For all the teachers out there

[Banditbandit]

As school holidays are ending - this made me think of all you teachers on the forum ...

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10923688_10205287690847800_7996863269356046677_n.j pg?oh=541d8cdbd21139f3774d849b40b36ba9&oe=55660DCD

[mashman]

Bon chance.

[Hitcher]

Thirteen weeks paid holiday each year. My heart bleeds.

[awa355]

Thirteen weeks paid holiday each year. My heart bleeds.

Oh, come on Hitch, the lady down the street had to go back a week early just to get things sorted for the start of the new term. <_<

[mansell]

Thirteen weeks paid holiday each year. My heart bleeds.
Every time i hear this comment I use the standard reply - spend 3-4 years at a university then another year at teachers' college - rack up a huge student loan debt, deal with 80-100 teenagers a day and you too can have 12 weeks holidays :rolleyes:. The interesting thing is although the students start back next week I have been in work since the 12th just to get stuff organised. Oops I forgot to mention on top of the teaching load there is also the sports team you coach which means you don't have a saturday for the season and all the work that is done from home. Trust me it's easier working in industry (yes I did that for nearly 20 years before I started teaching).

[Moi]

That's great and have passed it on...

Yesterday was my last day on the payroll after 40+ years in teaching - taught from New Entrants through to tertiary level and I know which teachers I have the most respect and admiration for...

My riposte to "thirteen weeks holiday" and you "only work 9 to 3" is: If you think it is so fantastic then why not join me for a week with my class? Have never had anyone accept the invitation...

Will definitely miss the fantastic colleagues and the wonderful kids in all of their glories, but not the paper war.

[oldrider]

Every time i hear this comment I use the standard reply - spend 3-4 years at a university then another year at teachers' college - rack up a huge student loan debt, deal with 80-100 teenagers a day and you too can have 12 weeks holidays :rolleyes:. The interesting thing is although the students start back next week I have been in work since the 12th just to get stuff organised. Oops I forgot to mention on top of the teaching load there is also the sports team you coach which means you don't have a saturday for the season and all the work that is done from home. Trust me it's easier working in industry (yes I did that for nearly 20 years before I started teaching).

OK - I'll buy that but why are you still there? - :confused: . http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/dissonance.htm . :blip:

[sidecar bob]

My riposte to "thirteen weeks holiday" and you "only work 9 to 3" is: If you think it is so fantastic then why not join me for a week with my class? Have never had anyone accept the invitation...


Thats because most of us had a gutsful of school long before the day we walked out for the last time.
Why the hell would you would want to spend your whole life going back to school?

[mansell]

OK - I'll buy that but why are you still there? - :confused: . http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/dissonance.htm . :blip:
Strangely enough I actually enjoy the job, sometimes the bullshit that we have to put up with outside the classroom pisses me off but generally inside the classroom when it is humming is a fantastic place and really rewarding.

[nerrrd]

Thats because most of us had a gutsful of school long before the day we walked out for the last time.
Why the hell would you would want to spend your whole life going back to school?

Yeah that whole education thing, what a complete waste of everybody's time :rolleyes:.

[sidecar bob]

Yeah that whole education thing, what a complete waste of everybody's time :rolleyes:.

We'll no, now you're just being a dick in a feeble attempt to make me look stupid.
In the time since I've left school I've paid off well over $1,000,000 worth of debt, none of it student debt & have assets to show for it accordingly. School was a waste of time for me, it doesn't make school or me stupid.
School hated hands on free thinkers with their own ideas, I'm not sure if it still does.

[PrincessBandit]

Hahaha, I must say I was quite looking forward to going back today. Kids back next week, and this year I have the pleasure of a fresh batch of babies starting year 9 for my form class. I can't wait to whip 'em into shape :blip: and train 'em up for their 5 years stuck with me as their form teacher. (Just kidding...just kidding; although technically they should have me as their form teacher until they leave, lucky little sausages).

Pushing work out of my mind for the last few weeks is the only way I am able to return recharged and bright eyed and bushy tailed to face the new onslaught!

[Trade_nancy]

Every time i hear this comment I use the standard reply - spend 3-4 years at a university then another year at teachers' college - rack up a huge student loan debt, deal with 80-100 teenagers a day and you too can have 12 weeks holidays :rolleyes:. The interesting thing is although the students start back next week I have been in work since the 12th just to get stuff organised. Oops I forgot to mention on top of the teaching load there is also the sports team you coach which means you don't have a saturday for the season and all the work that is done from home. Trust me it's easier working in industry (yes I did that for nearly 20 years before I started teaching).


People who are self-employed - especially tradesmen also take sports teams, run school committees, work on their weekends and spent countless hours on charitable work - where do they get more annual leave? They contribute 80% of this country's tax income. What percentage would your profession contribute?
Your lot as a teacher is easy compared to many. I'm no longer a small business proprietor - but was for 15 years of stress and worry....no annual leave..but would get 10 days off a year somehow.
As Fred Dagg sang "You don't know how lucky you are...MATE".

[PrincessBandit]

People who are self-employed - especially tradesmen also take sports teams, run school committees, work on their weekends and spent countless hours on charitable work - where do they get more annual leave? ...
Your lot as a teacher is easy compared to many.....
As Fred Dagg sang "You don't know how lucky you are...MATE".

:violin: Cry me a fricken river; eat a handful of sour grapes if you find it hard to get the tears started.

[sidecar bob]

:violin: Cry me a fricken river; eat a handful of sour grapes if you find it hard to get the tears started.

So nothing of substance then, just a hollow uneducated put down to make yourself feel better?

[nerrrd]

We'll no, now you're just being a dick in a feeble attempt to make me look stupid.
In the time since I've left school I've paid off well over $1,000,000 worth of debt, none of it student debt & have assets to show for it accordingly. School was a waste of time for me, it doesn't make school or me stupid.
School hated hands on free thinkers with their own ideas, I'm not sure if it still does.

Whoa slow down there partner, not trying to make you look stupid (probably am being a dick though). Just wanted to point out there's a few hundred thousand kids (who aren't you) out there, they might just benefit from a smidgen of education, in fact we all might benefit from it. Plus it's cheap daycare.

[bogan]

People who are self-employed - especially tradesmen also take sports teams, run school committees, work on their weekends and spent countless hours on charitable work - where do they get more annual leave? They contribute 80% of this country's tax income. What percentage would your profession contribute?
Your lot as a teacher is easy compared to many. I'm no longer a small business proprietor - but was for 15 years of stress and worry....no annual leave..but would get 10 days off a year somehow.
As Fred Dagg sang "You don't know how lucky you are...MATE".

Self employed, mate you got it easy. Try working for a guy who doesn't know what he is doing; then you have to take on dual roles as full time worker and full time teacher...

Still, at least I get paid twice what a teacher of younglings would...


Seriously though, much respect to those who teach and are able to keep an interest in their students abilities and development. Tax take would be a lot lower if we were never taught to reach our potential so anyone who thinks a teachers tax income stops at their salary should go back to school.

[PrincessBandit]

So nothing of substance then, just a hollow uneducated put down to make yourself feel better?

Nah, it's one of those topics that each side is not prepared to see the other pov. I don't really care if some people bleat about "how easy we have it" because I know that's not how it is for teachers who are dedicated to their profession and students. Whatever "advantages" we might have over other workers who blah blah blah whinge whinge whinge "it's not fair" stiff shit. You made your professional choices, we have made ours; so yeah, keep eating those grapes.

[Trade_nancy]

Self employed, mate you got it easy. Try working for a guy who doesn't know what he is doing; then you have to take on dual roles as full time worker and full time teacher...

Still, at least I get paid twice what a teacher of younglings would...


Seriously though, much respect to those who teach and are able to keep an interest in their students abilities and development. Tax take would be a lot lower if we were never taught to reach our potential so anyone who thinks a teachers tax income stops at their salary should go back to school.

So you work for Len Brown too eh?

[sidecar bob]

Nah, it's one of those topics that each side is not prepared to see the other pov. I don't really care if some people bleat about "how easy we have it" because I know that's not how it is for teachers who are dedicated to their profession and students. Whatever "advantages" we might have over other workers who blah blah blah whinge whinge whinge "it's not fair" stiff shit. You made your professional choices, we have made ours; so yeah, keep eating those grapes.

I'm not eating sour grapes, it's not hard, I don't have to deal with someone else's ill mannered brat & I make a comfortable living. I am also dedicated to my profession, of which many school teachers require the services of. I wasn't blah'ing & I wasn't whinging, looks like you guys are trying to over compensate for your miserable profession.

[PrincessBandit]

I'm not eating sour grapes, it's not hard, I don't have to deal with someone else's ill mannered brat & I make a comfortable living. I am also dedicated to my profession, of which many school teachers require the services of. I wasn't blah'ing & I wasn't whinging, looks like you guys are trying to over compensate for your miserable profession.

I'll peel some for you.

[oldrider]

OK - I'll buy that but why are you still there? - :confused: . http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/dissonance.htm . :blip:


Strangely enough I actually enjoy the job, sometimes the bullshit that we have to put up with outside the classroom pisses me off but generally inside the classroom when it is humming is a fantastic place and really rewarding.

That really is the nub - I can respect and value that - find it hard to understand why so many (apparently) unhappy schoolteachers stay in the job and moan continuously!

Good school teachers are bloody scarce (valuable) - Parents (Grandparents included) and pupils all value them immensely!

The unhappy ones should piss off and do something else and let the happy ones get on with the teaching without their (peers?) constant niggling distractions.

I.E. - http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/dissonance.htm

[JimO]

teachers eh, what a moaning pack of cunts, high school teacher 2 doors up the road from me, i leave for work before him and get home after him, he is always moaning about something or other, spends his 12 weeks of xmas hols up the coast in a nice crib (bach) every year he goes on about the "extra" work he does marking NCEA exams, of course he gets paid extra for this and its his choice to do it...he is a tool and i feel sorry for the kids in his class. Thank dog my kids are all away from school and i dont have to have anything to do with boring teachers, as for taking sports teams all 3 of my boys played hockey for the school the teacher in charge was rarely seen at a game and never at a practice he delegated a senior student in the team to run things

there is a old saying..those who can do the others teach

[SVboy]

That really is the nub - I can respect and value that - find it hard to understand why so many (apparently) unhappy schoolteachers stay in the job and moan continuously!

Good school teachers are bloody scarce (valuable) - Parents (Grandparents included) and pupils all value them immensely!

The unhappy ones should piss off and do something else and let the happy ones get on with the teaching without their (peers?) constant niggling distractions.

I.E. - http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/dissonance.htm

Wow, something old rider and I agree on, just wow!

[SVboy]

teachers eh, what a moaning pack of cunts, high school teacher 2 doors up the road from me, i leave for work before him and get home after him, he is always moaning about something or other, spends his 12 weeks of xmas hols up the coast in a nice crib (bach) every year he goes on about the "extra" work he does marking NCEA exams, of course he gets paid extra for this and its his choice to do it...he is a tool and i feel sorry for the kids in his class. Thank dog my kids are all away from school and i dont have to have anything to do with boring teachers, as for taking sports teams all 3 of my boys played hockey for the school the teacher in charge was rarely seen at a game and never at a practice he delegated a senior student in the team to run things

there is a old saying..those who can do the others teach

I make sure my bikes get priority over my holidays. Thanks for helping to fund that, dickhead.

[SuperMac]

teachers eh, what a moaning pack of cunts, high school teacher 2 doors up the road from me, i leave for work before him and get home after him, he is always moaning about something or other, spends his 12 weeks of xmas hols up the coast in a nice crib (bach) every year he goes on about the "extra" work he does marking NCEA exams, of course he gets paid extra for this and its his choice to do it...he is a tool and i feel sorry for the kids in his class. Thank dog my kids are all away from school and i dont have to have anything to do with boring teachers, as for taking sports teams all 3 of my boys played hockey for the school the teacher in charge was rarely seen at a game and never at a practice he delegated a senior student in the team to run things

there is a old saying..those who can do the others teach

You raise some very good points, but missed one question:

If it's such a piss-easy job, why don't the people who think so become teachers? :doh:

[buggerit]

You raise some very good points, but missed one question:

If it's such a piss-easy job, why don't the people who think so become teachers? :doh:

No cane:shifty:

[angle]

What percentage would your profession contribute?
100% and more. The role of a teacher is one of the key professions for any decent society as it forms the shape of the country for generations to come. It is worrying that people don't seem to grasp such a simple yet significant concept.


Whoa slow down there partner, not trying to make you look stupid (probably am being a dick though).
I'm seriously trying to imagine you being a dick, but can't. You're just too polite!

[nodrog]

At least we know where all the child molesters are between 9 and 3.

[buggerit]

Some of the best teachers I have had after form 2 never had a formal teaching qualification.

[JimO]

I make sure my bikes get priority over my holidays. Thanks for helping to fund that, dickhead.
no problem:violin:

[schrodingers cat]

Everybody is an expert on education cause they've been to school.
Every party they'll roll out the 'when I was in forth form..' stories.

Teaching - I tried it. You can stick your umpteen weeks holiday up your arse. It's 'blood money'

[Moi]

Those moments when a kid says "I get it" or something to that effect as the penny drops compensate for all the crap dumped on teachers by those both inside and outside of education...

[sidecar bob]

Those moments when a kid says "I get it" or something to that effect as the penny drops compensate for all the crap dumped on teachers by those both inside and outside of education...

That satisfaction can also be gained by training a promising young chap in a trade. It is possible to be a teacher without being a "teacher"

[JimO]

That satisfaction can also be gained by training a promising young chap in a trade. It is possible to be a teacher without being a "teacher"
only if you wear a corduroy jacket with brown leather elbow patches

[Moi]

That satisfaction can also be gained by training a promising young chap in a trade. It is possible to be a teacher without being a "teacher"

Yes.

Most learning is as you describe... look, listen, do and learn...

We are all teachers: my practice was in an formal educational setting, your practice is in a less formal educational setting...

[Moi]

only if you wear a corduroy jacket with brown leather elbow patches

No... cap and gown!

[Berries]

I keep seeing the thread title and automatically add the words 'get fucked' to it.

Apologies to all the teachers out there, it's some kind of natural reaction that I have no control over. I have been refraining since the OP but alas have run out of whatever it is I have run out of.


Educashun probably.

[Swoop]

only if you wear a corduroy jacket with brown leather elbow patches

Are walk socks and pocket protector's still mandatory?

[Trade_nancy]

[QUOTE=angle;1130823750]100% and more. The role of a teacher is one of the key professions for any decent society as it forms the shape of the country for generations to come. It is worrying that people don't seem to grasp such a simple yet significant concept.

Didn't ask for a rhetorical answer - the question was simple - what percentage of the tax income to NZ IRD would teachers provide? The importance of teachers is plain. The importance of 80% of NZ's tax income stream is equally plain and at least as important. Without hard earners - there is no tax to fund teachers 13 weeks sunning themselves in the Coromandel.
How important, relevant and holistic their profession may be.....is not under dispute. People can grasp their importance..just not how much leave they get given...and still they complain about working after hours.

Rhetorical: An answer spoken to produce an effect and not necessarily to answer the actual question.

[Banditbandit]

.
School hated hands on free thinkers with their own ideas, I'm not sure if it still does.

It's largely still like that - a few individual teachers do value free thinkers .. the system does not ..


I keep seeing the thread title and automatically add the words 'get fucked' to it.

Apologies to all the teachers out there, it's some kind of natural reaction that I have no control over. I have been refraining since the OP but alas have run out of whatever it is I have run out of.


Educashun probably.

I can appreciate your reaction - I largely share it - which seems quite strange as I work in the eduction sector ...

But Fuck Me .. I post a cartoon in the hope of making people laugh .. and the contributors here wander of on pro and anti-teacher tirades ... (not getting at you berries - just a general observation)

Can't y'all just laugh FFS ...

[oldrider]

It's largely still like that - a few individual teachers do value free thinkers .. the system does not ..



I can appreciate your reaction - I largely share it - which seems quite strange as I work in the eduction sector ...

But Fuck Me .. I post a cartoon in the hope of making people laugh .. and the contributors here wander of on pro and anti-teacher tirades ... (not getting at you berries - just a general observation)

Can't y'all just laugh FFS ...

Reckon everybody laughed OK but then the teachers had to explain why! - as is their want! :blip:

[Berries]

But Fuck Me .. I post a cartoon in the hope of making people laugh .. and the contributors here wander of on pro and anti-teacher tirades ... (not getting at you berries - just a general observation)
Never saw a cartoon, just the thread title which is missing the last two words.......

[Smifffy]

The teacher I always had the most respect for was the guy who told us that he used to have a senior technical job for one of the larger multi-national oil companies, but gave it up for less than half the wages so he could move to the beach and play tennis all year round, with the least working hours possible.

So I've been working in the industrial chemist/engineering field since leaving school, and am beginning to think about semi-retiring to the beach and teaching science lol.

[PrincessBandit]

That satisfaction can also be gained by training a promising young chap in a trade. It is possible to be a teacher without being a "teacher"

Absolutely. There are really talented and inspiring people in our profession as well as dead wood who, quite frankly, should get the hell out. They turn up, stand in front of the kids like a zombie for 5 periods (or whatever) then amble off home ready to repeat the next day. I can't help but wonder if they're partly responsible for all the mountains of extra paperwork we have to do in order to "prove" our efforts and worth each year to tptb further up the totem pole!
In fact, when I was at training college we were most certainly educated in the fact and reality of "informal education" where kids/people learn an indescribable amount of stuff to do with life, education, things that interest them etc. that all takes place outside the classroom walls on school grounds.

In my previous position as an itinerant clarinet/saxophone/flute -and-other-woodwind-instruments teacher, where I turned up for a few hours each week at various schools to teach these instruments to music students I had no formal school teaching qualification and was very very good at my job. The Teachers Council, in their wisdom, decided they couldn't possibly have anyone teaching in a school without getting their grubby little hooks into them and ensuring they "met the standard" (whatever that was to them) and making them become "registered" to keep tabs on them. Funny how there will always be those weirdos that slip through the loopholes though...

I had to go through gaining a formal qualification to teach in order to gain full registration and I could only do that through becoming a classroom teacher - not as the itinerant that I was. The two bemusing things that have come out of that is (1) it had no direct impact whatsoever on my ability to teach the instruments that I've played and taught for years, and (2) while I had no desire ever to be a classroom teacher of music I have actually really grown to enjoy the teaching side of it (not the paperwork side though).

As a musician and music teacher, informal education is a powerful and necessary part of the equation.

[gijoe1313]

I like to turn up to eat my lunch, put my feet up on the table and just assign work and reading straight from a textbook. Any questions or thought provoking ideas get pounded on the head. None of that. No making connections with the learners in front of you, just wait till the end of the school day like all the inmates and grunt every so often in meetings before and after school. Endure the rounds of having earnest parents come in with their pride and joy and thank god the useless so-called parents of the dropbeats and waste of space morons never will.

Dodge putting your hand up to volunteer for a thankless role of coach/manager of an extra-curricular activity which will just see you trudging onto wet, sodden fields and waiting at A&Es with the child since their useless parental units can't be fecked to see what happened to little Johnnie's broken arm or what-nots.

Screw marking the useless wads of work, just stand at the top of the steps and throw them down. Where they land give 'em a mark. Heavier ones will make it more to the bottom so some idiot kid thinking that working hard should equate to some recognition.

Ignore the tension in classrooms so they build up to a head, girls biatching at one another resulting in emotional meltdowns, let the boys go hammer-and-tongs at one another so they can weed out the weakest and let the strongest survive.

Bugger staying in at interval/lunchtime/after school to console or give sound advice to some poor darl'n student who's feeling a bit poorly with life - give them a bottle of HTFU pills and say "she'll be right"

Forget any collegiality with your peers, stuff sharing any ideas - stuff reading any professional extracts in your own time. Never volunteer or participate actively in any namby-pamby, wishy-washy positive action initiatives. It'll all fail anyway since no-one else gives a feck.

No use giving any feedback/marking/feed forward to the learners. They won't appreciate it, just tell them that it won't make a difference since so many arseholes are out in the "Real World" and you'll only make it with the sweat of your brow and maybe a lucky "who you know" connection.

Encouraging them to shoot for the moon? Gamely pick themselves up from a bad result? Had an emotional event at home? Problems with self-esteem? Ill informed half-baked ideas, why give them advice? They'll find out for themselves since they need to experience it to learn!

Why bother forking out your own money to purchase equipment to do your job or provide the basics since their dole-bludging, so-called "care-givers" are spending it on the cigs, booze and pokies?

Never-mind trying to make lessons interactive, diverse, interesting or informative. It's all there in black and white if the little feckers could be bothered to read (if they can even, that is).

Just enjoy the 12 weeks holidays, look forward to those unscheduled disruptions to the school timetable, cut loose when the seniors are finally sent to the chopping block at the external exams, hope those useless juniors keep minding themselves so you can read the newspaper and make TAB bets during class time.

Yep, what a doddle, everyone should get in their and get some free holiday time at the tax-payers expense, way it's going, any-one will be free to stand in front of the class and get some revenge for the time you were pissed around at school yourself.

Oh yeah, can't wait till every citizen has been conscripted to serve a stint at a school, just so they can hate it even more! :niceone:

Hmm where did my Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch go to? :msn-wink:

[Moi]

You forgot about...

for those of us who have been in the system for long enough - a solid gold superannuation...

provided we held onto it...

[BMWST?]

Thats because most of us had a gutsful of school long before the day we walked out for the last time.
Why the hell would you would want to spend your whole life going back to school?


for the bloody holidays!!!!!:brick: