Why I'm Striking

By now many (if not all) of you are aware of teachers striking around NZ today. It's not just about the money; we are striking for our working conditions too.

Pay is the biggest issue (money makes the world go around, right?) Like people in other professions, we spend a considerable amount of money upskilling and educating ourselves so that we can teach our students. We have considerable student loans. We all have other bills to pay (rent/board, power, internet, fuel, groceries, debt, etc). We all know the cost of living (CPI) has gone up. But our salaries haven't. It is unfeasible for a statying teacher to survive on the starting rate of $51,200 (less tax, student loan, kiwisaver, union subs, health insurance, retirement schemes). Per annum, this equates to a rough earning between $30,000 and $33,000. For someone starting out in a profession requiring tertiary qualifications, this starting income simply isn't enough. I wouldn't be surprised if teachers are earning such a low income that they simply cannot afford to live.

Before students enter the classroom, teachers ensure that lessons and learning is planned for when each term begins. We have to ensure our akonga will have enriching learning experiences that further their horizons. Lessons and units of work must be underpinned by the New Zealand Curriculum, and learning outcomes need to match the relevant curriculum levels. Planning also includes creating new resources, printing, creating videos/screencasts, collaboration with colleagues, seeking permission to try new things, purchasing resources using OUR own money...the list goes on. At the same time, we have to ensure our classroom is friendly to our students who have learning needs (this can include, but is not limited to, a variety of learning needs such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, auditory processing disorders, and visual processing disorders) as well as their emotional needs (students present with attachment disorder, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, victims of bullying...the list goes on). Then there are students who, while they are in your class, they are below the curriculum level. You also have students who are above the curriculum level, so at any one time you are catering to students with different learning needs who are operating at different levels of learning. We also have senior students who are juggling school with full time work to support their whanau; as teachers we find different ways of offering the same assessment opportunities to these students so they aren't disadvantaged; often, this cuts into our own time at lunch and after the school bell rings.

When the bell rings at 1520, teachers are expected to attend meetings, meet with parents, respond to emails, contact parents (email and phone) as required, plan ahead for the next lesson/day/week, ensure resources are created and ready for use, and do some professional reading for our Inquiries. Classwork and homework also needs to be marked. As we don't get time during the day, this work is done in our personal time. "Holidays" are just that for students; for teachers it is non-contact time, a time to catch up on the work that has been neglected through the term, and to plan ahead for the next term. In many cases, schools require teachers to be onsite during non-contact time for collaborative planning and staff and department meetings.

Teachers are the backbone of our society, no matter which country. Teachers are there to introduce students to the alphabet, to teach them how to count, read, and write their own name. Teachers are the first people we remember spending most of our days with; they teach us how to interact with others, how to be tolerant of each other, and to celebrate our differences. Teachers help us develop our fine motor skills, they teach us rhythm, they teach us how to put music to our words. Teachers support us in playing team sports, spending their time after school and in the weekends to support us, cheer us, and build our morale. I can think of many teachers (and teaching staff) during my schooling who have had an impact on me: Miss Kaye (my first ever teacher who was just so lovely and warm and welcoming), Mr Wilson (he taught me resilience in that he took on challenges to find himself in NZ), Miss Burnett taught me that one can be a strong independent woman who can do well for herself, while Mr Rickard taught me that above all, family and faith come first. Miss Esmond taught me the importance of being organized, Mr Scott taught me that life isn't such a straight line, and that's ok; Mrs Daysh taught me that if I push myself, I can do anything I want if I take the opportunities. Miss Anderson showed me that nothing in life should ever bring us down. Above all, Mrs Trethewey taught me that in the face of adversity it is important to hold your head high and conduct yourself with utmost dignity. Teachers are parents to your children, a support for you as a parent, social workers, counsellors, sports coaches, music teachers, directors of musical and dramatic productions. Teachers are often your point of contact as a parent, too, when you require any information about your child at school.

We have a pandemic in the education sector in New Zealand. Our teachers are entering service and leaving, burnt out, within five years. Teachers are no longer valued by the New Zealand Government; this is evident in the lack of support the current Government is giving to our teachers. If the Government is unable to give the teaching profession the recognition it deserves, who else will? We have so many decent, dedicated, empathetic teachers who are leaving the profession in droves, opting to pursue another career, or to head overseas where teachers seem to be valued more. Bringing in teachers from overseas is only ever going to be a temporary solution; I fear the day that our classrooms have 90% of teachers who are from overseas; just in how much depth will they be able to understand and teach tikanga Maori, relate to our ethnic students, and honour Te Tiriti O Waitangi? Teachers College providers have noted a drop in numbers of students enrolling in their programs; of the low numbers who graduate, many are making a conscious choice to not enter the classroom. The current pay scale DOES NOT represent the amount of work (roles and hours) teachers put in to simply do their job. I know of no other profession where one must plan a day's work (or more) to have a sick day off, nor a job where one has to prepare for their job on weekends.

I have had some of my best moments in the classroom. This includes watching students develop their skills in English, students resonating with texts and findings links and connections to their own lives, students learning to work with one another, students developing their confidence as people, and watching students find they are in a safe space where they can be who they want to be. Last year I ended up supporting a student who was experiencing violence at home; I was her counsellor and confidante. The heaviness of what she told me is still with me today. I had another student confide in me the underage activities they conducted to ensure their family had food on the table. This year I have a student who is so settled in class because they know they can come in and just be themselves. I've had students tell me they enjoy my classes, and they look forward to what I teach them.

Everyday my students inspire me to be the best version of my teacher persona, but I often wonder how long I can keep this up for. I remember in my first year of teaching I used to work during weekends, never leaving time for myself. I constantly thought that if I'd had a family of my own I wouldn't have been able to sustain both my family life and my career. It seems necessary to point out the only way I am surviving in Auckland is that I am on my own, with no partner or dependents who rely on me. (I fear if I move out of Auckland I

It is time to recognise the amount of work teachers do, and adjust their pay accordingly to match the hours of work as well as the annual increase of CPI. It is time to make a move to train and retain our teachers so that there is no pandemic, and instead we can move towards having a well-oiled society with teachers who have the social, mental, physical, and emotional ability to teach. If we don't acknowledge this recognition now, who will do it, and when?