How are You?

After more than 34 years as a teacher, I have often seen this happen to colleagues. Beautifully written with real insight, & the acting was excellent

Dear Wendy, I am so pleased you watched this video to give you an insight to what teaching 24/7 involves and it will be 24/7!
I hope you bear it in mind when you are staying up all hours of the night planning, marking, assessing, reporting, evaluating etc., because that is what you have to do to succeed, say to yourself, I am going to work until x time and STICK to it.
Teachers who are still teaching are less conscientious than me, that is why I have stopped teaching for a while; I don't know if I will return yet, can't decide if I can juggle my conscience with a less conscientious input. Good luck.

Oh my goodness, please God, don't let this be me in a couple of years time. How perfectly written and performed. This piece went straight to the heart and I found tears trickling down my face by the end. I'm an NQT and will begin to teach my first class in 12 days time, but far from making me quake in my boots, seeing this has reaffirmed my determination to make sure I don't lose myself in the black hole that is the teaching profession. We owe it to our families and loved ones, as well as ourselves to make sure there is something left over at the end of a week. Surely this makes us better teachers anyway? I know I speak from a position of supreme niaivety and perhaps with the arrogance of the inexperienced, and I have a nagging sense that this is a selfish attitiude, that the children deserve everything I can give them, which of course they do. But what use is a burnt out teacher to anyone?

Oooh, this is soooo painful to watch. Congratulations to the writer and actor, well done, very well delivered. Unfortunately, very true to life. How sad that a young man feels like this, but so true to life. In teaching, you are either working, or thinking about work, worrying about when you can fit the work in, worrying about whether it is right, or trying to catch up, mark, assess or improve yourself in some way to please others! (Not the children, but SMT or HT or HMI or some other body!) Nothing is enough, ever!
To survive in teaching (yes, just survive), you have to be less conscientious; I know oodles of teachers who do just that; well done you teachers, but I don't fit that mould unfortunately.

I agree with the other comments made. This is really impressive and I also agree that it should be shown to all new teachers (although it may put even more people off going into teaching)and Heads!

Excellent social commentary on the pressures involved in education and our inability to deal effectively and compassionatley with the casualties of this undoable job which chews young teachers up and spits them out.
As a school manager I sympathise with the fact that yes..... stressed colleagues going off sick does add to the burden of those colleagues left behind....
The reality is just as the character stated..... a whole life subsumed into the job because the sad fact is that nobody can meet the unrealistic expectations involved. Everyone is left with the feeling that however much time they devote to the job it is never enough and that constant sense that they they could have done better is so very damaging to staff morale.

Riz has so poignantly captured what teachers that really want to do their best but who have difficulty being their best go through.

This character sums up how the really conscientious teacher feels, despite the rhetoric of achieving work/life balance. Has anybody managed to do that?
Thank you Laura,Riz and the production team.

This is so impressive...what a SUPER programme. Every head should watch this. I totally agree with Laura. As a male teacher in primary, there are many different pressures we face as male staff and being in a female dominated environment, it is often difficult for us to express ourselves and be understood. Even in a fabulous school where I am, I can see how this programme may benefit a lot of us male staff who can struggle with inner emotions, pressures and stresses which we bury in the demands of the job. - thank you Teachers TV - this is like a Bible to us and long may you continue to explore the avenues to help us understand each others problems!!

This is so impressive...what a SUPER programme. Every head should watch this. I totally agree with Laura. As a male teacher in primary, there are many different pressures we face as male staff and being in a female dominated environment, it is often difficult for us to express ourselves and be understood. Even in a fabulous school where I am, I can see how this programme may benefit a lot of us male staff who can struggle with inner emotions, pressures and stresses which we bury in the demands of the job. - thank you Teachers TV - this is like a Bible to us and long may you continue to explore the avenues to help us understand each others problems!!

Brighton Bell Wow, have just watched this very powerful and moving monologue. I think it really captures how teachers are under continued pressure and the impact that this can have. I think this should be shown to anyone training to all NQT's!

Very well written piece of drama, full of poignant moments and one cannot fail to have sympathy with the young male teacher. A very well done to both Laura Owen and Riz Ahmed.

This ought to be compulsory viewing for those who think that teaching is easy.

I've seen this too often in the last 23 years. I cried when he said he wasn't up to the job. I will pass this on at school.

Really touching. There are parts that I can relate to. Excellent stuff from Laura Owen and Riz Ahmed

I got excited when I watched the Staff monologues- Always the teacher Never the Bride.
I will want to share it with my staff members on Wednesday 25 when I get to school.
Thank you.