Who is a teacher?

[falkirktheinvincible]

Wouldn't really dispute that. I'll need to do something else some day. But I'm going to stick with the tefl till I'm more set on something.

 

Keep coming and going on the idea of primary. I've been in primary schools at home as an assistant and the atmosphere is pretty grim. Rammed full of middle-aged women, very petty, very childish (the staff) and just a generally unpleasant atmosphere.

 

I'd only be doing it to get away to an international school ASAP. We'll see.

Working in international schools, you'll get the chance to interact with said women in their 20-something state and the atmosphere can be equally petty, childish and unpleasant. Alright if you fancy the full-on 'Brits abroad' piss-ups etc but something I tend to steer clear of.

One thing that always irks me, those who obtain the PGCI yet claim to be fully qualified teachers. Known a few TEFL teachers who went down this route as a gateway into curricular teaching but I wouldn't recommend it.

[Mark Connolly]

Wouldn't really dispute that. I'll need to do something else some day. But I'm going to stick with the tefl till I'm more set on something.

 

Keep coming and going on the idea of primary. I've been in primary schools at home as an assistant and the atmosphere is pretty grim. Rammed full of middle-aged women, very petty, very childish (the staff) and just a generally unpleasant atmosphere.

 

I'd only be doing it to get away to an international school ASAP. We'll see.

 

Female primary teachers are the worst people in the world. Given that my mother and my girlfriend are both primary teachers, I have vast experience on which to base this statement.

[AyrshireTon]

Unpromoted teachers who use 'I stay in until silly o'clock every night' as a badge of honour must have appalling time management.

I'm out the door at 3.50.

I do go in early, however, but that is partly to get use of the photocopiers before some other c**t breaks them.

[pandarilla]

Different times of the year bring different pressures.

Study leave at the moment is the easiest time of the year and I'm out the door by four with no work, having got in 20 mins or so before the bell.

But November-March is fucking torture. I usually then stay till five / half five and that usually allows me to not have much to do at night. I have to work a couple of hours at the weekend too.

It's a great job if you're the right type of person. If you 're going in to it for the pay or holidays and don't actually like kids then you'll have a pretty shite time.

There are a lot of crap teachers but there's no real way to fix that. It's life. Good guys and wanks.

[stumigoo]

Different times of the year bring different pressures.

Study leave at the moment is the easiest time of the year and I'm out the door by four with no work, having got in 20 mins or so before the bell.

But November-March is fucking torture. I usually then stay till five / half five and that usually allows me to not have much to do at night. I have to work a couple of hours at the weekend too.

It's a great job if you're the right type of person. If you 're going in to it for the pay or holidays and don't actually like kids then you'll have a pretty shite time.

There are a lot of crap teachers but there's no real way to fix that. It's life. Good guys and wanks.

 

Pandarilla taught me everything I know.

[madwullie]

So given this thread asked for some stories, a former colleague of mine who had been a PT was telling me of a time they were trying to sack this older female English teacher. As is known, it's really fucking difficult to get properly sacked, and for this reason they spent quite a bit of time building up a dossier of offences.

One which stood out was as follows: she had an s3 class and asked them all to write a short essay on who the most popular person in the class was (and why they were popular) and likewise for the most unpopular. Next day when the kids came in she had a league table up on the blackboard ranking them from most to least popular. Then, while all the others had a "free" period in class, she extracted the least popular kid and forced him to write an essay on why he thought everyone else hated him.

Sair. Yin

[stumigoo]

Do teachers get some kind of overtime for running clubs etc?

 

None.

[Granny Danger]

Pandarilla taught me everything I know.

That would have been a short lesson.

[Fudge]

None.

I get the same rate as supported study, circa £24 an hour.

[pandarilla]

That would have been a short lesson.

😮 ðŸ˜

[stumigoo]

I get the same rate as supported study, circa £24 an hour.

 

Lucky you! The SRU funded some Rugby coaching thing at our school a couple of years ago and the teachers got paid but they don't anymore. I do a fair bit of school football but get nothing. 

[BFTD]

So given this thread asked for some stories, a former colleague of mine who had been a PT was telling me of a time they were trying to sack this older female English teacher. As is known, it's really fucking difficult to get properly sacked, and for this reason they spent quite a bit of time building up a dossier of offences.

One which stood out was as follows: she had an s3 class and asked them all to write a short essay on who the most popular person in the class was (and why they were popular) and likewise for the most unpopular. Next day when the kids came in she had a league table up on the blackboard ranking them from most to least popular. Then, while all the others had a "free" period in class, she extracted the least popular kid and forced him to write an essay on why he thought everyone else hated him.

Sair. Yin

 

I think you've just interested a few posters in a change of profession  

[NilNilDraw]

Not sure how old you are but I'd start making plans sooner rather than later, I've seen numerous people back themselves into a corner with the TEFL thing.

Where you teaching now?

 

I'm 31 just now. Don't get me wrong, I've got various ideas. Not going to stick myself in the tefl box forever, I've seen plenty do it. Just don't see the need to rush out of a job I enjoy and which allows me to save quite well.

 

I'm in Malaysia at the moment. A decent money-spinner, but quite dull. Out of here in  couple of months.

 

Working in international schools, you'll get the chance to interact with said women in their 20-something state and the atmosphere can be equally petty, childish and unpleasant. Alright if you fancy the full-on 'Brits abroad' piss-ups etc but something I tend to steer clear of.

One thing that always irks me, those who obtain the PGCI yet claim to be fully qualified teachers. Known a few TEFL teachers who went down this route as a gateway into curricular teaching but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

Aye. Again, I've seen a few do this and don't see why. Seems a poor return for the effort required.  If I go primary, I'll go home and do it properly. The international school teachers I've known in Asia have had good conditions and generally have been quite happy with their lot.

 

Just takes a bit more thought. In all seriousness, two years at home at this stage doesn't feel like a fantastic idea. I'm aware I'll need to do something at some point though.

[Kilbowie's Finest]

Different times of the year bring different pressures.

Study leave at the moment is the easiest time of the year and I'm out the door by four with no work, having got in 20 mins or so before the bell.

But November-March is fucking torture. I usually then stay till five / half five and that usually allows me to not have much to do at night. I have to work a couple of hours at the weekend too.

It's a great job if you're the right type of person. If you 're going in to it for the pay or holidays and don't actually like kids then you'll have a pretty shite time.

There are a lot of crap teachers but there's no real way to fix that. It's life. Good guys and wanks.

Study Leave used to be great for getting prepared for new courses once your timetable changes but my school in its infinite wisdom decided to change the timetable at the end of April. For S2 going into S3 it isn't too bad but in the upper school it's a complete pain in the arse as you have penny numbers of kids in some N5 and Higher Classes and can't start any meaningful stuff until the exams are over and the new S5 and S6 kids who have had a busy exam period come back.

Been teaching for over 20 years now - job has changed considerably in recent years - in some ways for the better in other ways not. As well as having a subject commitment I work in Guidance / Student Support and that can be a real eye opener. There are some crazy kids out there but in many cases when you see the home environment they come from its amazing they even get through the door in the morning . There are also loads of fantastic young people around who can be a pleasure to teach. It's a stressful job at times but hugely rewarding - and it's encouraging when you talk to our students and many considering heading to university want to teach themselves and cite the quality of the teaching they get in our place as an influence .

[lionel hutz]

Lucky you! The SRU funded some Rugby coaching thing at our school a couple of years ago and the teachers got paid but they don't anymore. I do a fair bit of school football but get nothing. 

*Starting to sound like plot of Fever Pitch*

[Ad Lib]

Not teaching in the same sense as most folk on here, but I tutor University students. I think there's a few folk on here who teach in higher education actually. I've taught a couple of folk who post on P&B as it happens.

 

Definitely one of the most rewarding things I've done, but adapting to it alongside my thesis research was difficult to balance properly at the start. The students seemed to appreciate my efforts this year as the course feedback forms were pretty positive about my tutorials.

 

Don't think I'd have the patience to teach in secondary schools, but the idea of being a lecturer is something I'd enjoy. I've been auditing a new course at the University that my supervisor set-up this year and watching the process of him develop it essentially from scratch was a really interesting experience.

[Redhead81]

Not teaching in the same sense as most folk on here, but I tutor University students. I think there's a few folk on here who teach in higher education actually. I've taught a couple of folk who post on P&B as it happens.

Definitely one of the most rewarding things I've done, but adapting to it alongside my thesis research was difficult to balance properly at the start. The students seemed to appreciate my efforts this year as the course feedback forms were pretty positive about my tutorials.

Don't think I'd have the patience to teach in secondary schools, but the idea of being a lecturer is something I'd enjoy. I've been auditing a new course at the University that my supervisor set-up this year and watching the process of him develop it essentially from scratch was a really interesting experience.

Interesting the comment regarding patience, I teach secondary and in my personal life have been known to be highly impatient fairly frequently. At work however, I am generally very patient.

[banana]

So given this thread asked for some stories, a former colleague of mine who had been a PT was telling me of a time they were trying to sack this older female English teacher. As is known, it's really fucking difficult to get properly sacked, and for this reason they spent quite a bit of time building up a dossier of offences.

One which stood out was as follows: she had an s3 class and asked them all to write a short essay on who the most popular person in the class was (and why they were popular) and likewise for the most unpopular. Next day when the kids came in she had a league table up on the blackboard ranking them from most to least popular. Then, while all the others had a "free" period in class, she extracted the least popular kid and forced him to write an essay on why he thought everyone else hated him.

Sair. Yin

What an absolute bully and a c**t. Did all the parents find out about this?

[madwullie]

No idea. It was a story told at the end of a night on the piss. He did say she ended up getting sacked though.

[???]

Looking into getting into secondary teaching myself in the next few years. Mrs is a primary teacher and regrets not going for secondary due to a workload in a more designated area.  Fairly impatient, however having a baby recently has shown me to have a lot more patience than I ever dreamed imaginable!