I am not sure I agree that Teachers have absolutely exhausting jobs - much more so than most jobs - as said by man on r4 this morning

[RevolutionHere]

i am not sure what my dh, former welder would make of this statement

this is an argument regarding long summer holidays,

What are you hoping to gain from this goady post?

Teacher of 31 years. Retired Friday- early. Reason for leaving: i don't want to work so hard anymore. It is exhausting.

is it goady?
it was a quote from the radio?
i was gob smacked
i am sure at this time of year, sure, the thought of a summer break teachers would feel totally hard done by and agree with the statement
but not everybody is a teacher

I hear this a lot but by the same token, not many would want to do my job (secondary education)!

What’s your job op ?

I was a teacher for 20 years, now I do a manual job. Both exhausting in different ways.

I think all jobs can be exhausting in one way or another. Either mentally or physically or both.
I guess you can't really tell unless you do it yourself. Walk a mile in shoes etc.
People would say retail isn't tiring. After 6 days straight, 60 hour weeks, week after week, I would disagree!
I think people are probably jealous of the holidays but don't consider that they then can't take days off in terms for weddings etc. There are pros and cons to all jobs.
If you are happy then what does it matter what other people do/have? <Shrug>

‘Start of school holidays, let’s bash teachers’ (again), sadly.

Yes OP it is exhausting being in a room of 30 five year olds, every day. In fact, it is exhausting being at home with two…mutliply that by 15!

Teaching is a really hard job, emotionally and physically demanding. Long hours, stressful, lots of targets to hit. I have teachers in my family through the generations. I couldn't do it. I am hugely grateful for anyone who does...

They do get really long holidays, though.

I get 25 days a year plus Bank Holidays. That's just their summer holiday!

SEN teacher here. I get verbally attacked by parents. Slapped, hit. You name it.. i deal with it.
I am a kind compassionate person but the job is breaking me.

Taught for 4 years. Secondary.

It''s awful. Exhausting. You're never "done", kids are cruel and selfish, parents entitled and unreasonable.

I loved the teaching bit, loved my subject. Hated being a teacher.

i am not a welder, i am not saying my job is absolutely exhausting, i am saying it is NOT much more so than most jobs

Same here.
Sick of the criticism from people who wouldn’t last 5 mins in a classroom too.

Ok great, why does the rest of the world need to hear your opinion on this OP? Usually there's a phone number for the radio where you can tell them what you think while it's on and if it's witty, original, interesting etc they'll read it out. If they don't read it out, no one probably wants to hear it.

There are many different types of exhaustion. Hard physical labour, sure. Teaching, in any given lesson you are delivering content whilst simultaneously scanning for understanding, misbehaviour, pacing the tasks. A different lesson and group of kids ever 45-50 minutes ranging from 11-18 so you could go from basic to A level in five minutes whilst mulling over a pastoral or management problem. You'll likely be on your feet all day, essentially improvising a 5/6 hour stage performance. Different type of exhaustion. It doesn't have to be a competition.

Ah come on, there are so many threads about this. I'm a secondary school teacher and I'd like to think that the majority of us are not trying to say that our job is the hardest.
I don't know that pulling the 'my husband is a welder card' helps though, my husband is a joiner and would argue that his job is much more physically demanding, requires working outdoors in heat/rain and he cut part of his finger off- however even he openly says he'd rather not teach teenagers, so there's got to be something in it.
As far as the summer holidays goes, I'll just put forward my usual public service announcement- teachers are not paid for the school holidays, this is the same holiday situation we've been in for a very long time and any changes will involve changing teacher contracted hours and yes I will expect to be paid for my time (as would anyone who has a contract change). We know it's a lovely perk of the job and, frankly, after being told to f_ off for unreasonably asking a student to please do a bit of work on their coursework assignment (which is 1/3 of their final grade), I'm certainly ready for the break or I'll have no patience left and there will be another unfulfilled secondary post in the TES.

I do think teaching is a demanding job and underpaid at the moment.

But i don't think its wildly worse than quite a lot of other jobs. A pp teacher on here saying they've worked 31 years and retiring early as exhausted and no longer want to work so hard... welcome to the club? Menopausal women in their 50s are often knackered and sick of work & counting the days to retirement, its not limited to teaching.

i am not bashing teachers but i am shocked at the remark that it is much more exhausting than other jobs, as he never heard of builders for example, steel workers, etc.,

Oh course it’s a goady thread. You have to be incredibly ignorant to not understand why some people consider teaching an exhausting job.
It’s not a zero sum game though . By acknowledging that teaching is exhausting it doesn't mean you’re saying no other jobs are exhausting too.

So what is your job ? You didn’t answer

It's not a competition. Teaching is exhausting as are many other jobs. However there is a recruitment and retention crisis in teaching which impacts all our kids so, if the radio discussion was in relation to the annual debate about whether our holidays are too long , then it is important to note that the holidays are definitely a key factor in keeping many if us in the profession; people should consider that when they are trying to be goady because we are struggling to keep people in the classrooms as it is.

Perhaps consider that there different types of exhaustion, physical, mental and emotional.

Don’t get the complaining/comparing at all - if someone wants to work as a teacher and get the school holidays go and train as one? All jobs have pros and cons and we all make our own choices

Let's just leave teachers alone. It IS exhausting. Physically and mentally. There are a lot of jobs that are exhausting but they're not all high pressure mentally, physically and actually emotionally as well. My friend has told me some stuff about the kids in her deprived area primary school. Breaks your heart.

Enjoy your hols teachers. You earn them!

he said, absolutely exhausting job, much more so than most jobs and i dont believe he is right