Teachers!

[MsFannySqueers]

So retired/ex teachers are being asked to consider returning to the classroom because of possible staff shortages in the New Year. Is this something you would do?

I early retired 3 years ago and still sometimes get schools ringing me to see if I can do cover for them and I get regular spam emails from agencies, I have never even worked for, informing me of current vacancies. To be fair I have been offered £200 per day (outside of London) in one school as they had 1 subject teacher on mat leave and other teacher off on long term sick so no subject teacher in school at all and wanted me to do 1 term.

• Well no, because what if they can’t get online access? What if they’ve nowhere to sit? What if they’re a family of four who all need online at the same time?

We’ve had teachers who are at home for Covid reasons, such as their child having Covid or waiting on a PCR, teaching online from their home, dialling in to the classroom and teaching the pupils that way. It’s so stressful.

@ChloeDecker

+1 vote to the redeployment of Ofsted inspectors, though.

Slight problem with this is that in the last two Ofsted inspections I have been through since 2015, none of the inspectors were ex teachers. They were a mixture of ex Ed Psychs, consultants and staff who used to work for the LEAs doing things like HR until Gove’s changes to academies and free schools meant they were suddenly out of jobs.

We have Wilshaw to thank for allowing during his time, the most non-teachers ever to join Ofsted as inspectors. But that’s okay, Wilshaw himself has volunteered which will hide this fact (but will be going back to his own school so knows it well etc. I did my PGCE when he was HT there)

Oh, we would bite an Ed Psych’s hand off! The waiting list for SEND assessments in our local authority is over a year now.

I do take your wider point though

Asking the question “why don’t teachers want to come back?” is entirely reasonable.

Having a go because you don’t like the answers, isn’t.

Teaching is unique in that we all need endless gratitude from the general public about doing our jobs

I don’t need endless gratitude from the public, I would rather not be slagged off though.

Pumperthepumper

I haven't seen "teacher bashing from the inside", I have seen many teachers on here and in rl state what the issues in teaching are.

And then being bashed for it.

Doreen Worthington from Lincoln has it spot on!

[[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/dec/20/wanted-former-teachers-who-dont-mind-risking-their-lives?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other]

@FrippEnos

Pumperthepumper

I haven't seen "teacher bashing from the inside", I have seen many teachers on here and in rl state what the issues in teaching are.

And then being bashed for it.

But that’s exactly my point - why ‘state what the issues in teacher are’ rather than doing anything about it? Why do we need so much validation from the general public?

Sorry, missed a second bracket! story of a programmer’s life!

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/dec/20/wanted-former-teachers-who-dont-mind-risking-their-lives?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I disagree that teachers want "endless gratitude" from the public. As Appuskidu said though, not being endlessly slated and accused of being lazy fuckers would be nice.

That said, I have just this second received an offer from Vision Express for a free eye test as I'm a teacher.
So that's nice!

But that’s exactly my point - why ‘state what the issues in teacher are’ rather than doing anything about it?

Why do you think people haven’t and why don’t think people pointing out what the problems are on a forum read by thousands, isn’t also doing something about it? Genuine questions.

@ChloeDecker

But that’s exactly my point - why ‘state what the issues in teacher are’ rather than doing anything about it?

Why do you think people haven’t and why don’t think people pointing out what the problems are on a forum read by thousands, isn’t also doing something about it? Genuine questions.

Because they don’t. Teachers do not vote with their feet, as a general rule.

What good does posting on a forum do? Genuine question?

Teachers usually are drawn into "stating what the issues are" in response to someone expressing a "wrong" opinion about our working conditions. So we're invariably setting the record straight.
And with regard to "doing something about it," (and isn't "stating the issues" educating people as to the true poor state of things), we are all doing our best with that every single day we turn up to work in poorly ventilated and overcrowded classrooms?
And why am I even having to spell this out to a teacher?

Teachers do not vote with their feet, as a general rule.

There’s a critical shortage of teachers in many areas and ex-teachers who have been begged to come back by the govt are saying ‘fuck no’. How is that not voting with your feet?

Pumperthepumper

But that’s exactly my point - why ‘state what the issues in teacher are’ rather than doing anything about it? Why do we need so much validation from the general public?

We have tried, we get ignored or called lazy, work shy etc. and then told if we don't like it leave. So that is what many have done, usually to be told that all the good teachers have left.

I don't know of any teacher that wants validation from the general public, unless you mean not being bashed by them and supporting them in detentions or requests that their child so the work.

If I could return without the toxicity of School leadership and the idiotic accountability regime definitely without a doubt. Sadly many of us were bullied out of our jobs for being experienced so why would we return.

@CallmeHendricksGingleBells

Teachers usually are drawn into "stating what the issues are" in response to someone expressing a "wrong" opinion about our working conditions. So we're invariably setting the record straight. And with regard to "doing something about it," (and isn't "stating the issues" educating people as to the true poor state of things), we are all doing our best with that every single day we turn up to work in poorly ventilated and overcrowded classrooms? And why am I even having to spell this out to a teacher?

Neither of those answer my questions. You post on a forum to raise awareness, or to correct misconceptions, why?

By ‘doing something about it’ I mean - challenging our workload. Downing tools, refusing to work outside of our hours. Not meekly going along with it then expecting a round of applause from the general public.

I can sense you’re about to stray into ‘are you even a teacher pumper?’ which is something I get a lot when I wade into these discussions. So to save time, I’m a teacher in Scotland. I appreciate that’s different from being a teacher in England.

@FrippEnos

Pumperthepumper

But that’s exactly my point - why ‘state what the issues in teacher are’ rather than doing anything about it? Why do we need so much validation from the general public?

We have tried, we get ignored or called lazy, work shy etc. and then told if we don't like it leave. So that is what many have done, usually to be told that all the good teachers have left.

I don't know of any teacher that wants validation from the general public, unless you mean not being bashed by them and supporting them in detentions or requests that their child so the work.

Who is calling us lazy and work shy? And why do you care?

Who is calling us lazy and work shy?

😂😂😂 cannot seriously have missed this for the past decade.

By ‘doing something about it’ I mean - challenging our workload. Downing tools, refusing to work outside of our hours.

Have you ever genuinely tried that? I have in the last decade. Didn’t achieve much except turn more people against teachers rather than generating support.

Not meekly going along with it then expecting a round of applause from the general public.

Isn’t that exactly what is happened here though?! Posters not meekly going along with what the DforE has proposed?

@ChloeDecker

By ‘doing something about it’ I mean - challenging our workload. Downing tools, refusing to work outside of our hours.

Have you ever genuinely tried that? I have in the last decade. Didn’t achieve much except turn more people against teachers rather than generating support.

Not meekly going along with it then expecting a round of applause from the general public.

Isn’t that exactly what is happened here though?! Posters not meekly going along with what the DforE has proposed?

I have yes, I refused to mark in the way my school asked. It took ages, it was a waste of time (kids don’t read feedback anyway). I was asked to take on more (unpaid) responsibilities for digital learning, I refused.

Who are these ‘people’ you speak of whose support you needed?

What good does posting on a forum do? Genuine question?

Some posters (I appreciate not you, obviously ) may read it and change their outlook, approach or even have some influence to make a small change. Not talking about the issues is even worse. A good example of this are the NHS staff who post on MN and dispel a lot of misconceptions some posters have. Has certainly helped my stance with what a lot of the NHS have gone through.

@ChloeDecker

What good does posting on a forum do? Genuine question?

Some posters (I appreciate not you, obviously ) may read it and change their outlook, approach or even have some influence to make a small change. Not talking about the issues is even worse. A good example of this are the NHS staff who post on MN and dispel a lot of misconceptions some posters have. Has certainly helped my stance with what a lot of the NHS have gone through.

But what difference does that make to your job?

I have yes, I refused to mark in the way my school asked. It took ages, it was a waste of time (kids don’t read feedback anyway). I was asked to take on more (unpaid) responsibilities for digital learning, I refused.

So, didn’t make much difference then.

Who are these ‘people’ you speak of whose support you needed?

The electorate for a start…

I refused to mark in the way my school asked.
Then you were lucky not to find yourself on some kind of "support plan"