To be a bit naffed off with the advert for Jamie Oliver's "dream school"

[MogTheForgetfulCat]

I'm not a teacher (although thinking of becoming one...) and I know the programme hasn't even been on yet, so maybe I should give it a chance...

...but it just seems wrong to me to suggest that what kids who are struggling at school need are various low-level slebs coming in and pontificating. Why on earth should Alistair Campbell, for example, be an amazing/inspiring teacher? And I'm not aware that 'Expeditions' features highly on the curriculum of most schools, so gawd knows where they got that idea from.

I probably ABU, am v grumpy waiting for DS3 to finally show his face (9 days overdue and feeling twitchy about induction - gah!) But have felt irritated by the ad every time I've seen it, and think it's potentially a real smack in the face to the large number of good, dedicated and hard-working teachers out there who might be about to be undercut by some odd choices - and to what ends?

[BelligerentGhoul]

He isn't really trying to change anything though - just the Jamie Oliver publicity machine. And a programme where you drag in a load of 'slebs' is hardly changing the future of education at the chalk face, as it were.

[JoanofArgos]

Quite.
And if my child were taught history by David Fucking Starkey, I'd be bloody furious.

[BelligerentGhoul]

Never heard his middle name before - poor man: what WERE his parents thinking?

[pointydog]

lolol @ tyzer's twinkly fairy fingers

[shockers]

I think what he is preaching is passion for your particular subject can be infectious.

[pointydog]

I have to say, I fairly love Jamie.

But I was irritated by this ad and will watch with interest.

I don't want to stop loving Jamie. Although I did heave when he made his eton mess by squeezing all the strawberries through his thick fingers, over and over.

[shockers]

I had only read the OP... just read JoanofArgos and BelligerentGhoul's posts and spat tea all over DH's laptop

[shockers]

Oh joan ... read back a little further (I will read whole threads in future). I work within the education system and school dinners are so much better after JO became involved... really.

[pointydog]

five, what is it you do in teachign and learning?

[SpringHeeledJack]

I normally dribble like a dog and clap my hairy paws at everything Jamie Oliver does

but the combination of seeing his lunchboxes in Debenhams today (pink "princess"/blue "monkey" ) and the very idea of ALISTAIR CUNTING CAMPBELL on this prog has put me right off.

You hear?

right off!

...sorry for shouting. But AC really is a cunt. I will never forget that interview he did with Jon Snow. Barking. I woundn't let my kids anywhere near him. And wtf's he going to be teaching?

...or perhaps he's just going to be the School Bully

[tethersend]

I hope they serve chips for lunch.

[shockers]

If he didn't have an exalted media profile ( which was brought about by his passion for his particular subject) then nobody would be talking about it.... would they?

I'm sort of a fan just because he speaks my language. The teachers who motivated me at high school were... actually only two I don't particularly blame the teachers, they probably qualified with great expectations. For all our children to succeed, maybe all parents need to become enthused too. Celebrity culture is massive but sadly, the ones who really need to get on board won't be watching JO...

[Bubbaluv]

Sure, but maybe we also need to stop knocking someone who's willing to put some thought into how things might be done better?
Especially if they have already succeeded in demonstrating that something (school lunches maybe??) can be better even without extra money.

A lot of comments here sound like tall-popp syndrome to me. (Alistair Campbell comments totally justified however )

[Bubbaluv]

tall-poppy even.

[alistron1]

I work in a school and am looking forward to it, in the same way that I enjoy watchimg waterloo road

There are squillions of inspiring teachers out there, but as has been mentioned they don't have the scope to be inspiring 'cos of all the other bollocks.

[fiventhree]

FE, although I have worked in schools and also in training in organisations. I dont agree with the idea that Jamie Oliver cant comment on the state sector because his kids dont use it. He used it, and had a bad experience, really negative, from what I have read. This gives him a valid insight. I know that teaching is hard,and that the assessment regime is overcomplex. But like in all professions we also know there are a good few members of staff who have lost interest, or never were that excited about working with kids. I am. I think that too many kids get written off. Some members of my own family went to a bad school when I went to a good one, years ago, and they have really struggled to get on, although one did, Jamie style. The education system is not good at providing the best for all, and motivating kids from all backgrounds. Partly it is lack of resources, but partly it is demotivated staff and poor management, so why dont we admit it?

[BelligerentGhoul]

Unfortunately though, the systems that are being forced into schools are serving to deaden a lot of the motivation that good, inspiring teachers have.

I'm an AST and I love my subject and get a real buzz out of teaching in an inner-city comp BUT in the last year I have been observed over 15 times (!!!) and the assessments and paperwork are taking me away from the things I do best - ie: planning inspirational lessons for pupils that engage them, excite them and move them forward.

[NorfolkNChance]

Who wants to bet that the classes will be half the regular size and specially selected?

I agree with the other poster who mentioned that standing in front of a class isn't too tricky, it's all the other stuff that knackers you out add on a full teaching day etc.

What's betting they only teach 1 or 2 classes per day as well.

[pointydog]

Lesson planning is the most under-rated part of teaching. Annoys me since it must be one of the most important parts of the job.

[pointydog]

I'm going to wait and see what Jamie comes up with. He usually does things properly.

[Asteria]

Ok so J.O has a huge public profile, what is wrong with him trying to use it to help others? Yes he is probably making buckets of money out of it - but he has made it his livelyhood to take on projects like this so what is the big deal.

I completely agree with his theory that inspiring teachers make better students - ok so he has shipped in Celebs for the series, but the theory is sound. My DS (8) had a good teacher last year, nice enough but crashingly dull and not even remotely dynamic. His report for the year was dreadful and it was very clear that he was not enjoying school - he wasn't the only child in his class to feel this way. This year he has had a really fabulous teacher and the change has been dramatic - from being mediocre (the words of the last teacher) he is now top in everything and has become enormously enthusiastic about school -even to the point of making up extra homework and drawing pictures for his teacher.

We all have a few really great teachers in our lifetimes - and triple that many dreadful teachers. What is wrong with encouraging people who are really excited about teaching and hopefully boosting up those who are slightly less so?

[EvilTwins]

Seen this?

So it seems it's
a) not a real school
b) not a "real" group of kids
c) not done over a particularly long period of time.

This is what pisses me off about these "education experiments". Remember the Channel 4 ones a few years ago when they did the 1950s grammar and the 1960s secondary modern? Filmed during the summer holidays, with a selected and auditioned group of kids (I know - one of the girls in my tutor group at the time did the 1960s secondary modern) Teachers were also selected and auditioned (I know - I applied) None of them are "real" in any sense of the word.

I teach in a secondary school, and have realised this term just how complicated (and in some cases shit) the lives of many of my students are. I work bloody hard. I'm exhausted right now. This term, I've pulled off an excellent quality school play (with the help of some brilliant collagues) and watched the 30-odd kids in the cast blossom as they realise how much they can achieve. Obviously this is on top of the teaching, planning, marking, attending meetings and training sessions, break duty, dealing with student issues and so on. We're in Special Measures, so are constantly being inspected and scrutinised. Many of my colleagues are finding it hard to manage, but a great many are brilliant, dedicated and inspirational professionals. I find this whole "put it on TV and get the slebs in - we'll show the country how education should be done" thing incredibly insulting. And unfortunately, it will only add fuel to the negative opinions many parents seem to have of teachers.

[pointydog]

Well, I think you're doing a great job, evil. Honestly.