Sunday 23 September 2012

Sundays; The Diminished Weekend and Working Longer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19683920

Amazing, whether misquoted or taken out of context this is still a fantastically farcical story to kick the blog off with.

While I understand the basic sentiment - that teachers who are doing the bare minimum and getting by should not be promoted - the way in which he went about his statement is just shocking. After all this is not the first time Sir Michael has said something controversial.

This is also in the first term since OFSTEDs new stricter guidelines have come into force meaning that there is no longer a satisfactory finding for inspections. Now I agree that there are many teachers still in the job who are not suitable or inadiquate I can't see how what seems to be amounting to 'bully boy' tactics is going to motivate a work force already out on their feet and annoyed over pay freezes and pension meddlings.

But ignoring whether we are good teachers, outstanding or inadiquate. The job takes time. No teacher I know starts the moment the bell rings and leaves when the learners day ends.

At my school the 'school day' runs from 8.30 a.m. - 3.00 p.m. I do not work as much as some of my colleagues but my working day begins at 7.45 a.m. and I leave school at 5 p.m. (on average).

But that is not the end of my working day.

There is enough time to come home have some food exchange stories with the other half and then at least 2 hours more work with an agreed cut off time of 9 p.m. (although 9.30 at a push!).

I get about 40 minutes for lunch and 20 minutes for break during the day - often partially worked through- and have spent the last two Sundays working almost all day.

And I am behind, and my to do list is growing.

The reason we need the holidays we get is because during the terms we work flat out. Often in stressful and demanding circumstances.

And you know what? Almost all of us are fine with that. It is the job!

Just don't try to pick on us if we attempt to have a life outside of the job.

Don't mock us for the holidays we earn.

Don't accuse us of being glorified babysitters.

Just allow teachers to teach so that students can learn and the cycle can keep going.

Constant moving the goalposts for political points scoring is only going to screw over the next generation of voters.

After all political trends are like any fashion they all go in cycles!



As a P.S. I would like teachers to record their working hours this week and complete this if you could. I did it when the story first came out and it is a bit of an eye opener and explains why stories like the one right at the top of the blog grind my gears so much.

2 comments:

  1. I think that I must have done something wrong as it said I work 6oo+ hours more than the average in the UK! :-(

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    1. Sounds about right the second in department where I worked got something equally as high!

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