FIRST DAY OF TERM - WELCOME TO SO SODD-IT

05-09-2006

The Stirrer is proud to launch a new online support network for teachers' spouses. Brendan Hawthorne explains why he wants to welcome you to the new organisation called SO SODD-IT

Perhaps ‘welcome' is not quite the right greeting but I'm glad you're reading this, especially if you have suffered directly at the hands of the current education system as the spouse or partner of a teacher.

If you are part of the management or Local Education Authority, then I'm glad you're reading this if, by doing so, you are encouraged to make changes in the way that professionals are treated in this country.

Welcome to the official launch of So SODD-IT! (the Society of Spouses of Downtrodden and Dis-Illusioned Teachers) a new online organisation designed to offer a space for such beings to sound off, discuss and share experiences with others of that ilk without fear of being considered heartless or unfeeling or having to tread on eggshells!

Each of us tries incredibly hard to support our partners emotionally and practically, but sometimes we need an outlet too to realise that there are others in the same boat and people who may be able to help.

Being married to a teacher often feels like you're doing the job as well, which has detrimental effects on family life, and none of us like to see the people we love hurting, so the intention of So. SODD-IT is to form a network which will help us to help them. If you see what I mean…..

Today, I am going to share my story of being married to a teacher. My tale and personal views begin with the ideals of professional commitment and a sense of achievement set against the reality of bullies and their politics being alive and kicking in the offices and corridors of local education facilities.

My wife came into teaching as a mature graduate who had previously had a working life outside of education, but chose to join the profession. She bought with her a wide range of inter-personal skills, and so was a ‘born' teacher, like other people are born nurses or born carers.

She worked in a school that was friendly, a part of the community, had teachers and assistants with varied skills, experience and backgrounds and each could give a broader approach to aspects of life and its demands to children learning to cope with the twenty-first century.

My wife worked hard. Often it would mean that our relationship suffered because her career came first. Not in an ambitious way, more of doing one's best and not letting anyone down at the place of work. This personal philosophy would not only bring its rewards later in the guise of promotion but would also prey on her health with some obvious conclusions.

Someone once said never talk about religion or politics unless you want an argument. Well, I can honestly add education to that, though politics plays a major and increasing role in education, both with a capital ‘P' and a lower case 'p'.

Teaching, I feel, should be based on a passion to communicate and educate to the best potential of the individual. Wrong! It appears that today teaching is all about statistical analysis, politics, Politics, year on year ‘progress' and the standardisation of output. But children are not tins of beans on a production line and the ‘one-size-fits-all' philosophy just doesn't suit everyone.

Remember each year a new generation of children brings its own special needs. In urban areas, such as where we are based, many children come from poor socio-economic backgrounds, where English is often a second or third language and includes asylum seekers demanding specialised cultural or experiential attention.

Can the standard education model be applied to such a varied amount of start points? And don't talk to me about ‘value added' when SATS results only matter if they're a level 4 or 5 to fuel or substantiate the absurd system of league tables the government has adopted.

This takes me to the point of, if ‘every child matters,' surely they deserve the best in education? How can this be achieved when the teachers supplying education are so pressurised and poorly treated? Why does the system allow dedicated teachers and support staff to run themselves ragged trying to apply education guidelines and outcomes to each and every child who brings with them, wait for it, individuality?

My wife, like many others, tried to do this in the name of statistics and, like many other teachers, was monitored and measured by beings in black suits carrying clip-boards and tut tutting at results, expenditure and the colour of paint in the corridors. (See me, could do much better!)

Their comments led to reaction and then action before she cried, lost sleep, became irritable with family, started to feel like she was failing, worked harder, felt like she was failing, worked harder, lost more sleep, shed more tears, worked harder, felt like she was failing, was told she was failing, worked harder, fell ill, felt like she was failing, lost sleep, nightmares started, worked harder, became isolated, lost more sleep, fell ill, continued with the nightmares straight into the arms of medication. Sound familiar?

Then politics stepped in and became Politics.

“The school is failing, the teachers are failing and we are going to merge you with another school to sweep it all under the carpet.” The staff weren't told this, not directly. They read about it in the local press, usually on a Friday or over the weekend or at the start of a holiday.

Then when the meetings came (the few they had) they were usually on a Friday, so that tension could be applied over the weekend and arguments diffused. Information was kept to a minimum - usually talking to people from other schools would glean more information than had been supplied to them.

Then the news of overspend came and the closure of the school due to a spiralling budget deficit so there were more press releases and a councillor who spoke in public places, except to the teachers and their families, (who were not sleeping and would soon be without income or a chosen career but carried on giving 100% anyway) perpetuating the myth that the staff didn't really want jobs, only redundancy and early retirement!

Oh yes I failed to tell you that the staff would all have the opportunity to apply and face competitive interviews for the job that they had held for years, the one that had cost sleepless nights, anguish and the children of teachers saying to their parents that they were ‘only weekend children' or that they accepted that they came second to the children being taught in school.

Families and personal lives came a poor second. (In my case, I was rushed into hospital with a suspected heart attack at 10a.m. one morning and my wife was told that she would have to carry on teaching until lunchtime as it was inconvenient for her to leave her class.)

I could go on and on about how impersonal personnel departments and management are in cases of this nature. How staff are left wondering about their money, rights and benefits, how staff were told not to speak to the media about their plight otherwise they would be sacked. How staff could not speak to parents regarding the closure of the school without facing disciplinary proceedings. How staff were forced into applying for jobs they didn't want in fear of losing redundancy money. How staff have been shown the door without any concept of knowing what services are available to them, staff who have over 20 years experience and loyalty in one place of work suddenly finding themselves in a job market so alien to them.

This sad experience has been traumatic enough. Maybe there is a leaning towards younger inexperienced staff to child mind and educate on the cheap, and a shelf life for teachers who ultimately make the grade only to become too expensive to keep.

I have spoken to many teachers. Unfortunately they are now mainly ex-teachers or soon to be ex-teachers, their skills and experience sadly lost to the field of education. I have heard many tales of heart-break, break-downs and break-ups. Shouldn't employees be treated as people, people with feelings and not like an old computer no longer up to spec. and too expensive to run?

Changes are inevitable but the processes should be far less painful and destructive than in this case, so managers listen up! What is so wrong with responding to the needs of the people in front of you rather than reading the manual of ‘official responses'? Why can't employees be treated with respect, dignity, humanity and compassion and thanks be shown for the loyalty and years of their lives they have invested in the future of the nation?

My wife now has her life back: she's getting out of teaching! Another sad loss for education, another ex-teacher with a sad story to tell.

The purpose of this page is for you to share your experiences and sound off when the going gets tough. Anyone is welcome to comment if you have endured the hardships of being connected to someone who cares about their profession only to be crushed by the jackboot of policy and unfeeling management. If you are a happy teacher, then great. If you haven't endured this experience, then great. I don't think that anyone should, but many have. Let's stop it now before it gets to you and let teachers teach for all our sakes.

Brendan Hawthorne