Three Strikes and you’re out
The headline reason for teachers’ walkout today was a dispute about pay, but it is about much more than that…
If you put yourself through the torture of listening to Gillian Keegan’s media tour (£10 000 Rolex not withstanding), you would believe that a minority of schools have been affected by an isolated union chasing a pay award that will lead to inflational Armageddon.
Wrong: factually, morally and economically.
According to a straw poll by ASCL, 89% of schools were not open to all students and according to anecdotal evidence, the large number of striking teachers received support by students and parents alike, who are fed up at schools struggling to keep teachers and their children taught by Supply Teachers and non-specialists.
But the moral case is the one we need to focus on. We seemed to have limped into a situation where we don’t care about our teachers and, in this way, our children’s learning and, therefore, our future. It’s not long before it’s their turn to govern and look after us, though it’s hard to believe they will do a worse job than our generation. It is been reassuring that many teachers are acknowledging that although a probably 11% real terms pay cut over the past 12 years is beginning to bite, it is workload that is causing real hardship. From my own conversations with teachers, it is the constant scrutiny and sense that you are not good enough that also takes a toll.
So what do our children deserve from politicians as they seek (and largely fail) to recruit their teachers?
I once had a colleague who had a T-Shirt printed, stating simply: teaching; I’m just in it for the money. Few teachers do the job for the number of 0s on the end of their salary and most are embarrassed to talk about money as they are genuinely and passionately committed to the children they teach and care for. And yet, your salary puts an exact number on how much you are valued for the work you do, how important your work is, whether it matters. How many of us are sick of apologising for being ‘just a teacher’.
This is not the way to recruit the brightest and best graduates into schools; or do our children not deserve the brightest and best? In my experience parents certainly expect the best from their children’s teachers and tell us loudly if they’re not getting it.
I remain hopeful for a change of government but sceptical of lasting societal change. But society is just us, so what can we do?
Parents: show that you have confidence in your child’s teachers and express that confidence and gratitude to them, often, and preferably with chocolate.
School leaders: have the guts to throw out the excessive scrutiny which achieves little (check the research). And whilst you’re about it, get rid of those tasks, which take forever but have a highly questionable impact on childrens’ learning.
And everyone else: clap for your teachers as you keep clapping for nurses and carers. Buy them a pint and apologise to them if you earn stack loads of cash without really changing anything.
The strike’s not really about money, it’s about our children and that’s worth shouting about.