Asking too much of teachers?

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

It's looking like masks are going to be a requirement in shops and possibly other indoor venues.

Yet teachers are expected to teach - for hours at a time - in confined, poorly ventilated spaces, with no social distancing. They have been told they do not need PPE. If I was still teaching there is no way I'd go into a room crowded with teenagers and not wear a mask at the moment.

Teachers should be allowed as much protection as possible not thrown under a corona bus because Johnson wants them for child care so their parents can go back to work.

I really can't understand why it's going to be compulsory in shops where meetings are fleeting but not in schools which are crowded and have people crammed in for hours.

Does the right of children to go back to school over rule the rights of of school staff (teaching and ancillary) to be as protected as possible?

This means they should be allowed to wear PPE, if they choose, and secondary children should be wearing masks as happens in some other countries. In some countries younger children also have to wear masks in school.

The safety of teachers has been ignored by Johnson and his chums in their urge to get people back to work and the cry of "back to normal" is taken up by those ignorant of the facts about the virus.

Teachers have been made out to be the bad guys almost from the beginning - as can be seen from many bile infested threads on here. They deserve better.

Approaches in different schools can already be seen to vary so of course Noble (and others) could look for positions in schools that are seen to value their staff's safety. Parents could view this as a reason to support safety measures for staff in their dc's school (if not already convinced by a general desire for the dc's teachers to not get sick).

@Mistressiggi safe encompasses everything. From risk of injury/death/ppe/stress/redundancy etc

If it was my job I wouldn't only be thinking about PPE and nothing else before resigning

ylva don't split hairs about the word 'safe'. we all know on this thread that we are talking about health and safety, not job security!

And, by the way, many many private schools are laying teachers off and not honouring pay rises, so job security may well be evaporating.

It's not exactly a recruitment ad , is it? 'Come to teaching , because it's really really hard to leave.'

Just reading Scotland’s approach to face covering

In enclosed spaces, where physical distancing is more difficult and where there is a risk of close contact with multiple people who are not members of your household, you should wear a face covering.

People must - by law - wear a face covering in retail environments and on public transport and public transport premises, such as airports, train and bus stations.

Some exemptions but no mention of schools that I can see in the yes or exempt list

From risk of injury/death/ppe/stress/redundancy etc

Apart from the last one (and whatever etc is) these are all higher than average risks in teaching amongst similarly qualified workers.

Approaches in different schools can already be seen to vary so of course Noble (and others) could look for positions in schools that are seen to value their staff's safety

Are there any schools buying extra items (masks / visors / screens) for their staff?

Private maybe? But pp just mentioned they were laying staff off and no pay rises

Marsha I reckon I could quit my teaching job and be immediately rehired by my school to do catch up tutoring funded by the government, working 1-1 or in small groups and immediately dodging all the shit of bubbles of 1500 and classes of 32. I could probably also dictate that I get to wear PPE. I could top-up with zoom tutoring after school (massive market) and exam marking (GCSE and A-level resits in November and additional GCSE resits in January).

So yeah, I don’t think people telling me I should just quit should suppose I don’t have options. What they should be thinking is ‘Noble might be my kid’s maths teacher and we’re not going to get a better replacement if she quits so better argue that she should be treated well instead’.

There's no point arguing on mumsnet about what a terrible job teaching is. You are free to resign.

There will be vacancies in health and social care and they have PPE.

Piggywaspushed I don't want to disregard a whole profession, but from the teaching I have seen over the years, there are plenty of people who can do just as good if not a better job!
And yes, you can give someone who has plenty of experience working with people and/ or a specialist subject knowledge how to teach. Isn't that what the PGCE is about? I'm sure a government can put a fast track system in place if needed.
Teaching in primary and secondary schools isn't a highly specialised subject as some on here make it out to be.

Are there any schools buying extra items (masks / visors / screens) for their staff?
Can't remember which thread I mentioned this on, but we had some masks available for staff members. A colleague went to get one and they've "all disappeared."

@noblegiraffe I have no doubt you're a great teacher. But realistically if you feel unhappy for whatever reason in your job it will affect your ability to perform and your stress levels.

If you have alternatives that you feel better about that's great

The schools I see on telly when the BBC visits certainly seem to be taking stuff seriously! There are also various threads on twitter of heads who really care about their staff, who want to put everything in place to protect them and are frustrated by lack of funds.

PP above mentioned her school's Covid funding. I don't know what that means but if it's the catch up stuff then that, in real terms , still constitutes a drop in funds and can't be used to buy PPE or on improving or extending the site : this is explicit in the guidelines. We are actually forbidden from being creative there!

My DH's private school ahs also said 'no masks'.

If only the CV are granted masks or visors, what's the point? Also, that seems to me a bit of a breach of privacy that CV staff should be so identifiable.

They are definitely buying their own masks and stuff in the US but, again, many are being forbidden form wearing them.

If you have alternatives that you feel better about that's great

This is the most blitheringly short-sighted thing that could possibly be said on the matter.

Are you going to say that to all the maths teachers?

You do realise that you can’t replace an experienced maths teacher with a PGCE student. Who would be mentoring that student, for a start?

Some of your stories are really worrying. I’m a secondary teacher and compared to a lot on here my school seem to have been really sensible and I’m thankful for that. We can’t really do social distancing in the classroom, but school have provided us with some disposable masks, a washable mask, gloves and our own hand sanitizer. There are also wipes in every room along with loads of hand sanitizer around school. It’s up to teachers if you wear them or not. Kids have been told the same. We have to wear a mask if on duty in the lunch room. School have said we won’t be moving classrooms the kids will move as normal, but staff to be more visible on corridors etc so that they adhere to the new one way system etc. There are staggered breaks and lunches and staggered end times. No one is being made to do extra duties if they don’t want to (get free lunches or paid if agree to do extra so a lot do anyway). A lot of our pupils arrive by bus and train so keeping kids in bubbles has very little impact anyway.

How offensive ylva!!!

How many of the people being laid off have degrees in school shortage subjects? Or does that not matter either.

I don't want to disregard a whole profession

And yet, you just have!
I hope you don't have school-aged children. You're in for a nasty surprise if so.

It is making me feel stressed that maths teachers (and others) should leave. Good teachers are valued. Frustratingly all I could do is write to MP.

See mumtum that sounds pretty good. That's all people want. It's not much, really.

And yes, you can give someone who has plenty of experience working with people and/ or a specialist subject knowledge how to teach. Isn't that what the PGCE is about? I'm sure a government can put a fast track system in place if needed.

Haha haha.

No.

I'm sure a government can put a fast track system in place if needed

This government? This government is going to fund that!?

Right-o.

That is good MumTum is it state? Did they have to pull funds from other areas or was it relatively easy to fund.

Open plan, Are you sure you are ok with every teacher who feels unhappy in their job resigning? Even before corona that would have closed schools!

God, I have just clocked the and/or bit.

Terrifying how much some people in the UK (England?) demean teaching as a profession, with degree level knowledge and a professional qualification.

Can anyone with some people skills be a lawyer, too? Or an accountant , if they are a bit good at maths? Or how about chartered engineering? Medicine?

I'm sure a government can put a fast track system in place if needed
This government? This government is going to fund that!?

And have the new teachers ready for, say, Christmas?

@ouchjuststoodonlego
I am the exact same!! I was told it is too dangerous for me to go in in March. But I will be in my final trimester in September yet am required to go in?!