One reason why teachers are more stressed nowadays....

[dadadidada]

...just a theory, and will l probably be shut down, but I've noticed that kids of teachers always seem to do rather well at school (both primary but especially at secondary). No offense but not all teachers are in the top 10/1% so it's clearly not all genetic. 'm sure there are exceptions but I suppose the teachers, even if not teaching their own kids, know what resources to look for and how answers should be structured and teaching in every day life which might not be something most parents are able to do effectively (and, yes, we all read to our kids, take them to museums and discuss stuff etc etc).

Now, to the 'stressful' part. I totally take onboard that the working conditions, reduced budgets, lack of salary increases, the constant testing, and changes in curriculum must make teachers' lives unbearably difficult a lot of the time.

Another aspect, and I've not seen this mentioned, which might play a part (for those teachers who are parents) is the increase in kids when going through 11+ (or similar) are nowadays tutored to a high degree (didn't used to be the case back in the day, you were either seen as 'grammar material' or you weren't).

So when teachers' kids go through the process as parents, it must put an extra burden on them. A couple of my kids had teachers whose children were in the 11+ year and, not being unkind, but those teachers were either super stressed or just not 'on it'. In a couple of cases, we had the same teachers over a few (different) years and the contrast in their application when their kids were not doing the 11+ was significant.

As a parent, I found it quite stressful and can imagine even more so as a teacher. It must add an extra stressor to their lives which is not really compatible with being a teacher (as I'm assuming they might also feel their kids can't fail the 11+ even if only subconsciously).

Wow. I find this post so offensive on several levels. You are basically saying that teachers are not the brightest tools in the box, so must be playing the game in some other ways...maybe it's because the nature of teachers is to love and value education and they instill this in their kids?
Secondly, you insinuate that when teachers let their work suffer when their own kids need help, which would be really unprofessional! Teachers are in the main extremely professional and as with all professionals, do not let their personal life get in the way of their professional capabilities.
The reason teachers are stressed is because they are made to jump through ever-increasing pointless hoops, have to work 60 hours a week whilst having the general public telling them they only work 30, have rude and out of control kids to deal with, parents who think their little darlings can do no wrong, and a salary that will never be able to buy them a half decent lifestyle, where I live anyway.

Like with most professions, very few people are in the top 1/10%, usually it follows a bell curve, so that's hardly being unkind! But it is true that children of teachers often seem to make up that 1/10% (in terms of academic achievement) so there is obviously 'added value' as I suppose musical talent coming from musical families.

But the experience we did have with a couple of teachers is that they DID let their work slip a bit. They're only human, and I'm sure most people would like to stay professional but we all have times when we might not perform at our optimum.

I've already mentioned all those other issues and difficulties teachers have so this was just one of many, many but I do wonder whether therefore teachers with kids (particularly going through 11+ or GCSE/A-levels) are feeling it more!

What's your theory about teachers who don't have children?

Secondly, you insinuate that when teachers let their work suffer when their own kids need help, which would be really unprofessional!

Serious question, is this unprofessional? In most jobs, it's accepted your family may sometimes take priority, surely?

I feel like there are very few professions where your own children are always expected to take a back seat.

Why are you in here?

Sadly, when it comes to helping out with homework and anything education related, I think most parents in other professions do have to let their children take a back seat, yes!

Hardly any areas have the 11+. Many teachers don't have children.

Well, if that's the case, I'd say that's probably getting closer to one of the reasons why teachers are so stressed.

And also one of the many things wrong with the situation in the UK right now.

I don't really understand what you're trying to say. Maybe it's just because I'm a not very bright teacher...

My DDs got into grammar school when I was working 60 hours a week on shifts -before I trained to be a teacher

So what did they benefit from?

Also, I work in a special school and you would be amazed at how many of our pupils have teacher parents -or perhaps they are taking advantage of the system too, getting EHCPs for their children?

Quite apart from the egregiously rude designating of teachers as being, you know, not the sharpest tools in the shed, I don't get your point. Are you saying teachers must take their eye off the ball when their children are in school. Why so? Your experience of such teachers must be inference at best.

What should be done? only employ the childfree?

A personal observation here. I can think of only one example in my Australian experience where this differs, teachers' children roundly reject their parents' advice, deeming them know-nothings - though this is frequently rectified in the university years. In the UK, the presence of a teacher's kid was always greeted with a heavy (inward) sigh. Though always more than capable, affable layabout described most of them. Do the children do well? Yes.

The vast vast majority of the country doesn't take the 11+, and in the areas that do have it (I'm on the edge of one), most teachers I know either eschew the selection process altogether and send their children comprehensive or the children sit the test with zero preparation since teachers, more than anyone, know that if you've been tutored to get in it's probably not a good fit.

Next.

I don’t think you understand genetics.
Or much else really. But keep on thinking because you might get somewhere eventually.

I think your general hypothesis is that people under acute stress in their home lives may temporarily underperform at work. Still, teachers of your own children current parenting their own children in an 11+ area and year must be a pretty insignificant subset. I don't think there's a PhD in it, but might be worth a shot at funding.

Don't see why this is even up for discussion. OP should not even be in here, this is the staffroom. The clue is in the name, op must know they are not the intended user of this area of the site. They have not come in here seeking help or advice. They've just come in to be rude and offensive.

Yeah, I mean, in the list of potential issues teachers (along with the entire population) might have to be stressed about in their personal lives, I imagine it's quite a long way down the list.

Ill health
Ill health of a loved one
Caring for a parent
Disability of child
Battling for support for SEND child
Money worries
Teenagers "off the rails"
Bullying at work
Spouse out of work
Moving house
Bereavement
Unsuitable housing
Extension or building work
Domestic abuse
Unhappy relationship
Being a single parent

Needing to chuck a few 11+ practice papers at 10 year old.

I perhaps wasn't very clear.

Basically, in these times when we expect very high performance from children across the board and at all levels (much more so than, say, 30 years ago), with frequent involvement from tutors, again at all levels (the 11+ was just an example as it was so evident seeing our lovely teachers super stressed because they had to deal with kids at school and then make their children pass the super selectives) including during GCSEs/A-levels.

I just wondered whether this is one small part, of many awful things happening in education right now, that adds an extra burden and stressor, that's all.

They say roughly 70% nature/30% nurture (it's disputed) so the reason for mentioning how well kids of teachers do is to illustrate there must be a lot of added value (i.e. their time and I suppose knowledge of the 'system' which then makes it stressful for the teacher parent to manage both that and their school work) for their children often being in the top 1-10%.

I suggest you have a chat with some of these oh-so-priveleged children of teachers to see if they feel like their parents prioritise them.

(clue: they don’t)

What a ridiculous and rude thread about teachers in a teacher only space. It comes across, op, as if you are jealous of some high performing children that you know, who have a teacher parent.

FYI it is difficult to juggle family life with a teaching job; however the stress comes from the heavy workload and often long hours. Our own family lives and the stresses there, will be on average no different from that of anyone else.

I would imagine most teachers wouldn't want or need to stress their children out with tutors and practice papers because they see daily the mental health impacts these things have on children. Children make the most progress when they are happy, encouraged, nurtured, loved, talked to, played with, given interesting opportunities, given access to a rich selection of books, when their parents are supportive and positive about of their education etc. Teachers know this and most would do their upmost to provide these things for their own children. That is why they often do well in schools.

Clueless.
No 11 plus here. 60 hour working weeks don't leave much time for tutoring own DC or doing much else with them in term time.
Hence why I don't teach full time. You're clearly not in education so leave

Lord… nowt queer as folk, aye? 😅

One reason I'm stressed is people who know nothing about my job pontificating about my job

What a load of twaddle. So you think teachers are stressed and doing a crappy job because they are busy trying to make sure everyone thinks their not very bright children over achieve so that they themselves can keep up the appearance of being super bright even though they aren't?

My children aren't doing the 11 plus because all the very clever kids I know who go to the grammar have huge anxiety and mental health issues.

I do love it when non teachers try to explain my job to me.

You know sweet FA.

I am in a super selective grammar area. Youngest is currently going through 11+ process and school has has nothing to do with it whatsoever. It's a case of private tuition and god forbid, me as a teacher helping my child.

Do please crawl back under your troll bridge

Oh and yeah, I have 5 A grade A levels and an Oxbridge degree so.....thicko teacher here 🙄