Teachers Strike

[Nibble]

I read pages 1 & 2 and got a bit bored of the usual teacher bashing from those who should have paid more attention to one so I apologise if this has been answered.

Does anyone know what they are striking for?

It is a strike against Gove's policy on paperwork and the change to their pensions. Basically, Gove has them chasing performance related pay, ties up most of their working week with forms and procedure leaving the time they actually teach at an average 20 hours out of a 60+ hour week. And he's trying to mess with their pensions. They are essentially striking for more time to actually teach.

 

[BadFish]

Yep, pretty much this - although they need to sort out their PR a bit better. They could do with a Bob Crow type leader too. Someone with the minerals to take on Gove publicly.

This is what happened in Australia during the last strike. Most were stopping work because the government were cutting funding and making changes that would affect the student's learning. The media played to the gallery and ignored all that. However, as you say, the Union were severely lacking any kind of PR and lost the war.

Is this what is happening in the UK?

 

[Buzzer]

I read pages 1 & 2 and got a bit bored of the usual teacher bashing from those who should have paid more attention to one so I apologise if this has been answered.

Does anyone know what they are striking for?

Priceless.

Takes moral high ground about people needing to study more then says he got a bit bored with doing his own research and so wants someone else to do the work for him.

 

[BadFish]

It is a strike against Gove's policy on paperwork and the change to their pensions. Basically, Gove has them chasing performance related pay, ties up most of their working week with forms and procedure leaving the time they actually teach at an average 20 hours out of a 60+ hour week. And he's trying to mess with their pensions. They are essentially striking for more time to actually teach.

Seems reasonable to me.

 

[BadFish]

Priceless.

Takes moral high ground about people needing to study more then says he got a bit bored with doing his own research and so wants someone else to do the work for him.

My god you are a pompous arse.

 

[Luke93]

Either you're certain or you aren't. This comment highlights the need for quality teaching.

You're basing your argument on that? How arbitrary of you. Ignoring almost every point raised because of one, irrelevant, misuse of a word. I could easily do the same for your post, your constant sentence structure errors for example. I'm not going to do that though, as it's pointless.

I do agree with latter comments though. Teachers issues are all relevant to their specific working environment. Teaching at secondary level, or 'challenging' students will increase job pressure. As I've said though, all jobs come with pressure.

 

[Nibble]

Gove is basically creating a false paper trail of success for Cameron to wave come the elections. They have done the same with unemployment, shunting Job Seekers into doomed to fail New Enterprise Allowance schemes (ie setting them up as self employed in business with no hope of success but gets them off JSA), zero hour contract jobs, etc. With education he's even cheeky enough to get the teacher's to do his paperwork for him and if they don't? Well, good luck staying on the same wage for the next decade. A very sly business indeed.

Disclaimer: I am a massive Tory hating lefty so you may want to do your own research on this.

 

[Buzzer]

My god you are a pompous arse.

Pompous? You're the one telling everyone how boring you found this thread. ****.


Thick ****.

 

[BadFish]

Pompous? You're the one telling everyone how boring you found this thread. ****.


Thick ****.

Actually I have found Nibbles post quite enlightening, yours however are down to your normal standard.

Still those swear words make you sound really tough.

Not to mention clever.

 

[Luke93]

Plus all of the hours they do outside of work. If you factor that in they've done their contracted hours long before the week is up


Nonsense - they're lucky to get a proper lunchbreak.


There's pressure with any job but do you seriously think teaching 30 children (complete with proper lesson planning and feedback) that will go on to shape society while the targets that this is measured by are changed at the whim of an incompetent minister is easy and pressure-free?

Thanks for your reply...

The schools I volunteered at both offered breaks to teachers which exceed national guidelines. I'm not saying their break are too long or short. I wouldn't know as I never tort a class. The working environment seemed very relaxed, most members of staff enjoyed 15 mins during the morning, and 45 mins during lunch. Assuming they were not on lunch duty, in which case they only got 15 mins (this was based on a rotary system). My patents both do planning out of working hours, but never during the weekends or late into the night. I say both spend an average of 60 mins each night... Isn't that in the job description though? I honestly don't know...

I'm not staying it's pressure free. I'm saying all jobs come with pressure, thus why it should be expected. With the benefits teachers do have, I think a little bit of extra pressure (compared to some jobs) is justified.

 

[Buzzer]

Actually I have found Nibbles post quite enlightening, yours however are down to your normal standard.

Still those swear words make you sound really tough.

Not to mention clever.

Swear words make me sound clever? Maybe you should try it sometime soon then. Just an idea.

 

[Nibble]

Funnily enough a few of the teachers I know would rather have less holidays and a more even working week. My ex used to get plain bored trying to fill 6 weeks Summer hols. Trips abroad are expensive that time of year so a week away is all we ever did, there's only so many lattes you can have with your mates etc and you spend 3 or 4 times what you normally do just trying to entertain yourself. Having huge chunks of time off, as daft as this sounds, is not always that great but that is not at all what this strike is about anyway.

 

[BadFish]

Swear words make me sound clever? Maybe you should try it sometime soon then. Just an idea.

No they don't Buzzer, that was sarcasm.

Anyway it been nice, as intellectually nourishing as ever.

So until the next time one of my posts offends your delicate pompous nature, I will bid you goodnight.

 

[BadFish]

Funnily enough a few of the teachers I know would rather have less holidays and a more even working week. My ex used to get plain bored trying to fill 6 weeks Summer hols. Trips abroad are expensive that time of year so a week away is all we ever did, there's only so many lattes you can have with your mates etc and you spend 3 or 4 times what you normally do just trying to entertain yourself. Having huge chunks of time off, as daft as this sounds, is not always that great but that is not at all what this strike is about anyway.

I would rather have more time during the term time and less holidays too. I find that the workload is exhausting during the term and am too knackered for much of the holidays to really enjoy them. I would much prefer to have a more even spread but the holidays are what they are because the kids need the breaks otherwise they get burned out.

 

[Luke93]

Having huge chunks of time off, as daft as this sounds, is not always that great but that is not at all what this strike is about anyway.

Ha ha, yeah I didn't realise this. My views are just biased because of my patents (who hate the strikes) and radio 4 (which I listen too).

 

[Brighton Mod]

Yes there is - so I guess it's 'game on'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-16644/Teacher-shortage-reaching-crisis-levels.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...er-teacher-recruitment-crisis-in-schools.html

Christ the economy is going to crumble! maybe I should send in a charge to the union for child care today, lost income and consequential costs to myself and family, in same way they wish to charge us if we take any of the children out of school during the term. Forgot to mention that a third of children leaving school can't read or write correctly. Go on strike during August, on an inset training day or when on an overseas trip paid for by the tax payer. Perhaps a 9.00 to 3.30 day is too long for them, or maybe the classrooom is too drafty or the course content not what they want to teach. I understand that there is a large attrition rate in the profession of people moving through and that absenteeism is well above the average, along with claims for stress, bullying and exhaustion.Of course its not about the long holidays, when the union opposes having a five term year which is more in line with modern livng and better for the students What would I know having been a governor for ten years. The profession is losing respect and alienating himself.

 

[User removed 4]

Chuff me they don't know they're born. I've been working as a scientist for ten years after doing a degree and a masters at top universities and am just getting close to that level! Plenty of graduates are lucky to get £15k.

Really ? That's an absolute joke , no wonder we lose lots of talent abroad.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Gove is basically creating a false paper trail of success for Cameron to wave come the elections. They have done the same with unemployment, shunting Job Seekers into doomed to fail New Enterprise Allowance schemes (ie setting them up as self employed in business with no hope of success but gets them off JSA), zero hour contract jobs, etc. With education he's even cheeky enough to get the teacher's to do his paperwork for him and if they don't? Well, good luck staying on the same wage for the next decade. A very sly business indeed.

Disclaimer: I am a massive Tory hating lefty so you may want to do your own research on this.

Doesn't matter what political party it is, they all eventuallly make a shambles of education by sticking their noses in to business they really know nothing about. I would like a government to say, "Teachers, instead of us dictating to you what we want, how about you tell us what you want" and just let them get on with the job. There is no need for any government to change anything. All that is lacking which is down to all these governments is a lack of jobs for young people to go at the end of their eduaction, lack of school buildings due to increase in population, leave that one for another day.

What this government really wants is teachers to work on minimum wage with no benefits, or set up schools where nobody gets a wage, you do it because you love the country.

 

[Brighton Mod]

I would like a government to say, "Teachers, instead of us dictating to you what we want, how about you tell us what you want" and just let them get on with the job.

Perhaps we should ask the same of the generals in charge of the Army, the admirals in charge of the Navy and the Air Vice Marshall. What do Unions know about the teaching profession, they are only intersted in collecting fees to keep themselves in a job. Perhaps we should ask the newly qualified teacher just out of teacher training college at the age of 23 what they want? Some people are so niaive.

 

[BadFish]

I would like a government to say, "Teachers, instead of us dictating to you what we want, how about you tell us what you want" and just let them get on with the job.

Perhaps we should ask the same of the generals in charge of the Army, the admirals in charge of the Navy and the Air Vice Marshall.

Surely these people are experts in their fields and should be given a certain amount of autonomy. The same can be said for experienced teachers and those who work in the leadership of schools. Experts in the field should definately be given a certain amount of autonomy. To have people who know little about any of the fields you mention making key decisions is foolish.

What do Unions know about the teaching profession, they are only intersted in collecting fees to keep themselves in a job.

A baseless opinion and an assumption that really does your argument no favours

Perhaps we should ask the newly qualified teacher just out of teacher training college at the age of 23 what they want?

Excessive extrapolation but yes maybe they should have some say in how things are done, fresh ideas are always welcome in the mix. it could be said that actually these NQT's are still more qualified to have input into teaching and learning that a government minister with no experience and no degree in any area of education.

Some people are so niaive.

Yes they are.