It's getting harder to retain teachers

[StealthPolarBear]

here
Well there's a shock. Mn could have told them that three to years ago.
It seems to me that the 'solution' seems to be to up recruitment but if the problem is retention than that is only a temporary problem.

I retrained to teach after my first career, and qualified at 53 in 2010, just as Citizenship was downgraded from mandatory. I applied for other subjects but didn't even get an interview. Not saying I would have been a massive loss to the profession, but it smacked of ageism. However, I couldn't swear that I would have hacked it for many years. The PGCE was the most exhausting time.

could it be the lack of discipline in schools?
many teachers are unable to handle the necessity to try and teach to pupils who are not interested and too 'entitled' to show any respect
plus of course the pay is poor

I can't see where it's all going to end up-the situation is such a mess.

Behaviour issues are part of the problem - but if any teacher complains they are seen as weak - rather than in need of assistance - or indeed additional training - my DD teacher cries in every lesson - poor woman needs some sort of help - she's in a cycle she can't seem to get out of.

Targets are another issues - the masses of paper work -

The school I worked in had masses of older experienced teachers - they were definitly picked on until they left and replaced with NQTs who'd do the job 'the HT' way -

Behaviour is always an issue, but it's very noticeable that worries about behaviour seem to have faded into the background compared with the main thing teachers are trying to cope with - the excessive workload and lack of trust caused by government-driven changes to education.

There's a big difference between dealing with difficult kids week-in-week-out while being supported and appreciated for it by senior management... and dealing with difficult kids while knowing that all you will get is hammered for not meeting your performance management targets when despite your efforts those kids don't achieve the target grades (that they don't give a monkey's about, but you do). When teachers are asked why they are leaving the profession, the kids are rarely the reason these days.

The school I worked in had masses of older experienced teachers - they were definitly picked on until they left and replaced with NQTs who'd do the job 'the HT' way

Absolutely-it's Ike this in nearly every school I go in now. Nothing to do with them being expensive, I'm sure!

I totally agree, Redlocks. By definition, not everybody and everything in the system can be above average!

I actually find the behaviour better now that I'm a supply teacher. I think that the calm attitude with which I approach lessons (because I don't have the stress of results, marking, performance targets etc) somehow comes across to the kids. I don't hassle them (unless I really have to) and in return they largely don't hassle me. There are kids I actually taught MFL to (on long-term supply) who were a nightmare, but when I have them in a cover lesson they are fine.
There are two MFL jobs advertised in good local schools here atm but I'm sticking with supply thank you very much! I'm hoping that once the dc are older, I might find some totally different kind of job that is nothing to do with teaching but uses my skills a bit more. For now, I need school hours and holidays.

I find it heartbreaking to be honest. I love being a teacher, and I'm very proud of what I do, but I'm not sure I can carry on much longer. I'm about to go on mat leave for a year, and then will reassess.
I've been teaching for 16 years, and love working with students (teenagers). My 'thing' has always been raising self-esteem, and making sure students feel safe and happy in the classroom.
Sadly, this is no longer deemed important, and I refuse to think about children as pieces of data and attendance figures, as it seems nothing else counts. Despite working my socks off last year, particularly in extra-curricular activities that really boosted teamwork and self-esteem, I've been denied pay progression as my GCSE group didn't hit their targets. I'm not denying it's important that students get their grades and make good progress, but I do think it's not the only important thing.
I have seen and mentored trainees, who do the training because of the huge bursary in certain subjects, and then promptly leave teaching after a year. These are not the type of teachers we need in our schools, and are in effect wasting time and money.
I've no idea what the answer is, but the current system is completely unsustainable.