(I will say here and now that this is a rambling comment with no real outcome)
Wow.
I haven’t posted often on this site over the last few years…but I’m compelled to do so by this thread. having worked in sales for the best part of ten years and then taught for five I like to think I have a fairly balanced and rounded view of the whole public/ private sector thing.
I suppose it’s good that people feel so passionate about the debate. However to try and demean one another’s careers or chosen paths is rather counter productive.
I’ve worked in multi-national blue chips, recognised as a “high flier” on one hand and experienced corporate bullying and mismanagement on the other.
I’ve seen exceptional talent and utter incompetence in both. Businesses and schools are as unique as the people that are employed by them, the challenges faced are diverse and varied. it is impossible to make sweeping generalisations about either.
Anecdotally do I find teaching easier? No but despite having taught in inner city schools and another that is currently enjoying extra attention from HMI under Ofsted’s section 8 it’s still more enjoyable.
Would I recommend the profession in its current guise? It depends on your values and how well you can manage time and stress. I suspect that recent grads may get one hell of a shock, behaviour and respect seems to be generally declining. An expectation that if a student doesn’t achieve his expected level of progress they haven’t failed, the teacher/ profession has. Having said that, if I had stayed in my previous career I can definitely see the potential in me “going postal”.
Do I really have thirteen weeks holiday? Yes but realistically once you take out time for marking, planning and prep it’s probably about half of that, still not bad but I suppose that’s reflected in the poorer levels of pay generally experienced than compared with the private sector- I’m not complaining I see it as a trade off.
Do I consider myself so stressed that I’m about to leave the profession? Nope, not one bit but I know plenty of incredible individuals who are on the brink through no fault of their own.
To sit here and bleat on about which profession is hardest, who has the biggest bleeding heart story doesn’t help anyone. I would hope we can all agree that we wont the best for our kids and I’m sure that most rational people will admit that there is indeed some sort of issue with education in this country. Until that is recognised, identified and resolved by the powers that be then this country is in a precarious situation. No doubt more and more of Deev’s employees will leave school without the proper skills and our economy and society will be the poorer for it.
Yet Education could learn a lot from industry and a lot of the dyed-in-the-wool teachers need to get on board with that and embrace it instead of being so resistant. Ofsted need a rocket up their backsides because until teachers are no longer forced to teach to tests this unpleasant situation will not improve. Teachers need to be empowered, until parents and students respect them for the professional that most are, we’re on a hiding to nothing.
I’ve got a degree, I’ve got a masters, I’ve got various other bits of paper warbling on about this and that so I am not and will not be treated like “day care” by parents who are, by all accounts pointless. There are signs up on public transport, in doctor’s surgeries, God knows where else saying staff have the right to work without facing intimidation, aggression and abuse so why is it ok for teachers to put up with it everyday in the playground, classroom and at parents’ evenings? This country has some serious issues with general behaviour and morals and if that is not dealt with at home, early on then I hope Her Maj. brings back Military service.
Most of all our kids and their education should not be used as some sort of political tool, they’re too important for that.
