if these teachers are doing it for the love of teaching why are they moaning?
they obviously aren’t doing it for the terrible pay, 4 hours sleep, holiday entitlement so what are they doing it for? ❓

They do it for the love, and it is a good, satisfying job.
But the Michael is being taken. That upsets you, when you have committed to such work.

Teaching commitment? Yea right. If you are thick then you are thick and no amount of teaching can change that. No extra amount of commitment from the teachers can change that.

However, there are some teachers that should not be in teaching profession and these are the ones that think they are god sent who do not feel they should commit.

Pz Steve +1

This kind of thread was never going to be balanced discussion tho’

I think that some professions are seen as unimpeachable (nursing for example) and some people within other public sector professions would like to be on the same pedestal (teaching included).

As a result and despite the apparent ‘obvious troll’ of the original post we end up with six pages (so far) of posts that range from criticism of teachers to “don’t criticise me i’m a teacher / know one / married to one etc.”

There’s good and bad and (probably) a majority of OK / doing enough to get the job done types of people in every profession.

For me anyway I don’t think someone who chooses to teach is should be lauded because of the hours they work or criticised for the amount of holiday they get. If a teacher can make a difference to a kids life by helping them to become a better adult then it’s worth putting the hours in and I don’t begrudge the holiday.

Epicsteve/gobuchul – seriously there is very little lying going on from me. On the last 3 weeks of my last teaching placement I was operating on 4-6 hours sleep. Will I carry on like that? No. Do I think it’s sustainable? No. Do I think it’s safe over the long term? No.

Of the 18 hour days that will include travelling to/from school (leave home at 7am, get home 7pm). I then do my other work around family life in the evening, but there are very few occasions in the evening when I haven’t got a pen in my hand, a book open, a laptop on my knee or sat at a desk.

But I am a student teacher so have a horrendous amount of paperwork, essays and so on to do on top of my planning, marking and lesson prep. I am coping, but only just.

My observed lessons are being graded good (by school senior management and experienced teacher), so the children must be safe and must be learning what is intended. I hope to have more time to be able to improve further once I qualify and get more experienced at planning, marking, assessment and lesson prep.

I’ve done the 9-5 office job, with little stress and reasonably good pay and it bored me senseless. I actually feel like I’m doing something worthwhile for once. Unfortunately it’s at the neglect of a social life and what was a rather enjoyable cycling hobby, I hope to restore some balance at some point.

On the last 3 weeks of my last teaching placement I was operating on 4-6 hours sleep. Will I carry on like that? No. Do I think it’s sustainable? No. Do I think it’s safe over the long term? No

That’s a bit more sensible.

Others in this thread have suggested that a 16hr day is normal for most teachers, not student teachers who are creating lesson plans from scratch and having to write additional essays.

It gets easier after 6 years. By that point your subject knowledge is much more sound, you have lesson resources for everything (if you’re organised) and you’ve figured out how to control the kids, deal with their parents and balance work and life.

GB

Problem is especially in science what you have to teach changes every three years at best! For balance i worked 7:30-4:30 all last week but I have spent about 5 hours marking a level coursework this weekend. I am cutrently slacking of general book marking due to my baddy knee excuse. I will be caught out soon though.. Good news is it looks like 9/10 of my A2 group have an a or a* based on last years grade boundaries.

Oh and if anyone wants to join our overpaid cushy profession I know a place looking for staff.

Hammerite- I’m in exactly the same boat as you. I’ll be earning about a fifth of what I was earning prior to deciding to go into teaching.

I worked hard in my previous life to make that kind of money, and am now finding myself working harder. Three years ago, I was that corporate person who looked at teachers and thought exactly what the OP posted. Now I’ve done what many others on here have suggested – walk a mile in another man’s shoes and then comment.

Hammerite, I’m on my NQT year. It’s even harder but far more rewarding having your own class.

The key is to work smart. I mark at dinner whilst others sit in the staffroom. I plan on Thursday nights and prep on the weekend.

I leave at 6.30am and I’m home usually around 5.

I work very smart, app grids as I go through the term and the children peer mark in lessons.

I work in a challenging, and I mean 3-4 exclusions everyday, school and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Oh and I’m classed as supply so I don’t get paid for these holidays everyone talks about.

“Teaching is a bit like fitting tubeless tyres.
If you haven’t done, what the hell are you commenting on it for?”

This forum would be empty if we applied that rule to any subject that’s discussed. the thing with teaching is that we all have experience of it done well or badly (as pupils or parents, even as teachers). So those that have a view can carry on as they see fit with their comments.

Yep already trying to do that Mosey, marking most lunch times. I just need to get faster and smarter doing things, but concentrating on getting it right before I do that.

the thing with teaching is that we all have experience of it done well or badly (as pupils or parents, even as teachers). So those that have a view can carry on as they see fit with their comments.

To a certain extent you’re right. However, if you have never taught, you cannot understand the time constraints and pressures that a teacher is under.
I came to teaching relatively late, at the age of 34.
I’ve done a variety of other jobs over the years….barman, computer games testing, joinery/kitchens, scuba diving instructor, furniture sales, admin, database manager.
All of these jobs had their ups and owns, but only in teaching am I working at 100% from the moment I arrive in school until I leave
I work smart, and try to be as efficient as I can, but whilst you are in the classroom you attention needs to be on the pupils (especially as a DT teacher!) So when you are not teaching you have marking, meetings, admin, pastoral duties, and the occasional break for a cup of tea – though normally this is disturbed by a colleague asking about one of your tutees, or a pupil coming to ask a question or hand in work. School may finish at 3.40, but I rarely leave before 5.30/6 pm, and then I normally have at least an hour or two’s work to do at home.

But……. I love my job. It’s different everyday – kids surprise and astound you (and annoy you). I learn or discover new things all the time, and I work with a nice bunch of intelligent and interesting people. And I get nice long holidays 😈