Why Is There A Shortage Of Teachers?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35895321
Isn't it obvious?

[Prudie]

As an ex-teacher it's obvious to me
No security anymore
punishing paperwork and tied in to the curriculum
No discipline back-up
Watch every word that comes out of your mouth
watch every move you make
zero respect
I think it's probably still rewarding in independent schools mind you

[mikey4444]

Why don't you tell us why TTT

( cue start of anti-immigrant rant ! )

[Tilly2]

'Cos I've retired. Forty years was enough. I did my bit.

[mikey4444]

Most of the teachers I meet nowadays, are on the Escape Committee.....

I wonder why ?

[Tilly2]

I loved teaching, it was so rewarding but all the outside influences made it so difficult at times.

Do this, no, do that, try this, try that, you gotta do this but then again you might try this.......on and on.

It wears you down but I loved the bit in the classroom, with the children.

[New Judge]

There is not a shortage of teachers. There is a surfeit of pupils.

"...but the Department for Education says overall teacher numbers have risen."

Probably true. But the number of pupils has obviously risen far more.

[agchristie]

There needs to be more academies built then NJ!

[ToraToraTora]

well mikey, prudie more or less has it covered.

[DTCwordfan]

because not many of them speak English.

[DTCwordfan]

and the ones that do, it's incomprehensible.

[Gromit]

Yes it is obvious,

1. Education was run for several years by the incurably inept Michael Gove.
2. This Government (and the previous one) have interferred incessantly in schools making the job impossible for good teachers.
3. Inadequate funding.
4. More of the same from the out of her depths Nicky Morgan.

[New Judge]

Nothing to do with too many pupils, then?

[DTCwordfan]

Nah - more to do with inner-urban house prices and rents....the same as the NHS faces --- the govt needs to come up with some policy like Frys/Cadburys and Lever formulated as to tied-housing.....updated of course.

[agchristie]

Maybe many females prefer a glamour modelling career?

[Gromit]

New Judge,
UK class sizes for secondary education are smaller than the OECD average.
I have never been a teacher, but I doubt teachers would resign or fail to apply for jobs becauses class sizes have risen slightly over the last 6 years (of Tory mismanagement of immigration and Education funding).

[New Judge]

The "teacher shortage" is not just evident in cities, DT. It is apparent all over the place. Anyway, teachers don't have to live in the cities where their schools are located. I went to school in Central London. Few, if any of my teachers lived nearby. Like most other people who worked in the city they commuted (as do other professionals now).

[Prudie]

Neither class size nor immigration even crossed my mind when I did my list. Class sizes were way worse back in the 60s weren't they?

[DTCwordfan]

never mind the cost of real term prices on housing - that then gets followed by the 5-7% rent return, there's the cost of commuting which has been barrelling upwards ahead of inflation..... and what have salaries done in response? Not much is the answer to that.....

I had lunch today with a NHS very senior consultant and his senior nurse of a wife and their overall income hasn't budged in 5 years....reflect this into the junior ranks and ditto teaching and it is a problem.
.
Yes it's general but cities are particularly acute....and some imagination/creativity to bust this downward cycle is needed big time. Employing flipping Filippinos is not the answer though, productivity wise, Jonathan (the consultant) said they are brilliant......so education and standards here a secondary issue perhaps?

[tonyav]

Always 30 pupils or more in a class when I was at school, Prudie.