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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Gove's at it again

199 replies

fedup21 · 22/12/2013 12:23

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Education/article1355695.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2013_12_21

Things like this always get announced on day 2 of the holidays when people think teachers are doing pish all!

Shocking journalism though; does Sian Griffiths really think teachers 'enjoy short working days'? I am in my classroom from 7.45 until 6pm. That's longer 'working' hours than my 'city boy' husband does (though not the 1.5 hour commute) and I work in the evenings and he doesn't!?

OP posts:
RegainingUnconsciousness · 22/12/2013 12:34

Clicky.

I love how all photos of Gove are utterly ridiculous!

RegainingUnconsciousness · 22/12/2013 12:36

“children in the Far East are often learning for many more hours than their peers in England”.

Er, yes, they also have a MUCH higher rate of suicide than those in the UK. (Probably other issues, such as teenage pregnancy, fewer actually in education, etc, but we discussed the suicide element recently after the Pisa rankings)

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 22/12/2013 12:37

Cba to read it. I get to school at 7.30 every morning.

RegainingUnconsciousness · 22/12/2013 12:38

Oh, and evenings, weekends and holidays are when I do all my planning, marking, report writing, reading, cpd, etc. (Can't plan, prep, assess and administrate 22 hours of lessons every week in the 3 hours allowed in school!)

Original poster
fedup21 · 22/12/2013 13:16

Honestly-the man in dangerous. I know this idea has been mooted before-usually at the beginning of the summer holidays when people on here agree that the holidays are too long (usually because it causes childcare problems), but does anyone think this was actually happen?

I don't know anyone in 'real life' who thinks teachers have short working days!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 22/12/2013 13:21

I am not teacher. FGS I cannot believe that people think that good teachers only work 9am until 3.45pm and don't work over the "school" holidays

Spottybra · 22/12/2013 13:33

We are not in the Far East and if he wants their education system why doesn't he bugger off over there with his politics.

Our system isn't perfect but by god, its far better than theirs in terms of student welfare. Personally I think he's getting asked too many difficult questions about exam results and his academy programme and he's grasping at straws.

I've said this before, school is not a childcare option. School is education. People choose to have children, therefore wether they like the holidays or not they know what lies in store once that child gets to school age. Children need holidays and there is already enough pressure on them to perform academically.

KepekCrumbs · 22/12/2013 13:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
fedup21 · 22/12/2013 13:53

The kids are welcome to stay til 6pm.

I'm there until 6 most nights, but I am in my classroom planning or marking/meetings/running a club. I cannot do those things if I'm looking after children. These things would require MORE planning, MORE preparation, MORE marking etc When would that get done!?

OP posts:
bronya · 22/12/2013 14:05

I'm so glad I'm out of teaching. I wouldn't want my child to be at school 51 weeks of the year until 6pm either. They're tired by the holidays and need to go home or to after school club to chill at 3pm!!

Applejuice70 · 22/12/2013 14:18

I'm not a teacher but I know they work bloody hard,when I have emailed subject tutors I have got responses at 4.50am and gone 11 at night.I would love to see Gove work a month in a secondary school!

RegainingUnconsciousness · 22/12/2013 14:37

Apple, that's a great idea! Let's stick him in a Teach First job, unsupported, in an average school.

I'd welcome him to ours, except the kids deserve better!

NoComet · 22/12/2013 15:53

My teacher friend has a pile of marking to do in the holidays and I've just had a row with my Y8.

She's exhausted having had to go into school with a cold, because her attendance this term is already awful.

Neither of them want longer days and shorter holidays.

If either of mine were younger and the summer brake was cut, I'd have very seriously considered HE.

CaterpillarCara · 22/12/2013 16:02

"long summer holidays and short working days enjoyed by teachers" -

Well, besides the fact that not all of it is holiday or short working - when does he think the preparation, planning and marking will be done if the children are always present - does he not think the long summer holidays and short days are possibly also "enjoyed" by children or families?

After a sixteen week term, we are all on our knees in this house. So need the break to recuperate.

RegainingUnconsciousness · 22/12/2013 16:27

Was it 16 weeks? Felt like forever, but also manic activity. That explains why we've barely moved off the sofa all weekend!

Downhill to spring now, then study leave and then the summer again! Well, unless Gove does get his way...

Wolfiefan · 22/12/2013 16:34

I know many teachers will either leave or work themselves into illness.
Do this Gove and I QUIT!
Half term holidays and a week (minimum) of Easter and Christmas are periods we work anyway. Assessment, reports, planning etc.
Poor kids. My DS is shattered. Tiring him out more will clearly lead to better results.

LindyHemming · 22/12/2013 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsT2007 · 22/12/2013 22:07

If he does this then I will seriously consider my future too.

When I think about the system my children are just entering is scares me. My boy has just started reception, he's utterly exhausted. So are his teachers. I know that by the end of term I'm a waste of space, yet always have a boot full if assessments to mark, reports to write and the next half term's planning to do.....

If I ever meet that man, I'm quite sure I might hit him....& I'm not known for violence!!

soverylucky · 22/12/2013 22:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mycatoscar · 23/12/2013 08:11

I assume that means we'll all get a pay rise and be allowed to take our holidays at times we choose then Grin

Original poster
fedup21 · 23/12/2013 08:25

I assume that means we'll all get a pay rise and be allowed to take our holidays at times we choose then

Exactly!

I know this wouldn't be easy for Gove to pull off but I reckon he could do it. Striking is the only thing teachers can really do to object and it gets them very little public support. I can see it leading to headlines of 'teachers take more time off to moan about the fact they're going to now have the same holidays as the rest of us' etc etc

As Gove seems to ignore any evidence or research unless it suits him, I can't imagine what's going to stop him. What on earth has he got against teachers?!

OP posts:
MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano · 23/12/2013 08:26

Interesting to see that so many are saying if they lose their hol entitlement they will be off. Where do you think you would get that hol entitlement...? I moved into teaching from industry, where no-one gets those holidays - and anyone with a remotely responsible job has long hours and also has to spend days before their (total of) 4 week annual hols leaving detailed instructions for every eventuality in their absence, often gets calls during, and has to pick up a massive workload afterwards. Doesn't happen in teaching where everyone if off at the same time. If teachers resign over losing hols, gonna find it a whole lot harder in the outside world.

MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano · 23/12/2013 08:28

I am not a Gove supporter, by the way, but it does seem ironic that people on here and the staffroom are endlessly giving him airtime - Do you not see that like Michael O'Leary, he provokes for the headlines and you play into his hands, thus appearing to be whinging teachers?

Charmingbaker · 23/12/2013 08:30

Another one here who will be off if this goes ahead. However I worry more about my kids, my oldest is 15 ( doing GCSEs) and was on his knees last week, My youngest is due to start next year, there's no way He could cope with 8-6. Gove has no idea. Is this what parents want? I know those who need all day childcare would like it, but once you factor in travelling times kids will spend their whole week at school.

SconeForAStroll · 23/12/2013 08:32

Going to ignore ^^ as words fail me.

I was a teacher before dc, just taking my dd (yr 5) out to home ed as the crappy prep for sats is doing my head in.

Education isn't childcare. It wasn't designed to be, it isn't and cannot be. They have two wildly different precepts. I despair of Gove. I really do.