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| Teachers' strike: Readers' experiences | Teachers' strike: Readers' experiences |
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| Thousands of teachers staged a one-day walkout in Liverpool, Manchester and the north-west of England today to strike over pay, pensions and conditions. | Thousands of teachers staged a one-day walkout in Liverpool, Manchester and the north-west of England today to strike over pay, pensions and conditions. |
| In Liverpool, teachers marched from Pier Head and packed into the city's St George's Hall and rallies were also held in Preston and Chester by members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the NASUWT - read more here. | In Liverpool, teachers marched from Pier Head and packed into the city's St George's Hall and rallies were also held in Preston and Chester by members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the NASUWT - read more here. |
| On Guardian Teacher Network, one teacher explains in detail why they are in support of the strike action. | On Guardian Teacher Network, one teacher explains in detail why they are in support of the strike action. |
| Teachers were also sharing their stories of why they were protesting with the Guardian, by posting comments and tweeting @GdnNortherner. Here is a selection of submissions: | Teachers were also sharing their stories of why they were protesting with the Guardian, by posting comments and tweeting @GdnNortherner. Here is a selection of submissions: |
| I am a primary school teacher in Manchester and I'm on strike today. For you non-teachers reading this, the situations is extremely bad. On a good week I work 50 hours and I can actually live with that. However, the thought of teaching kids when I'm over 60 is just awful - I am already exhausted and in bed by 10pm week days. | I am a primary school teacher in Manchester and I'm on strike today. For you non-teachers reading this, the situations is extremely bad. On a good week I work 50 hours and I can actually live with that. However, the thought of teaching kids when I'm over 60 is just awful - I am already exhausted and in bed by 10pm week days. |
| The other problem is this proposal of schools being open until 5pm. What are they thinking! The pupils at our school leave at 3.30pm and by the time the late parents have picked up their kids, it's closer to 4pm and that's when the work starts. Marking, lesson planning, meetings etc. We would be working until 8pm at the EARLIEST and often later (some days we do this anyway). I start between 7am and 7,30am and I only have ten minutes for lunch - we are at breaking point and just keeping our heads above water. | The other problem is this proposal of schools being open until 5pm. What are they thinking! The pupils at our school leave at 3.30pm and by the time the late parents have picked up their kids, it's closer to 4pm and that's when the work starts. Marking, lesson planning, meetings etc. We would be working until 8pm at the EARLIEST and often later (some days we do this anyway). I start between 7am and 7,30am and I only have ten minutes for lunch - we are at breaking point and just keeping our heads above water. |
| I can guarantee you that we are heading for a huge crisis in teaching, if things continue as they are. Nobody will do the job, most teachers I know sincerely regret their career choice and are looking at alternatives. | I can guarantee you that we are heading for a huge crisis in teaching, if things continue as they are. Nobody will do the job, most teachers I know sincerely regret their career choice and are looking at alternatives. |
| And before some smart arse says 'Get into the real world', we have several career changers from 'the real world' and all say they have never worked so hard. Real world! Heroin addict parents, kids whose parents get shot, child abuse - all situations I deal with - I don't see how it gets much realer than that... | And before some smart arse says 'Get into the real world', we have several career changers from 'the real world' and all say they have never worked so hard. Real world! Heroin addict parents, kids whose parents get shot, child abuse - all situations I deal with - I don't see how it gets much realer than that... |
| It's a real shame as I am good at my job and I like teaching kids. However, I simply can't envisage the conditions the government is proposing. If anyone can suggest career routes for ex-teachers, I'd be grateful! | It's a real shame as I am good at my job and I like teaching kids. However, I simply can't envisage the conditions the government is proposing. If anyone can suggest career routes for ex-teachers, I'd be grateful! |
| I know this is a teachers paper but....private industry has taken a kicking in this recession, I know a number of self employed people working below the minimum wage, who lose money every time the schools close. My local school has closed for building work , training days, snow....7 days in the last 12 months. I thought we were all in it together? Teachers have one of the most secure jobs in the country and one of the best pensions. If teachers put on a free kids club when they strike, maybe the circles I move in would not see them as public enemy #1 right now. I doubt teachers would be happy giving up a days salary when I go on strike. | I know this is a teachers paper but....private industry has taken a kicking in this recession, I know a number of self employed people working below the minimum wage, who lose money every time the schools close. My local school has closed for building work , training days, snow....7 days in the last 12 months. I thought we were all in it together? Teachers have one of the most secure jobs in the country and one of the best pensions. If teachers put on a free kids club when they strike, maybe the circles I move in would not see them as public enemy #1 right now. I doubt teachers would be happy giving up a days salary when I go on strike. |
| My daughter is a Maths teacher and I was shocked at the amount of hours she is expected to work.Breakfast club, playground duty, detentions of course, and endless preparation and marking. Teachers in my day used to stroll into school with us at quarter to nine and came out of the gates with us at 4pm Not much extra curricular work in those days! I wonder if the Education Minister has any idea what he is asking in this "very much more for very much more" climate his government is creating. | My daughter is a Maths teacher and I was shocked at the amount of hours she is expected to work.Breakfast club, playground duty, detentions of course, and endless preparation and marking. Teachers in my day used to stroll into school with us at quarter to nine and came out of the gates with us at 4pm Not much extra curricular work in those days! I wonder if the Education Minister has any idea what he is asking in this "very much more for very much more" climate his government is creating. |
| I'm a teacher and am probably to be villified as i am not taking strike action today. I'm annoyed in myself that i'm not doing it, but i have reasons: | I'm a teacher and am probably to be villified as i am not taking strike action today. I'm annoyed in myself that i'm not doing it, but i have reasons: |
| 1) Its a local strike, only schools in the north west are closed and for this i see it having little impact and raise profile (it was a footnote in this morning's news) | 1) Its a local strike, only schools in the north west are closed and for this i see it having little impact and raise profile (it was a footnote in this morning's news) |
| 2) because of this, i think that most people will just see "another whining teacher" and I value my job. i would spend today at home planning if i was on strike and rather want to forward children's education in the (rare) free time i have. | 2) because of this, i think that most people will just see "another whining teacher" and I value my job. i would spend today at home planning if i was on strike and rather want to forward children's education in the (rare) free time i have. |
| 3) i've been on strike the previous 2 occasions and this has achieved precisely nothing apart from losing me money which with an 8 month old child and a wife on SMP i can barely afford to pay my mortgage and bills. (i Appreciate the irony in this as if these things happen my pay will freeze) | 3) i've been on strike the previous 2 occasions and this has achieved precisely nothing apart from losing me money which with an 8 month old child and a wife on SMP i can barely afford to pay my mortgage and bills. (i Appreciate the irony in this as if these things happen my pay will freeze) |
| 4) the pay scales for next year have already been agreed and come into force on september the first, so there is no way this can be changed, it will be steam-rollered through like everything else. (too little too late) | 4) the pay scales for next year have already been agreed and come into force on september the first, so there is no way this can be changed, it will be steam-rollered through like everything else. (too little too late) |
| When you are in a national strike designed to highlight the cause and bring the government to the table, you can count me in. | When you are in a national strike designed to highlight the cause and bring the government to the table, you can count me in. |
| The only thing you can strike on as a teacher is pay, not conditions, you cannot strike on the curriculum and it's development as this is illegal (but would probably be more worth while) | The only thing you can strike on as a teacher is pay, not conditions, you cannot strike on the curriculum and it's development as this is illegal (but would probably be more worth while) |
| Someone should write a news report showing the things that have changed in the last 4/5 years like: pensions have changed 3 times since i joined the job, 3 years of pay freezes, 4 curriculum changes. these are the things that should be highlighted to the public. | Someone should write a news report showing the things that have changed in the last 4/5 years like: pensions have changed 3 times since i joined the job, 3 years of pay freezes, 4 curriculum changes. these are the things that should be highlighted to the public. |
| If anyone EVER says i'm a 25 hour teacher i rip into them. I have no lunchtimes in the week due to lunch clubs i do FOR FREE, I do after school catch up sessions for GCSE revision and spend a vast amount of my time learning outside of the job(as an ICT Teacher its the technology as well as the curriculum that constantly moves). I'm the first in the door and the last to leave and am constantly looking for ways to innovate in my school and make it better. Ohh and I get no overtime like the police or nurses | If anyone EVER says i'm a 25 hour teacher i rip into them. I have no lunchtimes in the week due to lunch clubs i do FOR FREE, I do after school catch up sessions for GCSE revision and spend a vast amount of my time learning outside of the job(as an ICT Teacher its the technology as well as the curriculum that constantly moves). I'm the first in the door and the last to leave and am constantly looking for ways to innovate in my school and make it better. Ohh and I get no overtime like the police or nurses |
| I can say with all honesty that I don't know one teacher that comes in and only works their 25 prescribed hours. There are so many teachers that work well into their evening and beyond. This is not a job that you leave at the door. I don't think it's a bad salary that we are on, but we work for it 4 years in university and having to manage 30 little characters in a class that will tell you where to go, speak to you disrespectfully often. Whilst trying to ensure that they learn something whilst hitting national targets, school targets and that they are happy in school. I think if you actually tried the job you might have a different view on what we do. Mr Gove needs to get in a classroom and see what it's all about | I can say with all honesty that I don't know one teacher that comes in and only works their 25 prescribed hours. There are so many teachers that work well into their evening and beyond. This is not a job that you leave at the door. I don't think it's a bad salary that we are on, but we work for it 4 years in university and having to manage 30 little characters in a class that will tell you where to go, speak to you disrespectfully often. Whilst trying to ensure that they learn something whilst hitting national targets, school targets and that they are happy in school. I think if you actually tried the job you might have a different view on what we do. Mr Gove needs to get in a classroom and see what it's all about |
| @GdnNortherner Gove is demolishing the education system and demoralising the profession. Enough is enough. #June27 | @GdnNortherner Gove is demolishing the education system and demoralising the profession. Enough is enough. #June27 |
| @GdnNortherner On strike today. Close to retirement but care about the future - for teachers, schools and children. Parents, please listen! | |
| I am a secondary school teacher on strike today. I have worked in both the private and public sector. (Just proving I'm from "the real world"!) | |
| I love my job and think the pay is great. This is not about money, it's about your children. (cheesy but true) | |
| Nobody here has mentioned the scandal of Gove's performance related pay. His new aim in teaching is not to give opportunity to all children, but for us teachers to extract 'excellent' GCSE grades from them in order to keep our jobs. Who then, will choose to work in a school in one of the UK's many deprived areas, where A* grades are far less likely to happen for obvious reasons? No one. So where does that leave millions of working class children? ...Exactly where the tories want them. | |
| The situation is outrageous and we need parents' support, if only they would listen/talk to us, rather than the media. Please don't let these ignorant Etonian clowns divide and conquer. | |
| @GdnNortherner @GuardianTeach Mr Gove seems to be doing everything in his power to damage the futures of the young! He must be told! | @GdnNortherner @GuardianTeach Mr Gove seems to be doing everything in his power to damage the futures of the young! He must be told! |
| "I am striking today to defend my profession but most of all for the young people I teach" #NASUWT member Fiona West #teacherstogether | "I am striking today to defend my profession but most of all for the young people I teach" #NASUWT member Fiona West #teacherstogether |
| Christine Blower addressing massive Manchester rally #june27 pic.twitter.com/351JmElFfR | Christine Blower addressing massive Manchester rally #june27 pic.twitter.com/351JmElFfR |
| Great turnout for Liverpool rally. #june27 #teacherstogether pic.twitter.com/BKDh4GZiBr | Great turnout for Liverpool rally. #june27 #teacherstogether pic.twitter.com/BKDh4GZiBr |
| From Sep 2013 in England & Wales the entirety of teachers’ pay structure, with exception of minima and maxima points will be axed. #june27 | From Sep 2013 in England & Wales the entirety of teachers’ pay structure, with exception of minima and maxima points will be axed. #june27 |
| @helenpidd @GdnNortherner My children are off today due to strikes. Last time teachers were striking was when I was at school. #June27 | @helenpidd @GdnNortherner My children are off today due to strikes. Last time teachers were striking was when I was at school. #June27 |
| Did you strike today or are you a teacher in the north who didn't join the march or a parent affected? Leave a comment below. | Did you strike today or are you a teacher in the north who didn't join the march or a parent affected? Leave a comment below. |