Is teaching really that bad?

[Cremeegg456]

I did a secondary PGCE and gained a pass with Merit, and 'outstanding', that was 6 years ago and I've never completed my nqt year.
I know the PGCE isn't representative of what actual teaching is like though but I remember it being what seemed like a lot of unnecessary paperwork, but we also had the assignments on top.

I've done various work with young and elderly people since which I've enjoyed, but I've never made a lot more than minimum wage. Had zero hours contracts, agency work etc.

I did enjoy teaching but I am just not prepared to work evenings and weekends as well, it's just not worth having no life for me. Not prepared to work more than 45 hours a week.

But truthfully if I want a higher and more stable income I think I would have to go into it, if I'm thinking of buying a house, children etc in the next few years.

Would be interested to hear from people as to what their work life balance really is.

You shouldn't be required to work for free regardless. It's just asking to be exploited and over the years the notion of wanting a career as opposed to a less worthy "job" is probably what led us all here. People have had enough. You wouldn't do your job for free regardless of how satisfying and fulfilling it is to your life.

It's how it works in teaching though. You literally can't do the job if you haven't prepped/Mark etc. It's one of the things I find exhausting. It's like doing 5 hours of presentations a day but prepping each night yourself.

However once you've taught a few years it becomes the norm and you just accept that's how teaching is as its that or get out...

I don’t want a career if I’m going to lose any semblance of a life. I need to earn money to pay my bills. That’s it. I’m currently in a job that pays my bills and only requires me to work 37 hours yet I’m still enjoying it.

That’s just not true. That’s a lie to prevent people with increasingly poor working conditions to act rather than put up with it. My dh has a career. A decent, satisfying and interesting job. He has an end point to his day. He clocks off. Sometimes he leaves his pc screen on to keep an eye on things while he paints. He thinks this is him working late, while im marking 30 books until late.

Why dont you think post-grad degree educated teachers should be paid a decent wage?

I don’t work in the holidays and am happy to work harder during term time. I’ve been doing it for 27 years and had three children in that time and I don’t feel undervalued or overworked. I know many friends who are doctors, lawyers and bankers who work much more anti social hours.

I imagine they are paid a great deal more than you. They probably also have nice working environments, secretaries , admin and PA staff and expenses accounts.

Anyone who thinks teachers should put up with shit always seems to magic up lawyers and doctors in a their friendship circle.

I have a workaholic friend who works in corporate law. She is paid well into six figures , gets onuses and goes on six holidays a year. But I didn't want to be a lawyer.

My husband sat working until gone midnight last night, having left the house at just after 7 and getting back just after 6 (his commute is very short) so he worked something like a 10 hour day to come home and work another 3 hours once our young children were in bed. This has been getting steadily worse over the past 12 months, his department is under fire for results (off the back of covid) that weren't good enough. Where on earth would someone work these ridiculous hours for 30 odd k and be in fear of their job and expected to do MORE, short of give them blood I'm not sure what more he can do?

He's getting out before he has a mental breakdown, how's it OK to treat people like this?

I don't think you should go into teaching if your main motivation is money.
What about private tutoring instead?

Isn't the main motivation of anyone's work to earn money? You're being incredibly disingenous to suggest otherwise. Nurses, doctors, carers, teachers, nursery workers etc. etc. shouldn't be getting into the job if their motivation is money is the same as saying we shouldn't expect to be paid properly for our skills, qualifications and experience because it's a vocation. It's not. It's a job.

This "teaching is a vocation" thing is gaslighting bollocks. Same with nurses.

We are graduate level professionals doing a higher level job. That's right, a JOB.

Yes, for me it really is that bad. I'm not one of those who went straight from school, to university, to working in a school. I did a BEd as a mature student, after 8 years working in other education and non-education industries.
I regret choosing teaching as a career at that time.

What jobs do you think people should go into if they want to earn money?

What others should you not expect to?

I would say it applies to teaching, medicine, and any sort of role where you have a responsibility to care for/nurture other people.

I have a 12 hour day today with an evening running from 4 to 8 after school. There will be no break and no refreshments and no sitting down. I will be setting stuff up by myself form 3.30 til 4. It can sometimes be positively inhumane.

What sort of pay and hours/conditions would you say is fair enough for any of these ‘not working for the money’ type jobs?

I don't know the answer to that. I believe teachers are fairly well-paid for their 'official hours', but of course the best ones put in a lot more time than that.

How many hours are fair? If the best out in lots of hours, what about their work like balance? Should their families suffer?

Why if you are single and have no children is it "fine" to be given a last-minute 4 hour task to do, but if you have a family it's not?

…and yet, there is a huge recruitment and retention crisis within teaching?

So what you are saying is poor teachers are paid fairly and good teachers aren’t?

Because if you are a parent you have less free time available. I’m not suggesting that anyone should work unpaid overtime without notice as a matter of course, which is the reality of being a teacher. I’m saying if you are a parent it’s much more difficult than if you are not .

Yup I managed the crazy hours prekids. Wasn't family friendly once I had kids...

Why if you are single and have no children is it "fine" to be given a last-minute 4 hour task to do, but if you have a family it's not?
This happens a lot in my school. It's absolutely not acceptable.

Exactly.

Pre kids - no problem. Didn’t mind working unpaid too much because I loved my job and I actually felt the pay was fair for a 24 year old.

One kid - went back full time when kid was 8 months. It was hard but manageable with some juggling.

Two kids - had to go part time because the thought of managing everything made me want to quit.

Isn't the main motivation of anyone's work to earn money? No. My father was a teacher and was definitely not motivated by money. In fact, he turned down several prestigious jobs that were offered to him on a plate. His motivation was to earn enough to support his family and to make a difference in improving public education.