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?

Sorry, final sentence should have said ´working with colleagues...´

Most teachers, myself included, love their jobs. But the derision is reserved for a government who has treated teachers like disposable commodities during the pandemic with little, if any precautions in place, then has suddenly realised that there is a shortage of teachers in school and their unwavering intention to keep schools open, no matter what, is at risk from the shortage. Rather than improve the situation in schools, their response is to ask ex-teachers to plug the gaps they have caused!

@YippieKayakOtherBuckets

I wonder if all of the ex-teachers who are so quick to declare that they would sooner stick pins in their eyes have given even a single thought to how their serving colleagues feel about their comments.

As a serving teacher of 20+ years, I completely agree with them!

There’s no way I’d want any of my retired colleagues or family members to go back into the classroom now.

That would be a hard no from me.

@BurningTheClocks

They’re also trying to lure back all the Teach First members who were not only trained for free, but paid whilst they did the training. Hyped and praised, the way forwards and all that jazz. 60% left teaching within 5 years.

And yes, supply rates are low, haven’t changed in years and you get no support if you are ill or isolating.

Probably all at the DfE or SPADs

No

I'm a supply teacher and I've been doing it for years now, although I also do regular days in one class in one school too.

I've never known anything like this last term. It's been absolute Bedlam. My agency is desperate for more teachers and TAs.

Some of the schools I have been in this term have been like war zones. Two classes of children crammed into one room with one teacher. A class that had been covered by their completely overwhelmed TA for over a week. A school where the EYFS TA was taken out halfway through the day and put into KS2...as a teacher. And schools that have had to close classes completely as there has been no staff.

This one could do without the constant derision, ta very much.

Me too, but then I trained with Teach First so despite nearly twenty years' service I am well used to being persona non grata in teaching discussions here.

I left teaching three years before I can draw my pension. I have had no income for a year. I am currently living off my savings.

I will go back into teaching in my old school IF my old SLT (all 8 of them) teach at least two days a week.

So, in other words, no I will not be returning.

@spanieleyes

Most teachers, myself included, love their jobs. But the derision is reserved for a government who has treated teachers like disposable commodities during the pandemic with little, if any precautions in place, then has suddenly realised that there is a shortage of teachers in school and their unwavering intention to keep schools open, no matter what, is at risk from the shortage. Rather than improve the situation in schools, their response is to ask ex-teachers to plug the gaps they have caused!

This 👏👏

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I think their colleagues would agree.

Speak for yourself. I can’t speak for people’s individual experiences but I think, of all the things you can call teaching, “thankless” is not one of them.

The government are asking ex-teachers to sign up to supply agencies. I do supply. My take-home is less than two-thirds of my pay grade rate. If they want to entice ex-teachers in to cover for Covid absences, they need to be paying more.

The cynic in me says that Tories or their buddies must have shares in the supply agencies being listed by the government.

@spanieleyes

Most teachers, myself included, love their jobs. But the derision is reserved for a government who has treated teachers like disposable commodities during the pandemic with little, if any precautions in place, then has suddenly realised that there is a shortage of teachers in school and their unwavering intention to keep schools open, no matter what, is at risk from the shortage. Rather than improve the situation in schools, their response is to ask ex-teachers to plug the gaps they have caused!

This!!!!

The job is not thankless. Not everyone appreciates the efforts that teachers put in, but the kids do and that's why I go to work

I don’t think l ever said the job was ‘thankless’

The kids were great. We all loved that but.

But the conditions, micro managing, accountability, Ofsted m, endless shit education secretaries and lack of investment were and still are shit. What’s wrong with saying that?

Some may return, depending on the school's mitigations.

Gov doesn't consider staff, learners or the community behind them as being worth the few quid each to put effective mitigations in place.

Pitching in prolongs this situation; I could not support their narrative.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I don’t think l ever said the job was ‘thankless’

The kids were great. We all loved that but.

But the conditions, micro managing, accountability, Ofsted m, endless shit education secretaries and lack of investment were and still are shit. What’s wrong with saying that?

No, but others on the thread have, and you were saying that current teachers would agree with the opinions of their ex colleagues.

There’s plenty about teaching that’s difficult but I don’t think it’s fair to say that we’re all hating our jobs the way most ex teachers on the thread seem to.

Yeah but we’re all ex teachers for a reason!

What a joke! Why would retired teachers who are likely to be vulnerable due to their age want to return to a workplace where they will be mixing with many children who don’t wear masks and where many classrooms have poor ventilation?

Nope.

Perhaps ofsted inspectors, local authority lead teachers etc could be re allocated. Already DBS checked and already on payroll so no additional cost.

I hope people do sign up for supply, as it will be a tough old term losing all my PPA covering colleague sickness.
It was tough enough this term, so much so that I do not have a handle on my marking. It is becoming a bit of a worry.

On the plus side though, as others have said, I lost count of the amount of times I laughed in the classroom this term. It can be such fun. I just need to do all the other stuff that I neglect because I know it's not really important

Do you think the Ofsted staff with QTS will be back in the classroom soon?

Soooooo....

The government wants the retired and ex-teachers to work cut-rate in the very places that teachers have caught Covid, and are. er, too ill to teach.

Those very teachers, the ones who actually know what teaching entails say, for the most part, fuck that for a game of soldiers.

Others ride up up to say they're letting the side down by critiquing the job.

The government has said that spare DFE staff will be sent into schools to help out! That should be fun😀

@sallywinter

Nope.

Perhaps ofsted inspectors, local authority lead teachers etc could be re allocated. Already DBS checked and already on payroll so no additional cost.

Which LAs have lead teachers left?

Most have a few advisers who are contractors or very part time casual staff and not on the payroll at all.