Bored of teacher friend banging on about how hard her job is

[JustACog]

Friend's a teacher and I'm tired of the chat about how her job is harder/longer/more stressful than everyone else's.

Almost every conversion now gets round to her moaning about how much she's overworked how much time she spends marking or planning. I do believe there is a lot of work involved in teaching and it's not a job I could do but I'm fed up of it being laid on thick. Fed up of the martyrdom around the sacrifice she's making for the children

CF said to me that I'm lucky to have my job (nurse full time shifts in A&E) as I just get to switch off when I leave and she's on the job from dawn to dusk.

AIBU to call her out on this, really feeling like I'd like to ask her what she really thinks other people do that's so much easier than teaching.

I don't understand what makes teachers contracts different from others ( I only have experience of UK) A salary is an annual payment, including leave allocation, sometimes 'pro rata' if working less than a FTE. Employment contracts include annual leave allocations etc. salary is paId exactly the same when on leave as when working?

Justacog agree. The whole ‘the holidays aren’t paid’ thing - either way you are into a good thing with similar starting salary ( per yr) as a nurse with fewer working days by far! Teachers do a fab job but just acknowledge that the holidays are good! Yes you will no doubt plan and prep during them, but not all of them!

I'm totally goading now, wasn't in the beginning but what the hell now

Ok, nice

frogsarejumpy

I've not met a teacher that doesn't acknowledge that the holidays are good.

Frogsarejumpy show me a teacher who doesn't think the holidays are good.
We may correct people who say they are paid, and point out that they are set in stone, but I have never heard a teacher said they weren't a big plus point.

worcestersauce29

Teachers are not paid pro-rata because the days that they are paid for are set in their contract.

This money is then spread over 12 months. It is not that hard.

Methinks you are being a tad obtuse BBJ ;) Part time, e.g. 4 days per week = pro rata :)

Just a reminder...Teachers are not paid for holidays.

BoneyBackJefferson

1. Teachers either get a lot of unpaid holidays but are paid well for their contracted time compared to their peers in the public sector

Or

2. Teachers get paid an average wage compared to their peers in the public sector but get great holidays

Kinda feel that #1 is rolled out in defence of any mention of long holidays and #2 is played when the discussions are centred around pay and wage freezes.

You can't have your cake and eat it I'm afraid......

Who exactly are their peers in the public sector?

Mistressiggi I think the comparator of a newly qualified teacher and a newly qualified nurse upthread is the one being referred to here.

Mistressiggi

Any job in the public sector requiring some level of higher education qualification

Police, NHS, local government etc

The teachers I know are all educated to post graduate level.

The starting salary for police constables in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is between £19,971 and £23,124 with 22 days paid leave.

Peer for a grad teacher earning closer to 33k for a comparative level of annual "input" to the job.

What qualifications do police constables have to have? Is it the same as a teacher-degree and a year post grad?

Since the OP openly admits she is goading for her own amusement why are teachers bothering to respond to her or the equally goading responses she's getting?

I see she still hasn't answered why she remains in social contact with someone whose company she doesn't enjoy.

I have old friends who are doctors, teachers, nurses and civil servants. We see each other about once or twice a year nowadays.

In the last 5 yrs or so, they’ve increasingly needed to talk about how tough work has become.
I don’t always get it, and sometimes I just nod and make a sympathetic face but it’s noticeable how close to the surface it is.

Something really awful has been happening to our public services and some of the people who work in them have been quietly stretching themselves to breaking point.

Just point out that if she makes a mistake, there is very little (if any) chance of anyone dying.

That should show whose job is the most difficult.

@StarbucksSmarterSister that's a little trivial.

By which I mean, it's a painfully simplistic summation.

The work itself is of course, not in the least bit trivial.

I’ve a teacher friend who does this on Facebook ALL the time, nearly every single day - how much homework she’s had to mark, how much prep she’s had to do, how tired she is. But I’m convinced she’s just not coping very well. I also have teacher friends who don’t mention their job any more than I mention mine.

When teachers get four weeks annual leave like the rest of the population, then they can complain. Until then they’ve got no idea. Makes my blood boil!! I’ve been a teacher. If you’ve got a few clues its challenging but not ridiculously hard and you get shitloads of holidays. Teachers need to stop whinging.

Gosh. Does your friend listen to your professional difficulties too? Or does she always have to trump yours with hers?

Yes, teaching is tough, and depending on her school's leadership style, sometimes the job can seem virtually impossible. However, as your friend, she should support you and champion what you do as well as beg a listening ear. Do you also talk about other things? Is she a great friend in other ways?

Perhaps she'd respond to a strong conversational steer away from the usual unloading of her woes. Or a frank chat about her constant moaning. If not, for my own sanity, I think I'd have to start avoiding her if I were in your position...

@Yeahnah2020 said no former teacher ever

Yes and it’s true about the level of responsibility. If you fuck up. Would someone die? If not then jog on!!