Guest Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 As most of you know by now I totally HATE my job. I've been here since September and its just got worse and worse. I find the department unfriendly (not just to me!) and there is no sense of teamwork. The push for results is ridiculous, the results are excellent but my boss has it in his head we can achieve 100% - for a core subject! To that end he has not let me do my job properly and marks have been submitted without courseowrk being moderated by myself as senior staff have simple not given me the opportunity to do so. I have a feeling that there is absolutely no "caring" at all in the school and as time passes I am more and more convinced of this - results are the only thing of any importance and they don't seem to care how they get them. I've had another moaning session today that I'm asking kids in lunchtimes but not for hours after school or on Saturdays or during holidays (oddly times I like to spend with my son!). The only kids in my classes who are failing are the ones who do NO work at all in class and NEVER turn up to my lunchtime sessions. These kids would not start working after school or on Saturdays and have had soo much time to do this work that they shouldn't need to. I know that come September I will not be working there - my notice will definately be going in after Easter as I cannot continue to push results through which I feel are unfair. Also as a person I value teamwork very highly and I feel constantly alone and unhappy in this department. Trouble is I made such a huge mistake leaving my old job. The school was friendly and caring but we had a bad year and it was worsened by problems with one colleague (who is a nutter!) and I felt it was time to go. If I could go back now I would but there are no jobs, in fact someone who left when I did is already going back to do cover rather than stay in her new school. There is a job advertised as closing this friday in another local school that seems OK - its more responsibility (HOD) but I could handle that no problem. Its not a town I like and certainly not my lovely old school and I just can't decide whether to apply, or wait and see if something comes up somewhere better. Trouble is as soon as I apply I have to tell my boss that I've applied - so he'll know I@m off I have emailed my lovely old head too to see if she has any advice for me - waiting to hear back from her. I thought I'd see if any of you lovely people had some good advice for me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 what do you teach Pengie? I am an assistant principal of an essex school that is looking for Maths teachers certainly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy&cake Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 awwwww Pengy. HUGS Can't the head sack the psycho? LOL. Or maybe she could leave on maternity leave through the door of the Janitors door . What a witch she was. I hope something figures out soon HUn. xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 If you feel you have been backed into a corner in your current school and the only way is out, then I would say go for this job you have seen advertised, especially if you think it could be no worse than where you are now. good luck, whatever you decide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Don't forget about your sickness benefits if you change jobs. Something to be factored in to the considerations. I hope you find what you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Oh, hun, sorry you are having a crud time at the moment, I had a lousy year last year (did DiDA - 18% pass rate ) now moved to OCR and it is better have you considered Supply for a term? it may help you get your foot in the door of another school you may havent considered (and you will know about other jobs around) anyway, ((((hugs)))) hope things get better soon cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Cant give you any advice r.e the teaching All I can say is if you hate your job - go for it! make your move, go for your dreams..dont give it a second thought! I know what its like to HATE your job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Life is too short to spend it doing work you hate (and that applies to work you love in a place you hate). Work out what you want from the future then decide what you've got to lose and what you've got to gain. Then whether or not the effort and the sacrifice is worth the outcome. If it is, then go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 poor you - it all seems to be about results these days. I know that we seem to spend more time filling in intervention sheets about what WE intend to do to improve results, than actually teaching. There is no pressure on the students to perform, only the teacher. I would go for the HOD post. I moved to a school a few years ago that I hated and stayed a year. Though no job has matched my first school, I'm beginning to benefit from having a range of schools on my CV. If you intend giving your notice in after Easter, you might as well apply now, as your HOD will know soon enough. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I'm not a teacher and know nothing about how schools work - I'd just echo what others above have said. This is clearly the wrong job for you, you hate it, don't feel part of a team, and feel pressured to do things which you think are wrong. It's never going to get any better. go for it - maybe nothing is going to be as good as your old school, but it may still be better than this. Life's too short - you will feel miserable and make yourself ill if you stay there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Chuck it - life's too short to be unhappy at your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I am so sorry you feel that way Pengy. But if you feel that you are getting nowhere, with no support from above then it is time to move on. If you stay where you are you will start to doubt your own ability, (human nature) but you know how good you are so....... Change the things you can and laugh at those you can't. As they say a change is as good as a rest. Another lovely job is just around the corner! Good luck. Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keanie Bean Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I know what its like to do a job you like doing but in a situation you hate, but life is just too short to be unhappy in a place you spend 36ish (probably much more) hours of your week. Get out! I went from earning a fairly good wage to earning less than £100 a week, because I was in a job where the pressures and expectations were not realistic. Now I am broke but I get to spend time at home with my three lovely children and my chickens of course. Take peanut12 up on her offer, and you never know. Hope it all works out for you Sarah.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Chuck it - life's too short to be unhappy at your work. I'll echo that. I hope that you find something more rewarding, and in a happier environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Hi Pengy. Looks like you're having a rubbish time. I know how you feel as I had to work with a deputy head at one stage. I highly recommend that you get out of where you are at the moment if there is a way out. One of my colleagues went into recruitment (recruiting teachers for a supply agency) for a year or so before she went back into teaching. I think it did her good to get out for a while and then start afresh, so something like that might be an option) or as someone said above, how about supply for a while until a job you really want comes around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Thanks all for the lovely advice. I teach ICT, so I did the whole DiDA debacle for the last 2 years and am also breezing through OCR - although you wouldn't think it to hear them go on here! I thought about handing in my notice earlier to go at Easter and doing supply for a term but I can't afford to do without my TLR's or pay for August! I've already been shafted (here) over my threshold and have to wait an extra year to apply. I read the messages this morning and decided to go for it and apply - I got in here and got a load more aggro, my reports weren't good enough, not enough inflated progression at KS3 etc. Then I had a morning of cracking the whip at kids who just can't be bothered and my stress levels started rising again. Just before lunch I got a message from a freind that things are afoot at my old school so now I'm thrown into a quandry again. I know its what I really want but it has to be possible before I can get it. I think I may apply and hope they are not too quick to interview - I did fill the application form in last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Good luck Pengy - sounds like the break you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Pengy working in a negative, results pressured environment is not good when you are a teacher, or any other job for that matter. I know we all need to push & encourage the students for them to achieve their best but extra time in holidays and at weekends just proves that the school have unrealistic expectations of both you as a member of staff and the students too. Apply for the job - it will take a week or so for them to sort out who they want for interview and then another 2 weeks will lapse by before everyone has been seen. In this time frame you can then see whats going on in your old school. Do hope that things are a little easier for you soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I realised today that a colleague had worked last Saturday - alone in her area with kids in. One boy caused a problem and there was an arguement - good job that was as far as it went as she had NO backup in that wing of the building. I'm not even sure that is allowed. But then again my timetable shows no PPA, I got asked to mentor which basically meant I lost a free each fortnight etc...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Firstly you are right about the member of staff working in an isolated area with no back-up - this should not be happening at all at it leaves both parties exposed to accusations and the teacher left to handle a potentially dangerous situation if a student kicked off. Did the member of staff have a way of communicating with a colleague based in the school at the time? Pengy - you must not put yourself in their position at all - get union guidance if you need to. You are entitled to all your P P A time even if you are a mentor, in fact i think you would be entitled to one more session in which to conduct meetings and write up any notes with reagrds to the person you are over seeing - this may be sorted 'in house' in your school but again seek guidance from you union - thats what you pay them for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Can't give you any better advice than you have already had but just want to wish you the very best of luck and hope you are successful in getting whichever job is best for you and your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizinsa Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Can't offer any more advice than has already (very helpfully) been given but I'd DEFINITELY apply for a new job - you need to be happy in what you're doing, not only for yourself but as a teacher to inspire the kids! Personally, I think it's hard to go back and you should always go forward in life BUT if you think the problems that made you move on from your old job won't bother you perhaps you should go back. I'm currently doing a dissertation on the pressure placed upon children doing KS2 exams (I'm actually bothering to get their perception) and the pressure put on 10/11 year olds which only hold teachers/schools accountable is phenomenal! It's certainly putting me off going in to teaching, although I have a place on a PGCE course next year. Good luck on whatever you decide and WELL DONE for your amazing weight loss - if you can do that, you can do anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Sorry to hear that you are having such a rough time I do hope that you get something in your old school Keeping everything crossed for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Thanks all - the application went in today. Things are going from bad to worse where I am, they will get the results they want but I won't be part of it after this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 good for you! you had the courage to do it. A whole new beginning for you hopefully. keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...