bad apple and not representative)

I said on balance I think there is a good work life balance to be had in teaching or certainly there should be

But there isnt if my and stop dont make yoh see that, i'm sure we're not the only ones that can tell you there is absolutely no work life balence in teaching.

Should there be? Yes. But should and what actuslly happens are very verh different things

Biscuits, cake and caffeine filled hot drinks are two of most teachers' major food groups.

Mainly because they can be consumed FAST and give you that energy boost you need to teach bottom set year nine....

I work in a very high pressured job, in the past I’ve regularly worked 18 hour days plus some at weekends. I’ve known people having to miss out on family holidays but the pressure to do so was somewhat self inflicted to climb the careee ladder. Most of what you do is nothing to do with the job but yet another shitty iniative dreamed up by someone whose job it is to dream up shitty initiatives.

But teachers take the dedication to a whole new level ime. The successful ones need to have a calling I think. My job is actually pretty pointless, mess up something yes it might result in someone being at a financial disadvantage but it won’t fuck up kids lives.

Teachers do a hard, amazing job day in day out. They don’t get paid any where near enough, read the posts in here, little Johnny not being given a speaking part, kids pushed too hard, kids not being pushed enough, punishment too harsh, punishment too strict, teacher not available 24/7. Teacher said something I know is wrong. It sounds shit.

Like most jobs teaching is prob great if you could just be allowed to actually do the job.

I have worked in schools as an administrator. Having been exposed to the realities of teaching in a U.K. school I have no idea how people do the job. It is the hardest work I have ever witnessed. A very, very few bad apples aside I have the utmost respect for teachers and so much gratitude for the job they do.

Sadly no cakes or biscuits in secondary stafrooms (if schools have them) as parents are not as generous!

There really is not a good work life balance Callme but you won't listen to experienced teacher. I am broke as I chose to go part time (and work on my days off) just to get that balance.

My brother is a teacher. He's planning on leaving due to the workload, lack of support, parents complaining, badly behaved children, breaking up fights, having his classroom trashed, no equipment due to cuts, being called a twat, I could go on and on.

Education is so important both for individuals and our country, yet it's in a complete meltdown. Teachers are leaving in their droves.

Wasn't gonna bother posting but then I saw yet another même on Facebook :'You're tired. You've had enough. You're a teacher! '

I know of no other profession that does this. None whatsoever. Just teachers.

Please, just shut the fuck up about how hard you work.

Please, just shut the fuck up about how hard you work

No.

HTH.

Please, just shut the fuck up about how hard you work.

Two of my nurse friends have posted working hard nursing memes just today on Facebook-haven’t seen any teaching ones for ages (and I’d say 50% of my ‘friends’ are teachers). I could say that nurses should fuck off about how hard they work, but I won’t-because I’m not a dick.

Yes. And nurses....don’t get me started on health workers

I'm not going to rise to the goady nature of this this thread, other than to point out that the reason teachers are to be found on here talking about how hard they work (which is surely irrelevant to other professions) is to counteract the commonly-held and ignorant belief that it's a piss-easy job where people go home early and laze about on paid holiday half the year.

My niece is a teacher at secondary level, she has also worked in offices doing a variety of media related jobs before leaving to do teacher training.

She now works longer hours for less pay.

Does that answer your question?

She does it because she loves it despite it iei it being a walk in the park.

She’s never worked such l8ng hours as she does now.

Secondary cake supplies are determined by our cake rota.

It's a serious business.

Also supplemented by trips to the 6th for common room vending machine.....

I think teachers do go on about how hard they work. And that can grate a bit. But I think that's because there aren't many professions where that is doubted in the way that teachers are. This thread being a case in point.

I suppose teaching is the same as most professions. Most people work really hard (I couldn't do it for a gold clock!). Some work quite hard. And a tiny minority don't.

Yeah ok love

Hardest job I've done. Was a corporate kid before teaching.

I love teaching. It's exhausting, draining, satisfying, exhilarating, boring and exciting all in one day or week.

It's simultaneously the hardest and best job out there.

Each job has hardships. Teaching is really, really hard work but it's so worthwhile.

I just wish people would see how much the media vilifies the whole teaching body....you only have to look on here to see how every day teachers are ground down.

That's hard. We are doing our damn best. We really are. Back us.

My DD, DBs’ and both SILs are teachers. Yes the work is relentless and the financial reward an insult bearing in mind the importance of what they do and the responsibility. I was with one of my DBs and SILs over Christmas. The hours of work my SIL was putting in at home supporting her Baccalaureate students was insane. She was getting up some mornings at 5.30 to get some extra work out the way so we could all spend more time together.

My DD prefers working in special needs education as despite her class having complex needs, she has 5 pupils and 2 assistants and she isn’t manacled to the Nat Curric and can set work that interests her pupils and is tailored to their needs. She comes home bruised, scratched and shattered but doesn’t feel frustrated and unsupported like she did in mainstream and is able to help her pupils reach their full potential far more than she was able in mainstream.

Having spent years in the company of teachers I’d say it’s ridiculously hard and undervalued.

Maybe working for an FE college is the answer. I know a woman who does that who entertains her married lover most of the day on the two days she is supposed to be working from home.

We are doing our damn best. We really are. Back us

I think most parents do MissMarplesKnitting. I do and I really appreciate my DCs' teachers. They are doing a job that I couldn't even begin to do and most do it with kindness and humour ime. So, from this parent, thank you!