On the subject of back tracking etc. We had 1 relief (the same peron... amazing) for 2 of the 3 days while Lach's current teacher was sick. It came to light that all they did for those 2 days was colour in. No maths, no alphabets, nothing. One parent said "could have kept my kid in kindy for this"
Registered User
Unfortunatley that is usually the way with relief teachers- the problem is that they get booked in advance, so where they may be available on Mon, they may be booked else where for tues etc- relief teachers are in very short supply (at least here in WA, and I live and teach 20 mins for Perth). As for the work, that is quite usual, if a teacher hasnt left any specific work then the relief just gives them things to keep busy, and while I used to try my best to include some maths, english etc, I had no idea what level the children are at, what they hve done previously, what the teacher had planned etc. Even when I know I am going to be away and leave work for a releif, it is not usually exactly what my normal program would be- partly because another teacher doesnt know what is in my head, what I am trying to achieve from a certain lesson, and what I am assessing, and partly because when I am teaching specific things I like it done my way and like to know it is done properly.
ETA- If I am away from work sick, then I am usually sick sick, so dont feel I should sit for hours at my computer typing lesson plans and emailing them in for a relief teacher- especially when the person taking my class is a qaulified teacher and being paid nearly $300 a day to be there, I expect them to be able to come up with 5 hours worth of lessons to get through the day.
Registered User
I am a teacher, and the biggest problem for me is that it is impossible to give students the individual attention they need when class sizes are so big. The job is incredibly draining and when jobs come up in private industry, many teachers jump at the chance to do something else. 70% of teaching graduates are not still teaching after 5 years. That's gotta be an indication that something is very wrong.
Registered User
My teenage DD has attended 2 girls' schools. She was at the first school for 5 years until we decided she needed a change. One of the reasons was because staff turn-over started to get bad. Because I worked there i kind of knew why... and I also knew that it wasn't going to get any better. The last straw was when my DD had 4 teachers in grade 3. All of them left to work at other schools.
Where my DD goes to school now the staff all seem to have very high morale... they are all very vocal about loving working there. maybe one reason is because the class sizes are small? The only subject that has had a bit of turn-over is French... it's a bit of a joke how fertile the French teachers are LOL about 4 have fallen pregnant since my DD started in grade 4 (she is now in grade 9). You don't hear of many leaving to work at other schools. There are lots of very long serving teachers. I wish i could send my boys there!!!
Registered User
(double post)
Registered User
I don't have any kids or anything i just wanted to say that i agree that its disgusting how teachers are leaving for no reason at all. I believe children need stability in all aspects of life when they are growing up, having different teachers all the time would confuse the children and upset some of them especially if they liked them. Its amazing how things have changed. I never had a different teacher i had the same from the start of the year to the end.
My DP's best friend is a teacher and he doesn't really enjoy it, he said that high school kids these days are very disrespectful to each other and to teachers and they are very racist, now he is half german and half thai and he has had some horrible names said to him and he's had things thrown at him in class. He wont be returning back to the school next year, he will be using the school holidays and whatever time he has to himself finding a public servant job.
He said he doesn't want to just walk out in the middle of a school term as its not fair on the students he has that he likes and that like him.
But its so sad that he spent close to 4 years studying in uni to realise that the job stinks pretty much.
Registered User
... I think it would be challenging but good to be a relief teacher... I used to work in a highschool AfterCare class (mainly grades 7 - 8) and I really liked getting to know so many different students.... maybe it's because I look too formidable (sterner than I am) LOL but kids don't seem to muck up with me very much. This thread has given me some food for thought
Registered User
I find this to be a gross over generalising statement- untill you have been on the 'front line' in a classroom, had to deal with the copious amounts of things that go on just day to day you can not make a statement like this- let me give you a very few examples of things I have encountered in my very short teaching career- self harming 6 yo, who could be so violent I had to evacuate the entire class to a safe place when he got into a mood and call for help because he was so violent, being called numberous names including a F***ing C***, B***** etc all by children under 8, seeing a relief teacher being chased around a school by a student with a baseball bat, witnessing a year 1 student being flung to the ground by the head by an older student in a rage, having parents threatening all manner of things because they have been upset by something happening to their child, seeing a school put into lockdown because a psychotic women took over an awards ceremony, refused to leave and had to be arrested by the police. These are just a few things I have witnessed in my 5 year teaching career- admittedly I teach in tough schools but that is not the point, this is something that teachers are faced with every day.i agree that its disgusting how teachers are leaving for no reason at all
And while it is not the best for everyone if a teacher quites during the year, sometimes it is actualley for the best of everyone, the last thing you want for your child is for them to be taught by a teacher about to snap. Most teachers love what they do and put up with alot to continue to do their job, those that love their job and quit usually do so for a very good reason- those that quite their job for no good reason usually aren't the right sort of person to be teaching your children anyway.
Also try not to be too quick to judge, teachers have lives as well, and quite often (and I am sure no more often than other people in other professions) have to leave for personal reason, I dont think they should have to broadcast this personal reasons to everyone to justify there leaving, no more than any other employee in any other job should.
Registered User
Excellent post Ali! I completely agree. If I didn't have a 3yo climbing on me I'd write more.... back later!
Registered User
Hun, pretty bold statement! Most teachers dont leave a job for NO reason. I am sure there are underlying circumstances, such as that Ali mentioned in her earlier posts.
Sorry but I just had to comment on that.
Back to the opening post....
In regards to the change over of teachers suddenly becoming alot more frequent then back when we all went to school...
The teaching population has now become very young as a massive generation of much older teachers are retiring. Because there was such a gap in intake of teachers into the profession, there are mainly young teachers starting to teach. With young teachers, comes teachers at the age where they are starting families. So yes it is disruptive to the children if this happens to be midyear but it is up to the individual woman when she wants to have a child and it shouldnt have to revolve around the school year.
I have just returned to work after maternity leave and am job sharing with another teacher. Their previous teacher has just left to have her baby. Yes it might have been disruptive to the children but they have coped quite well and we are doing the best we can to keep things the same, good communication and handover to make the transition as easy as we could.
In regards to relief teachers when teachers get sick...
It is hard to get the same casual teacher everyday that a teacher is way. Yes in a perfect world that is how it would work but there is not enough funding in a school to employ the same casual teacher on call all the time. Teachers would love to have the same casual teacher taking the class each time as well (would make it easier for everyone) but it just doesnt work like this.
Also you have to remember that teachers work in a job absolutely surrounded with sickness! I honestly think its worse than working in a hospital with sick people sometimes! The kids that come to school with all their sicknesses and passing them around to not only the kids but the teachers as well can not be helped. Teachers are human as well and get sick. I have been back at work for all of 5 days and this arvo I feel terrible (coming down with a cold). Since being off work from the beginning of the year I had not been sick at all (knew it was because I was away from the kids at school). You cant expect teachers to go to school when they are sick and pass it onto the kids again as well. Sorry to go on about it but it is absolutely the biggest downfall of the job of a teacher and each year I waste such an incredible amount of money at the chemist because of it.
I guess the main thing to remember is teachers are human, they get sick, they have families (which should be our first priority but unfortunately school seems to prioritise for me and not by choice), they are looking for job security, financial security & job satisfaction just as any other workers in different professions are.
Registered User
Ali *snap*
Great minds and names think alike and at the same time!!!
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks