Teaching during the recession- what are your views?
Teaching seems it may only be ‘recession proof’ in the State sector. How many Independent school teachers are sure their school will still be open at the end of this year? The telegraph and Independent have reported on this in late 2008
Are you an Independent teacher who has been made redundant recently because schools can no longer afford to keep you on? Are you a state teacher who has had the same thing happen because the school didn’t budget for you? Are schools going to target younger cheaper teachers in this recession to make their money go further?
How many of you have decided to stay where you are this year because you’ve been made to feel you’re lucky to have a job, and to try and move might rock the boat at your current school? How many of you see this current climate as a real opportunity to hunt down your ideal job? Tell me what makes the perfect teaching post? What offers and features in an online advert make you go from a passive browser to an active applicant? Is it better wages in the Independent sector? Accommodation? Free gym membership? The chance to work with a really inspiring Head Teacher? Let me know.
It appears in Wales it's not that safe in the state sector. Having just been made redundant after 11 years at the same school along with another 2 colleagues. I was informed that in my LEA alone there are 40 secondary school teachers being made redundant. This apparently is repeated throughout the country and primary sector.
I'm a supply teacher. Need I say anymore. There is no work around where I live. I have bills to pay, food to buy etc. etc.
Modern private sector trends applied to education as well – if you can throw overpaid restructured mgt and consultants at a problem while, or add more staff at the end where the job gets done… choose the former!
Madness, like saying "this round wheel could be impoved, let's try corners", exactly the wrong think to do. New structure (introduced last week) not 'working' yet, so rather than give it time and resources (or listen to opinions of those doing the real work in the first place), restructure again toot sweet.
Article linked to below is on US situation, but applies here too, of course:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/07/AR2009060702096.html
The Flow-Chart Fallacy
By Max Stier
Monday, June 8, 2009
Whenever government breaks down, there is tremendous political pressure on our elected leaders to do something about it, lest they be castigated by the voters for sitting on their hands. What do they often wind up doing? Changing the organizational chart.
[read on at link]
The longer Gordon Brown and Labour stay in power, the more vulnerable everyone employed in the Public Sector will be.
… or perhaps his government will just apply a little "quantative easing" and print the money they'll need to pay salaries of public sector workers!
My fixed term contract ends at the end of this term. I've applied for 15 jobs in recent weeks – and not had a single offer of an interview. Feedback has been few and far between.
The only thing myself and colleagues can out it down to is that I am on Spine point 6 of MPS. I know my letter of application is good – my headteacher even helped me with it!
Its so frustrating.
I am in a 0.6 post and used to make a little additional money doing occasional days cover within my school. The school has just employed two full time unqualified teacher as cover supervisors so I will have little chance to do this in the future.