Myths about school

[imhumantoo]

This is one for education staff in particular.
What have you read or seen that is often stated on MN but is untrue in your experience.

Mine is “nothing much happens at the end of term, they just watch films”.
I’m a primary school teacher who is still very much teaching a full curriculum. It is business as usual, just like every other term. I’ll adapt when it’s hot in class because pupils (and myself) will struggle with the heat, but we’ll still be learning. I’m writing end of year reports, prepping for transition as my pupils move to the next year, updating and finalising any educational plans for SEND pupils…there is still loads to do paperwork wise as well.

Before I worked in education, I too thought the above. I now know things are different (the huge curriculum for one!) and my own school experience as a child does not reflect what currently happens in school.

That we apparently work school hours and have all these holidays! I work til 8 most weekdays as a HoD and work rather a lot of saturdays too. The PE staff work longer hours than me with all the sport practices and matches! And I have to come in during the holidays for various things too.

And also, working in an international school, that schools abroad start at age 6. Well yes they sort of do but it is expected that the child has gone to some sort of kindergarten either at the school or elsewhere and meets a minimum educational standard first. I’ve worked at a couple of international schools and never seen a child stay at home playing until 6 then suddenly start school in grade 1. A child who hadn’t already started reading would really struggle to rock up at school at 6.

A sizeable minority of SEN parents don’t engage with the school support for their child, including those with EHCP’s. Some may have SEN themselves and we try our best to find a way to engage with them but it’s an uphill battle. However, schools are a microcosm of society so while it’s sad and disappointing it is what it is and we do our very best for our most vulnerable pupils.

Not a teacher myself but a teachers daughter. 'They get weekends and loads of holidays.' Yes, they get this time not at school but a large portion of the weekends and holidays are spent doing behind the scenes work; lesson plans, lesson prep, action plans for SEN, resource building etc.. My Dad used to take my brother and I out on weekends so Mum could work, sometimes on holidays we would go into school with her and we would help her take down displays. A lot goes on that parents and pupils do not see and teachers are accused of being lazy when most are anything but.

Early years is “just playing all day” is one sadly even some school staff seem to believe

Teaching is family friendly.

It's really not.

There's certainly children that start preschool (first compulsory year of school in my country) at 6 years old unable to read at all. Most go to nursery before starting school because SAHPs aren't that common but they don't learn to read in nursery, that's definitely left for school to teach. Some will be able to read already because their parents taught them but the expectation is that they start school without any academic knowledge and the first year is spent learning the alphabet and numbers.

Both my kids spent the last two weeks of term in primary school not working - preparing for the school show, helping at various events, cleaning and organising the class room but no actual lessons as such, as confirmed by their class teachers. In high school the last week was spent watching tv while teachers did their end of year paperwork etc, or cleaning out classroom cupboards in preparation for the following term.

There’s no way my head would sanction that @Jellycatspyjamas. Many children with SEN need structure and routines, and with so many more SEND children than ever before, it would be chaos. Plus as I said, the curriculum has to be taught - we can’t just opt out (we can adapt it as needed during the heatwaves).

Putting on a school show does involve English, reading, drama, art (for props). It may not be writing in books kind of teaching, but it’s still teaching.
The last day before summer term ends is when we’ll be cleaning and tidying ready for September.
When were your kids in school / what year did they leave?