If we don't act soon, we'll lose even more teachers.

 Teaching can be a lonely profession. This might seem an odd thing to say about a job in which you are in a room with thirty students. 

  It certainly is not lonely when those thirty students are on your wave length, are engaged with their learning, and you can see the pay off of all your hard work. 

  

 However when you're in that classroom and all you can see is chaos, or what is sometimes worse: utter indifference and a sea of disinterested faces; you'll never feel more alone or more isolated. 

  It's suddenly you versus them, and you have little chance of winning. You'll throw everything you have at this group, everything you were taught, every piece of advice you were ever given. 

 

 So where do you turn when this happens? Where the class won't behave, won't work, and simply don't listen to you?

 

 If you work in a supportive school, then you'll turn to your colleagurs and they'll offer you support, give you advice, or even take a few of the worst offenders from your group.

  

 However, this does not often happen. All too often teachers are just left to deal with this alone, all the while developing their insecurities, and leaving them to believe that it's all their fault. 

 

 Behaviour incidents that are reported are treated as inconveniences by heads of department. Others will say "oh that's a good group, and they don't behave that way for me" which is the greatest kick in the teeth a teacher can have.

 I've struggled myself, and had to learn on my own. I feared going in everyday, and was ultimately left alone and dreading that group that wouldn't listen. I battled through and worked myself harder and harder, and just about survived, but I've seen others completely broken by teaching, and ultimately quit the proffession whilst feeling a complete failure. This didn't need to be the case, schools could've done more.

 The schools response to struggling teachers was often to observe the teachers lessons over and over, to apply more pressure, as if it was a lack of effort that was leading to these troubles. 

 We have to do more to help those teachers who are struggling. Alleviate the pressure on them rather than intensifying the pressure or ignoring them and hoping the problem goes away. 

 Schools often don't help those teachers and I've known teachers who are struggling to be given the worst groups in an attempt to force them out of the school. 

 It's sadly been the case that these students will torment a teacher all year and suffer no consequences, but when a student from the class swears at a member of senior leadership they're instantly punished. 

 Schools need to have consistent punishments and let students understand that every member of staff matters. All too often the school give the message that you don't need to respect the struggling teacher, but make sure you respect the hierarchy.

 Members of staff could do more in making schools more pleasant environments also; places where you want to come everyday. 

 

 Teachers walk past eachother without saying hello, staff rooms are often unattended as staff choose to eat alone, and those who are struggling are left alone to stew on their "failings".

 We need to start realising that we can stop teachers walking away from the proffession by actually being supportive, positive and welcoming.

 

 So many potentially great teachers have walked away as they felt alone, and were tired of not being listened to: not just by the students but more significantly my other members of staff.