To say there are so many of us now that feel like this

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www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-teacher-schools-i-love-my-job-i-cant-keep-going?fbclid=IwAR2PdWYSIoIHed0m_ljs-DvncLM1Pf0min7NaJxPvcj8klTgzPj_3Gftp_Q

I know there will be loads of teacher bashing as a result but it’s how so many of us feel. I don’t know what can be done as I want schools open and functioning but the fear that it will be at the expense of my health and/or that of my family. And at the same time, the persistent disconnect with colleagues, the just getting by, the making do...it’s all too much some days.

Thoughts are with my colleagues around the country today.

But lots of jobs are like this. If you work in a supermarket or shop or warehouse or wherever, you’ll have been doing it since March. Yes, it’s tough. It’s tough for many people whether it’s fear of getting COVID (my 78 year old dad has diabetes and nobody has been inside his house since March), loneliness, job loss, businesses ruined, losing loved ones, young people who can’t go to uni as normal...the list goes on and on. Lots of us from all walks of life feel that we can’t go on, but go on we will. What’s the other option?

And that’s before we start talking about the doctors and nurses who are actually dealing with this on the front line.

It is entirely different being in a large supermarket which has a limit on the number of people allowed in, to being in a classroom with 30 kids and no PPE for 5 or 6 hours a day @SarahBellam

Sarah your point stands but equally it's OK to turn round and say it's too much. Why can't teachers feel like this even though other people do too? And many teachers (and staff in other professions) were close to burn out before this all happened. It makes it harder to just keep going. Perhaps they can't and rather than just assuming everyone should just get on with it we need to acknowledge how people feel and try to help.

Thank you so much for what you have all done so far. I do understand if you feel you want to stop. You could always back after a year . You will always be needed. Yes you are needed now but looking after your mental health is important too. I hope you can come to a decision . None of us are indispensable . You have done your service and more, and will again in some form .

I’m in a college. The environment is toxic and Covid is rife. In our area we can’t get students thanks to current circumstances so there’s the ever present redundancy worry. (Although to be fair I’m getting a lot of calls and emails for temp tutoring jobs, so I wouldn’t have a problem getting a job) our Covid safety measures are woeful - they started off great, but there’s so many off with it that you’re not told to SI anymore and we’ve never had any deep cleans. Morale, which was low in our area anyway, is terrible currently. The way we’re working is unsustainable and we don’t feel safe.

Honestly most people are not enjoying their jobs right now, feeling disconnected, just getting by etc.
Added on top of that is that a large majority are facing redundancy or redundancy in their teams, reduced salaries, longer working hours etc.
Life is not a picnic for most people right now - not saying this to teacher bash, just saying this to say it’s not just you feeling this. It’s going to be like this for a while.

Yeah, other people feel like shit too. I get it. Apparently that means we have to think of all those others before ourselves and manage your children’s education and manage our own fears and situations and not ever make mention of it for fear that someone else, somewhere has it worse. Great.

... at least you have a job and an income.

You have all of my sympathy OP. It’s nothing like a supermarket - supermarket workers aren’t spending a whole day in close proximity to 30 people who aren’t maintaining social distancing or wearing masks.

Because teaching is often viewed as a ‘calling’ there seems to be a huge expectation that you’ll just keep giving and giving because it’s a passion and part of your identity. But the well runs dry, and until it does nobody listens to the warnings. It’s a huge, looming crisis and the solution simply can’t be that we just expect teachers to keep rising to an impossible challenge with no extra support or safety.

IMO people in many jobs feel this way. Some people not in work feel this way. Some retired people feel this way. Some children feel this way.

No you don't have to think of others before yourself but realise that many, many people in all walks of life feel this way as well. Lots of workers have a persistent disconnect with colleagues in many jobs. Lots of people feel alone. Many people have the added pressure of wondering if their job will go at any time and so then struggle to pay the mortgage or lost their homes - at least teaching is a fairly secure job.

It doesn't mean you have to think of everyone else before yourself. But equally you shouldn't expect others in worse positions (loss of job etc) to think of you before themselves (which is what this thread seems to be asking for).

at least teaching is a fairly secure job

In the current climate, perhaps, in the sense we need teachers. But not in the sense of performance management. You are only as good as your last set of results. You can performance management a teacher out in 6 weeks. You can also refuse a teacher pay progression for not meeting targets you have only partial control over. So forgive me, but the current results pressure in the current climate only adds to the problem.

I'm thinking of you OP.

Sounds utterly crap.

Make the right decision. For you. For now. X

Not asking for anything, @Toebarb, expect for people to realise that there are good teachers the country over making the decision to walk away. As parents, we should all be concerned about what that means for our children.

I think teachers do have a hard time at the moment - asking to put the needs of children ahead of their own (and sometimes their family) and the higher risks it takes is definitely there.

The persistent disconnect/getting by/making do I think is everything at the moment. All jobs whether you are lucky enough to work from home (I am)/in the office/furlough or just without a job at the moment means that the whole thing just isnt long term sustainable.

We really needs some actual news that a vaccine programme will start within the next 3-6 months

Ps. Ignore those who are not validating your feelings. You're entitled to think it's shit. It is shit.

I'm not saying you're not entitled to feel that it is shit. It is shit. I'm just responding to your "think about everyone else before yourself" comment. I'm in education too by the way (although I teach at a university rather than a school).

You have my sympathy, it must be awful.

Yes, a lot of people are really suffering, but I don't see why so many posters are trying to silence you as if it's a competition.

There will be students who really need what you are doing at the moment so I hope you can feel proud of that and that it manages to pull you through. But yes, you have my sympathy as it must be really awful.

I think part of the problem is, that teachers were treated like shit before this and despite everything they have done are still being treated like shit.

The government are not going to try and improve things and probably will end up cutting even more of the budget from education to pay for this shitstorm

*Apparently that means we have to think of all those others before ourselves and manage your children’s education and manage our own fears and situations and not ever make mention of it for fear that someone else, somewhere has it worse. Great"
No what it means if you have to be resilient and instead of focusing on how dreadful it is, focus on the fact that indeed, its crap for the majority of people in this country, much worse for people in poorer countries and that we just gave to get going because it will get better.

Resilience is a key learning for kids and I rather my kids had a teacher than can teach them resilience in these tough times than cramming academic learning.

Everyone has worries for different reasons. Thousands and thousands of people have already lost their jobs. Thousands and thousands of people can't work at the moment and are likely to lose their jobs. Universal Credit is very limited and people will lose their homes if they are homeowners.

Imo, no-one should be working in an environment that puts their physical or mental health at risk.

I realise it's much tougher to make a workplace safe during a pandemic, but failing to provide the resources to make it possible for people to work safely, while expecting them to go to work, is a failure of a government's very basic duty to keep people safe.

But then teachers are widely perceived to be a bunch of lefties, so probably considered dispensable by the current lot in charge.

You see when you come back with snarky comments because people tell you that there are many others feeling the pressures and that you’re not the only ones feeling the effects - that’s when you lose the sympathy of others.
To be honest the teachers in my kids school closed shop mid March and supplied a 2 page A4 sheet with suggested work each Monday until the end of July and that was it.
They are working now since September and yes it’s not great but then my husband who volunteers 2 days a week (for no pay by the way) says it feels safe, children are fine and staff can wear masks, practice safe distancing, no mixing of bubbles and are generally happy but looking forward to things improving and getting back to the way things were. The staff don’t feel their safety is being compromised as they are being involved in the discussions and how to implement change. Maybe you need to look to your local leaders for support.
I feel sympathy for head teachers and senior management teams who are having to lead their teams and manage changing landscapes that is difficult.
So yes you can be worried but please don’t think you’re the only ones. We really are all in this together - no-one will come out of this unscathed.

Resilience is a key learning for kids and I rather my kids had a teacher than can teach them resilience in these tough times than cramming academic learning

Presumably you want your kids to be able to pass their exams? And presumably you would take issue having your child in a school where academic learning is deemed inadequate by the powers that be?