To be a bit naffed off with the advert for Jamie Oliver's "dream school"

[MogTheForgetfulCat]

I'm not a teacher (although thinking of becoming one...) and I know the programme hasn't even been on yet, so maybe I should give it a chance...

...but it just seems wrong to me to suggest that what kids who are struggling at school need are various low-level slebs coming in and pontificating. Why on earth should Alistair Campbell, for example, be an amazing/inspiring teacher? And I'm not aware that 'Expeditions' features highly on the curriculum of most schools, so gawd knows where they got that idea from.

I probably ABU, am v grumpy waiting for DS3 to finally show his face (9 days overdue and feeling twitchy about induction - gah!) But have felt irritated by the ad every time I've seen it, and think it's potentially a real smack in the face to the large number of good, dedicated and hard-working teachers out there who might be about to be undercut by some odd choices - and to what ends?

[NinkyNonker]

Yanbu. There have been so many of this type of programme recently, Gareth Malone et al. As a teacher it is irritating that these 'slebs' think they know it all.

[tomhardyismydh]

IMHO its an advert for the free schools, people see it on the telle with celebs and say oh yeah its a piece of piss if they can do it so can I.

[OliveMalay]

YANBU

[mitochondria]

YANBU.

I'd like the slebs to go to a proper school, not a set-up camera one.

Fling 'em in front of year 9 on a wet Friday afternoon, see what happens.

[Onetoomanycornettos]

YANBU, I thought exactly the same and made a mental note not to watch it.

[celticlassie]

Jamie Oliver is clearly God. He knows everything better that everyone else does.
Stop fighting it and just listen to him.

[LauraSmurf]

If it is similar to that thing a few years ago where Janice Street-Porter and that guy from eastenders taught a primary class for a week, then that is good because they see a real teachers life. however celebrities spouting about how it 'should' be in an unrealistic scenario will make me mad!

[rosiemca]

I am a trainee teacher and I think Jamie Oliver wants a bloody good smack for this one! I have 3 kids of my own and am struggling to qualify to teach maths in a real school to real kids. Why in God's name does he think sticking some well known faces in a classroom is going to turn more kids onto learning? He's just setting up an artificial situation that cannot be sustained SO WHY BOTHER???? Publicity stunt anyone???

[LadyThumb]

Gareth Malone got spectacular results in his programme! It just goes to prove that if our education system got it's act together what learning, and achievements, could really be.

Our education system is failing, and has failed spectacularly over the last few decades.
It's why so many parents are home-edding.

[fedupofnamechanging]

Really dislike how everyone and their dog seems to think that teaching is easy and any fool can do it. I gave up teaching 11 years ago when pg with ds2, but I remember my PGCE being bloody difficult. What would make someone like Jamie Oliver believe that he can do a good job without ever learning how to teach?

Will he be in a school in a deprived catchment area, dealing with sometimes aggressive and potentially violent teens day in and day out for years? Will he be constantly battling to teach children who really don't want to be there. Will he be able to build relationships with them and get them to want to learn.

More likely that he will swan in for a short period of time, use his celebrity to his advantage and then swan off, leaving the real teachers to complete these children's educations.

[coastgirl]

YANBU. Anyone can teach a handful of decent lessons to one class in an artificial environment.

Try teaching Year 7, then Year 11, then doing break duty, then year 13, then Year 7 again, then Year 8 and tell me how inspirational you are.

[fedupofnamechanging]

Forgot my question marks. Was a bloddy rubbish teacher . Just as well I quit!

[fedupofnamechanging]

Can't spell either!

[GraceK]

Prolesworth - what's wrong with David Starkey as a history teacher? Whatever you think of his political views, he's a interesting & technically demanding historian with a reasonable grasp of a lot of British History & a detailed one of the Tudor period? I went to see him talk in my sixth form (over 20 years ago now!) and I still remember his talk as being funny, perceptive & interesting. Can't ask more than that I'd say.

[pamhill64]

I think SOMETHING has to excite these dis-affected kids and bring them back to education and we all remember those rare but inspiring teachers who brought a subject to life and made it all seem to click! But the odd teacher who does this, year in year out, is rare and thats such a shame. One of my sons is 14, of average intellect (had him IQ tested)and yet he is forecast a level E at GCSE maths next summer (and is estimated currently at E now, 18 months before said exams so not forecast any improvement!!). Obviously we went to the school and spoke with his teacher, when this report forecast dropped through the letterbox this christmas, only to be brushed off frankly! I complained that my son cant work out how much change he expects when he buys something, that he cant work out how much wages he could expect at 39 hours x minimum wage, or figure out how much some basic shopping in a basket should come to. All basic stuff and ones I reckon EVERY 16 year old should leave school knowing! But his teacher said we were expecting too much as they dont need to know all that today! He'd only have to know ROUGHLY to the nearest £10 what his wages might be, that they'd use a calculator for shopping and he should be able to work out his change! My Son thinks algebra (and lots of other parts of maths) is irrelevant to him and, because he cant even do the basics at the moment, he hates Maths. So a teacher that can make it CLICK, enjoyable and relevant to him, would be wonderful. Its NOT acceptable that kids leave school, after 11 years of schooling, knowing so little about things that matter to their future and their employers.

[tyzer2001]

Totally agree, OP. Just because Ellen McArthur is bloody good at sailing doesn't mean she will be any good at all at teaching.

And Jamie Oliver needs to stop being so bastard SMUG all the time. I used to like him.


The other day he told me (through the medium of television) to use my 'twinkly fairy fingers' to lift and toss my salad.

Cnut.

[coastgirl]

The thing is, teaching is easy. I mean, actually standing in front of a class and teaching, with a bit of practice, is far and away the easiest and most enjoyable part of a teacher's job. The reason why teachers aren't "inspiring" all the time is because teaching is knackering, kids don't behave and classroom management is tedious and draining, you get given about 300 things to remember to include in every lesson (PLTS! APP! ECM! etc etc) and just when you think you're doing a good job, they change what good is and you have to start dancing to a different tune. Change those things and you might change schools - teaching mostly love teaching, but it's about 5% of the job.

[EdgarAleNPie]

i reckon he could teach cookery, no? i mean he did ok in his 'coaching young chefs' programme. Though of course, they wanted to be there. makes a big difference.

but i expect he wouldn't be doing a 6 lesson a day timetable for all ages and ability in groups of thirty.

my HE teacher was called Miss Flay. she scared five shades of crap out of everyone. probably a consequence of teaching kids in one of the subjects they can readily burn themselves.

[JoanofArgos]

Man, I fucking loathe Jamie Oliver.

[NoSuchThingAsSociety]

I think I'll wait until I've seen the series before making judgement

[NinkyNonker]

Of course Gareth Malone got 'great' results, he didn't have to work to a curriculum, could do whatever he wanted with whatever resources and a group of kids eager to be there for the TV cameras. If only every classroom had these 'essential' ingredients.

That's what irritates a teacher, the presumption that he somehow knows better, when in fact he just gets to do what we might all do in the same scenario. Much of what he said wasn't rocket science.

[jenga079]

YANBU, I thought exactly the same and made a mental note not to watch it.

Really? I thought exactly the same and made a mental note to watch it.

I expect it to drive me absolutely potty, but I love a good rant and think it will be staffroom fodder for weeks!

Silly man... probably his school will be brilliant, because he has a huge budget and the time and energy to focus on one small group of pupils, but like the Gareth Malone show it will only have short term results on a very select group. The real challenge is making positive changes across the whole sector. And, honestly, I think the way to do that is to give teachers more free periods (yes, really! Let us have time to plan the really inspiring lessons, give us time to mark all our pupils' work in detail, give us time to follow up with specific children who need our help)

[MaryPortasFan]

I like that Jamie Oliver thinks he can change the world... wonder what profession he is going to hijack next?

And if all it takes is the likes of David Starkey and Ellen McArthur to turn up and sort out my behaviourally challenged delinquents how come no one has thought of that before?!