Education in UK: Challenges faced by teachers
As rightly said “Schools are our second home and teachers are our second parents”, the role of a teacher in one’s life is inarticulate and indispensable. But unfortunately, as assumed by most, teaching is not a flawless profession. The profession is marred by umpteen challenges that not only take a toll on the mental health of teachers, but it can also stress out the people surrounding them. Education in UK has been reaping in many accolades with its students ranking the best amongst the OECD countries. The students from Britain are amongst the top-ranked in math, science, and reading streams for several years. The UK has an exemplar educational system that motivates young students to a performance-oriented environment. No academic-oriented performance would have been possible, had not the teaching faculties dedicated their cent per cent dedication. Although the teachers are blessed by good cooperation from students and parents to tackle most of their difficulties, minimal self-time, peer pressure and challenging students can make their profession a bit challenging.
Overcoming these challenges
Professional challenges like marking and assessment, planning, pupil management, curriculum and research-led practices are some other challenges faced by the teaching fraternities in the UK. Unless these problems are taken care of, the education system might find it challenging to retain their teaching faculties or improve the condition of their students. The following section talks about the multiple difficulties faced by teachers with statistical evidence and the required measures that can overcome these challenges.
Top five challenges faced by teachers
Planning
Planning is considered as one of the most difficult challenges faced by the teachers. The innovative system of education in UK demands teachers to update their subject skills, correct materials, present contents and manage trips as part of their curriculum. Multiple roles make it difficult for the teachers to spend quality time for planning. Limiting the burden and easing the pressures off teachers can help them to focus on imparting quality education.
Demanding curriculum
Advancing technologies have worsened the challenges faced by the teachers every year. The curriculum is subjected to rampant changes in an attempt to adapt to new trends and technologies. Schools burden their teachers by leaving them all alone to figure out these technologies without imparting proper training. Most often, the discontent arising out of changing teaching styles can lead to lower job satisfaction. Suitable workshops and training programs to support teachers can be a possible measure to handle this challenge.
Managing difficult students
Teachers in the UK pointed out, handling the pupil’s mental health as one of the troubling challenges they face every year. Most of the teachers report the disrespectful behaviours that they have to face every time in the classrooms. Lawsuits further limit the teachers’ interest in disciplining the student’s behaviour. The unfriendly atmosphere can be too distressing for the teachers, which ultimately ruins their passion for teaching. Timely cooperation from the school management, parents, and students can solve most of the disciplining challenges.
Performance pressure
Every job has its performance benchmarks, and the teaching profession also comes across these challenges. Teachers today are accountable for the success percentage of a class, and they are often pressurized to bring better performance outcomes no matter what.
Proper funding from the school administration and government is essential to facilitate flawless teaching strategies. The UK’s recent announcement of the financing towards behaviour management is a welcome initiative towards the funding partnership of the government.
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