I’m a teacher AMA

[boredsoscrollingonMNagain]

I started teaching 3 years ago . Did half a year ECT and almost had a breakdown . The pressure , alongside a very toxic school , was unreal.

Ive been in so many schools - amazing ones , awful ones. I’ve seen terrible things that make me lose faith in the system and I’ve also seen wonderful things that make me appreciate it .

EDITED TO ADD - AMA about primary - I have no experience of secondary

AMA

It varies from school to school . It’s not necessarily the sign of a good school if it isn’t high - I’ve been in schools where teachers have advised me to never apply for a job there yet have low staff turnover .

I think a lot of teachers are stuck - they trained for so long , and are kind of institutionalised. Also , the salary . For an early career teacher like myself it would be hard to find a job with the same salary that you don’t need different qualifications for or extensive experience. I have actually been offered a job out , that I am considering … but it’s a £5k pay cut .

I don’t personally think that the way AI is used - if correctly - has a negative impact . All the information is from me , but it’s just that way of writing it that has been done by the AI .

I think these work well , if used correctly .

for a lot of children , especially ks1 , they want to do the right thing. Seeing themselves on the “good” cloud , makes them feel good . Seeing themselves on the “ bad “ cloud doesn’t and can give them something to work towards .

However , I think it needs to be something that can always be changed - if you’re on the bad cloud , you can move back to the good cloud . It’s not just - you’re on the bad cloud so there’s a consequence. Usually when I’ve used these, I’ve had something in place so if you’re on the bad cloud at the end of the day you lose 1 min golden time for example but they have lots of chances to move back. I also believe every day should be a new day - no one comes in the next day and they’re still on the bad cloud.

Can I please ask whether you get annoyed at parents who suspect their child has SEN but it doesn't present at school?

I feel like I'm a parent who the class teacher is humouring. My son has massive meltdowns at home and extremely routine driven but at school is a model pupil.

Currently going through transition to the next year and wondering whether the next teacher is getting a 'the parent is a bit odd' comments.

(I don't contact school much as I'm very aware that I don't want to be that parent. I've probably messaged 6 times over the year.

DD is 8 and her teacher this year swaps the class around each week so they are sat with a different child for the week. DD is very sensible and seems to be placed with one of the more disruptive children almost every week.

I know from reading on here that this is a teaching tool, placing a sensible child with a disruptive one, and I'm wondering what your thoughts are on it. I can understand the benefits to the disruptive child, but does that outweigh the negatives to the sensible child? DD has REALLY struggled at times with some of her partners as she's a people pleaser and wants to complete the work. She has often been in tears about it and not wanted to go in, and this is a child that loves school.

Do you have any experience with very small schools with mixed year groups (e.g. total of 15 children made up of year 1 & 2)?

Positives/negatives?

I would never use AI to write my reports. I don’t know any teachers that do.
I spent time writing individual comments for each child. They are highly personal.

Me, personally , no . I am a SEN parent so I’m very understanding .

Not all teachers , but yes sadly there are “ that parent” comments . Not usually when the parent has concerns such as meltdowns etc but I have had SLT come to me and say “ do you think xx has any signs of SEN , because mum thinks xx but we haven’t noticed this “ and I’ve said the truth - no I haven’t , however I personally always use my own experience … my daughter is autistic and has meltdowns with me but never with her dad .

Don’t let that put you off fighting for your child , as I say I’ve been through this and it’s horrible because you’re always fighting something . Keep a diary , present that .

I have never worked in a mixed class , so I don’t . I imagine it would be difficult but I can’t say as I have absolutely no experience of it .

I have done this , sometimes it does work . But , you have to be really on the ball with it . I have done it before and noticed that the sensible child isn’t completing enough work like they usually would so I move them again . I don’t think I could say for sure what’s right or wrong but it needs a teacher that can constantly monitor it .

I wouldn’t ever move my class around weekly , that’s odd ( in my experience ) . My current class has changed a few times , but that’s just when I realise some children chat too much together etc so I have to just tweak it. I can’t imagine doing a new seating plan weekly !

I haven’t . This all comes from what I’ve been told . I’ve only been a “permanent” teacher once.

If I was you , and this is affecting her that much , I would say that you do not want her sitting by a child that distracts others. I have certain children that can’t sit by other certain children as it’s a request from the parent , I have children that have to sit closer to the board as requested by a parent and I always adhere to this as best I can . Usually , if a request is made by the parent - especially if made to the head - then we have to adhere to it.

Also, the school does not have to ask parental permission to put intervention such as literacy or maths, into place to support a child with diagnosed or undiagnosed SEN

Whoever told you a diagnosis is required lied to you.

As a professional who is teaching pupils with SEN, who wants to work more with SEN children and has DC of your own with SEN it would be helpful if you read the SENCOP.

You haven't completed ECT. How is it possible to say you are a teacher?

If I were you, not was.

Because I hold QTS.

ECT framework is not further teacher training .

That was necessary wasn’t it .

Thank you . I’ll have a look .

I have to say - admittedly I have only been in one school where I wasn’t supply - but I’ve not found that I was provided with a lot of information , especially with SEN. We had training in staff meetings but more how to support children with SEN and only an hour. Makes me glad my child went to a SEN school.

I don’t have any solid plans to go into anything that helps SEN children in schools. It’s what I would ideally like to do , but have no plans to retrain etc .

I don’t have a mass of knowledge in this area either - most of it comes from personal experience , with my child , not my career .

How disappointing that you want to work with children with SEND, but you have so little knowledge about it. Surely, the first step is to find out information. Having a child with diagnosed SEND means you know a lot about that child, but not necessarily about other children.

It is surprising a teacher with their own child with an EHCP in SS hasn’t read the SENCOP.

There is so much you can access without being given the information. It isn’t about being permanent vs supply.

I have not claimed to be an expert, nor have I taken steps for training . Why is it disappointing? I would like to be a world famous actress but I haven’t had acting lessons - is that disappointing?

it’s an AMA not a “ pass judgement on me “

My child has now left school so I managed fine without .

It is disappointing because a teacher, especially one who had a DC in a SS and who would like to work more with SEN children, should know better and, IMO, should have read the SENCOP.

Did you come across gender identity ideology in your school or elsewhere in education? In lesson content or children identifying out of their sex or other teachers pushing it at all?