Overworked teachers

Oh dear. Yes, teaching these days is stressful, but so are many jobs and you just have to try and make it work for you. Every day is a new challenge, every pupil is special and every bit of paper work has to be done so there's no point complaining. It's a choice, what other job would these teachers prefer?

I taught for a few years in the 70s which covered 2 primary schools - the 'old' style where children were more formally taught and then what was classed as 'progressive'school where children were project based and could move around. It wasn't the long hours that did for me as I appreciated the holiday breaks but it was what I considered the ridiculous methods introduced by Government. I gave up and went into education television which had even longer hours but was one of the most exciting jobs I ever had. I don't think it's the hours so much as the attitude towards the staff by the powers that be which demoralises teachers.

A lot of our family have been /are teachers, and yes, it is rewarding and hard work, but most do it because they love the job.The holidays are wonderful and allow time to be spent with the family, which many jobs do not.
It all depends on the type of school you are teaching in, and the area, as to whether it will be a pleasure or a very hard grind.Violent and disrespectful teenage pupils can make a teachers life hell.Some schools are now so full of foreign pupils ( including EU countries) that teachers have to make so many different lesson plans, and these students quite often do not speak English well.
Contrast that sort of state school in an inner city, with a private school in a leafy rural place, and you can see why teachers would prefer the latter.You have to be very dedicated to teaching indeed to work in the former.

I wonder what 'Miss' has done over half-term whilst we have been struggling to help the primary age DGC with five pieces of homework (none easy and one would apparently 'make a good project to do with your class')?

Kim I know someone who worked as a prison officer and the hours, stress were terrible and the pay nowhere near that of my friends who were teachers.

My dd is a primary school teacher and works very long hours mostly as other have suggested on paperwork and planning rather than teaching

Never quite understand why teachers have always been singled out for this 'wonderful job' accolade. Seems to me that anyone who does their paid employment reliably, fastidiously and well comes under that heading. I was simply in high pressure office management and regularly worked well into the evenings, weekends, took work home and did desk meals. I did not have massive 'recovery' holidays. My choice of career - and yet I enjoyed the challenge. Current people who come into my mind as extraordinary are the prison officers. No amount of money would make that attractive (or possible) for me. When will we ever accept that we're all cogs in the same wheel? Unfortunately the remuneration is very ill divided. I would rate my dustbin collectors as highly worthy. Any other nominees..

My SiL was a primary school teacher and he said the worst aspect was the horrendous amount of form filling and paperwork that got in the way of actual teaching. He said it ground him down. He left teaching to work in engineering.

Sorry missed a couple of words - and love the children!

I taught for 34 years in all and full time too. It nearly killed me but I took early retirement to avoid the breakdown that I knew was coming.

In my last decade I realised that the new initiatives, in addition to the extra data being processed and the inspection and observation regime, not to mention lengthening the school day had doubled the workload and hours needed to cover the curriculum.

My view is that many of these changes were brought in to ease out the older teaching staff who were expensive and resistant to many of the changes which were bad for the staff and students.

I also think that without it ever being mentioned someone in the Education hierarchy worked out that you could hire cheap, eager young teachers, work them like virtual slaves for about five years or however long it took for them to realise they were not going to be promoted and then they would leave, burnt out, before accruing any serious pension contibutions.

Lowering standards meant that younger teachers did not have to be the brightest and best and having 'one size fits all' lessons rendered the teacher into an 'information delivery operative' merely. Anyone with a McDegree could do it.

I was a Primary teacher, a Deputy head when I retired. During my last few years I was in school often before 8am and often did not leave till 6pm. As the Jayemwhite says, at least half the holidays are spent in school or doing school work at home. One f my daughters is a Head of a Primary school. She is in school from 7.30am until 6pm and often has evening meetings. At least one day at the weekend is given to school work and once again so are half the holidays. My eldest granddaughter is now teaching - same story. She is in a difficult school, but loves it despite the hard work. The reason most teachers do it is because they feel they are making a difference and the children - and working with them, even the problem ones is so rewarding! That is why they cope with the work load!

Having been a primary school teacher for many years, I can only agree. The burden on young teachers is horrendous. I would never recommend teaching as a career. When I started, it was not too bad, but the workload has expanded exponentially.
People say 'ah, but they get the holidays. Half of most holidays are spent in school, and the rest is spent recovering from the 60-hour weeks!