I'm back after a break! I'm sure any reader will understand that having submitted my draft PhD on Sunday (which was 65.000 words) the last thing I have wanted to do was more writing on this blog!
I have been stirred to write about the current teacher strike. I was just listening to a teacher on the radio who is moaning about pay. He is 30 and earns £34k a year. Now maybe I am completely off base here but I think that is a bloody good salary! Nevermind the holidays that they get - I personally would rather have less time off than be forced to go away when the children are off. Most people earn a lot less and work equally hard and without the pension and other benefits that teachers earn. I just don't understand what they are complaining for.
Life is about choices. We all decide upon a career and weigh up the various factors. A few years ago I made a decision between training as a lawyer and carrying on in academia. I chose the latter, knowing that I would earn less money but in the long term would feel happier. Teachers surely make the same choices, as do fire fighters and nurses.
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3 comments:
I'm sure most of the public are on your wavelength here. Teaching has rewards other than pay; and problems other than money. And my very best wishes to you in academia. It strikes me as a very hard career to get started in.
Welcome back! I agree £34k is an excellent salary for a 30yr old, I don't feel sorry for him with all those holidays too. On the radio this morning I heard a teacher say that they deserve all the paid holidays as they work '50 hour weeks'. Now if it was nurses or childcare workers going on strike now I would be more sympathetic. Having said that, I do think teaching must be quite a tough profession to be in.
Hello Frank and thanks for the best wishes. Academia is tough but I want a career that I enjoy so it's a trade off!
I agree with you VC - my husband is one who has worked 50 hour weeks for many years for much less money. I wouldn't want to be a teacher, but I can't believe they don't know what they are letting themselves in for!
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