Teacher Training Days - and 13 weeks holiday

[Archie_tect]

in 22 years i have never had them sorts of holidays and thats with some of the big boys of the industry. Balfour Kilpatricks, Emcor ( Drake and Scull as was) , Trafalgar House, Crown House, Rotary,

what companies do that, if you can name any?

You won't have heard of them. NB Clark, Dorin, JN Dunn + ... small builders not the nationals.
It suits closing over Christmas and Easter as no one wants builders around during their holiday time off.

Anyhow, we're diverting the thread from people getting upset about teaching.

 

[subaqua]

Not doing more than directed hours would be a breach of contract

did you read any of my posts properly? do you understand employment law and how it integrates with european law? what does the Working Time directive say ? Teaching is NOT exempt from it. try not working more than the maximum set down in the WTD and see where it gets you.

do you understand the use of the word reasonable?

you continue because you obviuosly know much better than anybody else about what a teacher actually works. i know how bolloxed wifey is at end of year. and i know how hard she works . she doesn't have another department doing paperwork and admin for her.

you sir are a cockwomble

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Plus, hands up any professional who works only 40 hours a week!

My wife is at her desk 8:30 to 6:30 with maybe 30 minutes for lunch, 5 days a week.

Lunch? Can't remember.....ah yes, that break from work around mid-day!
I remember those now.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

I know what we need here, a nice cup of British tea, soothes all ills and fixes all problems, erm... And cools heads!

 

[PK99]

did you read any of my posts properly? do you understand employment law and how it integrates with european law? what does the Working Time directive say ? Teaching is NOT exempt from it. try not working more than the maximum set down in the WTD and see where it gets you.
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What are the maximum hours set down in the WTD? I know, i just want to check if you do.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

whats 20% of 40? 8hrs. thats very easy to do extra in 2 nights never mind a week so that arguments right out of the window immediately.

Yes, my Mum was a primary school teacher, and the amount of work she did OUTWITH school hours was quite staggering some times.

Oh and the people moaning about the holidays?

Well, let's look at it for a moment, all of your holidays are in the peak season, meaning you need to pay more, and even then, the chances are, where you go, it'll be packed with screaming kids, so the is no escape.... Heck, you might even meet a pupil past or present just for good measure. You are stuck, bound to the terms, you can't take time off mid term just to do something, you have to take all your time at exactly the same time as everyone else.

The churlish in you might say that that wouldn't bother you, but beleive me, if you have to do it year in, year out, it soon gets just a bit annoying!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oh and it spills over to the family too, as my Dad wanted to go places during the winter and/or off season, but couldn't because of my Mum.

The rest of you might have that luxury, but a teacher doesn't, you go when the place is crawling with kiddies and everything costs a fortune or you don't go at all, simple!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Having had to live with that myself, all you people meaning about he holidays etc etc GENUINELY IRRITATES ME, because you don't seem to realise what it entails.

 

[biggs682]

not as good as you think.

better than mine

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

"If 'someone' is so disfunctional that they cannot organise themselves year on year to plan their workload or plan for a year's teaching based on their experience to achieve the results they need over several years, working within the guidelines for curriculum

Oh HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

From what I remember what would happen is that my Mum would do things for the coming term, and then after all that work, she'd be told to do something completely different, or, the curriculum had changed!

I remember one time she had been asked to do a project on world religions. She prepared it all with quite some considerable effort, and then, the head turned round and said

'Err, no actually, second thoughts, I want you doing.... XYZ instead...'

All her work went to waste.

 

[summerdays]

I'm not a teacher but have friends who are. It can be annoying trying to arrange holidays as they teach in differing sectors so if we want to holiday as a group it is hard to find a time when the state/private and university holidays coincide. They are always having to extra duties/work during the evening curtailing other chances of meeting up.

Personally I don't begrudge them either the training days or the holidays. I want them to be aware of first aid/child protection and all the other things they do where they visit other schools to share how they do things (that wouldn't be possible if they had their training time only in the school holidays).

Equally those that think that you can have one lesson plan and that it will suit all children are mistaken. You have to work out, how each child ticks and try to motivate them.

And as a parent I'm aware how subjects has changed in the two year gap between my children.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I suspect some teachers work really hard, but I know quite a few of my secondary school teachers just recycled previous years work and marked homework without reading it

I had that too I'm sure. What my Mum always reckoned was that a Primary School teacher has the hardest job of all, because, amongst many other things, they can't do that, they genuinely need to support the kids in their care in as many ways possible.

By the time you are, say, 15, it is a lot more clear whether you are going to 'make' it or not, hence why some teachers *might* not bother as much.


Incidentally, I appreciate that what I have said in the posts above has probably already been said elsewhere, but I am currently reading throug the thread and replying as I go. Not a good move, I know, but really, I can't be bothered reading through it all and then go back and answer things.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

He advised her not to go into it as it was only going to get worse.

Yes, that's what my Mum has always said to us, and so far, other than me working briefly in a special needs school we have heeded her Warnings!

Ironically, on my Dad's side, my Gran and Grandpa were teachers. She a French Teacher, and him an English teacher becoming the head of English at Clydebank High all 50+ years ago. My Aunt (Dad's sister) was/is a teacher in Canada, so between my Mum and my Dad's family, we all have good teaching pedigree.

 

[subaqua]

What are the maximum hours set down in the WTD? I know, i just want to check if you do.

no more than 48 hours per week ( 7 days) on average , averaged over 17 weeks. When i was on the tools i signed the opt out . regularly CHOSE to work more and it earned me the 20% deposit for my 1st house . i am currently in a job where i am deemed to not be covered by the working time regulations.

Can you define what you would deem reasonable additional hours to be worked? I would deem that up to 10% of your directed hours would be reasonable , i can't find anything in NUT guidance ..... yet.

 

[subaqua]

I had that too I'm sure. What my Mum always reckoned was that a Primary School teacher has the hardest job of all, because, amongst many other things, they can't do that, they genuinely need to support the kids in their care in as many ways possible.

By the time you are, say, 15, it is a lot more clear whether you are going to 'make' it or not, hence why some teachers *might* not bother as much.


Incidentally, I appreciate that what I have said in the posts above has probably already been said elsewhere, but I am currently reading throug the thread and replying as I go. Not a good move, I know, but really, I can't be bothered reading through it all and then go back and answer things.

yup primary is the very basic building blocks of lifelong learning. screw that up and its hard to get back whats been lost.