To just make a point about how hard teachers work.

[Poppadumpony]

Just inspired by comments on another thread.

I know I am not being unreasonable but I just want to say it!

Teachers keep 30 children with diverse needs safe, happy, occupied and learning from 9-3pm.

Teachers typically plan and prepare for 5 lessons a day. This involves finding, adapting or creating the resources for each lesson. (Average KS2 lesson might need: introductory powerpoint, items for practical demonstration, 3x sets of worksheets and a game). This prep all happens after 3pm.

Teachers need to mark and provide feedback on all the work that said 30 diverse children produce during the 6 hours they are in school (30x5= 150) every day. This also happens after 3pm.

Teachers attend staff meetings, discuss children with parents and create educational displays in the classroom. This happens after 3pm.

At any one time, a teacher is also likely to be doing one of the following: planning a class trip, preparing an assembly, preparing a school concert, running a club, writing a scheme of work. This all happens after 3pm.

Teachers work incredibly long, hard hours. Yes, they get the holidays. Yes other professions do overtime.

I am just pointing out that really only a third of a teacher’s work happens between 9-3 (high-energy work) and there is a huge amount of additional work to be done every single day, in preperation for the next. The pace is phenomenal, and there is zero flexibility in terms of hours.

Teaching is a very hard job. It’s why I left after 6 years, I just couldn’t hack it. I’ve done a PhD so I am not afraid of hard work.

Teaching is not for the faint hearted.
Those who manage to do it well and achieve a family life at the same time should be running this country, and I’m not even joking.

I hear you. It was only when I started working in a school as a TA that I could fully appreciate how much hard work it is, and I've been management in financial services in the city in the past, working late into the night to tight deadlines.

If you’d enabled voting, I would have said YABU. We don’t need another thread on here about how hard teachers work. Yeh, they do, but do we really need told this?! Again!!

Lots and lots of people work hard and over their hours and on an evening at home. Teachers are not the only ones!!

Many many other people work equally hard. Yes teachers do work hard but so do others. I know many who work 10 hours a day with no overtime pay. They take work home at weekends and only get 4 weeks holiday.

Agree, a good teacher adds value second only to parents. Good teachers are an amazing asset in children’s lives. I wish we didn’t see them as substitutes for parents though, they have their own already important job to do. Teachers teach and mentor, parents raise kids, let’s not forget that.

Oh ffs- yes they work hard,
Lots of professions do- a woman on here was saying how hard being a cleaner was the other day- all hard all different- can we get a grip now.

Well, I know that LOTS of people don’t need another thread on this. But SOME clearly do, based on what I’ve read on here today.

I’m not saying that teachers work harder than everyone else. I just think they don’t get the recognition they deserve.

Yeh, because nobody else on Mumsnet ever makes this point.

I’m a teacher. I work tolerably hard. In return, I get job security, fair(ish) pay, long holidays, and a reasonable amount of job satisfaction. Many other people work just as hard for a lower salary, no security and limited holidays. There is no need to make us out to be martyrs, OP.

Come on.
Honestly these people who think teachers work harder than anyone else
It’s hard work but certainly not any harder than plenty of other jobs.

YANBU to make a point about how hard some teachers work. Many don't. Just like in every other profession.

I am not a teacher.

I could never BE a teacher - which is why there was NO homeschooling in this house.

Hats off to all teachers

I’m a teacher. I work tolerably hard. In return, I get job security, fair(ish) pay, long holidays, and a reasonable amount of job satisfaction. Many other people work just as hard for a lower salary, no security and limited holidays. There is no need to make us out to be martyrs, OP.

That is how I feel about my profession.

I think job satisfaction goes a long way to compensate for other aspects of ones work that are not ideal.

However, teaching 30 little angels without being allowed to strangle them when they are A Bit Much would make teaching impossible for me

PS Do I need to add 'lighthearted'?

Wow! So many moaning Minnies. Why not just scroll down and not be so negative about a rare positive thread?

Some people can't help themselves. Sad cases.

I just think they don’t get the recognition they deserve

Why do they deserve recognition more than the rest of us. Lots of people work long hours in stressful jobs. Its not exclusive to teachers yet theyre the only ones you ever see posts like this about

As someone who worked as a teacher and now works in the public sector I can clearly say YABU. Yes every profession works hard but honestly no one harps on about it as much as teachers.

YANBU. I am in awe of teachers.

I don't think anyone disputes that
What other thread? Shop keepers work hard, hairdressers work hard, volunteers in charity shops work hard
I'm struggling to think of anyone who doesn't work hard TBH

Ah the milk of human kindness flows.

Why are people so deliberately unpleasant? Are their lives so awful that they have to try to bring others down?

Baffling.

I'm a lawyer. It's Sunday and I've been in the office since 8am.

No, I'm not Magic Circle, I work in a small market town.I never get to bang-on about how hard I work, so thought I would take the opportunity.

Obviously, it is as nothing as compared to teachers.

I hear you @ChampagneCommunist I'm on maternity leave but ex court solicitor legal aid.

I would normally be in office today having spent last night in the police station being abused by clients and often their relations as to why they were being held till Monday. Would average 14 hours a day minimum plus night call outs plus constant emails, phone calls and never off duty. All for 24 k max, zero holidays and zero thanks.

Not a teacher though.

I’m a teacher. I work tolerably hard. In return, I get job security, fair(ish) pay, long holidays, and a reasonable amount of job satisfaction. Many other people work just as hard for a lower salary, no security and limited holidays. There is no need to make us out to be martyrs, OP.

Yes this ^^ sums it up for me. Some parts of the year are harder than others but I work with some great adults and pupils and so sometimes it doesn’t feel like work, it can be a lot of fun too ( I am primary in a relaxed non- academy school, so I don’t know if this makes a difference).

@Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies

I’m a teacher. I work tolerably hard. In return, I get job security, fair(ish) pay, long holidays, and a reasonable amount of job satisfaction. Many other people work just as hard for a lower salary, no security and limited holidays. There is no need to make us out to be martyrs, OP.

I’m not a teacher but I know many who do enjoy it. I agree with this.

Some teachers do work really hard, but so do nurses, doctors and police etc. and all have good service conditions Then there are cleaners, shop assistants, care assistants, bar staff, kitchen staff plus many more, who work just as hard for minimum wage and poor service conditions.

Teachers got paid full wages, plus guaranteed jobs afterwards, throughout Covid (our school completely shut, with minimal input from staff to pupils).

Lots of other workers have had to take wage cuts, extra pressure, plus lots of worry about the future, possible redundancy, job shortages etc. Think just now is the wrong time to make out that teachers work really hard, when in effect many (not all) of them have had a far easier time over the last 5/6 months, than other occupations!

I agree teachers work hard, but do I believe they work harder than anyone else? No.

I work 37.5 hours a week in theory, in reality it’s anywhere between 45-60. I haven’t had a single day off sick or annual leave or bank holiday which hasn’t been interrupted by a work call, urgent email or situation which requires my direct input in years.

Does anyone else care other than my husband or my boss? Also no.

Everyone is paid to fulfil a role, regardless of the impact of that, we are paid to deliver and if that takes more time or not switching off, or doing emails on a Sunday because we spent all day each work day in meetings then we do it.

I think the thing is that it's not that teachers think they work harder than other professions but that they are more likely to face assumptions that teachers have it easier than they actually do. Because lots of people focus on the 12 weeks of holiday, or a "3pm finish" and ignore all the non-teaching aspects of the job.