How are teachers feeling now?

[ssd]

I've got an awful lot of sympathy for teachers in all this, I feel they've been hung out to dry. But hopefully the vaccine news and cases coming down will make them feel a bit better.
My kids have left school so I've got a general interest. .no bone to grind.

I actually can't describe the exhaustion, but I think some of mine is still from having COVID in February and still having my DP at home with complications and utter exhaustion as well. Saying that, I've seen most of my team cry this week, so I think we are all in the same boat.

Behaviour is terrible; not becuase the students are naughty but the level of disruption they have had (and still have as we have 3 groups currently out), the level of uncertainty and the stress of now haing just a few weeks to 'prove' themselves. We are trying to co-oridinate evidence gathering but we are still waiting for any actual guidance, as this is only due by 31st March and we finish for Easter on 1st April. It would be hilarious if we actually had the energy to laugh.

My own personal worry about COVID is much less now, but I am still very concerned for families and their children. Seeing my own DP suffer so much (he is also a teacher), having a friend in primary lose a collegue in January, having students with the loss of a parent and grandparents means we have a counsellor onsite 3 days a week...... this is a situation expected. And I know we have students with family members in hospital still, I know we will have more cases so I know we aren't at the end of this yet.

It feels like this year has gone on for five years.

I am angry at how my safety is regarded by a lot of the public and the government. This has affected my mental health and how I view my responsibilities to the rest of society.

how come all staff are being vaccinated?

Because our Head is a fucking legend. She asked at a vaccine hub yesterday when she went for hers (old enough). She's just worked 24 hours getting everyone in for an appt at the times she was offered. Cleaners, lunchtime staff, everyone is being done. Lots of us had already been done due to age or underlying conditions, but this will make things so much better for the children and for the families in our community.

This has affected my mental health and how I view my responsibilities to the rest of society.

Yep. Who is valued? Play therapists and lollipop ladies apparently.

Oh I know how hard others work, believe me.

I feel very thankful to have a secure job. I feel sorry for the children and I really hope when I go back in September things are settled.

Just not as hard as teachers I guess?

Wow, you are really spoiling for an argument, aren’t you @Welovetoboogie ?

@Welovetoboogie

Teachers are so hard done by. No one works as hard as a teacher. Before CV you were all burnt out and exhausted and unable to do a single thing more. How have you managed to do so much more now whilst schools have been closed for months and children home schooling. Yes I know you’ve had google classrooms to run, etc. Open your blinkered eyes and see how hard people work in the real world.

Go away. This thread was to ask teachers how they are feeling now, not to have a go at them. Start your own thread if you want to have a go, you're not welcome on mine.

You keep answering Fence.

Do you own Mumsnet ssd?

Dh hasn't been vaccinated yet (he's SLT) and I'm very worried for him as he's been overworking so much over the last year.

He had moderate asthma until a few years ago and his cough is back now, along with terrible fatigue.

I'm sure that some teachers have had an ok time of it but it would be good to remember that some have been in every holiday - and Dh is in for 4 out of the 11 days off over Easter doing GCSE/A level top up sessions.

He's also lost his father and grandmother in the last month.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

how come all staff are being vaccinated?

Because our Head is a fucking legend. She asked at a vaccine hub yesterday when she went for hers (old enough). She's just worked 24 hours getting everyone in for an appt at the times she was offered. Cleaners, lunchtime staff, everyone is being done. Lots of us had already been done due to age or underlying conditions, but this will make things so much better for the children and for the families in our community.

This has affected my mental health and how I view my responsibilities to the rest of society.

Yep. Who is valued? Play therapists and lollipop ladies apparently.

I'm so pleased they all received the vaccination.

Your head sounds wonderful!

In for 4 of the 11 days over Easter. I rest my case!!

I am glad I have job security.
I hate the abnormality.
I hate that the experience for children is so limiting.
I hate the worry of self isolations.
I hate that we are short staffed due to the bubble constrictions.
I hate the fact that any extra support for the children who have missed out hasn't been forthcoming.
I hate front facing rows of desks that mean I can't work with a group.
I hate the fact that I have developed anxiety issues which I've not suffered from before all this.

Gosh what a nasty post. After all teachers have done this last year. Do you turn on the nhs too?

I don't teach in school anymore. I imagine most are exhausted and battling through trying to support their classes after the most hideous year.

I'm really pleased to be back and so glad my secondary aged son is too. It was completely the right thing to prioritise the children this time.

To be honest ssd you must have known this would happen.

I've been in school every single day since September @Welovetoboogie and also have been setting and marking home learning, filming videos, doing 1:1 home learning appointments via zoom, making welfare calls etc.

So yes I am exhausted.

The children coming back to school from home learning have generally settled back in really well but there have been some cases of extreme anxiety and issues with attachment. Done children have struggled to take turns, share, etc as they haven't played with other children for so long. Many of our class are used to completing work 1:1 with a parent at home so independence is an issue. They are sitting front facing in chairs all day which is hard for 5 and 6 year olds. We're not allowed to sit them on the carpet or group them around tables. Some children did zero home learning and are struggling with confidence and key skills. We have completed 6 different assessments on our classes since they returned 2 weeks ago. Processing the data, setting up intervention groups and making a plan to plug gaps is time consuming.

But yeah, lazy teachers. 🤔

I had my jab yesterday but only by chance as it was a spare one. I'm really pleased to have had it. There is no protection otherwise. Mitigation measures just make our life harder, they don't actually offer any protection.

Oh and I hate the hateful posts about lazy teachers on mumsnet.

In school every day since September teaching, I mean. Key worker bubbles. Of up to 25 children.

Right, do you go in on days you have as holiday - days you're NOT PAID FOR ?

Do you always, and I mean always work 70 hours a week in term time when you're paid for 32?

He was in last years Easter for key worker children, last years May half term for key worker children, 2 weeks in the summer because of ALL THE MENTAL CHANGES THE GOVERNMENT MADE AND CHANGED THEIR MIND ON ABOUT 20 TIMES

Ffs have some compassion for what some real people are telling you