It’s business as usual again today for schools across the country. Kids are back into uniforms and back in classrooms, but how long before the next strike?

I imagine teachers today will be feeling a mix of emboldened by the level of support from parents, while at the same time disappointed by some of the Prime Minister’s comments.

In meeting the protesting teachers, Jacinda Ardern said that they had a right to strike, but she felt they’d left the negotiating table too soon. That the strike was premature.

That didn’t wash well with the NZEI who hit back claiming their issues are longstanding and they haven’t taken strike action in 24 years, and as far as they’re concerned, they’ve waited long enough.

More talks are set down for next week and we should know by next Friday whether teachers are satisfied with the outcome or whether there will be a further round of strikes.

Either way, teachers deserve better.

I think it’s widely accepted nowadays that teaching is much more than just marking the roll and giving out homework.

It’s an all-encompassing job of managing behavioural issues, being secondary parents, social workers, and life counsellors.

It must be draining, and at times soul destroying.

But here’s the rub.

Sadly, like all professions, there are good and bad teachers.

The sympathy for their plight from parents, in all reality probably comes down to the personal experiences of our kids.

If you have a kid coming home in awe of their teacher you’re likely to be supportive, but if you have kids coming in the door complaining their teacher is hopeless, it’s likely you will be disillusioned.

Like most families, we’ve had both experiences with our kids. Teachers who seemingly don’t care, teachers who are more political than instructive, teachers who’ve moaned to the class that they hate their job.

Likewise, we’ve had fantastic teachers who have lit a fire of passion in a subject, who have shown a great sense of humour or skill, who have worked hard to understand how the kids work or what they need.

A teacher, depending on their approach, can make or break a subject, make or break a school experience.

It’s a pivotal role. They're the coal face and often the reason a child loves or hates school.

As a parent, it seems easy to support the good teachers, it's a tougher ask for us to get in behind the useless ones.