Feel really down as DD4 goes to school and Head says no holidays

[Danauk]

,000
They finish normal work by 15;30 and maybe put a couple of hours in after that, they start at what? at 8:30?

Just so you are aware, I start work at 7:30am and leave at 5:30pm, I would stay longer but this is when the caretaker locks up. Then I on average work another 3 or 4 hours a night. My school is finishing at normal time on Friday, and as I have previously stated I will not get 6 weeks off work, I will be working either in school or out of school for 3 of them. And yes those days will be full working days, not a few hours when I feel like it. Oh and I also spend on average 7 hours every Sunday doing school work.
Again I am not complaining about this, I am aware what my job entails, I just wish people would actually learn the facts rather than presuming teachers only work term time Monday to Friday 9 - 3.

 

[pixiepower04]

Unless i'm seeping - i'm working, I work from home and I know that many of us have same hours as teachers.

Speaking from my own work year making wedding cakes, I have to start planning and buying and thinking and designing up to a year in advance and as I no longer have the same benefits as being employed I actually can only take about 2 weeks off a year for a holiday and although teachers do alot of work at home and during holidays (like I do) they also get 10 weeks off a year and even if you take off the hours spent planning and timetabling, marking etc you would prbably still get more holidays than the rest of us who also work long hours and some for less pay.

My children finish school at 12 noon on the last day of term, for all the holidays during the year. I know you guys have to do parents evenings, sports days, day trips etc etc but so do we! We have to use annual leave in order to attend these things too and some of us work far from the school and so it's not a quick jaunt up the road and then a quick jaunt back!

The argument which we've lost sight of is about taking children out of school for about 10 school days, it shouldn't be frowned upon and should be allowed depending on the age of the children, as long as the mickey isn't being taken.

Some children may find it hard to get back in to the swng of things when they get back but you know what, what do you think 6 weeks off in the summer does, I know for a fact that my children forget nearly everything by the time they go back and it usually takes a long time for them to get back into it so the argument surely can't be about them missing out on essential work as they are only going to forget it over the summer anyway!!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

OMG Why does this topic always degenerate in to a 'bash the teachers' one

I too work in a school in a very lowly paid profession as Admin Officer, working late EVERY day, but it's part and parcel of the nature of the job. One of the main reasons I cannot leave on time is because I have to child mind those children left in my office due to parents who have not collected them on time - don't flame me yet, I have every sympathy with working parents, I am one and was a very stressfully working full-timer before this job, so I don't have too much of a problem staying to do this, as long as it's not taken for granted.

I've been flamed before for taking the stance, like someone else has said, of asking people to look at this subject from the view of those who work in a school and cannot take time off during term time - I was 'told' I must have been aware that I would not be able to take holidays in term time when I applied for the job - actually, it honestly didn't cross my mind - I'd been made redundant a year before as PR Manager for a large bank and was so happy to be able to find a nice little job that tied in with family life without previous pressures, that thinking about holidays (other than I'd never have to worry about someone else looking after my DD during 'all the school hols' . . . .) really didn't cross my mind.

My DH cannot, due to his job, take any time off in the summer. We've always liked to take 2.5 - 3 weeks in Florida each trip, but this is not possible any more - we just have to make do with what we can take and when.

Flame retardant suit buttoned up. . . . .

ps - Obi - what the heck do you do that means you're in the office from
5.30am - 11.30pm - that's just not right, you must be constantly cream crackered!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

ps - Obi - what the heck do you do that means you're in the office from
5.30am - 11.30pm - that's just not right, you must be constantly cream crackered!

You adapt Mrs D.
As my buisness is multi national, I have to be in contact with the Far East (Taiwan and Japan)and the West Coast of the USA, so time differences preclude a 9-5.

But I have over 50 people depending on me, so you have to weigh it up.

I can work on around 3-4 hours sleep a day, then I make up for it when I do have time away.

 

[emily1982]

How about....you all stop bashing at teachers/support staff, as unless you actually work in it i can't see how you can judge and since non of the teachers/ support staff are judging your jobs it seems to be a very one way argument. Also im not putting everyone under the same cloak, but teachers need training constantly, and parents are always the first to moan if something isnt up to scratch a school is a place to learn and experience things not a babysitting service, so if the schools decide to shut at mid-day, fair play to them.

 

[wideeyes]

Teaching is one of the least respected professions that there is and the way this thread has gone just emphasise that. Web designers are thought of more highly than teachers. I really don't understand negative attitude towards teachers.

Teaching is a job that needs constant training as educational policies, curriculum's, teaching methods, and laws constantly change.

 

[lawlesslovewdw]

Teaching is one of the least respected professions that there is and the way this thread has gone just emphasise that. Web designers are thought of more highly than teachers. I really don't understand negative attitude towards teachers.

Teaching is a job that needs constant training as educational policies, curriculum's, teaching methods, and laws constantly change.

I am sorry I dont agree with. I fully respect some of the teaching staff that i have come in contact with, however saying that like in any other profession there are some that really shouldnt be in the job. I think that the majority of people dont like hearing about how hard done by teachers are, when in retrospect to other careers you are not that hard done by.

The negative attitude is usually by those who dont care about their childs education or well being.

My negative attitude is more, I have fought (with teachers support) for the correct school, one to one (ASD special needs) to be told you cant have your holiday when it is acceptable to you only us, however we are closing 2 days early due to this reason or other. At this moment we are told that families are important, we dont do enough with them, well holidays are our family time and unfortunatly they have to fit around everyone not just the school.

Its about time we had a complete re shuffle of school term times

 

[emily1982]

I dont agree with re-shuffling, the prices would just change to fit those holidays. In an ideal world each council could have it's own holidays, but when Birmingham council tried changing their term dates, staff who worked in our council Dudley couldnt have time off with their kids or some people have one child in one council school and one in a different council.

In holland it's against the law for travel companies to change prices during school holidays, personally i think that's what should happen.

 

[wils]

In holland it's against the law for travel companies to change prices during school holidays, personally i think that's what should happen.

Well said. I used to sit next to the pricing department in a travel company's HQ - needless to say they had someone collating all the term dates for all the regions.

 

[wideeyes]

Research that has shown that teachers are placed way down near the bottom when it comes to respect of the profession, it is also one of the lowest paid jobs that require a university degree. Though teachers play an important role in the community, and do more than teach Maths and English, they have to deal with all kinds of society problems and now have to work closely with social workers, police, the local health authority and children's families. Education is what makes society in the same way the family does.

 

[wideeyes]

In holland it's against the law for travel companies to change prices during school holidays, personally i think that's what should happen.

Then people will complain when all the hotels and flights are booked up in the summer holidays, people will always find something to complain about.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

How about....you all stop bashing at teachers/support staff, as unless you actually work in it i can't see how you can judge and since non of the teachers/ support staff are judging your jobs it seems to be a very one way argument. Also im not putting everyone under the same cloak, but teachers need training constantly, and parents are always the first to moan if something isnt up to scratch a school is a place to learn and experience things not a babysitting service, so if the schools decide to shut at mid-day, fair play to them.

Its a two way thing, when they stop complaining how hard done by they are compared to everyone else, then people will stop commenting.
Funny how teachers are the first to complain when things do not suit them.

 

[emily1982]

No one was complaining just stating a point, didn't realise you worked in a school obi and knew so much about people's jobs, but of course you would only judge a person's job if you knew from first hand experience what the job was like wouldnt you?? I'm not replying anymore to this thread as its just going round in circles.

 

[hildasmuriel]

a school is a place to learn and experience things not a babysitting service,

I heard one parent complaining about a training day recently, saying "I have to use up all my holidays looking after my children" I'm not sure if it came out quite how she meant it - what does a parent do with their holidays other than look after their children? It's the bit I enjoy - having some time to spend together as a family.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

No one was complaining just stating a point, didn't realise you worked in a school obi and knew so much about people's jobs, but of course you would only judge a person's job if you knew from first hand experience what the job was like wouldnt you?? I'm not replying anymore to this thread as its just going round in circles.

What a ridicoulous statement Emily.
So, we should all not comment on MP's as we are not MP's or terrorism unless we are terrorists??
Can you not comment on racism unless you are a rascist?
Is this the way you teach debate at school?

Well, I am a parent of a school child cureently and a Council tax payer, plus a high income tax payer, I have been a school govenor. Your actions effect my life, so yes I beleive I have the right to comment.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I heard one parent complaining about a training day recently, saying "I have to use up all my holidays looking after my children" I'm not sure if it came out quite how she meant it - what does a parent do with their holidays other than look after their children? It's the bit I enjoy - having some time to spend together as a family.

Oh I agree completly. I have never understood parents wanting holidays without their child.
I know of one family who go on holiday without their children who are packed off to either Gran and Grandad or are sent to "camp" for the duration of their holiday.

 

[Hilary]

Playing devil's advocate here -

For those of you who say
"teachers know what they're getting into when they choose that career",
shouldn't you also say
"anyone who chooses* to have children knows that they will have to go to school"?!

(* and, yes, I do realise it's not as simple as choosing whether or not to have a family in every case)

I'm sitting firmly on the fence on the should you/shouldn't you take children out of school for holidays debate, as I believe every child and every family has different reasons for deciding to do whatever they do, if they have a choice.

We took our DDs out for a week almost every year throughout their school time, right up to A level year (youngest has just finished her A levels, so it's no longer an issue for us), BUT it was with the school's permission and we were very fortunate that DDs had virtually no time off through illness, and coped extremely well with their studies (both gaining great exam results). Had things been different for them, I'm sure we could well have decided differently.

Maybe that will be seen as irresponsible, but the decision was taken from my perpective as a trained teacher (although I've never held a mainstream school teaching post) and an ex school governor, as well as a parent

 

[mark&sue]

When I chose to have a child 14 years ago you could choose whether you wanted to disrupt their education and were allowed 10 days a year. Many parent chose not to and some chose to. Now that choice is taken away. I would definately not choose to have another child now.

I used to always take my daughter out of school and my work colleagues must have been very pleased now I have no choice and we argue like mad


Susan

 

[TinkTatoo]

What a great point Hilary

Playing devil's advocate here -

For those of you who say
"teachers know what they're getting into when they choose that career",
shouldn't you also say
"anyone who chooses* to have children knows that they will have to go to school"?!

Why does a debate on taking children out of school always end up with people having a go at teachers as if it's their fault

 

[wideeyes]

Why does a debate on taking children out of school always end up with people having a go at teachers as if it's their fault

exactly, they are under huge pressure from the government to meet targets.