Why are teachers so rude?

[Van34]

I will preface this by saying I do not have kids and therefore my last interaction with teachers was when I was at school. I'm not going to let my teenage years cloud my judgement.

I have recently taken on a job that involves visiting schools (think cleaning supervisor, but not) I spend a couple of hours walking round with the team, talking about challenges, reviewing paperwork and doing a general checks. I don't have to interact with the teaching staff at all (thank god). But I find them so rude. They think nothing of just butting in mid conversation, no "sorry, I can see your talking, could I just ask X a question" they just start talking. They stare with a frown constantly and consistently. They don't thank you or the children for holding doors open for them. And they never smile back if you smile at them...

It takes me back to being at school all those years ago and now I wonder if it wasn't just me hating the place. I wonder if the teachers were all like that too.

This isn't an isolated incident. I travel to many schools and they are all the same...

Having worked in various schools, I think they're busy and stressed and you're just not really on their radar in terms of what they're dealing with that day. Different schools have different cultures, some are happier and friendlier than others but generally that's the issue.

Teachers are constantly busy. If you start from a POV that you are interrupting their day, and be apologetic that you are taking their time, you’ll get a better response.

The chances are that your presence is adding to the teachers' workload or otherwise making the teachers' job more difficult than it already is, and they don't want you there. Which is not your fault, but you can't really expect them to make you feel welcome.

I daresay there are as many rude people in teaching as there are nurses, solicitors, policemen etc.
As PPs have said, maybe it's you, not them.

You remind me of our neighbours. When I moved in they told me they'd had to move from Leeds because they had horrible neighbours. Over the 10 years they were here they fell out with virtually everybody because they were just horrible people.
They finally moved away but are probably telling their new neighbours that they had to move from Aberdeen because the neighbours were horrible.

I've taught in all kind of schools and have four children (adult now). Of course there are some rude teachers just as there are some rude people in all work environments.

I don't think a lack of time makes it OK to be rude to anyone. Sometimes people can be caught at a bad moment.

At the school I work at now, we always model please and thank you to the children, encouraging kindness and good manners. It makes our lives better as well as the children's. A previous headteacher on the other hand was one of the rudest most unpleasant bullying people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.

It upsets me when all teachers are tarred with the same brush. It's a tough job (like many many others) and so many people think it's fair to have a go at all of us. It's demoralising.

Oh, look, another thread bashing teachers.

How original...

Has this become a trend?

@Spottydotty268
The teachers are all really nice, but I don't think that they say please and thank you when talking to the kids! I guess that's not necessarily rude as they're in an authority position to the children, but it's just what I've noticed.
Generally I think teachers have a hard job and I'd not want to do it myself, plenty of other occupations that come across as rude but just my experience!

Have you read the thread? Sure, some posters are bashing teachers, but the majority of the responses are in support of teachers and reflect on the amazing job they do and the enormous workload they carry.

It's more the OPs perception of rude - if I've really got 2 minutes to get something sorted and I interrupt a long conversation by saying "excuse me can I just .." I wouldn't consider it rude but OP does!

Interesting. My experience of teachers is that they often act as they are the only people.who have stressful jobs.

I'm a teacher. We have a secret society which it's compulsory for every teacher in the world to belong to. We all have to have training to ensure that we behave in exactly the same way, say the same rude words, scowl the same rude scowl. That's why literally every teacher in the entire world is exactly the same, and that's why we are all always rude. All of us. Every one. All the time.

Why do you think they don’t say please and thank you?? I’d be more inclined to think it’s the influence of her classmates than her teacher. It makes a teacher’s job a lot easier modelling please and thank you especially when they are constantly reminding children to say please and thank you.

but I don't think that they say please and thank you when talking to the kids!

Is that based on lesson observations you’ve done of staff?

That's not my experience. My experience is that they're undervalued public sector workers and an easy target for bashing on here.

So. One example constitutes evidence? Ok.

We aren't in a courthouse lol. I said MAYBE

I am fully aware that we're not in a court house. However, one example of a "bossy" woman becoming a teacher isn't exactly convincing. So perhaps the "maybe" ought to have been capitalised from the outset.

Seeing as it was the first word in the post it's clear enough. A few other posters have said similar also so unless they all know the same person then it's more than one

So more than one. Out of....500k?
Hardly convincing 😆

Wow you have a bee in your bonnet don't you? A teacher perhaps or married/related to one

😂😂😂

So far I've read that ALL teachers are rude, bossy and patronising. Absolutely ridiculous to lump everyone together. I wouldn't dream of saying similar about one profession.🙄

I certainly don't think I'm in the only stressful profession - at least it's not life or death (generally!) - that would stress me out more. But the figures do speak for themselves - over a third of new entrants leave within 5 years and last year more than half of all teachers considered quitting. It's not because they're all snowflakes- it's bloody tough.

Agreed. I worked in restaurants as a student. All the chefs were absolute arses. So that means every chef, everywhere is an arse, right? Because of my own personal experience 😂😂

If someone is taking care of 20-30 children, with a million and 1 things to do, they probably don't have to time to relax and talk. If you met them in a social, relaxed setting, they would probably appear different.