Silly things teachers think will work

Haven't read all the posts but I think the op is a bit of an idiot to be honest, not the teachers! Presuming these teachers aren't in a selective school, there will be children with a wide range of abilities. The letter to Santa would be to get them to work on creative writing and would probably be quite good in this consumerist society. Stop sounding so smug.

chloe74 yes, but we are trying to inspire people and make learning fun. I want people to WANT to come to my classes, not to feel like, well, it's necessary but it's not a lot of fun.

A lot of workplaces now have table tennis tables and stuff, and it does make people more productive.

OP - MYOB you clearly know nothing about teaching. And I don't see why you think you know more about children (because you are a parent) than a teacher who has probably taught thousands of children.

Both of the things mentioned in your OP sounds perfectly reasonable to me. At GCSE learning persuasive techniques is essential. If you use something like a letter to Santa the students can focus on the techniques rather than the content.
Red and yellow cards also sound like an excellent idea. If you send a students out with no warning they will often complain, as will their parents. As others have said this is an unobtrusive way to give a warning.

I can understand the idea of using HH for light entertainment etc and if the kids were pre-teen I would understand, its just depressing that 17 year olds need that sort of relief. In a years time they could be spending a long hard day working at the coal face (metaphorically). Can you imagine a job eg an employe in ASDA saying to their manager " I have been stacking shelves for 40 minutes, I think I deserve a break to watch kids TV".

Workplaces motivate people by paying them. I don't think saying that 17-year-olds should be able to behave in a class because they would have to at work is that relevant a comparison. I think the red and yellow cards are a great idea due to the minimal disruption to the lesson.

I once posted on here in horror at the idea of using Horrible Histories in a history class. That was before I'd watched any of it I now think they are great. If the tv programmes were the only 'source' used, that would be one thing, but it seems unlikely.

We have behaviour points and achievement points and right up to year 11's love them. My form live that we have sweets, star of the wk etc. As long as you know the level of the students then nothing is right or wrong.
However op, I don't have any of my own children so naturally I know chuff all. The fact that I have worked in education for the past 10 yrs counts for nothing

When I used to have my Year 13 last lesson on a Friday they loved me getting out the felt tips and sugar paper so they could make revision notes, mind maps or key word posters for the walls of the classroom. It was fun but they were really useful display items to have and I used them in teaching afterwards.

chloe74 by the sounds of it Horrible Histories is used as a fun break in their lessons. Just because they are studying A levels doesn't mean they can't have a bit of fun.

They're clearly not learning from Horrible Histories - it's a bit of light relief and could provide a different point of view to the textbook version. I've shown Blackadder to classes when we've been reading about WW1; yes, it's funny but the sets, costumes and the general attitudes shown are all pretty accurate.

Writing a letter to Father Christmas may a nice, low-key way of introducing persuasive writing, but I would have thought this would have happened in Y2 for the most able DC at definitely by Y5 for the average DC. Usually the introduction to persuasive writing is to write to the head teacher, requesting something they have pre-agreed with the class teacher, isn't it? The head teacher writes a letter back, blah, blah.

I wonder if the 14yo's got a letter back from FC. Not so much an introduction in Y9 (they wouldn't do this in Y!0, would they? )

DD sometimes watches the songs in history - in a long double lesson I think a bit of light relief in the middle is good to keep everyone going.

I don't think there's anything wrong with using Horrible Histories as an introduction for older students. They're generally pretty accurate and it can liven up a class a little bit.

We use Horrible Histories in Y3 and 4.

OMG if A level students are learning History from the watching Horrible Histories then no wonder our education system needs overhauling. That's a disgrace.

My DD is studying A level history at our local college. Occasionally she comes home and says that they watched Horrible Histories. Last week she said that they listened to the Horrible Histories songs. Apparently you can tell the students who have younger siblings.
They all love it and they are aged 16 and above.

Writing a letter to Father Christmas is a nice, low-key way of introducing persuasive writing. I am 100% convinced the teacher did not at all expect them to believe in him! But it's a fun way of teaching the structure of an argument and how to use language in a persuasive way.

I thought it was only children who thought teachers lived at school and not in the real world, but apparently it isn't.

They might even learn how to spell college correctly.

But surely almost all 16-18 yo's are currently in education, even if it's vocational, such as hairdressing, or bricklaying?

Non academic DC aren't going to be forced into staying on at school...they will move on to the local colege to do what suits them best, won't they?

Won't the only difference be whether or not they can claim certain benefits?

When education becomes compulsory to 18, then the issues change, because once again, like GCSEs, you will have a number of captives that want to be released and are not allowed to be free. Then treats, rewards and cajoling to elicit good behaviour may well be necessary, along with detentions and exclusions.
Currently if you are at 6th form it is because it is your choice.

It is about the only thing that I think is good about league tables. 6th forms in our area are very competitively marketed, and they jealously guard their position, so they would be asked to leave. They are monitored first which would mean that they took a report card to every lesson and the teacher would have to award marks for effort, results, homework done etc and if that doesn't work they are out.

I imagine 6th forms of certain schools will tighten their entrance criteria, when education to 18 becomes compulsory.

DSs school as for almost straight B's. And they get good A'level results. The local high school is more relaxed, the selective grammar asks for a certain amount of points (I haven't translated what that means yet).

(In my day you could get in anywhere with straight C's. What does that tell you?)

It'll only get worse when education/training becomes compulsory to 18.

I'd love a card system at uni! I'd be doling them out all over the place, but instead I have to just glare quizzically until they stop chatting or texting or whatever.

There is a linguistics lecturer who throws smarties out in lectures to anyone who answers a question, whether rightly or wrongly. . He is very popular.

Its sad to hear (and I don't blame teachers) but it does seem some schools are really just glorified baby sitting services. It is ridiculous that you have to persuade a 17 year old to learn when they should be getting a job and learning the real world does not pander to their behavioral issues. No wonder many parents want to send their children to exclusive schools where learning actually takes place.

I don't think yellow and red cards are supposed to motivate. More like two strokes and you're out.

I'd presume if you are sent out of the room during 6th form, you'd be very likely asked to leave school altogether.

At DSs school they are awarded points, and after 50 points they get a badge to wear on tier blazer.(Gold/silver/bronze) At nearly 14 he is desperate (like his friends) to get a badge. Bizarrely, I think he would be thrilled by a sticker.

His Spanish teacher gives out sweets, but he doesn't like sweets,so that's not too effective.

DS was most excited to find out you don't get detentions in 6th form. I pointed out that if you didn't know how to behave properly, and bother to do your homework in 6th form, you'd probably just fail your A'levels, and you should be old enough to realise that by Y12. It gave him something to think about.