School closures

[Night Train]

So the part time school teachers want even more time off. Meanwhile those with children have now to find alternative arrangements to cope with the unexpected kids being at home.

As a teacher, I made the effort to travel over 30 miles to get into work yesterday in the worst of the North West snows. I started at 6am to sort out the car and dig out the drive, cut away fallen branches blocking the road and still managed to get in well before classes started.

I had only 3 students who managed to get there. The college then closed at noon due to the snow.

I am sure that the decision to close the college was not made by the part time teaching staff. We don't get paid if we are not in teaching, whether for holidays, illness or snow.

 

[summerdays]

For me, the eldest 2 school was closed as the school buses were cancelled (in fact all buses apparently weren't running this morning). The youngest I let skive as I think they should be allowed out to enjoy the snow - its such a rare event, rather than the last time when they were cooped up inside for most of the day and only allowed out for the last hour of the day. I had sent him in with spare clothes so it wouldn't have mattered if he got wet.

In fact it would make it easier to plan if they just made a decision very early on that the schools were closed if snow.

 

[gbb]

I don't think schools close to protect the kids, I think teachers live a lot further away from their schools nowadays and can't guarantee to get in. I know if a teacher lives on road, heshe won't be going anywhere any time soon.

The school the wife works at work on exactly that principle. Many of the teachers live in the next county...let alone town. Health and safety for all concerned, children as well of course.

 

[striker]

I think it is appalling the ease at which some heads make the decision to close schools

At the forecast of bad weather, schools should have contingency plans for teaching staff, etc to allow the school to open and conduct lessons. 2 local schools did, the others closed. And that was with 1 inch of snow.


It took me 2 hours to get to work this morning due to reduced train service. 50% of people didn't bother and stayed at home.

 

[jamesxyz]

Not baby sitters, but teachers. A child enters a school for an education. Teachers seem to find any available excuse to not provide that education. Oh, we a little bit of snow - another day off, thank you. Oh we need a training day, we might as well do that during the teaching year.

If it was such an easy job with cushy wonderful pay and conditions why is there such a shortage of teachers? I'll tell you why, because there are too many teenage t**ts that are like this because parents don't give support and prefer to whine & bitch about how easy a teacher's life is and how lazy we all are, blaming teachers when they can't in fact see that their darling offspring is bone idle, rude & prefers to p*ss around than actually learn anything - and before everybody complains that their child isn't like that you're probably right - 90% of teenagers are great but the other 10% aren't!

Teaching is harder than ever, a lot of which is to do with the fact that we have to spoon feed the pupils and do all their work for them - heaven forbid, we can't have any failures can we? what would that do for their self esteem? Lets make sure they all pass their exams ... hence rising pass rates.

Just read that - seems a bit extreme doesn't it? Glad to see that some people understand> I wonder if Gavintc's boss said don't bother coming to work today have the day off, he'd be on here complaining? Isn't envy one of the seven deadly sins?

 

[gavintc]

If it was such an easy job with cushy wonderful pay and conditions why is there such a shortage of teachers? I'll tell you why, because there are too many teenage t**ts that are like this because parents don't give support and prefer to whine & bitch about how easy a teacher's life is and how lazy we all are, blaming teachers when they can't in fact see that their darling offspring is bone idle, rude & prefers to p*ss around than actually learn anything - and before everybody complains that their child isn't like that you're probably right - 90% of teenagers are great but the other 10% aren't!

Teaching is harder than ever, a lot of which is to do with the fact that we have to spoon feed the pupils and do all their work for them - heaven forbid, we can't have any failures can we? what would that do for their self esteem? Lets make sure they all pass their exams ... hence rising pass rates.

Just read that - seems a bit extreme doesn't it? Glad to see that some people understand> I wonder if Gavintc's boss said don't bother coming to work today have the day off, he'd be on here complaining? Isn't envy one of the seven deadly sins?

No shortage of teachers in Scotland. Indeed, if you qualify, you will be lucky to get a school.

With regard to the closure of schools. I wonder how many private schools closed their doors. I still feel there is a degree of public sector apathy with teachers, eager to take a duvet day.

 

[vernon]

No shortage of teachers in Scotland. Indeed, if you qualify, you will be lucky to get a school.

With regard to the closure of schools. I wonder how many private schools closed their doors. I still feel there is a degree of public sector apathy with teachers, eager to take a duvet day.

I think that you should give teaching a go and see what the job's about. It's not the doss that you imagine. The only reason why there's a surplus of teachers is that employment prospects elsewhere are so grim. In England there's a lot folk downsizing from banking and the legal services and retraining as teachers - they are in for a rude awaking.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Since when has it been up to the teachers to decide whether or not a school closes for the day? Isn't that someone else's decision?
I'm not a teacher, but I'm not at work tonight. Which is a shame, since I'm also not getting paid. However, I was told not to come in, so what can I do?

 

[Scoosh]

No shortage of teachers in Scotland. Indeed, if you qualify, you will be lucky to get a school.

With regard to the closure of schools. I wonder how many private schools closed their doors. I still feel there is a degree of public sector apathy with teachers, eager to take a duvet day.

Gavin, it's not the teachers that close the schools - it's the council education dept.

If you want to see how teachers work, come and shadow Mrs Scoosh for a day or two - I'm sure she'd be happy to have your input .

 

[PBancroft]

No shortage of teachers in Scotland. Indeed, if you qualify, you will be lucky to get a school.

With regard to the closure of schools. I wonder how many private schools closed their doors. I still feel there is a degree of public sector apathy with teachers, eager to take a duvet day.

At least one of the local independent schools in Winchester - St. Swithun's - closed today, and will close tomorrow. My boss's daughter goes there and they have a system to contact all parents or guardians by email and by text as well as the normal route of radio and web announcements.

Pretty good idea I think.

I think that the idea behind "snow days" is less about giving teachers a free day off and more about getting non-vital traffic off the road in dangerous conditions. Some employers do the same, asking staff to work from home instead of travelling in where possible.

You could also argue a case that it prevent kids from potentially getting stuck at school, should conditions get worse.

Now I'm not saying that some schools don't overreact. Of course they do. But I doubt very much that its a concerted effort to give teachers and other school staff a free holiday... especially considering many would use it as an opportunity to catch up on their marking and admin work.

 

[Scoosh]

Since when has it been up to the teachers to decide whether or not a school closes for the day? Isn't that someone else's decision?
I'm not a teacher, but I'm not at work tonight. Which is a shame, since I'm also not getting paid. However, I was told not to come in, so what can I do?

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Am I missing the point here ??

 

[PBancroft]

Gavin, it's not the teachers that close the schools - it's the council education dept.

Might depend on where you live. I always thought it was the Head Teacher (although perhaps in discussion with and after taking advice from the local authority).

 

[Rhythm Thief]

It wouldn't be a problem getting to work, it's just that when I get there I have to drive a 44 tonne tanker full of used caustic soda up and down. Since there have been at least three jacknifings today on the stretch of road I go up and down, and the bloke who drives the thing on days couldn't even get it out of the yard this morning, they figured they could manage without me tonight. I could do with the money, but I'll cheerfully take a day off instead.

 

[mossy]

I am in teaching having spent 20 years in business.Teaching is not an easy role at all and I echo the comments made by others.Most people working in industry do not spend their holidays marking or have to send their kids away as you need time to mark!
Teachers mark in holidays and when they get home at night often have to prepare lessons well into the night!
No I don't joke nor do I want sympathy.I like my role but its hard and many people from industry when they link with us,say I could not do your job!
Unlesss you are in education you really do not know what happens nor the work put in.
Yes holidays are good but around 50% of new teachers leave within a few years .
If it was so good and easy why are so many leaving?
Believe me teaching no, is no easy option.

 

[summerdays]

I wonder how many private schools closed their doors. I still feel there is a degree of public sector apathy with teachers, eager to take a duvet day.

I certainly heard at least one or two private schools on the school closure list - in fact I think they were some of the first to appear on the list - QEH and Bristol Grammer IIRC.