Does anyone NOT support teachers’ strikes?

[Notbeinggoadybut]

I’ve got mixed views. Support that they, as all public sector workers, need a pay rise. And schools need more funding (but the NEU hasn’t badged this as a public reason which is a mistake IMP).

But 12% is a lot when you’re on a £40k salary. The TA’s deserve 12%, the nurses and ambulance drivers with dire conditions and worse salaries deserve 12%. But not from a starting salary of £40k.

Also public services can be dire. I work in one, it can be bordering on a joke and in so many ways such a waste of money. I will be striking on the 1st of February. But I don’t think it’s right - I voted against the strike. I want a pay rise, but don’t feel like it’s right to ask for 10% and strike if I don’t get it.

If it were anything like my days at school we definitely weren't lead to water! 🙃

Still better than junior doctors... and no way is the work anywhere near as stressful!

do you actually underwent the reason for the strike?
teachers git a pay rise but the gov haven't paid it therefore the pay rise had had to be paid from the schools budget. which means there is less money for books, pens pencils learning resources? some schools are being told they don't have any money left for pens! pens!

Anyone with a child should support the strikes its for the benefit of the children!

Still better than junior doctors

@Feckingfeck Maybe for a few years, but they do those couple of years knowing they're going to be pretty minted after that compared to a lot of people.

The start pay is not better than junior doctors, who in any case if they want more money can go on strike.

Junior doctors are striking.

Every branch of the public sector is claiming they are essential for economic growth and demanding an increase in their budget. Any increase in education comes from an increase in taxation or is taken from elsewhere. You’d have to be extremely stupid not to understand that.

There is a reason for this...

The 80s/early 90s were terrible for teachers for similar reasons. I remember when the National Curriculum came in (I was at school), all the teachers had about 12 binders full of the thing. It was unwieldy and the start of a total loss of autonomy for teachers.

It was also a long period of Tory Government where funding was absolute shite. It was the era of the portacabin classroom as buildings were crumbling and schools were overcrowded.

Teaching is always stressful regardless of the circumstances, but teaching when the Government undervalues schools and education is always going to make things several times worse.

Teachers are incredibly hard working. However if nhs staff only got a 2% pay rise, I feel a similar pay rise for teachers is fair

Because every class is different. And I think it’s generally accepted that while things like oak are useful it’s less ideal than having a teacher plan and teach a lesson. The teacher isn’t going to pouch on when it’s apparent that half the class are completely lost or don’t really get the explanation you have given because they haven’t understood something that was taught before.
Oak isn’t going to completely rewrite your medium term plan to spend more time on something the kids don’t get and less on the things they do. It doesn’t respond to the child in front of you. It isn’t going to spend time adapting parts of your lesson for children with SEN or EAL.
It does part of a job of thinking about curriculum and curriculum design. But teaching it is different. It’s a different skill which is why the level of education someone has isn’t a good predictor of how well they can teach their subject.

What makes you think noblegiraffe ^doesn't understand that?

Bloody patronising.

Also remember that there are people on this site masquerading as regular Mums-netters, who are employed by the different political parties, and who are trying to influence opinions via social media. I suspect a lot of the anti teacher posts fall into this category.

Because it’s obvious.

It’s not a race to the bottom. And fair is no good when there aren’t enough teachers left.

And always on these threads, teachers never actually reveal any reasons to strike that the majority of the country shouldn't be also striking for... only the majority of the country aren't in the position to strike, either through no union representation in their sector and/or they can't afford to join a union. These threads usually reveal that yes, teachers work hard and it's a stressful job, but they are paid well for it, unlike most.

The workers who can't afford a union (mainly minimum wage) are more likely to be the workers who actually need the representation of a union and support, and a payrise!

Teachers on the upper pay scale (teaching more than 7-8 years) are on 40k+. But that’s not the starting salary for teachers as you said in you OP. Starting salary is a lot less.

Not at all. You are inferring it. By choice.

Anyone here old enough to remember what happened in the 70's. Inflated pay increases led to increased prices led to inflation. We don't want that to happen.

@Surfsenior
Great. Looking forward to seeing your lesson plan for Y7 English.
They will be reading three scenes from the play version of Noughts and Crosses. You need to get them to write an analysis of the language used to present three main characters. Please be aware that no child in this class has attended more than 90% of the previous lessons in this module. They must be able to articulate the full plot of the play up to this scene if asked.

There must be a silent starter, scaffolds for HPA, LPA, EAL and SEND students and an exit ticket as a plenary, which should be RAG rated and stuck in books at the start of next lesson.

Ensure you actively circulate, live mark and check for understanding. Facilitate class discussion and group work as well as independent practice.

Some notes:

One student has a reading age more than five years below their chronological age, which in practice means that they attempt (only) words of six letters or fewer and have a success rate in pronouncing and comprehending them of about 30%. They will need to be able to fully access the lesson.

You have an EAL pupil who speaks just enough English to say good morning and must use Google Translate to ask for a glue stick. They must be able to fully access the lesson. No additional adults available to support. School mobile phone policy (no phones in use during lesson) must be followed. IT are unable to supply a school laptop or iPad.

You have two pupils with EHCPs, please refer to attached suggestions on QFT and effective classroom adaptations for inclusive learning. No TA or LSA support is currently available. One of these pupils is selectively mute.

You have a school refuser who may or may not attend, please ensure you are ready to provide that student with a self-directed, printed version of the lesson on demand.

The printing budget has run out, so please do not print any copies of anything.

There are enough copies of the play for one between two or one between three on some tables.

We don't have any more KS3 exercise books as they are arriving after half term, but all work must be completed in exercise books. All headings and dates must be underlined, there are no more rulers in the stationery cupboard and at least four students will not have the money to provide their own ruler.

The heating is off because it's expensive and all pupils must follow the uniform code and have coats off. SLT will be dropping in to support with this expectation; windows should be open for ventilation.

In the event of disruptive or dangerous behaviour* please email the relevant team, CCing your HoD and Head of House of the pupils, log the incident on SIMS and call home, and of course continue to ensure the safety of all pupils while maintaining lesson pace and ensuring all pupils make progress at all times throughout the lesson.
*This includes children swearing at you and each other, hitting each other, using racist and homophobic language, refusing to work, leaving the lesson at will, truanting lessons, entering your classroom to throw chairs at other pupils.
The team will be unable to respond as there will be too many other incidents happening simultaneously.

Please also ensure that you log any safeguarding concerns that are disclosed during the lesson. If these concerns involve any protected characteristics, please ensure you complete a statement which should be dropped off in the office before lunch.

Maintain high expectations of every student at all times; to support with this, you will be observed by the deputy head who teaches PE.

Book looks tomorrow - please ensure the school's marking policy is followed and that the term's focus is indicated in books as well as a WWW and EBI task for every extended writing task. Ensure students are given time to improve work and that they do this in purple pen. We don't have any purple pens, but this is a school expectation.

Have a great lesson.

Rapid wage rises in the private sector leads to inflation because increasing wages in the commercial sector leads to increased prices of goods and services to cover the wage bill.

Not so for the public sector. There is no product to charge more for.

It is Government money - some of which will come straight back to them through taxation.

It's simply a matter of priorities. What is more important to a society than health and education? It's like the bottom wrung of Maslow's hierarchy of need.

Ah, so you admit that it is possible to get money to invest in education and it is a political choice not to.

Do you understand that governments need to invest in education, and why?

Classic misdirection

It is hardly the fault of teachers that they get themselves organised and others don't. They'd get a better result if they were in a single union.

They are not well paid for their job.

Neither are most teachers striking..and even if they are so what?! That's the max many teachers will earn despite the starting salary cut ECTs being cited as soon being £30k..

For 40k thr workload is ridiculous! I lead two subjects across school, lead my year group, lead the whole of whole school worships and have to give up lunchtimes for children who are on report..

I obv also have the responsibility for a class of 30..

I get into school at 7:15am, work through most of my lunch ti catch up on emails, usually stay until 5:30pm to sort out my classroom environment and provision, get the kids from after school club before 6pm..Sort them.. then do my cpoms safeguarding write ups, respond to parents on class dojo, upload evidence for each child, sort planning and resources, do anything extra including catching up on CPD.. usually stop around 10/11pm... every Sunday DH takes the kids out so I do my planning/resources for the week ahead...

Not to mention how much money I spend as we don't have the budget for lovely resources... no money to get food in for Chinese New Year food tasting., no money for baking.. no money for playdough ingredients..i buy all of these..

But it's a "vocation" and I get "all that holiday"... so how dare I moan...

Incidentally, talking of magic money trees, we just shook £5million quid out of Nadhim Zahawi. How many more like him are there out there not paying their dues?

Will that fit on a placard?