I know a number of teachers who just see today as "free holiday". Welcome to the real world people, who are you exactly to moan about your good salaries, pensions, security and, yes, holidays. To all that say they work so hard through the holidays, guess what, so do the rest of the adult population.

john, Coalville, UK

I'm a teacher who went on strike yesterday and I can't believe the comms I have been reading or the way the media has portrayed us. They say we don't care about children and yet we are the ones picking up the pieces of what society does to them. I love my job but it is hard and we deserve more.

Katya, London,

Actually I am a teacher and so yes I do know what I am talking about with regards the hours teachers work. We get school holidays, shorter days than most workers do and as far as I am concerned I love my job and am very happy with my pay. Sorry to be against the grain here, but there you go.

clare, st ives, uk

I am married to a new teacher, who i supported through university ... we now have massive debts, and he works most of the weekend/holidays and every evening, my sons never see him - i would not recommend this job to anyone... I am supporting education with the sacrifice of my family, it cant go on

Sunny30, Sheffield, England

I earn 24,000 working in a very difficult inner city school. We have long holidays but is a very difficult job and becoming more so. I trained at uni for 4 years to become a teacher and that should be rewarded in my pay. unlike some other professions we have no bonuses and have to work eves & w.end

Helen, London,

Clare, St Ives does not know what she is talking about. I am a teacher ( I didn't strike today, I'm not NUT), and I spend many hours of my free time discharging school related duties. If you work out the true hours worked and divide it into my salary, I am on a lower rate that an Asda till-girl.

Nicky , Bury,

Clare from St Ives- i am an NQT earning £21, 291 a year. I have got no chance of getting onto the housing market and am finding it hard to even see how i could rent. Teachers work during their holidays too. We don't stop like other types of workers who just work their shift and go home!!!

Nick Stopps, Egham,

Clare, st Ives, 8 hours a day - if only. I'm a primary school teacher and I woulk from 8-6 everyday. I dont have two 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch break, I work my breaks, I then go home and spend at least 1.5 - 2 hours marking and making resources and displays. I never work less than 50hr wk

Louise, Croydon, UK

Clare from St Ives - do you really think that teachers only work 195 days a year and 8 hours a day? If you do try being a teacher! It really frustrates me when people that have no idea about teaching think they can make comments like these!

Christina, IOW,

£34,000 a year. Teachers work 195 days a year. That is £175 per day. If they do 8 hours a day, that is £21.87 per hour. London tops the regional league table with a gross hourly average wage for full time workers of £17.51. That is £6.63 per hour above the lowest placed region in Northern Ireland.

clare, st ives, uk

As the eldest son (now 29) of two very hard working teachers, I can quite categorically say that Des, Edinburgh is wrong in what he says about teachers having too much time off. Most people don't see, or think about, the amount of work that is done outside of school/term time. He should try it!

Chris E, Pimlico, England

I'm a teacher, in school because I'm not NUT. No pupils are here because to many staff are out , a decision not taken lightly so close to SAT's and GCSE's. I wonder how many pupils are using the day off to use notes and revision guides to prepare for exams rather than just sitting about or moaning

Ben, Sunderland, UK

I am a student at a striking school and think that teachers deserve more pay because they do work hard. Their job is more important than some office worker pushing papers around for the simple reason that they are looking after the future.

Anon., Surrey, UK

Why should teachers be any different to other occupations. I haven't recd a pay rise insufficent for my increase in mortgage, utilites etc however I am not striking. Soon bin men, nurse, policeman, fireman etc will all strike because their outgoings have increased - Teachers need to deal with it

Taffy, Newport, S Wales

This strike is inexcusable. How many more days a year do teachers want off work! What happened to all that "we love children" nonsense? This strike is harming children and families, and the sooner the Government cracks down on incompetent and ineffective teachers the better.

Des, Edinburgh,

How can anyone be expected to take seriously someone who expects us to allow her DEBTS to be deducted from her disposable income?

£80 a week spends after everything to fritter away on enjoyment.

J D Skrine, Cardiff, UK

I believe the UK Public should be educated on the hours worked and what a teacher actually does. My wife’s day begins at 0630 with planning of that days lessons and regularly finish beyond 10pm plus Sundays with weekly planning. 16+ hours days / 90 hour weeks. Would you do that for £ 25k per year.

Andy T., Ash, Canterbury, UK

Sorry, I have little sympathy. A teacher interviewed on the TV today said he had not receievd anything other than a "cost of living" rise each year for 3 years. Well a cost of living rise each year is more than I or many of my friends or collegues have received in 3 years....

Malcolm, Bedford, UK

School vouchers for parents to spend on any school of their choice - that is the answer.

Nick, Rotherham, UK

This is the result of the govt con of basing pay discussions on CPI which does not remotely reflect cost of living. The article highlights that teachers pay has gone up 61% in ten years - 19% above CPI, unfortunately the RPI index has gone up 109% in ten years! Result is a 48% effective pay cut!

TC, London, UK

Absolutely ridiculous that the teachers are doing this, so near to my exams. Not only are they appalling as it is (I certainly wouldn't support some of them getting a pay rise -- they should be fired) but now we're missing out on a day of education too? And so close to our GCSEs? Thanks.

Amber, Stevenage,

Oh, I thought that only we, in Poland, are afraid of cancel our exams, but now I can see that in UK there's this problem too... Or maybe I don't know something? =) Is there any protest of that kind somewhere in Europe too?

Strider, Poznan, Poland