Teachers - underpaid and overworked!

Yes. Guess who earns more a teacher responsible for the future of the country or my good friends train drivers who can drive badly and only have to stop for a red light now and then (and may not bother)? Yeap you gussed it the bloody train drivers. Yes I have a major problem with train drivers and their obscene pay and unions who hold the country to ransom.

I'd love to be a techer (secondary, Geography... oo like Geogger ), but it's a shame there's so little money in it. Teachers are massively exploited! I love my teachers, they've made school fun and interesting, and I want to be one!
Up with teachers' pay!

I think they're underworked and overpaid personally. 6 weeks summer vacation. 3 for Christmas (as if that's not enough they even have "shopping days" in some schools, 3 for easter, plus the "occasional days" plus plenty of "sick days" covered by temps etc.

On top of that the working day doesn't start until 9 and is finished by 3:30 with 45 mins for lunch, a couple of 15 min breaks, as well as "free periods"

Bunch of slackers IMO. A good days work would kill most of them.

I'd love to be a techer (secondary, Geography... oo like Geogger ), but it's a shame there's so little money in it. Teachers are massively exploited! I love my teachers, they've made school fun and interesting, and I want to be one!
Up with teachers' pay!

^^^^ Well said. There are good and bad teachers of course, I'm not denying that (I've been taught by enough of the latter type to know, lol) but teaching - although rewarding - is a very draining job. Unlike other jobs, teachers can't just switch off the moment they finish school - marking essays, coursework, planning lessons presentations etc all takes up a huge amount of time. Many teachers feel so underappreciated, and that's so sad when you consider the huge amount of time and effort many put into their work. More people who criticize the profession should read the TES and wake up to what a teaching career really involves - both good and bad aspects. (Oh, and for the record I'm not a teacher myself - but both my parents and many of their friends are, so I can see both sides.)

:dito:
Totally agree. Teachers go through sh*t sometimes and it's time this was recognized.

Remember Percy?

Remember Percy?

Your point about reading TES is really valid. It would give people who don't understand what teachers go through a real insight into their world. I think from the outside it looks like a cushy job - long holidays etc, but I say make people that think that work as a teacher for a week and then they can see what it's really like with lesson plans, marking etc. My parents are also both teachers btw.