Radio Sheffield are just listing all the schools that have decided to close because of the snow - of which there isn't really much.

Are schoolteachers today bone idle and just looking for an excuse not to go to work or something?

(Please excuse the spolling mistake in the poll)

You missed out my choice - a combination of 1 and 2:

Teachers are wise old owls and should be working instead of finding an excuse to wag it

;)

Seriously though, these days everybody (OK, most people, you pedants) wants to live in the sticks - teachers and parents of school children. So being cut off for six months of the year at the first drop of a snowflake is just one of those things people are going to have to adjust to.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but that's how it looks from where I'm sitting (at work - the 47 bus arrived on time!)

It's not up to the teachers. The council will tell them they have to close to keep roads free of congestion. Why do people always blame teachers?? Grow up for a change and do some research... Sorry having a bad morning!

So for once I am justified in saying the council can go shag a sheep.

Originally posted by Agent Dan
It's not up to the teachers. The council will tell them they have to close to keep roads free of congestion. Why do people always blame teachers?? Grow up for a change and do some research... Sorry having a bad morning!

if there arent enough teachers at the school it is unsafe for the school to open.

if your child was injured at school due to lack of supervision im sure you be kicking off good style.

i agree with dan on this one

Why should there not be enough teachers at school?
Is there a raging blizzard outside?
Are all the roads blocked?
Has public transport been abandoned?
Has the rest of Sheffield had to stay at home instead of going to work?

No... I say again... any excuse for a day off is the bone idle teachers mantra.

If i could blag a day off work when it snows, I would.
But if I did, it would not affect hundreds of families that would have to find some other way of looking after their kids all day.


By the way, it's quite heavy out my way, and I still got in on time.
But if I could have got away with it, i'd still be in bed.

I'll let Bradfield school off, their buses arent gettin up them hills today! Lucky sods - they were always off school when we had to go in!

It's the same where I work, a few haven't turned in because of the 'Arctic conditions'.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
It's the same where I work, a few haven't turned in because of the 'Arctic conditions'.

A guy at our place hasn't turned up today cos of the snow. He lives about 5 minutes walk from my house. Slack ass.

Originally posted by Agent Dan
It's not up to the teachers. The council will tell them they have to close to keep roads free of congestion. SIZE]

Sorry, I just don't believe that. Headteachers decide - not the Council. If it were otherwise ALL the schools would be closed.

well there is loads of smow in crosspool and crookes maybe a foot


there is a good reason for tapton closing- most kids live ages away and most major roads are blocked any way!!

most primary schools are still open because what are thew kids gonna do, with teenagers they can find summat to do!!

What are you maoning for anyway?? jealous???

Fletch

HAHAHA I GOT THE DAY OFF AND YOU DIDNT!!! HAHAHAHa

Jack where do you live?

Originally posted by steelblade
Jack where do you live?


Not Stannington, admittedly.

Originally posted by Fletch
What are you maoning for anyway?? jealous???



YES!

I think what happens is that the decision needs to be made well before schools open so that the message can be put out as early as possible. First thing this morning the roads may well have looked impassable and at that point someone in the Education Department would have had to make up their minds based on all info available including weather forecasts.

Pretty much what I did at 6.45. My road was 4 inches deep with no tracks, next road along with a v. steep incline was a skating rink so I decided to take public transport to R'ham and leave the car at home as more snow has been forecast.

Incidentally Tony, are you in therapy for whatever happened at school to give you such antipathy towards teachers?:loopy:

I live 1,300 above sea level where the snow is as bad as it gets in Sheffield, and there's maybe 2 inches except where it's drifted. That's hardly a dusting!

I'm now off out though the arctic wilderness for a coffee. If you don't hear from me again I might have fallen down an icy crevass - send the helicopter rescue and St Bernards.

I remember when I was at school and it snowed, the boiler always broke down and we didn't go in. Funny that. A boiler that breaks only when it snows....

Jack I thought you might have gone to Myers like me because I felt the same about Bradfield always getting the day off when we didn't!

Hehe... when the boilers broke down we went in and kept our coats on when I was in primary in the 1970's. Teachers nowadays just don't have any gumption. :mad

Right... now I am finally out for that coffee. Fairwell cruel world... I may be gone some time. :D:

Originally posted by steelblade
Jack I thought you might have gone to Myers like me because I felt the same about Bradfield always getting the day off when we didn't!

Ugh, no, Myers, ugh no way, awwgh etc etc...

Nah, I was a Wisewood Kid!

It was really annoying for us cos Braddy is about 5 minutes away from Wisewood in the car! Slackers!

Originally posted by jackthedog
Ugh, no, Myers, ugh no way, awwgh etc etc...

Nah, I was a Wisewood Kid!

It was really annoying for us cos Braddy is about 5 minutes away from Wisewood in the car! Slackers!

It's all about catchment areas though.... if you live in a certain area, you go to certain schools.

Like me, under normal circumstances I would've gone to Myers from Morley St Juniors back in 1987, but because I'm disabled, they said Myers would be too hard for me, so they sent me to a disabled school up Norton... And I hated it, they day I left in 1992 I ran out of the door, avoiding the teachers so as not to get done for running in the corridors, and even I did I wouldn't have cared, they were no longer in power over me.... And never looked back since.

Tony if you heard the same bulletin as me then you'll also have heard that in many instances tho' kids were told not to go to school, teachers were told to report in as usual.

One thing that did strike me as strange was that there were about 20 schools in Sheffield closed and only one in Derbyshire. I have driven through both counties today and the snow was definetely worse in Derbyshire. :rolleyes:

I grew up in a little village, smaller than stannington up the North-east
and my mother was damned if we were staying off school cos of the snow, she would pack me and my lil sister up tightly in our manky green Puffa Jackets, red PVC Wellies, mittens on a string, huddled us together on a plastic sledge and pull us to school in knee deep snow... cos the only peace she got was when we were at school!!!!

Originally posted by Rich
It's all about catchment areas though.... if you live in a certain area, you go to certain schools.

Like me, under normal circumstances I would've gone to Myers from Morley St Juniors back in 1987, but because I'm disabled, they said Myers would be too hard for me, so they sent me to a disabled school up Norton... And I hated it, they day I left in 1992 I ran out of the door, avoiding the teachers so as not to get done for running in the corridors, and even I did I wouldn't have cared, they were no longer in power over me.... And never looked back since.

They sent a Stannington kid all the way up to Norton every day? And that was easier than going down the road to school?

Originally posted by Mo
Tony if you heard the same bulletin as me then you'll also have heard that in many instances tho' kids were told not to go to school, teachers were told to report in as usual.

One thing that did strike me as strange was that there were about 20 schools in Sheffield closed and only one in Derbyshire. I have driven through both counties today and the snow was definetely worse in Derbyshire. :rolleyes:

Obviously the council in Derbyshire are more willing to let their constituants use their own judgement as to whether or not they'll be able to kid little Jonny to school and back, where as our own council here in Sheff aren't.... No surprises there in my opinion.

Originally posted by jackthedog
They sent a Stannington kid all the way up to Norton every day? And that was easier than going down the road to school?

I lived at Walkley in those days so it was even further away... But the old Gleadless Valley school was the only one my parents thought suited someone like me...

The school was knocked down in 1995, 3 years after I left, and the ground where it once stood is now a housing estate.

Originally posted by Agent Dan
It's not up to the teachers. The council will tell them they have to close to keep roads free of congestion. Why do people always blame teachers?? Grow up for a change and do some research... Sorry having a bad morning!

Why would the congestion be any less into the city centre just because the school runs have stopped?
It's not the school runs that cause rush hour - it's people going to work.

Having said that - I have no idea why schools were closing.

Loads of buses this morning were operating on reduced routes e.g. 47's + 48's were turning round at Firth Park instead of going up to Shiregreen. At 5am this morning it was pretty grim....

Originally posted by Tony
Hehe... when the boilers broke down we went in and kept our coats on when I was in primary in the 1970's. Teachers nowadays just don't have any gumption. :mad

Right... now I am finally out for that coffee. Fairwell cruel world... I may be gone some time. :D:

The difference is by law they now have to send the kids home if it gets below a specific temperature....

Well i was so pleased to wake up this morning to be told within five minutes that my school was closed. Switch off radio and go back to sleep.

Sorry but i don't know who makes the decision.Think it is school busses and staff have problems getting in and u can never be sure how many kids and teachers you are gonna get and you need to have the ratios right. And last time staff had to take there own kids whose schools had shut or stay at home with them. The risk of accidents is higher, and the kids are really hyper mad when it snows.

And yes a lot of teachers do live a long way from where they work. Can you imagine bumping into kids from school all the time when you are at home.

If i had known i would have gone out for a drink last night, bummer. But it doesn't matter cos i am off today, the only unfortunate thing is so is my child.

Originally posted by rinty
Why would the congestion be any less into the city centre just because the school runs have stopped?
It's not the school runs that cause rush hour - it's people going to work.

Having said that - I have no idea why schools were closing.

Dont know if you've noticed, but the drive to work in the morning when the kids are off school is a lot easier and quieter...

Well boys and girls .. I made it back from the frozen wasteland that is Ecclesall Road. :D

We really have no backbone any more as a nation. We're truly pathetic. :(

Well... My trip out to silverdale today was quite amusing...

At 7.30am I was on the bus to town, didn't get there til 8.15am (from Intake) and ended up waiting until 8.35am for an 82... It was packed when it came and a friend of mine kindly told me silverdale didn't open til 10am... Grr! By the time I'd got there it was 9.20am and I was just 40 minutes early lol!

On the way home, I waited for 10 minutes at Bents Green and along came the 82... The driver let off a passenger, and just as I put my foot on the step to board he shut the doors and drove off! I was cursing him and cursing him as I waited 25 minutes for the next one... Grrrrrrrrr!

Originally posted by Tony
Well boys and girls .. I made it back from the frozen wasteland that is Ecclesall Road. :D

We really have no backbone any more as a nation. We're truly pathetic. :(

Sorry but what are you on about? It snows, the start of school is delayed for an hour or two, some even close for the day - hardly an event that means our country is on the verge of collapsing is it.

I was on the road at 5am this morning and there were more cars than normal. I think everyone must have decided to set off early. The majority of the main roads were safe to drive on.

13 weeks holiday a year is obviously not enough for teachers. Any opportunity and they will take extra days off.

My school was closed for students but staff had to come in or they would lose a days pay.

Originally posted by t020
13 weeks holiday a year is obviously not enough for teachers. Any opportunity and they will take extra days off.

And does the Government say or do anything to discourage this?! Nope, yet in the next breath they're bleating on about how kids' education standards are getting worse.... Is it any wonder?! The ruddy teachers aren't there half the time, and schools are shut cos of bad weather or Baker Days or whatever...

It's just plain farcical IMO.

Not to mention Academic Councillling days off for the kids.

where the Universities and colleges open as usually?

The thing is, I know all the teachers on here will be moaning about how they're not idle and have lots of marking to do, but come on! Consider this:

Teachers finish lessons at 3.30pm, and a lot go straight home. Most people finish work at 5.30pm - 6pm. That means that of every 1 of the 39 weeks of the year the teachers are actually at work and not on holiday, they save between 10 and 12.5 hours compared to 'normal' people. Can any teacher on here *honestly* say they spend more than 12.5 hours a week marking? This is even BEFORE the free periods are taken into consideration. In terms of preparing for lessons, the curriculum changes about once every 5 years, so once the teacher has completed a year, preparation for the next 4 is minimal since it is all the same thing over and over. I'd like a teacher to *honestly* say that of their 13 weeks off a year, they spend 8 weeks marking and preparing for lessons for 8 hours each day. I know however, that this is not the case. Teachers have it made, yet are still probably the most MOANING of all professions.

Originally posted by t020
13 weeks holiday a year is obviously not enough for teachers. Any opportunity and they will take extra days off.

That's rich coming from a student!

Most of the teachers at my old school didnt leave to about 5 or 6 because of afterschool lessons. Also many went on to teach at the college that was connected to the school.

Originally posted by t020
The thing is, I know all the teachers on here will be moaning about how they're not idle and have lots of marking to do, but come on! Consider this:

Teachers finish lessons at 3.30pm, and a lot go straight home. Most people finish work at 5.30pm - 6pm. That means that of every 1 of the 39 weeks of the year the teachers are actually at work and not on holiday, they save between 10 and 12.5 hours compared to 'normal' people. Can any teacher on here *honestly* say they spend more than 12.5 hours a week marking? This is even BEFORE the free periods are taken into consideration. In terms of preparing for lessons, the curriculum changes about once every 5 years, so once the teacher has completed a year, preparation for the next 4 is minimal since it is all the same thing over and over. I'd like a teacher to *honestly* say that of their 13 weeks off a year, they spend 8 weeks marking and preparing for lessons for 8 hours each day. I know however, that this is not the case. Teachers have it made, yet are still probably the most MOANING of all professions.

[Consider this:

Teachers finish lessons at 3.30pm, and a lot go straight home. Most people finish work at 5.30pm - 6pm. That means that of every 1 of the 39 weeks of the year the teachers are actually at work and not on holiday, they save between 10 and 12.5 hours compared to 'normal' people. Can any teacher on here *honestly* say they spend more than 12.5 hours a week marking? This is even BEFORE the free periods are taken into consideration. In terms of preparing for lessons, the curriculum changes about once every 5 years, so once the teacher has completed a year, preparation for the next 4 is minimal since it is all the same thing over and over. I'd like a teacher to *honestly* say that of their 13 weeks off a year, they spend 8 weeks marking and preparing for lessons for 8 hours each day. I know however, that this is not the case. Teachers have it made, yet are still probably the most MOANING of all professions. [/B][/QUOTE]


Consider also, teaching a five hour day with unruly,disruptive and disinterested children. This is extremely stressful, the man in the street only sees the holidays and the so called early finish. Im in school from 8:15 till 4:30 then do about two hours at home, i probably do less than many of my colleagues. I am not moaning, I love teaching but you need to understand, if teaching was so attractive why is the government throwing money at students to counter the continuing shortage of teachers. You ought to try it!

Originally posted by Herbert

Consider also, teaching a five hour day with unruly,disruptive and disinterested children. This is extremely stressful, the man in the street only sees the holidays and the so called early finish. Im in school from 8:15 till 4:30 then do about two hours at home, i probably do less than many of my colleagues. I am not moaning, I love teaching but you need to understand, if teaching was so attractive why is the government throwing money at students to counter the continuing shortage of teachers. You ought to try it!


So you're honestly saying you work 10 hour days, 5 days a week? Does this work pattern continue for 8 weeks of the 13 school holiday weeks? (I choose 8 since most people get about 5 weeks paid holiday a year, 8 is the extra Brucie bonus for teachers).

Originally posted by t020
13 weeks holiday a year is obviously not enough for teachers. Any opportunity and they will take extra days off.

Is it true that you are a student?
How much time off do you have?

Originally posted by Tony
Hehe... when the boilers broke down we went in and kept our coats on when I was in primary in the 1970's. Teachers nowadays just don't have any gumption. :mad

Right... now I am finally out for that coffee. Fairwell cruel world... I may be gone some time. :D:

Its not gumption that teachers don't have.

Teachers don't have the freedom to decide like they had in the 70's.

Too many parents(?) who would go ballistic if their kids were cold, wet, uncomfortable, shouted at, etc.

Yes, lets go back to the 70's, we all loved the cane didn't we.

Originally posted by Rich
And does the Government say or do anything to discourage this?! Nope, yet in the next breath they're bleating on about how kids' education standards are getting worse.... Is it any wonder?! The ruddy teachers aren't there half the time, and schools are shut cos of bad weather or Baker Days or whatever...

It's just plain farcical IMO.

But most important of all, most of the students are ignorant, badly brought-up, spoilt brats who's parents don't give a rat's chuff about their kids education as long as they're not at home bothering them. These kids are called EBD's because no matter how ill they are they are always there, Every Bloody Day.

As for school closures, imagine if the school was open as usual but just two teachers didn't make it for some reason till 10ish. That would leave 60 kids at a loose end and unsupervised for an hour. What a good idea that would be.

Originally posted by t020
So you're honestly saying you work 10 hour days, 5 days a week? Does this work pattern continue for 8 weeks of the 13 school holiday weeks? (I choose 8 since most people get about 5 weeks paid holiday a year, 8 is the extra Brucie bonus for teachers).

And Uni students?????

Originally posted by markham

As for school closures, imagine if the school was open as usual but just two teachers didn't make it for some reason till 10ish. That would leave 60 kids at a loose end and unsupervised for an hour. What a good idea that would be.

So are teachers different to the rest of the working population?? Most people don't have much trouble getting to work in an inch or 2 of snow, with cleared main roads. Also, I'm sure one of the teachers enjoying a chat in the staff room during one of their free periods could cover anyone who was a bit late.

Originally posted by markham
And Uni students?????

I pay for my education, I don't get paid. If the government wanted to pay me £25k+ a year for being a student then they can do, but until they do, you can't compare being a student with being a teacher. Teachers get paid to teach (despite having 25% of the year off).

Originally posted by t020
So are teachers different to the rest of the working population?? Most people don't have much trouble getting to work in an inch or 2 of snow, with cleared main roads. Also, I'm sure one of the teachers enjoying a chat in the staff room during one of their free periods could cover anyone who was a bit late.

And which teacher do you think would be having a free period in an average primary school? Maybe the Head should look around the building a bit to see where this SPARE teacher is hiding. Maybe you could tell him t020, cos you seem to have the answer.

Incidentally, you wouldn't be studying teaching would you?

Originally posted by t020
I pay for my education, I don't get paid. If the government wanted to pay me £25k+ a year for being a student then they can do, but until they do, you can't compare being a student with being a teacher. Teachers get paid to teach (despite having 25% of the year off).

So what you're actually saying is that you've never had a full time job so haven't got a clue about the life of a working person.

Or working 9-5, 47 weeks of the year so therefore are in no position to criticise those who do work for a living.

By the way, do YOU work to earn the money to pay for YOUR education, or does someone else?

t020 as usual you know Jack but shout your mouth off at every opportunity. I am a teacher who went to work today. I am at work by 7am everyday and finish at 4. I work at least 2 hours every evening and all day Sunday to complete my planning, assessments etc.
I have been a teacher for 10 years and love my job BUT compared to other graduates I only just earn 28k no bonus, no insentives and unlike any other job I don't come home close my door and forget about work. So next time you get on your soap box make sure you know what you are talking about!

Originally posted by Gillie
t020 as usual you know Jack but shout your mouth off at every opportunity. I am a teacher who went to work today. I am at work by 7am everyday and finish at 4. I work at least 2 hours every evening and all day Sunday to complete my planning, assessments etc.
I have been a teacher for 10 years and love my job BUT compared to other graduates I only just earn 28k no bonus, no insentives and unlike any other job I don't come home close my door and forget about work. So next time you get on your soap box make sure you know what you are talking about!

Well said Gillie. Glad a teacher has decided to put the facts.

And I'd say that this applies for ALL teachers now that the Education Authorities have messed around with the curriculum, set targets and placed so many special needs kids in mainstream schools thereby creating more work/planning/separate marking schemes and so on, and so on.

But there again, anyone who is a student would know this wouldn't they.

Well done to any teachers out there. You have my sympathy.

Originally posted by Gillie
t020 as usual you know Jack but shout your mouth off at every opportunity. I am a teacher who went to work today. I am at work by 7am everyday and finish at 4. I work at least 2 hours every evening and all day Sunday to complete my planning, assessments etc.
I have been a teacher for 10 years and love my job BUT compared to other graduates I only just earn 28k no bonus, no insentives and unlike any other job I don't come home close my door and forget about work. So next time you get on your soap box make sure you know what you are talking about!



A teacher that can't even spell "incentives" correctly. :lol: The irony.


Markham - 9 - 5 for 47 weeks of the year is fine.... 9 - 3.30 for 39 weeks of the year isn't. As for primary teachers...... any adult with a normal level of intelligence should be able to teach small kids without any preparation at all. I just don't buy the idea that teachers work all these hours - I went to school but a few years ago, and I saw teachers chatting in the staff room when they could be marking, and sloping off at the end of the school day. I also know people who are teachers that moan and moan, yet they spend half of their time on foreign holidays (I suppose you'll tell me they'll take their books and a good red marking pen with them). I'm not saying teaching is easy because it isn't. I'm just saying, if you're honest, teachers have more holiday and free time than any other profession.

Once again t020 I offer you the chance to come to school, teach my class of 30, 7 year olds.
Opps yeah I forgot you are all mouth and with a very low level of intelligence.

Originally posted by Tony
Radio Sheffield are just listing all the schools that have decided to close because of the snow - of which there isn't really much.

Are schoolteachers today bone idle and just looking for an excuse not to go to work or something?

(Please excuse the spolling mistake in the poll)


I've only just seen this one.

Now come on. Do you honestly think that a teacher ( given the tight curricularamatic - I can make words up if I like - schedule they have to stick to) really are idle?

No. Never.

Rubbish.

Complete rubbish.

So they try to get out of doing their job at the slightest hint of a heavy frost. You're on thin ice there, Mate.

Originally posted by Gillie
and with a very low level of intelligence.

:lol: :lol:

How do you spell 'incentive' again, Gillie??

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
I've only just seen this one.

Now come on. Do you honestly think that a teacher ( given the tight curricularamatic - I can make words up if I like - schedule they have to stick to) really are idle?

No. Never.

Rubbish.

Complete rubbish.

So they try to get out of doing their job at the slightest hint of a heavy frost. You're on thin ice there, Mate.


How many schools closed today?? From what I've heard, there were plenty.... all because of an inch of snow on side roads. If that isn't just an excuse for a 3 day weekend, I don't know what is.

Originally posted by t020
A teacher that can't even spell "incentives" correctly. :lol: The irony.


Markham - 9 - 5 for 47 weeks of the year is fine.... 9 - 3.30 for 39 weeks of the year isn't. As for primary teachers...... any adult with a normal level of intelligence should be able to teach small kids without any preparation at all. I just don't buy the idea that teachers work all these hours - I went to school but a few years ago, and I saw teachers chatting in the staff room when they could be marking, and sloping off at the end of the school day. I also know people who are teachers that moan and moan, yet they spend half of their time on foreign holidays (I suppose you'll tell me they'll take their books and a good red marking pen with them). I'm not saying teaching is easy because it isn't. I'm just saying, if you're honest, teachers have more holiday and free time than any other profession.

We're in danger of going off the subject here, but just a few years ago when you were at school it was probably High school so there would have been spare teachers at times. However, in primary schools each teacher has a class of up to 30 kids and they are their responsibility all day, every day, for the whole year. IE. 12 classes=12 teachers. EVERY DAY.

As for any adult of a normal level of intelligence being able to teach small kids without planning, perhaps you can , in your infinite wisdom, mention this to the Education Minister.

As for the holidays, by God they earn them.

Maybe the people who think teachers have it easy these days should give it a try sometime. (without anyone to bail them out when it gets hairy).

If teachers have an easy job, why arent more people going into the profession? Although I know by going to Fir Vale that are some really bad teachers out there!! We used to have one who fell asleep during the lesson!!! They did it on many occasions!! And the inspectors had the cheek of blaming everything on the pupils!!

Originally posted by qazitory
If teachers have an easy job, why arent more people going into the profession? Although I know by going to Fir Vale that are some really bad teachers out there!! We used to have one who fell asleep during the lesson!!! They did it on many occasions!! And the inspectors had the cheek of blaming everything on the pupils!!


If I was a teacher at Fir Vale, I wouldn't dare to drop my guard by falling asleep. I'd probably carry a knife and wear a bullet proof vest. The one thing that teachers do deserve credit for is having to put up with Chavs and their thuggish behaviour (mainly as a result of 2 generations of the softly softly, liberal, wishy washy PC brigade approach bringing about a complete lack of discipline and respect for others).

Noted qazitory.

Boring pupils probably have this effect on some teachers.:P

Seriously though, good point about shortage of newly qualified teachers. Easy job, massive wages, three months off and surrounded by angelic children, you'd think they'd be queueing up to join wouldn't you.

Wonder why nobody's interested (even t020!)

Originally posted by t020
If I was a teacher at Fir Vale, I wouldn't dare to drop my guard by falling asleep. I'd probably carry a knife and wear a bullet proof vest. The one thing that teachers do deserve credit for is having to put up with Chavs and their thuggish behaviour (mainly as a result of 2 generations of the softly softly, liberal, wishy washy PC brigade approach bringing about a complete lack of discipline and respect for others).

For once I agree with you.

You've hit the nail on the head with that one thought.

Now, sadly, the teachers of Britain are suffering the consequences and the kids (not all of them) are reaping the benefits.

Its because of this that teachers need every bit of public support possible. Without them most of today's kids wouldn't know their own addresses, nor how to tie their shoelaces. Neither of which are the responsibility of the schools to teach. There we go, its the parents(?) again.
:nono:

I've just registered because I've been reading this thread and HAD to add my bit! I'm a teacher in Rotherham and our school was open yesterday, with most kids and staff making it in. I missed out on my chance of a chat in the staff room because I had to cover for a colleague, the kids were hyper because of the snow so break and lunchtime were spent supervising rather than having a much-needed break away from the little darlings.

However, I'm not moaning, because I love the job, even though I work long hours and have to deal with some difficult children (and parents!). It was really nice to see all the support for teachers on this forum - it's not always an easy job but it is varied and rewarding!

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Sorry but what are you on about? It snows, the start of school is delayed for an hour or two, some even close for the day - hardly an event that means our country is on the verge of collapsing is it.

You prove my point perfectly. The "one day doesnt matter" attitude is what I find truly pathetic.

Originally posted by Herbert
Consider also, teaching a five hour day with unruly,disruptive and disinterested children. This is extremely stressful, the man in the street only sees the holidays and the so called early finish. Im in school from 8:15 till 4:30 then do about two hours at home, i probably do less than many of my colleagues. I am not moaning, I love teaching but you need to understand, if teaching was so attractive why is the government throwing money at students to counter the continuing shortage of teachers. You ought to try it!

Consider this ... Do you think that other people don't have stressful jobs? Do others moan on a national scale? (Well apart from doctors - don't get me going there!!!) Does the man on the street get 13 weeks a year to make up for it?

The reason that the government is having to throw money at teachers is because they are destroying confidence in their own profession with all the moaning that they do.

Teachers unions know full well how powerful their lobby is - and they exploit it. Scargill also did this in 1982.

Teaching is a well paid profession with good hours and a challenging and rewarding environment to those prepared to rise to it. If they don't like it, they can do something else. However, like all professions (including doctors and nurses) most teachers are distinctly average, loads are rubbish, and occasionally you find a great one.

Originally posted by Gillie
t020 as usual you know Jack but shout your mouth off at every opportunity. I am a teacher who went to work today. I am at work by 7am everyday and finish at 4. I work at least 2 hours every evening and all day Sunday to complete my planning, assessments etc.
I have been a teacher for 10 years and love my job BUT compared to other graduates I only just earn 28k no bonus, no insentives and unlike any other job I don't come home close my door and forget about work. So next time you get on your soap box make sure you know what you are talking about!

Good for you! It's great that you are fulfilled as a teacher. :thumbsup:

However, don't try telling me that £28k is anything but a very good wage.

Let's do an assumptive calc on your working day...

7am to 4pm = 9 hours (on the premises)
less 1 to 1.5 hrs for lunch
less 2 x 15 minute breaks
That sounds like a 7 hour day or 35 hours a week which is at the lower end of full time jobs.
x 39 weeks = 1,365 hours a year

..........drrrrrrrrrrrruum rollllllll.......

= £20.51 per hour

Sounds like a remarkably good job to me!

I move again.... teachers moan too much

Originally posted by markham
Well said Gillie. Glad a teacher has decided to put the facts.

And I'd say that this applies for ALL teachers now that the Education Authorities have messed around with the curriculum, set targets and placed so many special needs kids in mainstream schools thereby creating more work/planning/separate marking schemes and so on, and so on.

But there again, anyone who is a student would know this wouldn't they.

Well done to any teachers out there. You have my sympathy.

... and no other profession has to put up with changes and hard work? That's just how the real world is, but teaching has been protected from it for a long time. (I'm not passing comment on whether the changes are any good BTW)

Originally posted by t020
The one thing that teachers do deserve credit for is having to put up with Chavs and their thuggish behaviour (mainly as a result of 2 generations of the softly softly, liberal, wishy washy PC brigade approach bringing about a complete lack of discipline and respect for others).

Do you mean teachers ? :D

7am to 4pm = 9 hours (on the premises)
less 1 to 1.5 hrs for lunch
less 2 x 15 minute breaks
That sounds like a 7 hour day or 35 hours a week which is at the lower end of full time jobs.
x 39 weeks = 1,365 hours a year

..........drrrrrrrrrrrruum rollllllll.......

= £20.51 per hour

[/B][/QUOTE]

Not quite.

less HALF HOUR for lunch, and this usually spent overseeing kids on detentions or sorting out other problems.

less 10 MINUTES (morning play only) kids on detention again.

plus time spent at home playing catch-up, or after school involvement.

£20.51 per hour is a lot more than the average, admittedly, but unless you've actually taught you can't possibly know how it is actually earned.

Funnily enough, I would imagine that the same people who moan about teachers' wages and hours are the same people who will gladly hand over £40 an hour to a plumber or electrician, when the work done could have been done by the householder had they looked in a DIY book.

Originally posted by markham
Funnily enough, I would imagine that the same people who moan about teachers' wages and hours are the same people who will gladly hand over £40 an hour to a plumber or electrician, when the work done could have been done by the householder had they looked in a DIY book. [/B]

Depends on the problem.

Originally posted by Tony
You prove my point perfectly. The "one day doesnt matter" attitude is what I find truly pathetic.

Believe it or not, 1 day off school never killed anyone - I'm sure anything they've missed can be caught up on. I find your attitude towards teachers truly pathetic to be honest.

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Depends on the problem.

Yes, good point. Didn't mean all problems, but a large part of them.

And then there's those who gladly hand over £20 to watch 90 minutes of football (sometimes pathetic performances), leave early, and are quite happy to have contributed to a player's £40k+ wages.

Maybe some of these people are 'teacher knockers' aswell. :loopy:

Originally posted by markham
And then there's those who gladly hand over £20 to watch 90 minutes of football (sometimes pathetic performances), leave early, and are quite happy to have contributed to a player's £40k+ wages.

That would be me then, well without the leaving early part. I've never understood people who complain at how much footballers get paid, it's up to the club how much they think a player is worth to them (Wednesday and Leeds not included :D).

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Believe it or not, 1 day off school never killed anyone - I'm sure anything they've missed can be caught up on. I find your attitude towards teachers truly pathetic to be honest.

You don't get the point do you? It's about attitude, and a bad one at that.

Whether missing a day makes any technical difference or not is neither here nor there. You seem to have that same attitude, but obviously don't see anything wrong with it. I don't want to be personal, but you did say that I was pathetic. Your mirror needs a polish methinks.

Originally posted by Tony
Do you mean teachers ? :D


:lol: Precisely!

I can't believe what moaning whingers teachers are!!! They actually think that they're really hard done by with their £28k salaries, short working days, and 13 weeks annual holiday! Lets not forget the couple of hours putting ticks on homework though....
Oh, and of course, having to cover for colleagues instead of chatting in the staff room. Such hardships, no wonder they moan so much. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by markham
7am to 4pm = 9 hours (on the premises)
less 1 to 1.5 hrs for lunch
less 2 x 15 minute breaks
That sounds like a 7 hour day or 35 hours a week which is at the lower end of full time jobs.
x 39 weeks = 1,365 hours a year

..........drrrrrrrrrrrruum rollllllll.......

= £20.51 per hour



Not quite.

less HALF HOUR for lunch, and this usually spent overseeing kids on detentions or sorting out other problems.

less 10 MINUTES (morning play only) kids on detention again.

plus time spent at home playing catch-up, or after school involvement.

£20.51 per hour is a lot more than the average, admittedly, but unless you've actually taught you can't possibly know how it is actually earned.

Funnily enough, I would imagine that the same people who moan about teachers' wages and hours are the same people who will gladly hand over £40 an hour to a plumber or electrician, when the work done could have been done by the householder had they looked in a DIY book.

Ohhh… ok then … lets just call it an 8 hour day, £17.58 an hour and 13 weeks holiday a year shall we? :loopy:

Does anyone else on here have those terms and conditions?

Originally posted by Tony
Ohhh… ok then … lets just call it an 8 hour day, £17.58 an hour and 13 weeks holiday a year shall we? :loopy:

Does anyone else on here have those terms and conditions?

Possibly not, but then again, how many on here have chosen to be teachers?

And those who moan so much and think teaching is a cushy number? Why don't they become teachers? Teaching is open to all who make the grade, have police clearance, are intelligent enough, don't mind practically bringing up other peoples kids for them, have the patience of a saint, can take verbal and physical abuse from kids and parents alike without retaliating and are prepared to undergo nationwide scrutiny and criticism.

I'd say that those who don't teach either can't, don't qualify or don't fancy the job for some reason.

That's their choice, so the fact that the teacher's lot is better than their's is down to them.

After all who would turn down the 'cushiest job in the world' without good reason?

Why aren't we all sports stars, pop singers, rich artists etc? Simple, we either can't do the job, or we don't want to do the job (for some reason).

Can't see why everyone isn't a teacher though. Its such a doddle isn't it!

So why do they moan so much about their 8 hour day, £17.58 an hour and 13 weeks holiday a year job then? Teachers are equally free to change jobs, and many do.

Originally posted by t020
:lol: Precisely!

I can't believe what moaning whingers teachers are!!! They actually think that they're really hard done by with their £28k salaries, short working days, and 13 weeks annual holiday! Lets not forget the couple of hours putting ticks on homework though....
Oh, and of course, having to cover for colleagues instead of chatting in the staff room. Such hardships, no wonder they moan so much. :rolleyes:

t020, you are talking the biggest load of pigsh*t I have ever heard. What happened to you at school then? You seem to have one hell of a big chip on your shoulder. Are you referring to the same teachers who gave you the education that's got you to Uni, or the teachers who shouted at you a lot and hurt your feelings?

Maybe when you've had a job, had some responsibiliy and suffered a few of life's knocks you'll be in a position to comment on other peoples circumstances. But as a young student not long out of school, with no life experience at all I suggest you belt up and get on with your own little, cottonwool-wrapped life in Ecclesall. (where nearly everyone who lives there gets lots of money but only cos they work really hard for it, allegedly).

Originally posted by markham
Possibly not, but then again, how many on here have chosen to be teachers?

Can't see why everyone isn't a teacher though. Its such a doddle isn't it!

I think you got hold of the wrong end of the stick here.

Its not the teachers who say its a doddle, its the people who can't/won't be teachers who say this.

It seems a bit of a silly idea to say that if teachers find the job so hard and demanding why don't they jack it in. Why dont all people who find their jobs hard say 'Sod it!' EG. firemen, nurses, doctors for instance, they all moan a lot don't they. They carry on because they're needed and they want the job. JUST LIKE TEACHERS.

Can anyone confirm whether buses were running anywhere near these closed school that morning? There probably some relationship between the two as to whether it closes or not.

Originally posted by markham
And those who moan so much and think teaching is a cushy number? Why don't they become teachers? Teaching is open to all who make the grade, have police clearance, are intelligent enough, don't mind practically bringing up other peoples kids for them, have the patience of a saint, can take verbal and physical abuse from kids and parents alike without retaliating and are prepared to undergo nationwide scrutiny and criticism.

I'd say that those who don't teach either can't, don't qualify or don't fancy the job for some reason.

That's their choice, so the fact that the teacher's lot is better than their's is down to them.

After all who would turn down the 'cushiest job in the world' without good reason?

[/B]

Agreed. Yep the best job in the world if you can do it. Most people i work with and friends that are teachers do have 13 weeks hokliday and do work a lot of them, and work or have meetings after school and in the evenings at home. They do put up with abuse. Yet they still enjoy it. It ain't as cushy as some think.

Did you know that an newly qualified teacher does not earn enough to pay back a student loan. Suprised????

And it was NOT the teachers that decided to shut the schools yesterday. We wait for a call or announcement on the radio.

Would like to see the people moaning about teachers do it themselves.

Originally posted by fuzzy


Would like to see the people moaning about teachers do it themselves.

Most of them wouldn't last 5 minutes. Those who think they've got difficult jobs now would be in for a surprise.

Oh, and by the way, I AM NOT A TEACHER, and only earn about 40% of a teacher's wages, so I don't have an axe to grind.

I have however got 3 sons at high school, all in the top streams of their year groups and it's partly down to me sending them to school disciplined and with the right attitude, but mostly down to the excellent tuition from their teachers under difficult and trying conditions. (Unruly, disinterested and obnoxious little sh*tes in the same classes as my kids at the outset).

THANK YOU TEACHERS, ALL OF YOU. A JOB (or three) WELL DONE. YOU EARN EVERY PENNY, IN MY BOOKS.

Every kid who's ever done well educationally owes it to the teachers.

Those who don't do well should blame themselves, and their parents, for having the wrong attitude. A teacher can only do so much for a kid who isn't bothered. The kids who try must take priority.

Blimey.... how many times. It's the teachers that do the moaning about how bad it is. I'm merely pointing out how GOOD it is. Lots of people have tough jobs, but none complain as much as teachers.

Originally posted by Tony
Blimey.... how many times. It's the teachers that do the moaning about how bad it is. I'm merely pointing out how GOOD it is. Lots of people have tough jobs, but none complain as much as teachers.

No Tony.

You started this topic by accusing teachers of being idle, overpaid and underworked.

The 'moaning' bit has been introduced later. I am not denying that teachers moan about their lot. Most workers do (but not all).
I think you'll find that most of them are moaning about the teaching conditions, not the pay etc. And it is a fact that no consideration has been given to school conditions by the authorities. Their attitude, 'Make it work'.

That isn't the issue. Teachers have as much right to moan as anyone else, including people on even higher wages, but to call them idle, or accuse them of skiving off is wrong. This is what myself and others who have defended them are objecting to.

Originally posted by Tony
You don't get the point do you? It's about attitude, and a bad one at that.

Whether missing a day makes any technical difference or not is neither here nor there. You seem to have that same attitude, but obviously don't see anything wrong with it. I don't want to be personal, but you did say that I was pathetic. Your mirror needs a polish methinks.

Who called who pathetic first? Either way I'm not too bothered 'tis only a message board after all :D

No Markham.

I started this topic with a post about schools closing because of snow, because even now I still don't know why they closed. I can only surmise that teachers like an excuse for a day off, or at least a day without pupils. Or as you put it ... "skiving".

Originally posted by fnkysknky
Who called who pathetic first? Either way I'm not too bothered 'tis only a message board after all :D

Truce!!! :thumbsup:

Where special schools are concerned, the decision to not allow the kids to attend is taken by the transport department. If they feel it is unsafe, they will not turn out. The teachers still have to turn up though.

Originally posted by Tony


Are schoolteachers today bone idle and just looking for an excuse not to go to work or something?

(Please excuse the spolling mistake in the poll)

1. 'Are schoolteachers today bone idle..........'

Not read all the thread but I'm a student in my final year doing maths. People seems to us as tax dodgers, I paid tax on my wages for the first two years. It's only because I've had to decrease my hours due to the levels of work I'm not getting taxed now.

Yes we get a long break in the summer but we're working from September to May non stop. The 2 weeks I had off at xmas were spent either at work or studying and the Easter break will be the same.

I've barely been out of the house for weeks because I have that much work to do.

I wish I could just go to work, come home & sit in front of the TV feeding my face all night :x

Originally posted by Tony
Why should there not be enough teachers at school?


No... I say again... any excuse for a day off is the bone idle teachers mantra.

2. '....................any excuse for a day off is the bone idle teachers mantra'

Originally posted by Tony
Teachers nowadays just don't have any gumption. :mad

:D:

3. 'Teachers nowadays just don't have any gumption'

And your point is?

My last 3 posts contain three of your earlier quotes Tony.

Proof I think that this thread was originally aimed at 'bone idle' teachers with no 'gumption', and that's what me and others have been defending them against.

The 'moaning' bit comes in much later, and has nothing to do with school closures due to snow.

No 'teacher' has yet closed a school because of snow. The first they hear of it is on the radio, or by phone.

"Man finds his factory is closed for the day due to some fault. Does he say, 'I'll go in anyway and stand outside for 8 hours just to show I'm not bone idle?' or does he do what the teachers do and say, "Oh well, no work today so I'll stay at home".

If YOU were that teacher, what would you do?

TONY!!!!!
28k is not a good wage when you compare it to what other graduates earn. I spent 4 years at university and left with an honours degree. I have worked for 10 years. I just feel I deserve the same wage as other graduates who have have worked 10 years. They are now talking about freezing teachers wages so I won't even get my tiny pay rise in April.
t020
My spelling is not the issue here, you ranting about something you know nothing about is! If you are that clever then once again I put it to you...TEACH MY CLASS.. just for one day. You have very little life experience and yet you feel qualifed to comment. Come and get some experience. Spend the day in my class.

At last, somemore positive feedback on the subject.

Welcome back Gillie, PM noted.

Cheers.:thumbsup:

Originally posted by Gillie
and yet you feel qualifed to comment.


That would be because this is a message board..... :rolleyes:
As a registered user, I have all the qualifications I need to comment on this or any other issue, thank you very much (you're not in class now, MISS).

As for owing everything to teachers...... I achieved good grades throughout my school 'career' but I owe it to myself for working hard and for my parents for encouraging me, supporting me, and for giving me the genetic make-up that made me intelligent in the first place :D

All teachers do is spoon feed the National Curriculum through various text books and tick marks against homework. At my school, they didn't really ever have to deal with any troublesome kids either. Markham - for someone who isn't a teacher you feel pretty strongly about this subject and seem very defensive, so I suspect if you're not a teacher then you know someone close to you who is. I don't hear you defending the 13 weeks annual holiday though?? That is just at state schools too... at private schools, teachers get even more time off.

Originally posted by markham
My last 3 posts contain three of your earlier quotes Tony.

Proof I think that this thread was originally aimed at 'bone idle' teachers with no 'gumption', and that's what me and others have been defending them against.

The 'moaning' bit comes in much later, and has nothing to do with school closures due to snow.
Markham, I realised that - after all they were my words, and they are hardly contradictory. However, specifically as regards the early posts that you quoted you know as well as I that my original post was a rhetorical statement directed at eliciting and inviting responses derived from the schools closing.

I still stand by my thought that collectively teachers as a breed have no gumption. You may choose to disagree, but that is your prerogative. I am sure that there are many hard working and / or talented teachers, but the majority of teachers are decidedly average, and some are downright useless.

Now if you want to talk about individual hard work, check my posting days and times. :)

Originally posted by markham
No 'teacher' has yet closed a school because of snow. The first they hear of it is on the radio, or by phone.
So why can nobody give me a reasonable answer as to why most of the schools in the city shut down for a day because of the snow? Please feel free to correct me, but I am under the impression that head-teachers do that in consultation with their senior staff. Are they not teachers these days?

Originally posted by markham
"Man finds his factory is closed for the day due to some fault. Does he say, 'I'll go in anyway and stand outside for 8 hours just to show I'm not bone idle?' or does he do what the teachers do and say, "Oh well, no work today so I'll stay at home".

If YOU were that teacher, what would you do?

I really don’t understand that statement.

Originally posted by Gillie
TONY!!!!!
28k is not a good wage when you compare it to what other graduates earn. I spent 4 years at university and left with an honours degree. I have worked for 10 years. I just feel I deserve the same wage as other graduates who have have worked 10 years. They are now talking about freezing teachers wages so I won't even get my tiny pay rise in April.

Sorry Gillie, but £28k is a very good wage, and you ably demonstrate how rarified the atmosphere is around teachers.

You chose the career path. I think that you have a selective memory when comparing teachers to other professions. Many people with equally hard jobs earn similar wages, and very many have harder jobs with smaller wages.

The above post is PRECISELY what I mean by “moaning teachers”. Your past, present and future is in your hands.

Originally posted by t020
That would be because this is a message board..... :rolleyes:
As a registered user, I have all the qualifications I need to comment on this or any other issue, thank you very much (you're not in class now, MISS).

As for owing everything to teachers...... I achieved good grades throughout my school 'career' but I owe it to myself for working hard and for my parents for encouraging me, supporting me, and for giving me the genetic make-up that made me intelligent in the first place :D

All teachers do is spoon feed the National Curriculum through various text books and tick marks against homework. At my school, they didn't really ever have to deal with any troublesome kids either. Markham - for someone who isn't a teacher you feel pretty strongly about this subject and seem very defensive, so I suspect if you're not a teacher then you know someone close to you who is. I don't hear you defending the 13 weeks annual holiday though?? That is just at state schools too... at private schools, teachers get even more time off.

My kids are achieving good grades. They are working hard. I encourage them. I support them. They are genetically intelligent(though God knows what that has got to do with it). But without their schooling they wouldn't know half of what they know now. And that's down to the teachers, not me (or their mum).

If you (as you so obviously do) think that your learning and knowledge is down to you, your parents, your genetic make-up, and teachers played little or no part in it, why are you now at Uni being taught? Surely, by your own admission, you can learn just as good at home, without any help from teachers/lecturers.

As for defending the 13 weeks off, that makes no difference to me at all. As long as the teachers are there for the other 39 weeks when my kids need them, that's ok by me.