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.

Yes exactly salty. I was responding to the people over the page who were insistent that teachers could leave their jobs and find high paying ones with better working conditions at the snap of their fingers. They/we can’t. That’s precisely why it comes up as a topic so often.

When they were talking about the Welsh firebreak on tv I noticed they were referring to what was shut down and added that primary schools and years 7 and 8 would be back at school. No mention of teachers, I thought it would be fun with all those schools open with no adults around.

It is the dismissing of teachers that is so apparent, the comments about other jobs doing it since March when schools have been open except during the summer break. Teachers worked through Easter and half term with keyworkers children and vulnerable children but that just seems to be dismissed.

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I completely empathise with you. I also understand exactly what you are trying to get across. I am not a teacher but if I were - nothing would of persuaded me to spend my days in a room with no PPE and 30 potential asymptomatic spreaders. It is NOTHING like a supermarket. ! I would if long since resigned.

The problem is that people want the impossible. They want no spread of the virus, full education , a normal social life and economic prosperity.
This can't happen. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realise that secondary schools were going to spread this thing at the rate of knotts and teachers were going to be cannon fodder. I really wouldn't do it OP.
The government should have implemented the 50/50 system that has worked in the states . (In the states with the lowest infections) ;
Two weeks at school , 2 weeks online. Giving teachers doing the f2f a much safer environment.

The government have handled this so badly.There woolly advice is crap. Say something , make it law, don't say 'should' . !

Weirdly enough this has been the best half term in my teaching career (19 years).
We have laughed, we have acted silly, we have danced, we have made fun of ourselves and laughed some more. Its been great. It was validated a few weeks ago when I heard some of the children saying they thought school was fun.
I'm happy to be out of long covid and happy to be alive. I dont know what the future holds and I try not to think about it or I would be scared to leave the house.
Its been a horrible year but perhaps I am more grateful than ever for what I have right now.

'None of those jobs are squashed into a tiny room with 30 other people for up to 2 hours at a time, in the same way.'

And if teachers insist that they're more at risk in the classroom than my nurse mate on a cancer ward having to handle patients everyday at close quarters I think they just lose credibility. That team of 16 nurses/healthcare workers ALL got Covid. All of them.
And my 3 GP mates who apparently are all doing it all on the phone/video or in full PPE ( they're not, one is in A&E for starters, and come into contact with actual ill people daily) have also all tested positive.

I sympathise, but I also think you aren't showing a lot of sympathy to others

My point was to draw attention to the number of people leaving the profession. Not looking for sympathy. But even if I had been looking for people’s sympathy, why should I have to say ‘sorry nurses, doctors, care assistants, police officers, fire officers, social workers,.....I know things are tough’? Would you ask a police officer to recognise that teachers are struggling?

@teacherneedingaholiday

Yes exactly salty. I was responding to the people over the page who were insistent that teachers could leave their jobs and find high paying ones with better working conditions at the snap of their fingers. They/we can’t. That’s precisely why it comes up as a topic so often.

No one said with a snap of their fingers, I don't think.

And a senior teacher retraining might be on less pay, at least at first.

But transferable skills, yes. Even in a recession.

And many people with equivalent qualifications to science teachers do earn more. There has also in the past been movement to and from teaching and other professions by people with these sorts of qualifications.

So someone might have gone into teaching from finance, perhaps for very positive reasons of wanting to help children. That person could go back to finance.

I have a family member who went into teaching late - for positive reasons - and then switched into computing. Movement really is possible. It would be wise if some thought and effort, by society and especially by government, went into supporting teachers right now, with a view to helping them continue teaching in the short , medium and long term.

'Would you ask a police officer to recognise that teachers are struggling?'

Where are the threads from the police, nurses, doctors, social workers complaining how tough they have it and how no-one appreciates them?

I volunteer in two schools and I actually only really hear the opposite - teachers saying it is best for the kids to be back in school and they are happy to be back to facilitate that. They are primary though if that makes a difference.

I do feel for you though if you are having to go to work and don’t feel comfortabke.

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

I'm one of those nurses. However I still have empathy for teachers, many of whom will be working without PPE, with children who don't understand the concept of social distancing, with parents who would still send their kids to school while meant to be isolating due to being in contact with a positive case etc. Teachers have a very tough job and I don't envy them one bit.

And if teachers insist that they're more at risk in the classroom than my nurse mate on a cancer ward having to handle patients everyday at close quarters I think they just lose credibility. That team of 16 nurses/healthcare workers ALL got Covid. All of them. I'm surprised, my son and dil, one a nurse in large hospital one a doctor running a covid ward, and neither tested positive or been ill.

Both are fanatical about handwashing and always have been so I know they will have been very careful.

Where are the threads from the police, nurses, doctors, social workers complaining how tough they have it and how no-one appreciates them? They are probably busy looking for threads attacking them, doesn't take much time for teachers.

@Mrsmedley

'None of those jobs are squashed into a tiny room with 30 other people for up to 2 hours at a time, in the same way.'

And if teachers insist that they're more at risk in the classroom than my nurse mate on a cancer ward having to handle patients everyday at close quarters I think they just lose credibility. That team of 16 nurses/healthcare workers ALL got Covid. All of them.
And my 3 GP mates who apparently are all doing it all on the phone/video or in full PPE ( they're not, one is in A&E for starters, and come into contact with actual ill people daily) have also all tested positive.

As a HCP who has looked after covid patients, may I say that it is not a competition.

I can also say that I would not want to be teaching secondary especially in a tiny classroom with no PPE and no distancing.

Believe me, the lack of infection control is crazy.

None of us signed up for this, but what is happening in schools is madness.

And it does not take one jot from the nurses and GPs to support the teachers for proper arrangements to enable schools best to continue.

Maybe it's better that the moany teachers leave the professional. I'd rather my kids were taught by less experienced, more enthusiastic and resilient ones than the ones who were constantly on the brink of walking out.

I'm sure we all remember the difference between the teachers we had who genuinely loved their jobs and the ones who had either become so cynical and fed up they hated kids or only went into teaching in the first place because they couldn't think what else to do.

Where are the threads from the police, nurses, doctors, social workers complaining how tough they have it and how no-one appreciates them?

Where did I claim that?

@Dottyspottybattyfatty

'Would you ask a police officer to recognise that teachers are struggling?'

Where are the threads from the police, nurses, doctors, social workers complaining how tough they have it and how no-one appreciates them?

There is a police officer on this thread though, supporting the teachers...

I'm sure we all remember the difference between the teachers we had who genuinely loved their jobs and the ones who had either become so cynical and fed up they hated kids or only went into teaching in the first place because they couldn't think what else to do. So loving their job means they can't expect their work place to be safe?

Do doctors and nurses love their jobs? If they do why were they demanding PPE?

@Dottyspottybattyfatty

Maybe it's better that the moany teachers leave the professional. I'd rather my kids were taught by less experienced, more enthusiastic and resilient ones than the ones who were constantly on the brink of walking out.

I'm sure we all remember the difference between the teachers we had who genuinely loved their jobs and the ones who had either become so cynical and fed up they hated kids or only went into teaching in the first place because they couldn't think what else to do.

Actually, I would like my kids to have assertive teachers pointing out how things can be changed to make things better, as this is a good role model.

Also it is good for mental health to be proactive rather than resigned and dismissive.

Also it might actually keep the bloody schools going longer, if someone listens to the bloody teachers.

There is a police officer on this thread though, supporting the teachers

Again. For the hard of understanding. When that police officer starts a thread about how difficult they are finding things right now, linking an article about resignations amongst colleagues as the direct result of the current situation, would you demand that they recognise other professionals are also struggling? Or would you accept that probably, as a none police officer, there’s probably a million things happening right now that you don’t really understand and that their job has lots of challenges? Would you tell them you only want resilient police officers on the job so better they resign, implying they must be shit at their job so just fuck off and leave it to the young?

I'd rather my kids were taught by less experienced, more enthusiastic and resilient ones

Just speaking from my school, the more experienced teachers in my dept have been supporting the less experienced ones who are now in their NQT year having had their training year screwed and are finding the jump to the classroom not having had their full second placement very difficult.

Schools need experienced teachers. Suggesting they all jump ship and it will be fine is absolute madness.

Everybody feels the same, at least teacher's kids didn't have to homeschool for 6m and teachers have a job that is paying the mortgage. My kids have mental health issues from being at home 6m as they didn't get to continue at school. They have missed out on tons of education as I couldn't offer them much help as I was working all the hours to try to keep a business afloat. DH and I own limited companies so there was no furlough or self employed payouts for us. If our business goes under 100 people lose their jobs and we lose our house. We are only keeping going by taking on massive loans and not paying ourselves. It can't continue forever.

'When that police officer starts a thread about how difficult they are finding things right now, l'

I've obviously missed the threads where people from the same profession are on here time and time again starting a thread about how tough their job is...

I work in care, we have a case of Covid in our service for the first time since April. I keep thinking I'd like to retire but I would feel as if I was letting the side down if I did. I feel miserable and exasperated all the time too, but we just have to get on with it if we want to come out the other side with society damaged as little as posible.

'Schools need experienced teachers. Suggesting they all jump ship and it will be fine is absolute madness.'

I wasn't suggesting that all career teachers leave, I was suggesting that teachers like OP who are talking about going just do it. I'm sure there are many, many experienced teachers who are just knuckling down and getting on with it as best they can under the circs. I know many teachers who are cracking on with it and have an appreciation for the fact that many people are worse off than they are at the. moment.

In a previous life I taught at primary level. It's hard, very hard. The kids aren't the hardest part of the job. It's everything else you have to do around the actual classroom hours that sinks you in the end. And to be honest, I really do take my hat off to teachers in these difficult times.

I think they are probably exposed to risk more than any other profession. Kids are super-spreaders, we all know that. And my manager won't let me book a hot-desk in the office for one day a week - yet teachers are cooped up in classrooms with 30+ kids for hours on end. I'm not surprised they feel like they do.