So I'm a teacher. Comparatively I understand that teaching is one of the lowest paid professions. However, most teachers I know teach because they love teaching. Love sharing the future with their students. Love seeing the personalities grow from childhood into responsible adults. I don't know many teachers that teach because they're in it just for the money (although I expect that these people exist). Teachers live extremely busy lives. Often at the expense of their family life or personal pursuits. Again I'm sure there are plenty of other professions that work more than they rest. Contrary to popular belief a teachers day is rarely over at 3:45pm. I know many of my colleagues spend precious moments with their families and then set to work shortly after they've tucked them in bed. I suppose sometimes I do this too. So why this rant.
Well, simply put my colleagues may be going on strike on Wednesday. Because as a result of the nations austerity measures the government have decided to make savings by affecting public sector workers pensions. Effectively charging us more with a lower return. One fact has me gobsmacked! They expect me to be able to keep inspiring teenagers with current and relavant knowledge until I'm 68 years old. I can't imagine being able to entertain and inspire children when I'm that old. And why do they have the right to to take away my hard earned twilight years to spend them with my beloved wife Tamara and Jack with his future family. It just seems so incredulous that an arbitary number is thrown into the mix without considering the impact on people's lives.
I remember vividly the teacher's strike back in the 80's. I remember it because I was one of the students who was massively hit by the strike action (as many of my generation were too). I'm not even sure if the teachers realised what a long term effect it had on students like me. I deal with students who seem disaffected daily and as a team we find ways to inspire them and help them to develop self-confidence by building their self-esteem. At 15 years old I was expected to be a straight "A" student. In the same year all of the teachers who inspired me and made me feel like I could achieve good things went on strike. To begin with we thought it was a bit of a lark. But slowly things got progressively worse. Our relationships with these trusted souls broke down. Why weren't they their to teach us. What had we done that made them so angry. Teenagers don't often understand politics. My response was to switch off! I figured if they don't care about me then why should I care about them. My grades dropped, my attitude changed, I became disinterested and disillusioned by education as a whole and swore to never become a teacher even though my mum spent her whole life working towards that one goal. I truly only did "A" levels and went to college to stop my family pestering me.
What scares me is what effect is this going to have on our children. The young lives I encounter daily. If I stand with my union colleagues to shout at the government that we won't tolerate being mistreated then my students will suffer. They too may become disillusioned and angry. However, if I choose to protect the students I teach by offering them stability, then my family could suffer. It makes me so angry that a small number of politicians get to play God like this so often and seldom think of the consequencies. Or if they do then finance outweighs compassion. We live in a democracy yet it often feels like a dictatorship.
I think it would be wrong for me to state whether I'm striking or not on this blog for many reasons. Whatever the outcome I want my students to know that they are important to me and want them to also be aware how important my families future is too. Those who know me closest know what I will be doing on Wednesday. What would you do in my circumstances? "To strike or not to strike" that is the question.
