I'm a teacher and I'm scared.

[NebularNerd]

I don't feel safe going back to work in September. When I became a teacher I did not anticipate doing so during a pandemic. I, like many others in secondary schools, will be facing up to 150 students a day, indoors, with no protection.
I am over 40 but not otherwise in a high risk category, although my husband is and we have elderly parents who will be exposed if I'm infected, as well as young children who will also be in school and potentially exposed.
I'm not disputing the need for children to return to school at all. I'm just starting to fear returning.
Anyone else feel this way?

Well let's look at all the countries who have sent all secondary pupils back full time with 30+ to a room and no masks.... Oh yeah none.
The only one who came close was Israel when they allowed students to remove their masks, and boom, huge outbreak.

On the jobs front, can't tell if parents posting are excited at the prospect of their kids being taught by people who are only teachers because they have no better options due to global recession??

If someone who is an ex lawyer, ex City enters education then great, I’m pretty sure it would bring some extra input. But recessions aren’t great, overall no.

It’s not about being excited by the prospect. It’s to consider the jobs market as a whole, and recognise that as some might leave due to situation, some more might enter.

@LaurieMarlow

I just asked my friend who's a lawyer and she said there's no chance in hell despite her job being hard she'd take half the wage for more hours, equal stress, no option to WFH.

Well of course not. Until she gets made redundant and job opportunities wither away. Plenty of sectors have been badly hit already and this is just the beginning.

I doubt hers would be hit. Not many people who do what she does and it's something that'll be required more after Brexit most likely.

She said she still wouldn't teach though!

I'm sure all the supermarket workers who worked all through lockdown didn't particularly want to be exposed either but they were.

And I’m sure many felt scared, like the OP. They did their job as I’m sure the vast majority of teachers will, but they’re allowed to be scared too. Customers now have to wear masks. Teachers and kids in school should too.

I understand your scared but so many other professionals are too! I work in a hospital and we only started wearing masks last month too. Yet despite this only 8% of staff had caught it after we had our antibody tests so your risks are very minimal, nearly all of those were on Covid wards all day or thought they caught it elsewhere ie a family member. DH is fire service, they can’t wear PPE properly because of their kit etc only 2 people in the whole brigade have caught it and one of those was via his wife. There are so many people scared but what choice do we have? We have to go back at some point. Teachers do seem to come across as so hard done by yet there’s so many people in other jobs in such as shitty boat as you.

@NeverForgetYourDreams

I'm sure all the supermarket workers who worked all through lockdown didn't particularly want to be exposed either but they were. I'm afraid you need to get back to work so our children can learn. I can't be home schooling my child and working full time until the virus blows out or a vaccine is available.

Supermarkets limited numbers.

They had screens, masks and soca distancing.

Schools won't.

Not equal comparison.

Can I also remind people that teachers were happy to work in schools all through lockdown with reduced class sizes and social distancing.

The difference is, teachers supported shop workers and NHS staff and agreed with posts saying they need more protection.

I'd wear a mask - if they don't like it, what are they going to do? sack you?

Don't really understand why 'ex lawyer ex city' going into teaching would be something great. Think their skills would be really badly suited to teaching tbh!

@katy1213

I'd wear a mask - if they don't like it, what are they going to do? sack you?

Yes

Hey that's good to know that from this thread, we have 3 new people who want to get into teaching.

Oh the 6 months teacher training, do you mean SKE?

Don't really understand why 'ex lawyer ex city' going into teaching would be something great. Think their skills would be really badly suited to teaching tbh!

You can’t say. Being clever is a good starting point. I’ve had very good experiences with teachers /heads who’ve entered the education system. You may not have I don’t know. But they have brought an extra clear cut focus.

No not in the least 'scared' about the virus 'coming home'

Just hoping all these scared teachers are staying home and aren't in the pub or eating out or at the beach or at a holiday park. From what I can see on my Facebook feed my teacher friends are doing all of the above whilst also saying children shouldn't go back to school. Minimum wage staff are meanwhile serving them meals drinks and cleaning up after them. But that's ok apparently

It's not just teachers. Many companies haven't got their staff back yet that could go back because they are milking the furlough scheme.

There was someone on this thread, Mums? Do you think she’s hopeless, I doubt it!

Sticking to strictly outdoor activities here. That ok with you?

Looking at the decisions made by the government so far and the way they’ve backtracked on things, I wouldn’t be surprised if they decide masks are beneficial in schools and make them mandatory.... but not till about October half term. 🙄

There have been many schemes to encourage people from other professions into teaching: none have worked to plug the gap. I am not sure the bulk of the redundancies at the moment affect graduate jobs. They have been in service / leisure / retail: minimum wage and gig earners. The route into teaching is long and expensive without a degree in the first place. I think covid will result in a further net loss of teachers.

I feel obliged to say that of the two teachers we have had at ,y school with a law background, they have both been amazing, and I would really encourage any unemployed ex law professionals to apply to teaching. I feel the preparation and skills transfer really well and we would absolutely welcome you all with open arms.

Just hoping all these scared teachers are staying home and aren't in the pub or eating out or at the beach or at a holiday park. From what I can see on my Facebook feed my teacher friends are doing all of the above whilst also saying children shouldn't go back to school

Do you not think it’s possible that these are different groups of teachers?

Being clever is a good starting point. I’ve had very good experiences with teachers /heads who’ve entered the education system. You may not have I don’t know.

I think there's an obsession with 'the city' that is fine for the city but not for human-focused roles. Many of the schemes that get 'high fliers' in actually have poor results because being clever isn't enough, emotional intelligence is really very important.

Just hoping all these scared teachers are staying home and aren't in the pub or eating out or at the beach or at a holiday park. From what I can see on my Facebook feed my teacher friends are doing all of the above whilst also saying children shouldn't go back to school.

I don’t know anyone that is saying they’re scared that is also going out to pubs and restaurants. Everyone I know that feels scared are staying home as much as possible, having shopping delivered, barely seeing family and social distancing when they do. Clearly your Facebook friends are ready if they even exist.

That should say,

Clearly your Facebook friends are twats if they even exist.

Must admit I've never mentored any lawyers into teaching. Industry scientists and engineers yes. Also people with tenuously related sciencey degrees - they tended not to do so well with the chemistry and physics subject knowledge.

@NeverForgetYourDreams are YOU going to pubs and inessential shops? I don't actually care if you are, or not, but I hope you are open to the same amount of intrusion into your personal choices as you are inviting into ours.