“Long hours, endless admin and angry parents – why schools
just can’t get the teachers” is the headline from a recent Guardian article.
Teachers are, according to recent reports and findings, leaving the profession
in droves.
The main concern seems to be the increased workload which
was brought about partly by New Labour Policies but significantly by the last
Education Minister Michael Gove. It was difficult to miss the media coverage of
teacher protests and the national dismay felt within the profession at changes
to curriculum, examinations, inspection and paperwork; not to mention pay.
“At the last count,
the number of temporarily filled teacher posts stood at 3,210, up from 2,300
the year before. The number of teachers working without a formal teaching
qualification – which, let’s not forget, is allowed in academies and free
schools – was just over 20,000, up from 16,600. The government’s own research
shows that in the 12 months to November 2014, the state sector lost nearly
50,000 teachers – representing the highest rate of exit for 10 years and an
increase of more than 25% over five years. More sobering still, 100,000
qualified teachers have opted never to work in a classroom at all.”- The
Guardian
It isn’t only teachers new to the profession who appear
quickly turned off by the high demands of classroom teaching:
“A recent survey by the National Association of Headteachers
found that 59% of schools advertising for staff had “struggled” to recruit, and
20% had failed completely…Two weeks ago, the education charity the Future
Leaders Trust added to the angst surrounding teaching with a report warning
that schools were finding it increasingly hard to recruit headteachers, and
that 28% of current heads had told one survey they were planning to leave their
jobs within five years.”- The Guardian
The BBC has said “A "national crisis” in teacher
numbers is looming, six unions representing teachers and school leaders in
England and Wales have warned.”
"Teachers need a pay rise," they urge, in a joint
statement to the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), which sets their pay.”-
BBC News
One of the most prevalent issues discouraging teachers is
their workload. Their work day increasingly encroaches into their
non-professional lives limiting their private time.
The other, and possibly more urgent issue, is lack of
material support in terms of pay and resources in school. The masses of budget
cuts and pay rise limits means teachers are worn down by a lack of financial
and emotional support.
My Learning UK Ltd seeks to lessen the load on teachers by
transferring some of their assessment and behaviour management needs onto the
VLE. Online they can monitor students and build reports using imported data and
spend a lot less time preparing these themselves.
The VLE also allows
assessments to be uploaded, marked and returned with relatively little hassle
for the teacher. Resources can be shared and help with planning provided,
allowing schools to act as support communities for their staff and students
alike.
Blogs and forums can be set up so that teachers can share
their concerns within school, and even discuss ways to approach these issues
which seem to be shaking the national education system to its core. Our
language capabilities also mean that teaching can be more effectively delivered
in culturally diverse classroom.
We know this doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of many of
the problems out there facing teachers right now, however we are eager to
support you in whatever way we can!