10 jobs Primary teachers do as well as teach
As you know, we believe teachers are superheroes. There are so many skills that go into being a Primary school teacher that we can't even count them, but here are 10 we thought you might recognise!
Please feel free to tell us about other skills you'd like to see mentioned.
1. Referee
There are always a couple of boisterous boys in any class jostling for poll position – or just wrestling on the floor 'cos hey, that’s what they like to do. Which is great - because you needed a distraction from all that pesky teaching you have to cram in anyway.
2. Tracker
Little Johnny’s lost his third jumper this week, and mum’s about to cry. You hang about after class to talk to parents about their kid’s learning – but of course you don’t mind getting home half an hour later if it means tracking down lost property.
3. Bodyguard
Parents think they’ve got it tough trying to keep their own offspring from falling foul of whatever bright idea just entered their head. When you’re looking after 30 of the little angels you need some serious surveillance and trouble-shooting skills. Where’s The Rock when you need him?
4. Scientist
Parents might get away with answering “because” to questions such as “why is it night?” and “why does it snow?”, but that just isn’t going to cut it when you’re the teacher. Stephen Hawking you may not be, but chances are you’re making more use of that Science GCSE than the rest of us.
5. Entertainer
The ability not to take yourself too seriously is definitely a bonus when you’re a Primary school teacher. Heck, most of the time you feel like you’re doing stand-up. And of course a propensity for dressing up is pretty handy – especially around the holidays.
6. Musical director
We’re pretty sure it’s written in stone somewhere that all Year 3 kids should be made to learn the recorder. And then there’s those delightful performances they all participate in so nicely – except for little Julia who just stands there picking her nose… and really, what age is it that they start to sing in tune?
7. Sports coach
OK, so the majority of PE time is taken up by the kids getting in and out of their kit (“Nathan, where on earth did you put your trousers?”, “Irha dear, those daps are on the wrong feet”) but you still need to know enough about physical exercise to get them up those ropes, over that horse and round that apparatus without serious injury.
8. Magician
With everything you have to do, magical powers would be very handy! Need a worksheet for long division? Whoosh! Need some phonics flashcards? Kablam! No need for Friday evening to vanish after all. (Alternatively, you could check out Pearson Primary’s ready-made resources…). And let’s face it, you need eyes in the back of your head and the ability to be everywhere at once, just to keep that class under control!
9. Zen master
You need the patience of a saint to be a Primary school teacher, and not just with the kids. Congratulations on not throttling any parents in your career to date – even that really annoying one who thought you were personally responsible for every single one of her child’s/the school’s/other children’s shortcomings. You won her round by Christmas anyway…
10. Drill sergeant
Let me get this straight: you want me to get them into the classroom, back out to assembly, back to the classroom, out for break, back in from break, to the library and back from the library, out for lunch (washing hands first), back in from lunch, out for break, back in from break and out again at home time (matching them up to the right parent)…
Oh, and once a year you want me to take them to the zoo (where there are animals that eat people)? You do realise there’s 35 of them, right?
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