Kathy Margolis has been a teacher in Brisbane primary schools for the past 30 years.
But the current state of Australian schools has forced her to make an extremely difficult decision. After three decades, teaching, nurturing and loving her students, Kathy is quitting and looking for work elsewhere.
“I have decided to look for another job,” she says. “Not easy for a woman in her 50s.”
Kathy wrote a letter to the Courier Mail, which she also posted on Facebook, outlining her decision to leave her vocation.
“Education in Australian schools is in crisis,” shey says, “and someone has to listen to those who are game enough to speak up.”
Kathy is speaking up for the mental health and well-being of Australian students and teachers. “Never have I experienced a time in my profession where teachers are this stressed and in real fear for the mental health of not only themselves, but the children that they teach.”
Top Comments
It's not just teachers. Parents are also running on increased stress and anxiety. The reality for most families is that both parents need to work in order to make ends meet and (heaven forbid) try to save something for a rainy day. It's time our whole approach to school was looked at. Why can't the school day run a normal 9-5 and why on earth do we need over 12 weeks break. A longer day and longer terms (let's say for arguments 46 weeks instead of 40) would mean: teachers could get paid commensurately with a full time role; more time would be available to meet the curriculum at a less hectic and stressful pace allowing more creative teaching approaches; More time could be scheduled in for release for teachers to attend to administrative responsibilities and lesson planning; time could be scheduled in for play and physical activity; and parents would not have the stress and strain of having to manage around hours and holiday allowances that are completely at odds with the working world outside of education. Wouldn't it be a win for teachers, working parents and kids? The current hours and terms are antiquated approaches that reflect a time when there was always one parent at home. Now children are unsupervised after school and during 12 weeks off or parents have to take leave without pay or pay for horrificly expensive holiday care. Give teachers a full working day and full year to get their job done and pay them commensurately.
I think the point of the article was not that teachers don't work a full day, but that they don't get paid for a full day. Also, school holidays are for the students who are tir d at the end of term, some are just exhausted. In my 15 year teaching career I've never taken the whole 'holidays'. There's always work to be done. Always something else you could do.
I think you might be missing my point which is that school should run longer and for more weeks a year so that teachers don't have to fit all the additional stuff in "after hours" and so that they do not have to cram so much into kids in a 40 week year. I'm suggesting they be paid more for a full day. No doubt children need a rest throughout the year but 6 weeks break over summer and two weeks every 10?The reality is most kids are having to go into school holiday programs because their parents only get 4 weeks off. This is hardly the rest that you may think they are getting. Also a longer school day would mean more break time/ play time/ down time could be scheduled in. Rosters during this time would mean it could be release time for teachers. If teachers are doing all the extra hours and weeks of work anyway, why not formalise the work day to reflect it and get the benefit of a less stressful environment for all.
In regards to holidays and longer days. The children need the break. It is difficult enough, to have a student attend fully to the tasks they are asked to do as it is. They also get tired. I understand the pressure that parents face with holidays and such. But to expect longer days and less holidays for the students is not beneficial to your children, long term.
The point of this article, is to highlight the stress both students and teachers are under. They are teaching to an over crowded curriculum that currently does not fully cater to your children.
Lastly...
No teacher, teaches for the "holidays" and pay. They teach because they love to, and they want to see your kids become everything they can be.
I don't want my kids at school 9-5 46 weeks a year. Kids need time to be kids. I work full time but I make it work and am lucky enough to pick them up 4 days a week.
We need to seriously readdress why we want to ship our kids off full time instead of tr and be the actual parent.
Good luck finding that "ideal" job..with 4 weeks holiday, 10 hrs work per day, sales targets, KPIs, adults full of BS to deal with ALL the time, company politics etc etc...school camp, and discos might seem appealing after a couple of years in the real world.
Teachers have to do all of those things you mention, I put in more than 10 hours at school yesterday, on a Saturday, and that is hardly an isolated event. It is amazing how many people who have never worked in Education are experts on the job teachers do.