Shortage Of Teachers

[nicebloke1]

On tv the other night i caught the tail end of some news reporting difficulties in recruiting school teachers, not sure if it was just my area, but they did say that some areas had no applications whatsoever. So whats your opinion on why no one seems to want these jobs.

[Prudie]

Because you have to suffer abuse, can't say a word wrong, spend more than half your life as a social worker and a fair bit learning about different genders and identifiers and the right pronouns to use rather than a teacher and absolutely no means of dealing with poor behaviour without the the threat of suspension and court. Who'd want to??

[nicebloke1]

Well all that you post did cross my mind, but not all schools have those problems. So does this mean that the schools that do end up closing their doors. That would be very worrying.

[DDIL]

Because you can't do right for doing wrong.

There is no protection for the teacher but loads of protection for the child.

Just look at the 100 odd answers to the OP complaining about the colour of school trousers, the OP was complaining that a family member was suspended for not following the school rules - they argued and argued that their family member was right and everyone else was wrong.

 

[theshedman]

In some of our local schools they find it hard to recruit male teachers as they are afraid of being accused of things by pupils and then they are suspended for months before finally being allowed back into class.  Also not allowed to teach common sense and having to stick exactly to the curriculum and not go  off it at all or they get into trouble.  This comes from 2 friends both teachers.

[New Judge]

I'm not surprised to learn of these difficulties. I cannot imagine anybody in their right mind embarking on a career in teaching. 

[ToraToraTora]

I am amazed anyone wants to be a teacher. The whole system is geared to those that make the most noise. Any tools of control they once had have gone, now all they have is suspension, that's it. They have entitled parents harrassing the schools at the slightest thing. Sure there are a lot of good kids that want to get on and learn but the disruptive little cretins and their moronic parents get all the reasources.

[ToraToraTora]

ddil: "Just look at the 100 odd answers to the OP complaining about the colour of school trousers, the OP was complaining that a family member was suspended for not following the school rules - they argued and argued that their family member was right and everyone else was wrong." - bang on I was amazed that post made 100. That's exactly the sort of thing that is wrong.

[maggiebee]

There was a very efficient head teacher at my grandsons' primary school.  He eventually left teaching because he felt he had turned into a social worker and spent more time trying to help parents than he did with children.  

[New Judge]

Indeed Tora.

It may be somewhat less disheartening in the private sector. Parents of pupils there, of course, have shelled out their hard-earned and so have an investment on which they expect a return. So they may be less inclined to encourage their children to challenge their teachers' suthority, less inclined to storm into the school threatening to thump the teacher because little Tarquin has been told to stop swearing or little Tabatha has been sent home for turning up wearing a skirt up to her armpits and more inclined to ensure their children behave and knuckle down to their studies than those parents whose children enjoy a "free" education.

But I could be wrong.. 

[Barmaid]

Over 30 years ago I qualifed as a teacher for post 16.  I taught 2 evenings a week (3 hours each) and 1 x Sat morning (4 hours).  I also supplied when necessary during the day on an emergency basis (my full time employer saw this as a positive thing).  For 10 hours teaching (around 20 students for each evening and up to 50 for a Sat morning, although I did have 2x teaching assistants for that), there was a chunk of marking and lesson planning which was fine albeit it was quite intensive since these were workshop based.  Unfortunately, in addition there was a blinkin shed load of other "tick box" admin nonsense which more than doubled the prep admin time for teaching.  However, I did quite enjoy teaching adults. 

The supply stuff I did teaching 16 year olds was horrific.  Some of them were arguably the most unpleasant individuals I had ever met.  I will have won no awards for being measured since if I were told to "eff off", I would meet it with "no, you eff off" whilst opening the door.  I never taught a whole term of 16 year olds for which I am grateful. 

I really think that teachers have the devil's own job.  And then they have to deal with parents who will never accept that their little darling is in fact a little sod.  Unfortunately, a lot of children are taught all about their rights - correctly so.  The other side of the coin is responsibility for their own behaviour which is just as important and does not seem to be impressed upon them at home.

[youngmafbog]

Two of my nephews are teachers, one in Mathematics the other Chemistry.  

Both now work abroad one is Spain the other China. Prudie pretty much outlines the problems.