Claudia Chiru, teacher from Bucharest, reacts to the idea launched by some governmental decision makers regarding the obligation of the physical presence of teachers in schools for 8 hours a day. The teacher draws attention to the fact that the measure, although “Sounds good in sessions”could have negative effects on the quality of the educational act and the dignity of the teachers.
Such a measure reduces teachers to simple officials, says Claudia Chiru. Photo: Archive
“Does the government want teachers 8 hours a day in school? Seriously, Romania?”, Claudia Chiru asks rhetorically in a post on social networks.
“In the new wave of brilliant ideas some decision-makers in the Government propose that teachers stay 8 hours a day inside the school and more, they want to stay there, with the same teachers. It sounds reasonable for those who have not trampled in a class from the celebration from ’97. Teachers who are already working over 8 hours a day, reality is different. ”
She explains that an hour in the chair is not equivalent to an hour in the office, because it involves a high consumption of emotional, mental and physical energy.
“It is direct, personalized contact, do not browse by air conditioning files. During the hours you keep the 20-24 children in life, involved and (ideally) interested in having something after and using that something further in their lives!” mentions Claudia Chiru, adding that all activities related to the preparation of lessons, correction of themes, communication with parents or continuous training cannot be done between short breaks.
“Planning, correction of themes, evaluations, materials, continuous training, meetings with parents, meetings, councils, pedagogical circles, continuous training and training courses – all do not fit between the bell of 09:50 and the 10:00.
She believes that such a measure reduces teachers to simple officials, which will negatively affect the students: “If the teacher is exhausted or held in artificial school, all the children lose in the quality.
In the opinion of Claudia Chiru, the true reform is not made with the stopwatch, but with investments in the formation of teachers and in creating a climate of confidence and professional freedom.
“The real reform is not done with the hour in their hand. The children do not earn anything from an exhausted, supervised and deprived teacher to think and create. (…) The reform is in quality, not in quantity. In support of the teachers, not in their punishment. In trust, not in the surveillance.
It also draws attention to the legal dimension of the proposal, which would violate the right to fair work and reasonable conditions (art. 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights); The right to mental health and balance between professional and personal life, as well as respect for the profession as a vocation, not as a mere provision of services.
“If we want a living school, you need live teachers, not captive in buildings, but free to create, to learn, to breathe. If we want inspired teachers, we must respect their dignity, time and intelligence,” Claudia Chiru concludes his post.
