tough young teachers

[theladyrainy]

I watched this tonight on the i-player. Even my 12 year old was wincing.

6 weeks training and then send graduates into schools to take classes, including Y10/11 pupils who are studying for their GCSE's.

Not a channel 5 reality TV idea...this actually happens.

[Campaspe]

I thought the behaviour of some of the pupils was very unpleasant. Meryl was a lovely person, but I was not impressed that she doesn't like reading, and her lack of preparation.

[nennypops]

Not a great advert for the Teach First programme, but I must say in confirmed what I've heard elsewhere. It does seem as if this just another attempt to get teachers on the quiet. I wonder what the dropout rate is?

[Philoslothy]

I was a teach first teacher, I think it is very dependent on the level of training provided by the school. I was very lucky

[PenguinBear]

I am a teacher and so glad my training was nothing like that!!!

It seemed so unfair on them to be thrown in at the deep end like that... especially with GCSE classes where it could have massive implications for the kids futures!

In the preview of next week, I felt sorry for the young girl who was told she was a cause for concern. They shouldn't e labelling her, they should be helping her handle those awful kids!

I have been teaching (primary) for many years but feel that if I were to be put Infront of secondary school children, I would struggle.

[theladyrainy]

I agree that is's not a good situation for either the trainees or the pupils.

I don't think it's fair to say that the children are awful though. Even children in 'naice' schools are capable of awful behaviour for weak teachers.

[PenguinBear]

theladyrainy You're right, the children themselves were not awful. I should have rwad my post back before posting. Their behaviour was allowed to become awful due to the actions or lack of of their inexperienced teacher.

[Retropear]

I was a bit shocked too.

I was trained the old way.I did think they were incredibly confident,perhaps more so than myself and my peers which was a plus however the throwing in at the deep end bit with very little support,class control training etc worried me greatly as a parent.It particularly annoys me as obviously the kids of Tories will never be taught by such a system ie great idea in theory(when your kids won't be subjected to it) not so good in reality when it's your kids having such a student.

Other things that shocked me were the literacy levels in the bottom class.Where were the IEPs,where the LSAs,why was it such a shock to the student(did she not research the level of her class before planning) and how on earth have so many left primary school with that level of literacy?Said teacher was right she shouldn't be trying to teach exam level English to kids who can't spell 4 letter words.

The kids standing up to eat their lunch,not on,not on at all. Ime kids often behave like they're treated.Treating kids with little respect and expecting them to roam around and eat wherever won't help self esteem or behaviour.

[nennypops]

I suspect the school that was sinking into the landfill site where pupils had to eat lunch standing up was a casualty of the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme. Still never mind, eh, the money went instead to various Friends of Cameron to open free schools in places where there was no demand for extra school places.

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

English teacher seems a bit power crazed and doesn't actually like reading. She was clearly annoyed to have not managed to catch a pupil out when he said he had a hospital appointment and had to miss detention.

Science teacher has the enthusiasm and the care just needs to learn discipline.

Re teacher seems to think the education of the commoners doesn't matter. His attitude stinks, I hope it improves.

Geography teacher seems competent, she's on yr 2 I think.

Kids are quite cheeky and unmotivated in parts - not helped by a crumbling school that's overcrowded and being taught for their exams by people who've been trained for 6 weeks - how is that going to inspire them to try and feel like they're worth anything.

I'm sure schemes like this can work but it's not filing me with confidence so far!

[fussychica]

Just my kind of programme. I found it rather worrying that they only had 6 weeks formal training.t all relies on the school and I can't say I was impressed with the support given so far. Certainly seems a way of getting teachers on the cheap. To be honest I as surprised that the behaviour wasn't worse given the circumstances.

My DS is thinking of teaching when he completes his degree and is currently working in a French secondary school as a language assistant. He is supposed to be with a teacher all the time but takes every class alone. He is a very confident lad & loves it, despite some disruptive pupils. Looking at this programme though I hope he goes down the PGCE route. Even the Teach First website says only 50% of those completing the programme continue to teach - they don't say how many drop out before they finish - many I suspect.

[januarysunsetfire]

I am catching up on this now.

In fairness, I do think that 'deep end' is not a bad thing.

[eatyourveg]

There's another thread on this over in Staffroom where Meryl gets a rather large thumbs down. I certainly wouldn't want any of my dc to be in her class.

Loved the business studies man who played classical music and felt so sorry for him when his computer containing all the material and his lesson plan crashed just as his students were coming in.

[januarysunsetfire]

I don't think she was as bad as all that. Has there only been the one episode so far? :)

[januarysunsetfire]

I did miss her being late, though!

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

She was awful: late, no lesson plan, no books, shouty, horrible about low ability pupils, wanting to catch the boy out and not seeing the best in pupils, didn't like reading and didn't have a passion for English - how can we expect her pupils to either?

[GW297]

I love all these kinds of things! This was the first episode - looking forward to the next one this week!

[BettyBotter]

I'm surprised Meryl got onto the Teach First programme, actually. It's supposed to be for the cream of the graduate crop with outstanding passion and enthusiasm.

Meryl seemed to have no understanding of what teaching actually involves, let alone an interest in her subject.

I was fairly appalled at her quasi-motivational approach of asking the bottom set what they thought of themselves ("we're thick") and then berating them for their negative attitude.

[Ubik1]

Just realised this is my old school - it's crown woods isn't it.

Wish them the best of luck...

[poopooheadwillyfatface]

I really enjoyed the programme
The student teachers all seemed terribly posh didn't they?
The science teacher had great potential I thought. Really enthusiastic.
But Meryl. Blimey I'm not a teacher but she seemed very poor to me. I couldn't do it either TBF but I know I couldn't do it, IYKWIM

[checkmates]

It was educational for the viewers but not necessarily the children

[eatyourveg]

Not sure if it was on the other thread about this over in staffroom or in a newspaper review but the idea of it being seen as something akin to a gap year/World Challenge that would enhance a CV was something that someone else raised. I tend to agree when it comes to Meryl.

Teaching is not just another job which pays the mortgage, its a vocation and if your heart isn't in it, you should not go into the classroom - its simply not fair on the pupils.

[Clawdy]

Erm...what does "moist" mean?

[EducatingNora]

I did a traditional PGCE and in my NQT year was totally unprepared for the virtual illiteracy of my bottom set Year 8. I cried after every one of their lessons for the whole of the first term. I think the first year of teaching is a massive learning curve for everyone, no matter how they are trainned. I'm extremely thankful that I didn't have a camera crew following me round, capturing all my "learning opportunities" for posterity.