Teaching: thread to list all the 'facts' that must be true...

[aJumpedUpPantryBoy]

Having had a quick browse though some of the threads about education/teaching today I feel almost depressed.
The same 'facts' keep getting repeated which means that teachers have to correct them and then they get accused of being moany.

So many people have a false preception about what teaching involves

Teachers only work from 9-3
I wish

Teachers get 13 weeks paid holidays
The holidays are great, but they are not paid

INSET days should be taken from teachers' holidays
But they were

Teachers get paid extra for going on residential trips
I love residentials but I am getting tired of not receiving a word of thanks afterwards - last time I bought a class back one parent complained because her little darling hadn't had help packing her case at the end and her clothes were untidy

Teachers are lazy/bad at their job
Let's face it, like any profession some are OK, some poor, some amazing and some shoudn't be doing the job. But for some reason it seems easy to tar us all with the same brush

Planning lessons/marking etc can't be time consuming after your NQT year because you've done it before.
Different children, different expectations ...

Teachers have no life experience apart from school so they know nothing about the real world
Some do, some don't and life in school is real enough

Please feel free to add your own

I am not a teacher but just saw this and have to add

My DC's teacher hates my DC and has got it in for him/her.

IME Teachers are excellent at staying impartial and are so professional that if they do dislike a child they never let it show. I think statements like the above usually just mean my DC hates the teacher because the teacher will not tolerate them not doing any work.

Teachers try to hold bright children back to make their own lives easier.
No, we are held to account for each child's individual performance.

Teaching is good if you have a family. Well I'll grant you that it makes school holidays a little easier but you never get to any of the school events in your DC school, no sports days, special assemblies, cake sales, waving them off for PGL etc.

I have 19 weeks off over the year. Of that, I will maybe work for a total of 2 weeks.

Pupils who have a parent who is on the PTA or a member of staff automatically get the best parts in school plays

Not automatically, only if they are best suited to the part because that is fair

Polly- I take it you're independent...

teachers never set homework
No, your child just never does it.

Teachers get paid for doing afterschool clubs
Not in my school

Running an afterschool club is a choice
Technically yes, but I have seen staff put under pressure to do so

Teachers get a payrise every year
Wouldn't that be nice

The holidays are paid! (yes I know technically but the pay cheques still arrive, not really seeing the problem there)

But we are being paid for work we have already done in our contracted hours. When the pay check arrives is irrelevant.
Therefore they are not paid holidays.