Student reveals her opinion on teacher strikes.

Strike: a refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest, typically to gain a concession or concessions from their employer. Inspiration struck me for this article after catching on to the language my English teacher used about marking my class's homework. She used sentences such as “I will take these home with me…” or “When I mark your books tonight” Small, Simplistic sentences enlightened an issue and, in a way, explained why teachers are striking. And I’ve analysed too many English texts or pushed too far but to me, it made the situation all click. As a 15-year-old girl I don’t understand a lot about these situations, the news or articles don’t do the current state of affairs justice. They all focus on the wages, and I know that’s what a strike is, but in my eyes, it’s more than that. It is the burnout they experience more often than not and the faint line between their work and home life. The lack of respect and appreciation they receive for all they do and the passion and love they bring to their jobs just to get not enough in return. “I understand why people are striking to draw attention to the need for more investment in the education system. Inflation is a problem for everyone now but teachers working lives aren’t just affected by what they bring home but also resources and class sizes all have an impact”-My English teacher’s opinion on strikes. The idea of separating work and home life was projected frequently during COVID due to virtual working. Many spoke out about their experiences and how they led to downfalls like burnout, but a reoccurring solution to this issue was to make sure there was a line between your work and personal life. Whether it was a hobby that has nothing to do with your work or tv shows you could dive into as an escape it created a healthy line. A line which is needed and used as a barricade against burnout, a line which is needed for our teachers to keep them going and allow them to do what they love without negative outcomes. How are students expected to look forward to their class if their teacher is without passion? But unfortunately, this line can be very faint and sometimes non-existent for teachers. To see if burnout is a real issue for teachers, I asked my English teacher, “I haven’t experienced burnout, but I have felt overwhelmed by the workload. The way I get around it is to work more; it affects my family more.” But did this increase or decrease during COVID?“I would say there was more work during lockdown” – English teacher. So here’s what I’ll say if your struggling to understand why teachers are striking think about your child’s or grandchild’s favourite teacher and ask them why. Is it because they make the lessons fun and more engaging or because they understand when you're having an off day and need a break? These teachers are the heart of the schools, they are the reason the school system work and the reason your child comes out with qualifications. We do not see the hours of lesson planning or PowerPoint productions on top of the teaching itself. You might not understand why but that doesn’t mean you can’t respect it and look pass your current opinion.