Student 'can only do' 8.30-3.30

[SpringisSpringing]

I'm fairly new to teaching so I really don't know what to do. I don't want to be responsible for failing someone.

It's just not enough time. I don't get the chance to talk to her properly.

She's okay. Not great- but if I actually had time to mentor her she might get better!

[halfwitpicker]

Why can she only do those hours?

[SpringisSpringing]

Childcare. I am so torn between sympathising and saying 'well... the rest of us all manage'. And then I feel like a utter bitch doing all the wrong things in teaching today.

[MsJaneAusten]

Do you mean she leaves school at 3.30 every day? Does she work at home too or does she think she can do everything in school hours? (If she knows a trick for this please ask her to pass it on!)

Do you have a regular weekly meeting? Could you insist that all lesson plans are sent to you 24 hours before that meeting so that you can review them beforehand?

Or suggest two evenings where she’ll stay until 4pm?

It’s probably one to pas back to her uni mentor though. Ask what they’d suggest (& hope they tell her to get her act together!)

[BossWitch]

That's not acceptable. She has to attend meetings, after school training sessions etc surely?

You need to raise it with the school's teacher training coordinator.

[SweepTheHalls]

You need to refer this up to the professional tutor in your school (or whoever is ultimately responsible for trainees). She cannot learn in those hours.

[Jaimx86]

If she is a trainee, your Professional Tutor and her provider would be responsible for failing her, not you, so don't worry about that. Can't you timetable her a mentor meeting each week within the school day?

[SpringisSpringing]

Yes, she leaves at 3.30 every day. She's teaching shorter lessons at the moment but in the next couple of weeks it's going to jump up to full days/ two days running and I'm concerned about her being able to plan and resource that.

God I feel dreadful about it.

[BossWitch]

What is she going to do about childcare when she is in the job for real?

[MsJaneAusten]

Have you asked her directly if she can rearrange her childcare? What did she about it in her first placement?

[threeelephants]

Why do you feel dreadful? Are you a trained mentor, or are you just the class teacher who she's working alongside?
She must have been told by the uni that she'd be expected to work full time.

[BlessYourCottonSocks]

Agree with all the others. This just isn't possible - unfortunately in teaching you don't get to set your own hours with when you are available - there is directed time.

We are expected to stay for meetings til 5.00pm every Tuesday for example - this is either Dept/Tutor/Staff/Hod - they alternate. Thursday this week I have a parents evening - and will therefore not be home til around 9.00pm. I am assuming you are primary for some reason (mainly because our school doesn't finish til 3.45 I guess) but does she honestly think that she can just skip out the door as a teacher abandoning children whose mothers may not yet have arrived to collect them?

I don't know any teacher who leaves at 3.30pm.

[SpringisSpringing]

I'm a softy! I'm the class teacher responsible for her.

She came in and said off the bat that she could only do 8.30-3.30 and I asked if there would be any chance of that changing.

I'm going to speak to SLT tomorrow. They're quite fair.

[Invisimamma]

Why not give her a few weeks (until return from Easter break) to sort out after school childcare?

You don’t need to be mean about it, just explain that part of the expectation is that she stays until 4:30pm 2-3 days per week as most other teaching staff do.

[MaybeDoctor]

I’m having cognitive dissonance at any student even thinking that this would be possible by this stage of a PGCE.

I don’t remember it even being said on the course, I think it was just blindingly obvious!

(Obviously if it is a one-off short term issue that is different.)

[BossWitch]

Glad you are speaking to SLT. Essentially, it's not your problem to deal with, you need to just pass up.

[SpringisSpringing]

Our lecturers were very clear it was a 'they say jump, you say how high' scenario too.

[Acopyofacopy]

Your meeting time should be timetabled during the school day.
Nobody has to be present in school out of directed time. Check when directed time in your school is and what it includes (CPD, staff meetings, etc.).
Also check with your training coordinator what expectations for students are. Ours is quite vocal against presenteeism and the adumption that good teachers have to stay in until 5.

[honeysucklejasmine]

That's insane. What does she think she's going to do if when she qualifies?

[OfficerVanHalen]

“What is she going to do about childcare when she is in the job for real?”

Presumably pay for it with the wages she will be earning?

[GinaLinetti99]

When I was mentoring a student last year, the university made it very clear that it was an expectation that schools provided a time in school time for the mentor and trainee to have a weekly meeting.

I don't think it's necessarily unreasonable conduct on your student's part providing they are meeting their professional responsibilities. At my last job we were expected to be on site 8:45-3:45 but other than that were free to work as we wish.

[donquixotedelamancha]

Yes, she leaves at 3.30 every day.
So what happens when she has to set a detention?

Seriously, you are going to need to fail her sooner or later, if she keeps this up. Much kinder to do it sooner.

Monitor her actual achievement in class. Set clear and demanding targets. Schedule meetings feedback at the appropriate time- which is immediately after the lesson if possible.

If she refuses to attend feedback and doesn't set detentions- fail her. You can't pass someone who won't do the job- you should only feel dreadful if you pass the buck and let her through.

Your meeting time should be timetabled during the school day.
Nobody has to be present in school out of directed time

Look, I agree with that- but as a trainee you are not on directed time and you have to do the work to get good. Teacher training is hard.

[SpringisSpringing]

Your meeting time should be timetabled during the school day.

That's completely unfeasible tbh.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Mentor meetings should happen during the day. She should be following the school's directed time, I would have thought.

[TheFallenMadonna]

What are the training provider's expectations around mentor meetings?

[SpringisSpringing]

Hmmm. I'm currently being used to cover other classes or I'm in observing/ working with her. I'll ask about that too.