Despairing Teacher

[IzzieW22]

Teach in a good grammar school but dumbfounded each day by lack of basic politeness and the behaviour of pupils, of all ages. How they treat each other is also really hard to witness. Am I just getting old? They see me as ancient as I insist on basic manners and they think it’s nuts to say please, thank you and excuse me.

All that talk about being kind a couple of years ago. I think that it shouldn’t matter what age you are, basic courtesy should be non negotiable. From what I hear, there are plenty of new starters who find it hard to cope with working life and expect allowances to be made for their mental health. Surely, everyone is entitled t

Oops!
everyone is entitled to be treated politely. It’s utterly exhausting attempting to teach teenagers when they have decided to be be oppositional and rude.

At least you are in a grammar school where the kids are slightly more likely to comply with your request to say please or thank you. As a supply teacher, I love the (very rare) chance to go to a grammar!

Most comprehensive schools nowadays are filled with kids who would literally laugh at me if I asked them to say please or thank you. It would be nice to get through a lesson without hearing any swear words (or stupid sex noises) but even that is an impossibility for most classes.

I feel for you. I feel for all secondary teachers tbh. Teens these days are vile! (Not all)

I suggest you look for a job in a private school.

The fish rots from the Head

Unfortunately it’s all too common.
Basic manners is down to the parents to instil but to be honest some of the pond life that are inclined to breed these uncouth offspring are very much lacking in basic manners themselves so it’s a slippery slope I’m afraid.

My DD taught in a grammar school in Kent.
She and her partner wanted to move to London and she got a job in a private North London school.
It has tipped her over into planning her departure from teaching.
The students are from privileged but entitled backgrounds and are 100% less academically able.

Her Head of Dept was told by one student ( aged 13yrs), " I pay your wages and you're not doing your job of teaching me very well".

She spends far too much time having to discipline which is essential but takes up a disproportionate amount of her time.

Many, many more SEND students.

She has found the swap to private more grim than she ever imagined.

So sad Issabel. I really cannot comprehend the behaviour of some. Learning appears to bottom of anyone’s agenda and top grades are the responsibility of the teacher, not the effort of the pupil.