Breaking the Bullshit Cycle of Overwhelming Workloads
It’s the bullshit that every teacher faces: the overwhelming burden of marking papers, a thankless task that consumes time, energy, and sanity. However, the intolerable excess of this workload exacts a not-so-subtle toll on teachers’ well-being and most worryingly, is perpetuated by those tasked with leading by example.
Problem
Behold the towering mountain of marking, casting a shadow over classrooms, as teachers find themselves drowning in a sea of red, green, or purple ink – dictated by whatever bullshit ‘pen policy’ your CEO has chosen. Here, students’ progress is weighed by the thickness of their graded assignments. Welcome to the stark reality of marking madness in education. While feedback is crucial for student growth, the sheer volume of marking often detracts from meaningful learning. It’s a cycle where teachers are pressured to prioritise quantity, sacrificing their mental health. Let’s be honest, the majority of written feedback often requires interpretation for the students anyway. And, anyone who claims this is essential practice isn’t just perpetuating one of the biggest fallacies in education; they’re also a significant part of the problem.
Causes
The cause of this marking madness extends beyond the classroom, influenced by external pressures and misinterpretations of educational standards. Toxic organisations like Ofsted set expectations for schools, aiming to ensure quality education. However, school leadership often misinterprets these guidelines, leading to panic-driven mandates for excessive evidence to alleviate their worries before they hit the golf course…FOUR!
“If less is more, just imagine how much more more would be”
DR FRASIER CRANE
This misalignment between intention and execution fuels the relentless cycle of marking overload, as educators are left wrestling with bullshit demands imposed from the dick-heads at the wheel. However, I don’t blame Ofsted; I lay the blame on those at the top and at every level of leadership beneath them – those who interpret the guidance and propagate their perverted version like a shitty rendition of Google Translate. As it filters down through each level of leadership like Chinese whispers, a fresh bastardisation emerges.
Effects
As school leadership fucks about panicking to meet perceived expectations, the effects hit students, shaping their learning. The emphasis on gathering evidence for external assessments detracts from meaningful classroom interactions, as teachers prioritise paperwork over pedagogy. Students experience a hollow education focused more on meeting bureaucratic quotas than fostering genuine growth. Academic performance becomes a casualty of this bureaucratic frenzy, as the pursuit of checkboxes overshadows the pursuit of knowledge. But here’s the kicker: teachers are bullied or coerced into meeting these inflated expectations, with an overwhelming flood of tests and mocks to be marked, consuming countless hours. Firstly, shame on the fuckers that ask this of you, they are awful human beings (The Lifestyle Choice and Guilt as a tool), but let me share some wisdom/advice, and apologies if it comes across as crass. If you’re not willing to take a day or two off to manage the excess and instead choose to do it ‘in your own time,’ then I’m sorry, that’s on you! What the fuck are you doing?” (said with reservation but also in an Arnie voice).
Conclusion
In the face of mounting pressures and misguided expectations, there is a definitive need for change. I advocate for a system that values quality over quantity, and substance over spectacle. I advocate for teachers to prioritise their well-being by taking time off to manage excessive workloads – ‘I’d love to come in, but I’m feeling insert cough quite poorly.’ I advocate that if necessary, get a sick note, because as long as you do the work ‘in your own time,’ you’re effectively condoning the madness. As a teacher, you should demand clarity from school leadership, and push back against the panic-driven mandates that fuel marking madness. Stand up for yourself, reclaim your profession from the hands of bullshit, Ofsted obsessed CEOverpaids, and build a career that prioritises the well-being of yourself and ergo, your students. It won’t be easy, but I fucking believe in you, so stand the fuck up and believe in yourself too. And, if you don’t have the guts to tell whoever is burdening you with this marking to go fuck themselves, then take a few days of their time to get it done.
