High School Years Education - Year 7 to Year 12

Hi @tyme 

Thanks for inviting me.

I think sometimes it depends on the Secondary School too. Location, if it's private or public. Students will have different pressures

Where I taught, some of the pressures/problems were:

Poverty - students not having the correct books, resources, uniform - feeling different, left out.

Cultural/Ethnicity Issues - different races having different beliefs and traditions - clashing at school

Stress - especially around exam time. Keeping up with work

Homework - keeping up with it, especially if they have responsibilities at home like looking after siblings/too many chores

Social Issues - having trouble making friends, fitting into friendship groups

Mental health - not having the resources to get the help they need

I could probably list more but these are just the main ones I thought of.

Hi @Snowie ,

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can relate to your experiences.

Having moved from early years to primary to now secondary, I've experienced the lot.

There seems to be more and more competing demands and less and less time to do them. 

In one day, I find myself teaching technical literacy, science and maths. The kids are great, but teacher shortage doesn't help with the stress.

I never thought I'd say this, but I love teaching the older ones. As I'm in the classroom, I can see the impact a steady consistent teacher can be for the students.

Unfortunately, I think this is the hard part. It's a vicious cycle. Because of the teacher shortage, more stress is placed on teachers. Because more stress is placed, then more teachers walk out. This is what a lot of places are facing.

The school I work at has about 2500 students.... it's a lot. 

My role is in supporting with the application for disability/inclusion funding. We have about 140 students on the list to get funded and each application takes months to prepare. 

It's rewarding, and I wouldn't be there if I didn't enjoy what I do.

You are amazing @BPDSurvivor the impact you are having on our young peoples life should be rewarded. Teachers just don't get the recognition they deserve.

Hello @Snowie ,

I think that's the driver in being a teacher. It's not the easiest job. I see a lot of graduates leave within the first 5 years because they give so much in the first few years that they end up burning out.

Our school has had to get a lot of overseas teachers e.g. from Ireland or New Zealand. I can't say it's worked too well because when they come, they are also so overwhelmed.

I'm teaching year 8 science and maths tomorrow. Not the easiest kids, but I'm determined to win them over. I've only started taking these classes from last week. I was doing cover for a teacher who went overseas for about 6 weeks. After that teacher returned, I got put into year 8 classes because they don't have any teachers in year 8.

My actual timetable has been allocated to relief teachers. Supposedly because they can find teachers to take my actual timetable, but they can't find teachers to take these year 8 classes because they are so hard to teach lol.

Anyway, I enjoy them 🙂

Happy Sunday. Back to the grind tomorrow!

I've seen a lot of teachers leave too @BPDSurvivor Mostly young ones. Just burnt out and can't cope. I don't blame them in the slightest.

I always find years 8 and 9 the hardest to teach. Teaching them for PE was ok, but it was hard when I taught them maths/science.

Hope the weekend has been relaxing for you 😁

@Snowie , @tyme , @BPDSurvivor , @RachSANECEO , @Former-Member , @Zoe7 , @purplesneakers 

I had some high school students come since they were little 

and they would plan things for the school holidays, like competitions, Legos, cubbyhouses eveywhere , movie day , Paper machae 

I had a very stressful end of term. A parent got so upset at me because I dared phoned her to say her beloved son’s behaviour was not up to scratch.

I generally have no issues contacting families and working with them, but this was a big no no to this ‘perfect child’.

It’s so sad to see because it means this student is not supported by his parents to take ownership of his behaviour. 

Rather, the parents started having a go at me saying it was my fault and there’s an issue with me.

 What the parent doesn’t realise is that NO teacher can remain in this class because the behaviour is horrendous. I have been strategically placed there to support younger teachers to work in this class.

 Even their very own homeroom teacher wrote a letter to the principal on the second last day of school to say that she’s refusing to enter that class anymore. 

The hardest part as a teacher is when you do everything you can to make a difference and it gets thrown back in your face.

 That hurts. I’m so glad it’s holidays, but I’m mindful I have a meeting organised for the first week back with this family.

…

This is the part of teaching I don’t like, but I’m determined to get through this.

 Any hinters @Snowie @Shaz51 @tyme @Shaz51 ? 

Hi @BPDSurvivor 

It is so hard when the parents are in total denial. They think their kids are perfect and it is other's that are the problem. Unfortunately this starts at home, where they can do no wrong and their parents have an excuse for their child every time.

If it was me, I would have evidence backing me up. Have what other teachers have written about the child. That it is just not in one class that they are causing problems. It is across the board.

The other thing I would do is not go into that meeting by myself. I would have at least one other teachers in there with me. It would be even better if this teacher is a year level coordinator or even a vice principal. 

I have had to deal with parents like this. Sometimes we can get through to them but other times it doesn't seem to matter what we do.

Another thing is for each teacher to keep their behaviour documented. It might be to the stage where suspensions need to start. I'm not sure if each state is the same, but after a certain amount of suspensions you can then look into expelling the child.