For the first time, in nearly a quarter of a century, primary teachers and principals abandoned the classroom to demand better pay and working conditions.

Thousands rallied in centres across the country.

At lunchtime yesterday they marched from Westpac Stadium to the steps of Parliament. A route, it seems, gets a good view from the 9th floor of the Beehive.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had earlier said she wouldn't be able to attend the rally when it landed out the front of Parliament, saying she had a prior engagement.

But surprise - there she was - to greet and speak to the crowd.

She told them she hadn't planned to come, but when she saw them from her office window, streaming down the streets towards her, she just knew she couldn't not be there.

So she told her staff 'hold all my calls and meetings' and joined her Ministers and MPs out on the Parliament forecourt.

While that does sound a little too convenient, she told the crowd she was struck by this sense that it wasn't them and us, just us, and just us means they're in this together.

She told the rallying teachers she agreed with every one of their signs and placards and that they're on the same page, because they're all passionate about kids.

But radical changes take time and could the Government have some more, please?

What should have been a passionate, challenging crowd, were quickly placated by the Jacinda-mania charm.

But this is a difficult balancing act for the Government to be performing.

And her rally rhetoric seems somewhat at odds with that of her Education Minister, who's giving the impression some the teacher's claims aren't on the right side of reasonable and of her own sentiments that teachers jumped the gun by choosing to strike after just one round of negotiations unlike nurses, who gave it a proper crack before walking off the job.

But once nurses were out of the starting blocks, it was almost inevitable teachers would be more trigger happy.

And there's a risk that too much empathy, may have the unintended consequence of being read as encouragement.

Because even before this strike was over - the idea of further strikes was being floated.

Some teachers threatening there could be two day long strikes, or rolling regional strikes, if they don't land a big pay hike and improved staffing.

Jacinda Ardern says that's their prerogative but her focus is on getting back around the negotiating table, talking through their legitimate concerns and working through those together.

She says she's confident they will be able to do that.

But the teachers prerogative may well land on choosing to continue striking while the irons hot.