Teachers mental health

[HeliX]

3 minutes ago, 0bserver said:

Work life balance is important and if mental health is the real issue here then adding to their work hours won't help. 

I'd anything maybe we need to reduce their hours (and salary pro-rata)?

It's a rather simplified view you're putting forward - there are lots of things that contribute (or detract from) mental health, and lots of different solutions to those.

But the poor pay and poor conditions need to be tackled separately and simultaneously. They don't have the same resolution, though they both certainly contribute to the mental health issues raised by the unions.

 

Reducing hours and therefore salary would force many of the lower band teachers to get second jobs in order to afford somewhere to live. That doesn't sound like a sensible idea.

[Gladys]

If only the OP had paid more attention in school, instead of looking at teachers as the enemy.   He would know that there is an apostrophe missing. 

[manxman1980]

25 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

But in practice that’s nonsense as hardly any teachers work over age 65 and a lot of them are gone by 55. We’ll under any high risk Covid age band.

I am not sure that the statistics would support your assertion but as I am not privy to that information I cannot comment on the average retirement age of teachers on the Island.  Anecdotally I know teachers who worked up to 65.  If teachers are leaving by 55 then ask yourself why?

28 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

It’s incredible that teachers seek to want to believe that it’s them exclusively suffering from the mental health effects. Every business in every sector is affected. There are a lot of walking wounded out there dealing with the effects of the last two years. It’s just that everyone else is cracking on and dealing with it nor asking for a pay rise. 

Please can you point me to evidence of any teacher who is saying that they exclusively are suffering from mental health problems?  

Many workers are asking for pay rises across all sectors due to the rise of the cost of living.  It is, however, only those with strong Trade Unions who are being heard by the general public.  Add in that the media like to report on public sector pay awards as they know they will generate interest from outraged people like you then perhaps you can start to understand why this gets so much attention whilst Mrs Miggins working at the counter in Lloyds doesn't get her name in the paper when she asks for a pay rise.

[hissingsid]

You would be surprised at the things that go on in schools but because of the ages of the perpetrators nothing goes much further.     There was a question raised last year regarding the amount of children suspended and I cannot remember the details but it was quite high then after the suspension they get moved to a different school.   I can imagine Social Officers working with children get burned out too.

[HeliX]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

It’s incredible that teachers seek to want to believe that it’s them exclusively suffering from the mental health effects.

You're making things up to be angry about again.

[DrunkenMonkey]

5 hours ago, Max Power said:

It always amazes me how stress disappears when money is thrown at it?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-factor_theory#:~:text=Herzberg considered the following hygiene,of the two factor theory.

It is a proven idea that people can put up with high stress and high workload if properly compensated.

[manxman1980]

2 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

I’m not angry about anything. I’m pointing out that the problem is a general societal one at the moment. The teachers asking to be paid more to deal with real world problems that every business is also dealing with is pretty poor IMHO. 

FFS do you expect the Teachers to ask every other employer to increase pay for their employees as well?  They are dealing with their own situation not yours. 

[HeliX]

4 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

I’m not angry about anything. I’m pointing out that the problem is a general societal one at the moment. The teachers asking to be paid more to deal with real world problems that every business is also dealing with is pretty poor IMHO. 

The teachers have been asking to be paid more since before the pandemic. As you well know.

[manxman1980]

20 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

Are you suggesting we should all seek to cash in on a global post pandemic mental health crisis then? 

You need to stop conflating the two issues.  Teachers were experiencing problems long before the pandemic and they had been requesting improvements to their terms and conditions of employment before then as well.  The pandemic has only compounded the problem and created extra stress in an already stressful job.

The Trade Union(s) has been mobilised on behalf of the teachers to bring their concerns to their employer.  If your industry, or you yourself, are experiencing a mental health crisis then I would encourage you to seek support either via your employer, trade union, GP or an appropriate charity.

All I was saying is that Teachers (or rather their Trade Union) are dealing with their specific circumstances.  They cannot be expected to fight your battles for you.

[Passing Time]

28 minutes ago, HeliX said:

The teachers have been asking to be paid more since before the pandemic. As you well know.

as have nurses...

[HeliX]

10 minutes ago, Passing Time said:

as have nurses...

Yes, and they ought to be paid more too.

[Bill1977]

Many teachers or educational professionals aren’t in for the money. They do the job because they have a passion for their subject or for helping children or both.

There is a strong link between the children’s behaviour and the amount of stress they are under due to family disruptions, COVID and society’s expectations.

Their mental health and impulsive behaviours are worse than they’ve ever been, and a large extent it’s not their fault. Processed foods and mobile devices do not help their focus either.

Teachers then have to try to teach these children under expectations created decades ago. Often they struggle to be heard over restless students who constantly chatter and can’t seem to follow basic instructions. 

Teachers are under pressure to make sure their students pass their subjects and behaviour outside the classroom has reached an all time low too. There will be an even bigger recruitment issue going forward if the current direction of travel continues.

Edited February 13, 2022 by Bill1977

[Banker]

2 hours ago, Bill1977 said:

Many teachers or educational professionals aren’t in for the money. They do the job because they have a passion for their subject or for helping children or both.

There is a strong link between the children’s behaviour and the amount of stress they are under due to family disruptions, COVID and society’s expectations.

Their mental health and impulsive behaviours are worse than they’ve ever been, and a large extent it’s not their fault. Processed foods and mobile devices do not help their focus either.

Teachers then have to try to teach these children under expectations created decades ago. Often they struggle to be heard over restless students who constantly chatter and can’t seem to follow basic instructions. 

Teachers are under pressure to make sure their students pass their subjects and behaviour outside the classroom has reached an all time low too. There will be an even bigger recruitment issue going forward if the current direction of travel continues.

A few canings & birching would sort out some behavioral problems 😀

[HeliX]

1 hour ago, Banker said:

A few canings & birching would sort out some behavioral problems 😀

Nope. 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00582-1/fulltext

 

[Banker]

21 minutes ago, HeliX said:

Nope. 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00582-1/fulltext

 

Well did in my day, certainly very minimal classroom disruption, also the odd blackboard rubber, slippers etc thrown soon shut everyone up😂