Teachers’ race

[VashtaNerada]

I am worrying myself sick about the sodding teachers’ race at sports day. I’m short, overweight and middle-aged, and definitely not a fast runner! I wouldn’t mind too much if it was a straight-forward race and I could get lost in the crowd, but it’s a relay race with only three year groups participating so I’ll feel quite public the whole time I’m running. Some of the other teachers are taking the whole thing VERY seriously and are proper runners, I just feel like I’ll be letting everyone down whilst humiliating myself in front of the children, colleagues and parents. God it’s so stupid but it’s really stressing me out. I’m torn between going for a jolly “it’s the taking part that counts” approach and just refusing to do it. Help.

A Dad broke his collar bone in the Dads race last year at our school, I've been wondering whether they'll do the parents races this year. Teachers usually do tug of war. I've never actually thought about it from the teachers point of view before. If it was me I would be so far out of my comfort zone, that's why I've never done the parent race! I feel for you and hope you can get out of it.

Why on earth should teachers have to race??? Thankfully I’m teaching in Ireland and have never had to do something like this. Do bank staff/hospital staff/civil servants have to participate in an annual race?? Why should teachers be expected to do so then? I’d refuse to participate. It’s nit what you’re being paid to do (And goodness knows teachers in England are expected to put in ridiculous hours and seemingly having ever changing classrooms with extraordinary displays is a given. Participating in a teachers’ race? Just “No”!

“not”

I’d just say no. There are other things you can do to participate in Sports Day.

I think people forget that children and teachers are in completely different legal and practical positions in a school. Children need to be taught what is on the curriculum. Teachers did that, too, when they were at school. Teachers don’t need to learn the curriculum. They are in the workplace, where being forced to run a race is totally inappropriate and possibly discriminatory - particularly if there is a condition (like pregnancy) that isn’t likely to be common knowledge. If a teacher is pressured into running a race that contributes to a health problem, that’s a court case in the making.

I was in the teachers race a few years back, thinking it would be a bit of fun, but only realising after it had started that the only other people who had participated could run really fast. I came last by a long way. Back in class afterwards I was talking to my kids saying, "I wasn't very fast, was I?" One of my girls replied, "No Miss, but you tried so hard."

I didn't know whether to be proud of her empathy or even more ashamed!

I’ve been teaching for fifteen years and never participated in a teachers’ race! Volunteer to hold the stopwatch or tot up the running totals. I have become an expert in finding jobs to do on sports day which don’t involve burning to a crisp on a baking hot field with no shade.

Op, what did you do?