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

[Enoughnowstop]

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.

@NikeDeLaSwoosh

I'm sorry but that's actually rubbish. The probability of long covid is not vanishingly small and plenty of younger people have ended up hospitalised.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion

Well what parents could do should be fairly obvious and firstly that's to show a bit of appreciation. Your attitude of 'so what teachers have always had a shit time' isn't particularly helpful. If parents considered the well being of teachers (and nurses and other public servants for that matter) to be a matter of importance and would vote accordingly things will begin to change. If they take your attitude of 'so what?' then things obviously won't.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion

So, there have been progressive cuts to education in recent years, even before covid, sadly.

Teachers might
a) be very well suited to teaching, but
b) want to teach in conditions more conducive to effective learning.

For example, my DC had a lovely newly qualified teacher in primary school. She was inspirational, full of brilliant ideas, had a very sympathetic manner, and DC was so fond of her they wanted to invite her to their birthday party.

Everyone was sorry to see her leave the little village school, to go to the private prep down the road, after 1 year. There might have been a number of reasons for that. However, I am sure that she was in absolutely the right job as a primary school teacher.

Many people would find it dispiriting being in a work environment where funding is actually cut year on year, so that staff have to be let go and the range of activities gets more limited.

Don't blame teachers for the effect of cuts and poor funding, that is adding insult to injury.

The probability of long covid is not vanishingly small and plenty of younger people have ended up hospitalised

...and? Why are you expecting anything else?

The world is a dangerous and risky place. The 'cost' (in all senses of the word) of expecting the State to completely de-risk your life is too high to maintain any form of society.

I think people need to rethink their expectations.

@NikeDeLaSwoosh

The probability of long covid is not vanishingly small and plenty of younger people have ended up hospitalised

...and? Why are you expecting anything else?

The world is a dangerous and risky place. The 'cost' (in all senses of the word) of expecting the State to completely de-risk your life is too high to maintain any form of society.

I think people need to rethink their expectations.

whereas expecting the same level of workplace health and safety as every other work environment is, exactly, a reasonable expectation.

We need to rethink our expectations of schools and teachers.

What exactly are you afraid of?

You are clearly of working age, so the virus is no threat to you; if you do catch it, you are vanishingly unlikely to have serious consequences.

Ooh, bingo! 'Vanishingly unlikely' (vanishingly small') is the ultimate Mumsnet minimising cliché.

whereas expecting the same level of workplace health and safety as every other work environment is, exactly, a reasonable expectation

No, its a race to the bottom, based on nothing more than mass and unsubstantiated hysteria.

@SaltyAndFresh

What exactly are you afraid of?

You are clearly of working age, so the virus is no threat to you; if you do catch it, you are vanishingly unlikely to have serious consequences.

Ooh, bingo! 'Vanishingly unlikely' (vanishingly small') is the ultimate Mumsnet minimising cliché.

I'm a MNer of more than a decade's standing, and disagree with the premise of your argument but...

No, its a phrase used often in this context.

Might be an idea to ask yourself why?

I'm a MNer of more than 15 years standing,and woudn't agree with the premise of your argument but...

@NikeDeLaSwoosh

whereas expecting the same level of workplace health and safety as every other work environment is, exactly, a reasonable expectation

No, its a race to the bottom, based on nothing more than mass and unsubstantiated hysteria.

Sorry but I completely don't understand the confection of cliches here.

What, in what I said, was a race to the bottom?

Are you accusing me of being hysterical? Why? What do you mean by hysteria? Could you express yourself in a more articulate and less misogynistic way perhaps?

Or are you just having a laugh?

@LavaCake has summed things up perfectly.

Yanbu op. I used to teach but left a good few years before COVID. I can't imagine doing it with the current situation. You have my sympathies. For as long as people keep voting Tory, teachers and lots of other people with important jobs e.g nhs workers are going to continue to be treated in a way they don't deserve.

@Angrymum22

Enoughnowstop I have empathy for every individual who has to work with the general public who on the whole are sensible. However teaching is not the only profession under stress and having seen a worrying number of my profession take the drastic route of suicide as a direct result of the Covid pandemic it seems a bit of a silly post. Everyone has been affected by Covid whether it be socially, professionally or financially. Many people will be looking for a new career post Covid and not because they no longer want to be an airline pilot, chef or any number of established jobs which are still not working normally. Teachers have been financially protected throughout the pandemic, yes they are putting themselves at risk but they will still have a job this time next year. If they are thinking of leaving I doubt it is as a direct result of 5 months of Covid but pre existing problems they have had with the profession for years. I don’t believe that you should use Covid as an excuse for the mass exodus out of teaching. If you were discussing those in the entertainment sector I could support your statement. No one is saying that teaching is not a valued profession but as someone else has posted, MN appears to be full of teachers moaning about how difficult things are now they have returned to teaching face to face. Has one term of teaching from home made that much of an impact?

I find it astonishing that you have made statements about who you would feel sympathy for. Talk about arrogant. Have some empathy for others. Just because the entertainment industry has had it tough why does that mean you can't be sympathetic to teachers?

If someone isn't cut out for teaching, they weren't cut out for it

What if someone is cut out for teaching but is struggling with being forced to work in unsafe conditions that would be illegal outside of the school gates while being told that it’s perfectly fine?

What if it’s that that’s the problem?

@noblegiraffe

If someone isn't cut out for teaching, they weren't cut out for it

What if someone is cut out for teaching but is struggling with being forced to work in unsafe conditions that would be illegal outside of the school gates while being told that it’s perfectly fine?

What if it’s that that’s the problem?

Well I'm not sure what anyone on MN can do about it.

YANBU op, I left teaching on 31st August my well-being is 100% better as a result. I loved the children, and I was good at what I did but the constant cuts to funding meant it had become an uphill battle, which my wages were subsidising.
Under the current climate I would find the prospect of performance management and increasing progress in children who are in and out, very stressful.

Well I'm not sure what anyone on MN can do about it.

Some of them could certainly stop telling teachers that it's fine. hi

These threads ( and there are soooooooo many) always turn out the same way. Maybe they should be given their own section.

I can imagine that it’s very hard.

I’ve read the article though and whilst it’s very descriptive, it primarily seems to be complaining of less time and more stress. The Covid hygiene measures are an additional task, and colleagues being off or working remotely means a larger workload for those colleagues are at work. Being unable to seek support from colleagues is very stressful. And the behavioural issues arising among pupils as a result of the Covid measures is also stressful.

I have absolute sympathy with how stressful that must be. But - and I know this has been said a million times already - noone’s working life has remained unchanged. Most people are experiencing less time and more stress.

I’m not trying to out-do you but I expect you would think my job is cushy from the outside, because I get to work from home if I’m not needed in the office or clients don’t want to see me. But work is awful. It’s a very collaborative role and it’s really stressful to be unable to seek support and interaction from colleagues is really stressful (particularly since I was on mat leave until July). Worse still we’re massively affected by the economic downturn and job losses are inevitable, so the environment is turning very political. People who have childcare responsibilities, like me, are realistically at far greater risk of redundancy because we keep having to combine childcare with work every time our kids get sent home for two weeks. I am in tears on a daily basis.

It’s not a race to the bottom, but my point is - be realistic about the job market before leaving the profession. I think when you work in the private sector you get used to weathering better and worse periods, and perhaps you don’t have that fluctuation in teaching. I can see that this might be a shit period for teaching but you do at least have job security. If it’s still too much, it’s too much, but don’t idealise what’s available elsewhere.

These threads .... always turn out the same way.

With teachers (who are very well educated and used to dealing with hecklers) winning the argument?

yes, I noticed that too.

I guess the risk (that many others are facing) needs to be balanced with the job security, the last 6 months furloughed, the extended holidays you get every year. But if the balance doesn’t fit for you then sure leave and then find another career. But there are ups and downs with everything so be careful what you throw away.

Another thread started by a teacher saying how awful it is. Range of comments. More teachers pile in. Some think they have it shit and some don't.

Rinse and repeat next day, and the next day, and the next day.

the last 6 months furloughed

Teachers weren't furloughed.

@TiersTiersTiers

Another thread started by a teacher saying how awful it is. Range of comments. More teachers pile in. Some think they have it shit and some don't.

Rinse and repeat next day, and the next day, and the next day.

Despite this - if it's true - which I doubt - there's a staggering amount of ignorance demonstrated on the anti teacher threads about what the job actually involves.

Either some people have read and not understood or have read and have chosen to pretend not to understand in order to be snide.

Or they could just be thick, I suppose.

I doubt there are all that many people on this thread who have worked in teaching and in other industries, so think it is hard to comment on the pressures of jobs outside your own experience. I couldnt (and wouldnt want to) be a teacher before covid, and I know it's been made way more stressful since then, and less measures than many other jobs to be covid secure.
However some teachers might struggle with some aspects of my job (the wages are that of an NQT - I dont have a degree but I did train for 5 years to do it!)

Scotmummy1216 what pay rise? I haven’t had a pay rise! Any other teacher out there, have you had your mythical 3% because I haven’t. Was expecting it in September pay but not there - it’s been swept under the rug. Covid and all that. So people now hate us for getting a pay rise ‘we don’t dererve’ that we haven’t even had .

Deserve

So-

schools are understandably in crisis because of the poor arrangements around covid

lots of risk, people off isolating, chaotic, not good for teachers and not great for kids

some parents are quite sympathetic to the situation

others aren't and need a head wobble

what we need really is proper risk management of the situation and better options that allow for people's different needs

and compassion