To think it is a choice for teachers to work during summer holidays?

[antelopevalley]

I know five teachers in primary and secondary schools. During this summer holiday, two are doing work during the summer holidays. These two teachers are younger and very ambitious. The other three openly say they are doing no work over the summer.
So AIBU to think working over the summer is a choice?

DS is a teacher. He says he'll be working most of the final week of the holiday this year, mainly planning and prep. He'll also probably be going in for results days. He does some work during almost every holiday but it's now a bit less as he's become more experienced.

My mum was a single parent and a teacher. I went into school with her in the holidays.

I'll be in day before and results days. I could make it optional but then the students don't get their results - they don't jump into the envelopes & emails do t wire themselves 😂.
I could not bother doing any planning before I go back but then they'll be no lessons for the first week. And I could ignore the transition stuff for new year 7s with extras needs but as we don't yet have a complete list yet I'd better not.
Happy holidays teachers.

Tell you what OP, I will mKe.the choice not to.do.any planning this holiday. You can then hope that it's not your children in critical exam years that I haven't bothered to prep for come September

@Ithinkthatisenoughnowthanks let's hope her kids aren't expecting exam results this year as no one will be collating them if it's optional 😂.

I could choose not to do anything in the holidays but it would leave me on the back foot in September and make things stressful.

I am 10 years in and about to start at a new school as a head of department (can't say too much as it's outing) - if I do nothing over summer, we won't have all curriculum plans in place etc.

My previous school has one INSET day in September, the day before pupils arrive. In all the time I was there, the vast majority of that day was taken up with various meetings. So we would end up with maybe an hour and a half 'free' which isn't a lot of time to sort your room/do displays/class lists etc.

I always find INSET and the first week pretty exhausting 😴 so want to be ahead.

"I find the conversations with my family/friends who teach go something like this."

It takes all sorts I guess. You shouldn't read too much into what the three teachers you know say. I can see how they might have a moan if they're all together maybe.

"I find a lot of teachers really resent going in to school to sort things out for the new year. They say they’re not paid for it.

They are paid for it"

We are not paid for the holidays. Or do you know teachers who are resentful of doing those jobs during term time?

It's a shame you didn't continue as a teacher so you could change the system from the inside instead of working as a TA whilst feeling so dissatisfied with your role, their role and the state of the education system generally.

I'm not resentful about going in for results days - it's part of my job I believe. As is sorting out my new classes - I have 17 next year. I need to know every ECHP, every SEN and any safeguarding issues. I better print some resources off for at the least the first day and have some vague idea what I'm teaching them.
And I will repeat. Teachers are paid for 1,265 hours of directed time a year, over 195 days. With the legal holiday time which amount to 5 weeks. So the remainder of the holiday time we are not paid for - that's about 8 weeks. But a lot of us work in that time because we want your kids to learn and enjoy school.
And yes, there are rubbish teachers, just like there are people rubbish at all jobs. But most are trying their hardest through what have been a v difficult few years.
Be kind seems to have disappeared.

"DenholmElliot1
Teachers always maintain that they do work in the school holidays.

However, in my 15 years of helping out at out-of-school clubs, i've not once seen a teachers kid attend."

Depends on the stage that the teacher is at. Although in my 24 years of teaching I've never put my children into summer camps over the holidays. Why would I when I'm home all day and can work around the children?

When I first started teaching, I used to do a lot over the hols just to keep afloat.

A few years down the line, I had children and when they were little, I only worked 2 days a week, so it was easy to over the holidays to work when the kids went to sleep at 7 or when they were napping, or I'd work on a Saturday when DH took the kids to the park for a few hours.

As the children got older, I'd take them to soft play and do some work there whilst they were off on a play date.

Now they're teens, I just work as and when. They come and go, but I work in the mornings when they're still in bed, or when they're out with friends.

But it also depends on the stage you're at for teaching. When I was new to teaching, I'd do loads over the hols, a few years down the line, most of my resources are prepped and then there's not so much that needs doing.. but a change of course spec and you're back to the beginning again, planning a lot during the hols. I'm working a fair bit this holidays as I've recently changed specs but in a couple of years, when it's calmed down, I'll do less again.

To add, in terms of holiday clubs, I don't use them as I am at home. When DS was small, I would just work when he was in bed or when DH could occupy him. Occasionally, my parents were available to have him for a day and generously did so.

He is 8 now and I manage fine. We do lots together during the holidays but mostly, we will do something in the morning/over lunch and then he is happy to play at home and I work in between. Today for instance, I took him to a trampoline park this morning and then we did a bit of shopping and had lunch out. He was tired once home so has chilled/played his games etc.

I obviously can’t speak for everyone but I don’t resent going in over the holidays. I quite like organising my stuff and setting up fun learning areas for the children. All my colleagues I’ve bumped into in school over the summer seem happy to be there too, bringing in new purchases and making their classroom environment a more pleasant place to be. It also saves us rushing around in the 90 minutes we’ll get to set up our classrooms the day before the children start back.

As one of my colleagues said when we were both in during the holidays:
"Isn't school great with no children in it?"