Are Teachers, as a profession, for too sensitive of criticism?

[zanzibarmum]

Perhaps it's because they expect their charges to do what they are told and not to answer back that they find criticism from any adult quarter difficult to take.

[twinsetandpearls]

I knew this was you.

I think you will find that I was almost agreeing with you.

[twinsetandpearls]

and another teacher said ot isnt the fact they are female perhaps they are crap teachers so hardly over sensitive.

[cory]

I don't think teachers as a profession are anything at all. I don't think boys as a sex are all that homogenous either. I think there are an awful lot of individuals out there.

[Feenie]

Why secondary, Zanzibar? Have us primary teachers scared you off??

[twinsetandpearls]

Cory you really do need to take this criticism on the chin. Stop being over sensitive

[cory]

[epithet]

No person who was overly sensitive of criticism would make it through the PGCE.

[twinsetandpearls]

I think there are over sensitive teachers, I am a teacher who is very over sensitive but not about my job just everything else. But as cory said teaching is a profession made up of very different people.

[ravenAK]

a) Expecting my charges to do as they're told & not answer back would be highly unrealistic. Not to mention counter-productive - not much point teaching them to discuss/argue/persuade if you don't expect them to do just that.

b) In the last fortnight, I have been scrutinied repeatedly by the Head (one 'golden lesson', 3 observations of LSAs in my lessons, & a 'Learning Walk' whereby he & an Assistant Head potter around classrooms to see & comment on what goes on).

I've also this afternoon spent 2 hours on a 'Work Scrutiny' with my HOD (I'm in charge of year 7) - so we're looking at all the year 7 work that's been done this year, mine included.

oh & it's Year 11 Parents' Evening next week, which is guaranteed to throw up at least a couple of difficult conversations.

Honestly, there's absolutely no shortage of adult criticism going on for teachers - any teacher who found it 'difficult to take' would find their life pretty much unbearable, tbh.

[ravenAK]

'scrutinised', even.

[zanzibarmum]

twinsetandpearls - no it's a serious question. Of course it doesn't apply to each and every teacher (heaven forbid that I might make a general still less political statement on a site that seems so full of very personal tittle tattle).

I know some parents can be horrible to teachers - but I do sense that teachers, primary perhaps more than secondary, like to keep things very tight/closed with parents; and the profession as a whole does seem to suffer from something of a victim mentality.

[Heated]

I think we are sensitive to criticism as a profession, but that's because a lot of you/your personality is invested in teaching so any criticism is personal. You also have A LOT of people judging you (30X6 a week, plus their parents, plus SMT, plus Ofsted, plus the Daily Mail).

[janeite]

Victim mentality eh?

Janeite walks away before she's accused of being over-sensitive.

[janeite]

Heated - good post.

The Daily Mail - the voice of reasoned, dispassionate conversation about education.

[twinsetandpearls]

I do think some teachers do have a victim mentality and love to do the how hard we work for a measly pay packet line, but that is because you will find those type of people in most jobs.

I also know that some teachers can be very secretive, I always take exercise books to parents evenings and am always surprised that so few of my colleagues do the same.

I disagree by the way that this site is full of personal tittle tattle.

[cory]

Well, the same can be said for parents, can't it? I think we see a fair amount of parental victim attitude on these boards from time to time. And I speak as a parent.

[zanzibarmum]

Heated - thanks for this insightful comment. So it's a psycological occupational hazard.

If I had a sticker I would give it to you with a big WELL DONE!

[ravenAK]

[twinsetandpearls]

Good point Heated, I know that during the week I do nothing else other than teach, mark, mumsnet or sleep. So if someone criticises my teaching I do take it to heart. But I am also very aware of how important my job is if I fail I am not only failing myself but my pupils.

[zanzibarmum]

twinsetandpearls - you are not telling me you don't cringe at those posts on this site which ask "My DS wants to go to a bad school, what should I do?"

[janeite]

Raven - I've just been on the APP website - what a pair of sad individuals we are!

Would it be terrible of me to admit that actually I was having fun!

[twinsetandpearls]

Starlight outside of mumsnet I have never ever felt anything but respect for my profession./

[cory]

Definite similarities between teaching and parenting, in fact. You invest a lot of yourself in it, you care immensely about it, you take any criticism to heart. Doesn't seem such a bad thing to me, really.