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The annual Teachers threaten to strike thread

1235716

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,096 ✭✭✭hamburgham


    And the 5 year career breaks to Dubai. And then wondering many teaching grads can only get temporary contracts.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    After the total farce that teaching was reduced to during covid the teachers don't deserve their pay rise.

    An weekly lump of work dumped on Google Classroom, almost non-existent follow up on work submitted, no communication with parents, etc... etc...

    And before anyone says - well that was just your school, it wasn't. Next town over, the same. Lucky to work with folks in every county in Ireland and the vast, vast majority said the same about the shambles that was education delivery during covid.

    Teachers made very little effort in the main. A very small handful did, the majority didn't.

    Barely back at full steam a few months now and the begging cap is coming out. Some neck.

    It's also high time that performance related pay was explored in this profession. Turn out better students then your pay goes up. But not before.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,474 ✭✭✭History Queen


    "Turn out better students" what do you think schools are? You may as well say parents should turn out better children.


    As regards your knowledge of teaching all over the country during covid.... best left unsaid.


    And performance related pay? Explain how that will work exactly without creating a scenario where students and/or teachers are dumped in to less favourable classes or schools? What metrics will apply to 'measure' DEIS schools/school refusers/SEN students/teachers on temporary contracts/students recovering from trauma/ ESL students/gifted students/mid contract teacher changes/ school transfers/ non examinable subjects/ extra curricular etc etc etc



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,474 ✭✭✭History Queen


    Teachers covering career breaks are eligible for CID so career breaks have no bearing on temporary contracts.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    "Turn out better students" what do you think schools are? You may as well say parents should turn out better children.

    Yes, schools and their teachers should be turning out better students. That is their job. I agree that parents should turn out better children too in some cases - but this is a thread about teachers.

    As regards your knowledge of teaching all over the country during covid.... best left unsaid.

    Unsaid, why? It was a farce in the majority of cases.

    And performance related pay? Explain how that will work exactly without creating a scenario where students and/or teachers are dumped in to less favourable classes or schools?

    Yes, performance related pay. Teachers are paid to get students education levels to a standard that ultimately prepares them for college or the workforce. If the exam grades averaged out over a whole class is poor - then the common denominator is the teacher. Sorry, no pay increase this year, try harder next year.

    What metrics will apply to 'measure' DEIS schools/school refusers/SEN students/teachers on temporary contracts/students recovering from trauma/ ESL students/gifted students/mid contract teacher changes/ school transfers/ non examinable subjects/ extra curricular etc etc etc

    Teachers are good at giving exams - they should be able to come up with a system that fairly evaluates the teacher's workrate over the school year. Are you not in favour of a performance management review that evaluates the quality of teaching delivered?



  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Why would anyone compare a teacher and a solicitor?

    Totally different jobs, no comparison



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,058 ✭✭✭onrail


    And of all the teachers I know who do grinds, not one declares to revenue, nor would I wager 95% of other teachers do either.

    Being obviously disingenuous doesn't help anybody. Maybe tell your union.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,474 ✭✭✭History Queen


    The fact that you think giving exams and measuring performance are the same thing says it all. It's not about being in favour of a performance management review that evaluates the quality of teaching delivered, the inspectorate often pass judgement on the quality of teaching and learning, it's the fact that relating it to performance will exasperate inequality of education at the expense of our most vulnerable students. The fact that you think teachers would be involved in coming up with any such system shows your complete lack of knowledge when it comes to the sector.


    The fact that you think that teachers get paid to "get students education levels to a standard that ultimately peroares them for college or the workforce" again undelines your ignorance. Many students leave our education system unable or unwilling to continue on to college or join the workforce for a whole myriad of reasons.


    Averaged out exam grades? Definitely comparable for say a 15 student English class in a private fee paying school who read for pleasure compared to a 30 student DEIS school where many students don't own books outsideof their school ones. I know which teacher will have the more challenging workload and also the poorer average class grade. Again, if you knew the first thing about schools, you'd know this.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    The fact that you think giving exams and measuring performance are the same thing says it all. It's not about being in favour of a performance management review that evaluates the quality of teaching delivered, the inspectorate often pass judgement on the quality of teaching and learning, it's sthe fact that relating it to performance will exasperate inequality of education at the expense of our most vulnerable students. The fact that you think teachers would be involved in coming up with any such system shows your complete lack of knowledge when it comes to the sector.

    Sorry but no. There has to be a performance measurement. As I said, the average of the whole class metric will ensure that weaker students are given more attention in order to bring the overall class average up.

    The fact that you think that teachers get paid to "get students education levels to a standard that ultimately peroares them for college or the workforce" again undelines your ignorance. Many students leave our education system unable or unwilling to continue on to college or join the workforce for a whole myriad of reasons.

    Stop making excuses for poor teaching. Unable is the teacher's fault, unwilling is theirs.

    Averaged out exam grades? Definitely comparable for say a 15 student English class in a private fee paying school who read for pleasure compared to a 30 student DEIS school where many students don't own books outsideof their school ones. I know which teacher will have the more challenging workload and also the poorer average class grade. Again, if you knew the first thing about schools, you'd know this.

    Again, more excuses. Digital books can be got for free in most cases with regards to the leisure reading material most schools give to their students to read as most of the titles are outside of copyright protection. Kids with needs also get access to these books.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 236 ✭✭babyducklings1


    Another thinly veiled teacher bashing thread! Yawn!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,474 ✭✭✭History Queen


    Again more ignorance displayed. Unable is not necessarily the teacher's fault, or anyone's for that matter. It can be because of SEN, societal issues, cultural factors etc. The same could be argued for unwilling.

    The fact that you think reading for pleasure is a problem solved by digital devices or giving students books is laughable. Yes, some students will benefit but the benefits are hugely limited. It's not just the material lack of books it's the lack of a culture in which the value of reading and learning is fostered.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin


    Groundsworker, blocklayer, plumber, plasterer, electrician and many many suppliers all looking for cash only payments when building - all giving a discount for cash only - i wonder why? teachers pay tax on their salaries I believe? - how about instead of working for the department of Ed we babysit lets say my class of 28 for 6 hours a day at say €10 per child per hour and il throw in teaching your child to read and write maths and sese and to think and work independently to be polite and have good manners, and il do that and listen and placate parents just like you who love nothing more than to come in and have a go at the teacher because of something that happened you in a classroom a generation ago.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin


    Google the organisation of schooltime in Europe explain how itish primary school teachers have the longest holidays in Europe?



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    2019 EU study, average pay for post primary teacher in Ireland was €61k, that was the fifth highest in Europe.

    Just watching this Gillespie fella on Ireland AM, the number one aim is pay equality where teachers employed after 2011 are paid less than those before. Are all new employees paid the same in the private sector? Employees often move jobs to negotiate better remuneration, perhaps those teachers unhappy with pay should move jobs and get out of the way.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Well it's constantly a case of public sector versus private sector on here. So yes, I agree Teaching is unique... So maybe the ones who are best placed to tell you what it entails are ....teachers.

    But I'm sure it won't stop the rabble telling us what our job is. Because they knew a teacher, or possibly went to school a few years ago.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Well then report them if that's what you know. What's that got to do with anything.

    I know a guy who robbed my car tyres before and he was unemployed, does that mean all unemployed people Rob car tyres? I rang the gardaí btw.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    TBF Treppen, teaching is not a clandestine profession. Most of us spent a considerable proportion of time exposed to teachers in their workplace and I suspect everyone of us either have a family member or know someone well who is a teacher. So please, don’t be telling us that no one but a teacher knows what being a teacher entails. Teachers are unique in their belief that they are being persecuted when people disagree with them.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen


    So what's your point.

    Would you be happy if teachers worked longer?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,058 ✭✭✭onrail


    None of my business if they evade tax or not, my point being that the low working hours involved with teaching allow real opportunity to earn additional income, and most avail of that opportunity.

    Those working min. 40 hour weeks with 21 days a/l don't have the same opportunity.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Just because you went to school doesn't mean you know the work that a teacher undertakes. It's like saying I went to the dentist a few times so I know what's involved, just stick an injection in, pull a few teeth with a pliers, put some cement in a tooth, use the hose suction thing and charge €100.

    Same as "knowing someone who is a teacher".

    And yes teachers are unique in this belief because everybody has experience of being in their presence for 15 odd years. But you still haven't been on the other side of the desk.

    ... The other one I get too from parents and naysayers is "I'm involved in education myself", which inevitably turns out to be a soccer coach or an administrator in a College.

    People just need to get over the fact that younger teachers deserve better pay. The same teacher bashers on here are quick to say (in ignorance) that the older teachers screwed them over, but when the demands are made to increase younger teachers pay then it's a case of ... Something something holidays, bad teachers, I know a teacher, grinds, don't pay tax.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    And graduates in the private sector just waltz into permanent positions do they?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Why don't you get on to your Union to campaign for lower working hours and greater a/l then?

    It seems you'll only be happy when some other well know profession (that everyone is an expert on) has less favourable working conditions than they did last year.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin


    My point is we don't have longer holidays the average days worked in europe is between 170 and 190 we are now 182.

    The holidays are so the kids don't murder each other, the parents and the school secretary don't kill the teachers and the teacher doesn't kill what used to be that one child but is now more like 5 or 6 in every class.

    By kill I don't mean kill, also by murder I don't mean murder least I have the gardai at my door in an hour



  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Who cares? Let the graduates negotiate their own salary and !at the teachers look for a pay increase if they want to.

    It's a very strange situation that people get so worked up about someone else looking for a pay rise in their job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,669 ✭✭✭Treppen


    I understand your point.

    But by me saying I understand it , doesn't mean I understand it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin


    What's the average annual pay for a garda in Ireland?

    How about a doctor politician tradesman bus driver taxi driver pharmaceutical worker, any graduate with a good degree? Any public sector employee?

    How much are our social welfare payments in comparison to Europe?

    How much is a hotel in ireland? In comparison to Latvia Wales or even Germany?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,066 ✭✭✭HerrKuehn


    It is important to take the holidays into account when comparing with another profession in Ireland. Earlier in the thread there was a comparison with accountants. Lets say a primary teacher works 183 days here (167 days for secondary). The accountant will be working 232 days if they get 20 holidays (it might be up to 25). That would be 65 days extra compared to a secondary teacher, so a full 13 weeks, or 3 months. If you scaled the top of the salary range (70k) up to 232 days worked you would end up with 97k, so that is the figure you need to be comparing with. I think when you look at it like that, it actually isn't bad at all.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,058 ✭✭✭onrail


    Not every profession is unionised. Mine isn't unfortunately.

    Unsure what your second point is. Many (myself included) are in the same boat as teachers regarding pay not matching inflation.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    TBF, most people know what Dentists do, so I have no issue with someone speculating about it. There is always an information imbalance regarding jobs, but it is insular to think that people do not have a fair idea about what it entails, particularly if they have the benefit of being exposed to it for 6 yrs.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin



    It's also important to take what's involved in the job into account.

    A classroom of 25 -34 kids for 6 hours is 6 intense hours - try it for a week and see if your suited to it. You cant just pick the hours and holidays and compare the job otherwise accountants would br paid the same as factory floor workers with the same hours and holidays, why aren't they??

    Teaching is not rocket science but few people are suited to it in terms of temperament, its a different job to an accountant.

    I would agree with you I enjoy my job I look at friends in the private sector on 90k plus at age 40 and I wouldn't swap my job for theirs, but I chose the profession I'm in and knew what was involved in both the job and the benefits. Would I like more pay , yes would I like my union to fight for more pay for me, yes. The court of public opinion about teachers was never as bad and its reflected in attitudes of parents we all deal with nowadays there has been a huge shift - and not a good one for teachers or pupils.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 42 topofthewind


    Primary teachers get a lot of holidays. I think it adds up to about 72 days along with weekends and public/bank holidays.

    The pay is also good, especially after about 20 years on the scale.

    Many other jobs get less holidays.

    Many other jobs pay less as well.

    Primary teaching is a very accessible career these days. Anyone can study for it after their leaving cert or do a post-grad after doing a degree in something else.

    If someone thinks it’s a great job and that the pay and holidays are amazing, a postgrad could see them working as a teacher within 2-3 years.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,066 ✭✭✭HerrKuehn


    You will find many people only look at the positive aspects of another job. So, you will have some say that teachers only work from 9-2:30 with nothing after school for example. But those in the public sector, including teachers, are as guilty of making the same kinds of comparisons with the private sector. Most professions in the private sector are paid salary, with quite a bit of unpaid overtime. As a software developer, I have not worked less than 50 hrs per week for the last 15 years or so. But, there is a large discretionary performance based part of my pay.

    The holidays for teachers are a part of the package. Personally I would prefer to work longer and get paid more but I am sure teachers knew the situation with holidays. They have a benefit in terms of the amount of childcare required etc, so are certainly worth something.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,415 ✭✭✭Mr. teddywinkles





  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,534 ✭✭✭fliball123


    No its not - its there gun to the head approach looking for unreasonable pay increases on top of their incremental system that does increase their wage every year. They knew this when they signed the contract so they can stay and do the job they signed up for or leave no one is forcing them to do the job. They have the same options as every other person in the world.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,022 ✭✭✭✭markodaly


    Ah, so we should give everyone 3 months' holiday during the summer months? Would you and your fellow Union members be happy when your local hospital and Garda station are closed for 3 months of the year, regardless of need?

    Simply put you cannot stand over that little nugget, that Irish teachers get the longest holidays in Europe.

    We hear endlessly about how we should be like the Finns, yet when it comes to Holidays and pay and the like, we should firmly be like Ireland.

    Always taking, no give.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,534 ✭✭✭fliball123


    Welcome to the world of work as I stated every one is running the same race and jumping the same hurdles when it comes to affordability its not just an obstacle for the public sector or for teachers. In fact the security of your job gives you an advantage over those in the private sector when it comes to looking for a loan as you only have to look at the incremental system 99.99999% get an increment no matter how good, bad or ugly the public servant is.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,534 ✭✭✭fliball123


    No its simple math and any teacher should know that. Any increase will mean more taxes meaning the tax payer bent over for more money..So no thanks the incremental system is in place if any teacher feels unfairly treated feel free to leave and find a new employer.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,022 ✭✭✭✭markodaly


    This perk is quite frankly insane. The idea that as soon as one gets a perm contract you can swan off to the middle east, work for 5 years tax-free, and then have your job waiting for you when you get back is insane. Teachers are complaining about shortages of teachers, yet will at the same time stand over this perk. Cannot square that circle.

    If teachers want to swan off to other countries, more power to them, but they have to give up their placement, its that simple. It doesn't happen in other sectors or in the private sector.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,736 ✭✭✭✭noodler




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,022 ✭✭✭✭markodaly


    Remember the time they demanded, yes DEMANDED that they be vaccinated first in front of the plebs? The 25-year-old teacher is more important than the 55-year-old shop worker. It was a thundering disgrace. Now, less than a year out from that little bit of history they want more money.

    Irish Teachers are actually snobs in their hearts, they think they are gods gift to Ireland as if without them, the nation would fall apart. God forbid they let some foreign nationals into the profession. Its very much a closed shop, especially in primary. The most white Irish profession that exists in Ireland by far.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,022 ✭✭✭✭markodaly


    On the pay deal, in some ways I agree with the Union here, pay should be linked to CPI, but it should always be the case.

    If CPI is 5%, then pay should follow.

    If CPI is 0%, the you get no pay rise.


    Teachers, especially during the Celtic Tiger and when infamous Benchmarking was happening, had massive pay increases, well beyond CPI.

    As usual, they want it both ways.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin


    I think it's human nature, the grass is always greener until the reality sets in.

    You'd be hard pressed in 2022 to find a teacher working just class hours there is far to much extra curricular and prep work for the following day mind you I'm sure there are some that do.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 346 ✭✭briangriffin


    Mark tells us how you really feel will you?

    You are some whinger god bless you and the people who have to listen to you.

    Do you not think teachers should have been prioritised for vaccination after the sick and elderly?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,534 ✭✭✭fliball123


    When they were teaching remotely and literally dialing it in??? eh no why should they have been prioritized over people working in places like super markets?



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  • Posts: 693 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The cost of living has gone up for everybody but at least they have the income to pay for it.

    Why do they feel that they should be treated differently to others?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,703 ✭✭✭green123





  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,534 ✭✭✭fliball123


    Its how they have always operated. The government should do away with the supposedly temporary tax that was the USC and give every worker some more breathing space.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    The court of public opinion about teachers was never as bad and its reflected in attitudes of parents we all deal with nowadays there has been a huge shift - and not a good one for teachers or pupils.

    For good reason, teachers and more especially their representative unions have been of the attitude that they are totally deserving of every pay-rise, every day off, etc... without having to justify it. The carry-on over Covid19 was the final undoing in the last few threads of respect left for teachers.

    Have we seen teaching standards improve over the years in Ireland? There doesn't seem to be much to say it has. If anything - looking at the levels kids are at compared to older generations I feel things have regressed.

    There is an old carry-over notion in Ireland that teachers, solicitors and gardai are "above" every one else. There is often a condescending "because I'm worth it and I know better than you" attitude when it comes to pay, hours and actual performance and accountability in these jobs. That doesn't wash anymore with the Irish public. It's time these professions got some PR training and learn to know their place - because it's not 1970 any more.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,703 ✭✭✭green123


    We should all care.

    This is public money we are talking about. There are better ways to use that money.

    And giving it in salaries to people who are already very well paid with great pensions and holidays is not the best way to spend our public money.


    I have already suggested in this thread that whatever money is available should be spent on employing more teachers.

    That would give much better value for money for society



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