A whole year …some reflections after leaving teaching

Original post by Sceptical_John

This is a blog I found and wondered what other people's thoughts on it are

https://rachaelhorsmanmaths.wordpress.com/2017/04/23/a-whole-year-some-reflections-after-leaving-teaching/

Now I was aware teaching was not 9-4 with long holidays before going into it but I had no idea it could be this extreme.

The typical day

7.10am – arrive at school, spend time making, preparing, photocopying, answering emails
8.10am – duty – supervising pupils arrival at school, catch a few that you need to talk to
8.40am – assembly or registration
9am – teach 2 lessons
10.40am – break duty supervising students
11am – teach 1 maybe 2 lessons (in spare lesson rush to loo, mark, plan, support colleagues)
12. 20pm – lunch duty supervising students
1.15pm – teach 1 maybe 2 lessons (in spare lesson rush to loo, mark, plan, support colleagues)
2.55pm – end of school, duty supervising pupils leaving
3.10pm – 5.30pm possibly after school clubs, eat lunch, mark, plan, meetings
7pm – 10pm – mark, plan, complete paperwork for the day

If you read between the lines a lot of supervising, which isnt the most strenuous, nor would eating lunch be. It doesnt say they run after school clubs and again that cnat be anywhere near as demanding as lessons. It only says possibly.
Id be surprised if they have consistent 15 hour days,, although i do think its a hard job.

Reply 2

Sceptical_John

OP

16

Original post by 999tigger

If you read between the lines a lot of supervising, which isnt the most strenuous, nor would eating lunch be. It doesnt say they run after school clubs and again that cnat be anywhere near as demanding as lessons. It only says possibly.
Id be surprised if they have consistent 15 hour days,, although i do think its a hard job.

I agree supervising is not as strenuous as lessons and I don't think the blogger makes that point. But still, you can't mentally switch of when supervising either.

It's all the time spent marking/planning which shocks me more. I'm wondering if this is typical - ie you dont really get time to do it during the day.

Reply 3

Original post by Sceptical_John

I agree supervising is not as strenuous as lessons and I don't think the blogger makes that point. But still, you can't mentally switch of when supervising either.

It's all the time spent marking/planning which shocks me more. I'm wondering if this is typical - ie you dont really get time to do it during the day.

id expect there are experienced teachers that have the expertise and can do all the lesson planning based on the year before. I doubt marking is that hard especially once you have gotten used to it. You also have the holidays. Im not sayng its easy and i imagine teaching brats is extremely trying, but working in a factory or a shop can be hard work as well. Some people have the mentality and others realise its not for them or never understood how much paperwork there is.

Original post by 999tigger

id expect there are experienced teachers that have the expertise and can do all the lesson planning based on the year before. I doubt marking is that hard especially once you have gotten used to it.

I'm in a good place to comment as Rach is a friend of mine and I happen to know she is an extremely experienced and highly-regarded educator. Planning, marking and supervision just isn't as easy as you suggest. I've made her aware this thread is here so she may turn up later and explain why.

Reply 5

Original post by Mr M

I'm in a good place to comment as Rach is a friend of mine and I happen to know she is an extremely experienced and highly-regarded educator. Planning, marking and supervision just isn't as easy as you suggest. I've made her aware this thread is here so she may turn up later and explain why.

I hope she doesnt. You are reading too much into what I wrote. Is teaching the hardest job in the world? Some people are suited and others are not. Some people can cope others cannot. Take it up with the OP.

What I said is some teachers will find it easier than others, obviously youve just spun it . Other people have hard and stressful jobs as well.

Reply 6

Hi there I'm the blogger, Rach.

Thanks for your comments, it's always good to receive feedback.

A few responses. Yes I was/am an experienced teacher. I held various positions of responsibility. I did rely on previous lessons but curriculum, classes, technology and resources change. No class is the same and in such a high stakes environment you are responsible for your pupils. If a student fails a grade the implications on them can be huge - entrance to college, university, employment. Part of my responsibility was making sure that every pupil's needs are met and that I kept up to date with teaching innovations, changes to courses and the technology available to me. I also supported colleagues, mentored trainees and in several schools covered for non-existent staff. If a member of staff is off for a period of time or there are not enough subject specialist others plan and mark the class' lessons and books, cover and supply teachers rarely do this (especially as they weren't often subject specialists).

You're absolutely right being on duty supervising the pupils isn't as demanding as teaching but you are still responsible for the safety of the pupils. You don't turn off, you'll be talking to some about work, watching others are behaving sensibly and making sure any pupils at risk are not in anyway having problems. I would sometimes eat lunch whilst on duty but it would be whilst doing the above, standing up and outside. I'm not denying at all that other people don't have stressful jobs, I don't just socialise with teachers and know full well the stress and strains of my friends jobs.

The point of my blog and setting out the day was to show people (non-teachers) that as a teacher you don't turn off. I can honestly say now I can - I can get up and get a coffee, walk around the block and go to the toilet when I want, this is very different to being in the school environment. To teachers I want to say you are not superhuman, at some point you may have to say no or ask for help. Happy to discuss further or answer questions.

If you are thinking of going into teaching do it. It's an amazing fulfilling career. Don't be afraid of saying no and asking for help if needed.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 7

El Salvador

21

I get to school around 7.40am and leave 3pm unless there's an activity (in which case, 4.15pm or 6.30pm if there's a conference with parents).

I get to mark everything and plan everything during the school day so I hardly do anything at home after work or on the weekends.

Duty is around one break or one 25-minute after school year every fortnight, I'm not a form tutor this year so no registration or assembly.

There are around 184 teaching days in the year for me, including a few half-days.

---

I think it totally depends on what kind of school it is, which grade you teach, what time of the year it is, how big your classes are, which subject(s) you teach, and how efficient/experienced you are in general.

Reply 8

Original post by 999tigger

If you read between the lines a lot of supervising, which isnt the most strenuous, nor would eating lunch be. It doesnt say they run after school clubs and again that cnat be anywhere near as demanding as lessons. It only says possibly.
Id be surprised if they have consistent 15 hour days,, although i do think its a hard job.

I generally was doing this 4 days a week, off Friday night catch up on a Sunday. See my post below re supervising and lunch. Thanks for your comments.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 9

Original post by Sceptical_John

This is a blog I found and wondered what other people's thoughts on it are

https://rachaelhorsmanmaths.wordpress.com/2017/04/23/a-whole-year-some-reflections-after-leaving-teaching/

Now I was aware teaching was not 9-4 with long holidays before going into it but I had no idea it could be this extreme.

The typical day

7.10am – arrive at school, spend time making, preparing, photocopying, answering emails
8.10am – duty – supervising pupils arrival at school, catch a few that you need to talk to
8.40am – assembly or registration
9am – teach 2 lessons
10.40am – break duty supervising students
11am – teach 1 maybe 2 lessons (in spare lesson rush to loo, mark, plan, support colleagues)
12. 20pm – lunch duty supervising students
1.15pm – teach 1 maybe 2 lessons (in spare lesson rush to loo, mark, plan, support colleagues)
2.55pm – end of school, duty supervising pupils leaving
3.10pm – 5.30pm possibly after school clubs, eat lunch, mark, plan, meetings
7pm – 10pm – mark, plan, complete paperwork for the day

I generally taught 4 to 6 lessons out of the day. As I was a senior leader I was on duty 4/5 morning and lunches each week, and after school. I also had a tutor group.

Not everyone has this level. Part of the reason for my blog is to make new teachers aware that you need to look after yourselves, and know when to say no.

Reply 10

Original post by Sceptical_John

I agree supervising is not as strenuous as lessons and I don't think the blogger makes that point. But still, you can't mentally switch of when supervising either.

It's all the time spent marking/planning which shocks me more. I'm wondering if this is typical - ie you dont really get time to do it during the day.

You can plan some work during the day if nothing pops up e.g. Someone off ill, problems between pupils, something somewhere needing chasing up. You never know exactly what's going to happen: keeps you on your toes 🙂

Reply 11

Original post by 999tigger

id expect there are experienced teachers that have the expertise and can do all the lesson planning based on the year before. I doubt marking is that hard especially once you have gotten used to it. You also have the holidays. Im not sayng its easy and i imagine teaching brats is extremely trying, but working in a factory or a shop can be hard work as well. Some people have the mentality and others realise its not for them or never understood how much paperwork there is.

Hi - you're right you can use previous preparation but every year you get different classes and courses to teach, that's before the government changes the curriculum, exam structure and what they expect to see in lessons. You do in some ways get quicker, but also as you get more experienced you realise even more the variety of pupils you are teaching and read up more about research and consider how it should effect your work. I chose to do this.

If you consider some of the most successful jurisdictions in the world such as Shanghai, teachers teach two lessons a day, often to the same class. They then have the rest of the day to mark and plan often with colleagues teaching the same content. They still work long days but generally don't take work home. That's not possible here but to be truly reflective, prepare well, keep up with research, give useful feedback to pupils....etc etc does take a huge amount of time.

Reply 12

Original post by Rach_read

Hi - you're right you can use previous preparation but every year you get different classes and courses to teach, that's before the government changes the curriculum, exam structure and what they expect to see in lessons. You do in some ways get quicker, but also as you get more experienced you realise even more the variety of pupils you are teaching and read up more about research and consider how it should effect your work. I chose to do this.

If you consider some of the most successful jurisdictions in the world such as Shanghai, teachers teach two lessons a day, often to the same class. They then have the rest of the day to mark and plan often with colleagues teaching the same content. They still work long days but generally don't take work home. That's not possible here but to be truly reflective, prepare well, keep up with research, give useful feedback to pupils....etc etc does take a huge amount of time.

Hi

I was a bit snappy, but I must have answered 15-20 problem threads today, which tend to be my main staple .
I am supportive of teachers and think its a difficult job with the system and cuts not helping. I do get many teachers go in with the idea of teaching and are frustrated by the bureaucracy which can turn a job you in theory love into an unpleasant experience. Long as those hours are, with any job it ebbs and flows plus other people do hard jobs as well.

If it isnt for you or you feel its going to run you into the ground, then rather than fight the good fight I would have bailed and found something less stressful or more rewarding. You only have one life and systems are very hard to turn around. I would have thought with the amount of time and money theyve invested in the education system government could get it right, when other jurisdictions manage to score much higher. I still dont get how they think its acceptable to have such large numbers of pupils leaving with such low attainment levels. Its a scandal imo and a tragedy for the country.

Keep fighting the good fight.

Reply 13