WORKING CONDITIONS IN KATEDRALSKOLAN

Dennis Ostryd (English and Swedish teacher)

He studied five years before being a teacher : two years of English, one year of Swedish language, one year of Swedish literature and one year of teaching. He started teaching in Northkoping, as a supply teacher for one year.

Mr Ostryd works at teaching writing to his students because they understand and they speak «simple English» but he thinks they cannot write properly.

He works a lot and he cannot define how many hours exactly. He said that he loves his subject, so he «works» watching movies, reading books ... and he uses it in his teaching. «I teach English, I like English. I love English culture, literature, movies, language, whatever as long as it's English.»

He has the same holidays as the students, eight weeks : five weeks in summer, one week in autumn, a fortnight in spring (one week in April and one in February too).

The last week before each holiday is composed of lots of tests, so it involves much stress for students and teachers, above all in May which is the month of all national tests. In Sweden they have two terms in opposition to France where we have three terms. For Dennis, the five weeks in summer are too hard because it is too long and difficult to come back after them : «I don't like having five weeks for summer holidays». He prefers to have shorter holidays. He added, he decided to work on holidays and week ends.

He has good relationship with most of his colleagues «when you start, when you are new, you have to be kind, and after years, you become more independent, stronger and self-confident.». Just as with his students there is no problem and a lot communication between them, he encourages them to continue their studies.

He earns 3500 € a month and he pretended that «it's not too much» because he must pay 30% of taxes.

Lena Brynhildsen (Biology teacher)

She studied ten years before being a teacher : four years in university of biology, five years to receive her PhD and one year in order to become a teacher. Her first recruitment as a teacher was in 1997 in Norrköping and she enjoyed it because she had «good colleagues and students.»

She is supposed to work 45 hours a week but she told us «it's not enough time to do what you are supposed to do» so she does extra hours. «Teachers have more and more things to do to prepare their classes» Besides ,«it's difficult to concentrate at school with other teachers» because they are in the same room, they have not their own offices.

Lena has got lots of administration, meetings, for example sometimes she goes to school on Sundays to work. Moreover, she had to plan her practical works at home. The week when she met us, she had worked 53 hours. So, she has long days like ten hours of work.

She compared teachers to students because both of them have homework after their days at school.

Mrs Brynhildsen concludes that she is not satisfied with her working conditions. She wants «more hours at school, it was much better before».

Yet, she gets along well with other teachers because they talk a lot and try to help, to be kind with one another, and spend some time together.

Thanks to her PhD, she earns 4000 € a month and she thinks «teachers should have better salaries.»

Like Dennis Ostryd, she is happy with her job; «I love my job, I love to be a teacher.»