In the relationship between employers and employees it is the employers who hold most of the cards. If they are not to be merely slaves wholly subservient to the orders of the employer, the employees have to stick up for their interests sometimes; if they never resist at all, they are simply ground into the dust. Going on strike is always a weapon of limited effectiveness, because it does nearly as much harm to the employees (who lose wages) as to the employer. But sometimes it is the only means available of getting senior managers to focus on the needs and views of employees, even if only briefly. To sum up, strikes are always undesirable but sometimes necessary.
i put them only second in line after irresponsible parents for the majority of the lack of discipline in this country...........and most of its problems there after!
To be fair Andy, teachers have been rendered toothless, powerless, in terms of discipline in schools. Regulations and such. Bradders, the government will send in the troops to take over lessons, don't worry :wink:
I think that's a very fair comment. I bet teachers don't like the fact that they aren't allowed to discipline kids in the old way, but just have to sit and take a lot of stick. Teachers want to teach, not be ineffectual policemen. In theory, the youth of today should be happier, more fulfilled, more confident, more creative, more effective and better human beings than their predecessors. After all, isn't that the whole point of the changes in how they have been treated vs previous generations? Maybe they are. Who knows?
I think you're a bit tough on teachers. It's not really part time when you take into account all the tedious marking of work which is utterly soul-destroying and takes an age, if done properly. The holidays are long, true, but come the end of the term, you are done in. It's a bit like being on stage, having to turn in a performance in front of an audience who mainly don't even want to be there, and often at times in the morning when you'd sooner sit quietly in front of computer screen doing emails and nursing a coffee. Teaching is like anything else. it can be done poorly, or superbly. You have to differentiate. I did a year of it a long time ago. Was never tempted to make a career out of it.
Ar..is it a career or a vocation? And there lays the issue; nursing, police force, teaching...all vocations imho traditionally which have been made into career aspirations. Two totally different ideals.
My own belief is that pay and conditions for teachers would be the envy of a substantial proportion of those working in the private sector and they should wake up and smell the coffee. They will get little sympathy for strikes. I absolutely agree with Loz re the way in which teachers have had their authority undermined. However I think the teaching profession has a lot to answer for in this regard, wooly left wing liberal thinking has predominated for far too long in the NUT and NASUWT, they are their own worst enemies. However I agree with teachers completely regarding Ofsted, another fine idea completely ruined in its implementation. Failed teachers and theorists dropped in with wholly unrealistic expectations of how teachers should be teaching. I have thought for years that teachers should just say NO to Ofsted. Heads should be allowed to manage staff and take responsibility for their performance. It was a job I considered many years ago, thankfully I chose to do something else, I do not envy them their lot.
As someone who preaches 'what gets measured, gets improved' I fear this mentality has gone too far especially in public services. now its measurement for measurement sake and gets in the way of effective work practices.
Since I am not very familiar with the issues in the current teachers' dispute and can't be bothered to study them, I am reluctant to express a specific opinion. It is well known that the teaching unions have at times been infiltrated and taken over by hardline extremists (not by woolly liberals!) who have adopted foolish and confrontational policies. It is also well known that the current Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove) is keen on forcing through foolish and arrogant policies of his own. Take your pick.
My Better Half is a teacher and I will say your rather small minded sweeping comments are less than welcome!! I know not what you do for a living, but if you are not a teacher then outside unfactual comment is not worth a jot...........I welcome your response, measured or not....
Just for the record us non teaching staff are treated like shite. Our "holidays" are unpaid , It's great going to work and being threatened / assaulted even strangled and sat down with a cup of tea and expected to get up and walk back in. I love seeing fellow colleagues being hurt by kids bigger then them. Or false accusations made. As for support from the top ??? Hahahaha .. You can't discipline your not allowed . Your not even allowed to say anything or your arse is hauled in . Oh there's some teachers who deserve medals . There's some who are useless ... Skive off and should be removed . 90% teachers are great love their jobs but are being swamped by paperwork that is leaving them unable to lesson plan , do their jobs and the fact they can't discipline means they are open to violence threats and all sorts and pupils know they can get away with hell or say stuff. So no it's not an easy job and also when you go home you have to do all the planning and work you couldn't do at work due to ridiculous paperwork. Oh the other staff have it ten times worse btw ... And are paid appallingly . We tend to work these jobs as childcare fees are criminal .. So it's easier to be at home unpaid then at work and more I. Debt . Also because for some strange reason we want to help and make a difference or try to.
