'Not About Salary': Novosibirsk Residents on Teacher Shortages
Russian schools are experiencing an acute shortage of teachers. To prevent children from missing lessons, authorities are recruiting graduates from pedagogical universities and distributing the workload among existing teachers. Readers of NGS discussed why professionals do not want to work in schools. We publish the most interesting opinions.
«It»s not about salary. No one wants to take on class leadership. Overcrowded classes with 35 or more students without extra pay for the class teacher. Parents are wearing down teachers. Giving failing grades is prohibited. Poor students are moved from class to class,« writes an NGS reader.
«It»s impossible to work in school: a pile of papers, reports, plans. Add student rudeness, endless calls from parents. Teachers have a workload and also class leadership, we work from 08:00 to 18:50. And in the evening, parents of students manage to batter our brains. Young teachers run away after just 2 months of starting work. It would be good to shove those smart alecks who accuse teachers of poor work into school,« reasons a commentator.
«If for teachers the problem is imposed class leadership, then this practice should be abolished. Why is a class leader needed now when all information is in electronic diaries? And additionally train a robot to listen to parents» swearing and respond that they have been heard and their opinion is very valuable. Let it count absences and failing grades and, upon reaching a critical threshold, send alerts to parents,« believes a reader.
«Teachers who are given class leadership should be given half a position, and class leadership should be equated to another half position, and the salary should be increased to 200,000 rubles (about $2,200 at current rates). Then people will be found,» writes a Novosibirsk resident.
«As an experienced teacher, I can say that I love children, but there are certain problems: the number of children in a class should be according to the norm, not one and a half times higher. The quality of teaching also suffers from classroom overload, it»s impossible to pay attention to all children. The teacher simply overexerts at work. Children are now ill-mannered—this also affects the quality of education. Those who say that the teacher must, but parents and children owe nothing, let them come and attend at least one day in school, see and feel all the joys of work. This is only part of the work. There is also work with parents, lesson preparation, and much more that has to be done,« reasons a teacher.
Recently, readers of NGS discussed the proposal to free class leaders from teaching school subjects.
