Busting myths about teachers. No 1 in a series of 372: teachers have it easy, what with those ridiculously long holidays.

As the tension and high emotions of exam season fade in the rear-view mirror, and the detritus from the valedictory proms and leavers’ japes is mopped up, this mouldering chestnut gets rolled out once again.

And it’s not just crazed keyboard warriors on newspapers’ websites - it can be friends muttering through gritted teeth that they wish they had that sort of time off, it can be TV comedians musing about how on earth teachers have pulled this fast one. The age-old trope can even be wielded in encounters with other professions, as passive-aggressive opticians, electricians or baristas slip in digs about why this one particular job should get such a “perk”.

There’s no need in these pages to remind readers about why the hoo-ha over teachers’ holidays is so much nonsense, but let’s lay out a few ripostes for the record: how many other professions deal with the incessant pressure and scrutiny of preparing young people for the rest of their lives? How many other professionals experience the guilt a teacher does when sickness forces them into an ultra-rare day off? Does any teacher actually work the mythical 35-hour week? How many teachers actually manage to switch off fully from work for the summer holidays, anyway?

In short, teachers deserve their holiday, and they deserve to enjoy it without the open derision or subtle jibes they that are often forced to deal with.

And this year, more than any other in recent times in Scotland, teachers are heading off for the summer in a state of flux and uncertainty. What does the shelving of the Education Bill - more on that in next week’s issue - mean for their jobs? Will the pay dispute lead to the first national teacher strikes since the 1980s? Are the budget cuts going to get even worse? For teachers going on holiday this year, it’s like putting a stew on to simmer and heading out for a three-hour stroll - who knows what it’ll look and smell like when you get back?

Taking stock

The summer, of course, should be a time of recuperation and taking stock. And, as such, it offers a chance to be reminded that, for all the well-highlighted problems besetting Scottish education, there’s also a lot to be happy about. Glasgow head Gerry Lyons argued in a recent, much-shared Tes Scotland article that whatever problems exist, the overriding picture of Scottish education should not be “a litany of negativity” but a story of “the outstanding work being done in schools” (“CfE is a disaster? It’s news to me and my staff”, 8 June).

For one example, look at the greater lengths schools go to these days to help all leavers - not just those bound for higher education - head towards something rewarding and worthwhile, which appears to be reflected in the destination figures.

Over the summer, however, perhaps even more important than reassessing the balance of good and bad news in education is forgetting about work altogether.

When talking about the requirements for becoming a good artist, John Constable, the celebrated 19th-century painter of English landscapes, said that “long contemplation” was as important as “incessant labour”. We might apply that to teachers, too: time to reflect is not a luxury but an essential part of the job. If your nose is kept permanently to the grindstone, how can you ever assess the quality of what you are producing?

Of course, news never sleeps and Tes Scotland will be on duty all summer but nonetheless, enjoy your holiday - you’ve more than earned it.

Henry Hepburn is the Tes Scotland news editor