This irritated me slightly..

[AMLinington]

I'm always torn between amusement and disappointment when I see threads like this when people snipe at teachers and gripe about being undervalued. While I'm sure that many of the comments are justifiable, all it demonstrates to me is that the school in which you work isn't a particularly good one. If this is the case, look for another job - possibly outside education.

 

Like @AMLightfoot, I also was a teacher in a previous incarnation. During this time, my social life was reduced to taking some of my marking to the pub on the way home, having a couple of pints and a chat before going home and getting everything ready for the next day before going to bed. I was in a school were I was totally unappreciated by the headteacher who took every opportunity to put me down, often in front of staff, parents and even my class. Needless to say, I didn't cope particularly well. I stuck full time teaching for a year before moving on to supply and then lecturing.

 

Now I am IT tech in a school in which I used to do supply teaching regularly. Yes I still have a huge workload and have to take things home. Yes, I often come in for grief from staff when things go wrong or change in way that they don't like, but overall, I am part of a team. Teachers rely on me to make sure things happen and appreciate that they would be in a whole lot of bother if I wasn't around. A teacher who has just left at the end of term said to me, 'I just hope that there's one of you in my new school.' Says it all really.

 

Come on edugeekers, let's have a bit of peace, love and harmony. If you don't want to work in a 'them and us' culture, stop taking the role of 'us' and let the 'thems' follow your lead.

 

Merry Christmas, everyone.

 

^ This.

 

It has to be said that one school I taught at had a wonderful, inclusive atmosphere and the Science Teachers and Science Techs were one big happy team and it was lovely. Another school was a high achieving school in an affluent area and there was almost open hostility between the science techs and the teachers - it was awful and intimidating. I guess the atmosphere is what you make of it.

[korifugi]

Condescension.

 

And no, there isn't. Some people are just douches. Don't tar all teachers with the same brush.

 

This.

 

This all over...

 

While I jokingly refer to any of my friends who are in teaching as being workshy - and that I'm there to fix their ups, it's all done in good nature. I know they work hard, and are dedicated to what they do - but this doesn't mean that ALL teachers are like that...

 

I can, (as I'm sure many of us can) share some real horror stories of teachers refusing to learn, thinking they're better than you and just being downright bags - but as above, this doesn't extend to the whole of the profession.

 

Yes, there are a large number of teachers out there that are used to their word being final - this is the part of them that is trying to instil some discipline in their classroom and it might leak out (or not be controlled properly) in other work situations, such as dealing with support staff. Try getting to know them a little, and they might start to see you as a person - rather than a bod to be ordered round.

 

However - there are some absolute s out there who I'd happily punch in the mush.

 

At the end of the day, there are a vast spectrum of people out there who have chosen teaching as a profession - right from the ones who make it a pleasure to see them teach, all the way down to the ones who wouldn't even get urinated on if they were aflame.

 

 

 

Also - think about it, us techs can be just as bad...

 

If in doubt - think of the first rule of Wheaton... Don't be a D!*k.

[witch]

I'm always torn between amusement and disappointment when I see threads like this when people snipe at teachers and gripe about being undervalued. While I'm sure that many of the comments are justifiable, all it demonstrates to me is that the school in which you work isn't a particularly good one. If this is the case, look for another job - possibly outside education.

.

@StevieM

 

Now YOU are tarring everyone with the same brush. Some comments are neither sniping nor griping, other than at the TONE OF THE STATEMENT.

Edited December 21, 2013 by witch

[Ephelyon]

Perhaps we should just separate out the sniping and the griping in our minds, so we can have a constructive conversation about how undervalued we are, without sniping at teachers for being so much more visible to SLT?