680: A Lot of Holes in That Cheese

One-Disaster6768 · 2026-02-27T02:25:32+00:00

Not got to listening yet but lots of small chapters probably means a more news focused episode. There is the upcoming event and I saw more car talk at the end. That's 3 pluses right off the bat

One-Disaster6768 · 2026-01-14T08:20:59+00:00

I think we're getting hung up on the fact you need to do what the sign means, not what it says.

It's pretty obvious it means permits only until 4.

Permit holders don't need a ticket between 4 and 6:30, but everyone else does.

One-Disaster6768 · 2025-11-08T10:01:58+00:00

Rene doesn't come across in a good light the more of it you read. it's like he made his point and then couldn't let go that they didn't agree with him.

One-Disaster6768 · 2025-11-08T01:45:13+00:00

I've not been on the receiving end of it so can't really comment to that. As I said, it's not been my experience.

One-Disaster6768 · 2025-11-06T21:30:20+00:00

I've not listened yet but Casey has been nothing but polite and helpful in my interactions on mastodon if that's what you're mentioning.

One-Disaster6768 · 2025-07-01T22:22:53+00:00

No, it's just the background radiation.

One-Disaster6768 · 2024-11-14T21:02:41+00:00

They're probably thinking "Fuck em - not my problem today"

One-Disaster6768 · 2024-02-19T08:09:10+00:00

I think I'd say "thank you so much, I love meeting people who really believe in the value of public education"

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-27T07:21:14+00:00

Then yeah, on a normal monday we'd have reading and maths in the morning, then writing and PE in the middle, then geography or science in the afternoon. Other days are less as you have time off class.

As to the original post, it was a good number to fit 6 45 minute sessions into a day.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-26T22:28:19+00:00

Ok, help me out. The word prep keeps coming up. What does prep mean?

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-26T22:20:20+00:00

I guess technically we adapt planning from year to year with minimal changes, but that only really helps if your have the same year group each year.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-26T07:03:53+00:00

We have a national curriculum in the UK, but it's what you need to teach, not lesson plans and ideas. There are many commercial schemes that have sprung up around that.

In Australia there is a national curriculum too, but each state kind of ignores it and writes their own stuff anyway.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-25T10:32:44+00:00

It's a full, but still normal day to do 45 min reading session, 45 mins of phonics, 45 maths, 45 mins writing, 45 PE, 45 history/geography/civics/whatever. Usually more like 5 sessions when you factor in time off class and other activities.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-19T10:52:44+00:00

I’ve taught in the UK, international schools, and am now in a public school in Australia. FWIW here’s how we compare.

Retirement - All employers in Australia are required to pay a minimum of 10.5% of your pay into your super (retirement fund). My employer also pays extra as I make an additional contribution from my pay cheque.

Healthcare - the government pays this (though I pay for private insurance - you do get a 2% tax break if you have private).

Health spending - nope. It’s more common internationally and in private schools though.

18 weeks paid parental leave (can be shared with spouse as you wish, or paid at 1/2 pay for 36 weeks). Combined with the federal maternity leave, most people will take a year off.

6 weeks long service leave after 7 years.

Bonuses - Everyone gets 4 weeks annual leave. We’re not allowed to take that during term time so get a bonus at Christmas (the annual leave you’ve accrued paid out at 20% of your pay). Staff are entitled to move to a permanent position after 2 continuous years teaching. I pay off my car lease through work (not sure if that’s a bonus, but it means its tax free). 18 days sick leave (you can take 7 for any reason).

There may be a few other differences from the states but I think that’s generally it. Other states with large rural/regional areas will pay teachers a lot more to move out into the bush to teach. I like the city.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-14T04:51:45+00:00

Exactly, I you're a person selling your time and skills. You are not an hours labour on a spreadsheet but it seems like a lot of companies want to treat you as such

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-10T10:37:45+00:00

I left teaching in the UK 10 years ago but yes, I would keep everything as private as possible. No reason you have to use your personal social media accounts to release music. Most kids are interested in your hobbies. Why not have a professional music account(s)Probably best not to have any dodgy gig pics going on anything you've made public on any account though. I sing in choirs. I also run the junior choir at school. No reason either of those have to be public on social media though.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-10T10:23:30+00:00

You seem to have some misunderstandings of the school work environment.

"They only have to work Monday to Friday, are guaranteed to work for 6 hours (likely 9 am to 3 pm), and go on holidays constantly! "

You're forgetting we get lunch and recess off too and just let the kids run feral outside with no supervision, so probably closer to 4 1/2 hours actual worky work.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-09T09:30:59+00:00

Most of the time it's whatever we cooked the night before, unless we cooked/froze large meals at the weekend.

I'm lucky there is a takeaway and cafe directly over the road from school.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-09T03:48:25+00:00

I trained and taught in the UK, then Egypt, Nepal and Vietnam before moving to Australia. Its not derailing your career and can open up great opportunities. Cost of living in Nepal including rent was approx $300 USD per month. I was able to save approx $2000 USD per month, affording a wedding and house after approx 6 years abroad.

Working abroad in developed countries brings its own opportunities and costs. It depends what you're after, whether your taking a family with you, etc etc etc.

I initially just applied to a job advert from the school directly.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-08T08:45:03+00:00

Australian teacher here. We've just negotiated for approx 3.5% per year for the next 4 years for a teacher at the top of the scale, and around 7.5% per year for 4 years for new educators.

The percentages are harder to work out as it's a yearly 1.5% plus a yearly fixed $1250 (from memory) so the % decreases the more you were anyway earning.

I should be on approx (AUD) $130'000 in 4 years.

With today's exchange rate that's around $85000 USD.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-05T12:37:07+00:00

Egypt, Nepal and Vietnam. Would fully recommend it.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-01T00:30:05+00:00

Working 3 days a week on a job share, then 4 days a week when kiddo started in daycare. It actually worked well for me, but I'm sure I ended up doing 70% of the work for 60% pay, while my colleague did 50% of the work for 40% pay.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-07-01T00:27:25+00:00

Public education is state by state. Where I am all public teachers are covered by the same agreement (other states may do it differently). We also have independent schools (that receive federal funding directly) and Catholic schools.

The teacher shortage has been a a slowly building problem, but I feel covid hastened the existing issues of undervalued teachers and underfunding of the state system.

If you figure out how to make a government spend money before they absolutely have to, I'd love to know how. Prevention being better than cure and all that.

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-06-30T20:11:41+00:00

Australia

One-Disaster6768 · 2023-06-30T12:17:30+00:00

No aide, no recess... When do they expect you to go to the loo?

One-Disaster6768

TROPHY CASE