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?

[UnquietDad]

There's a scientific name, which will probably come back to me, for the symptom where the very act of being noticed doing something improves performance - it;s not how well you do, it's the fact that all the focus is on you and someone is listening to you/ watching you.

That's why Gareth Malone got "results" - he could take a selected group out for "adventurous" school in the woods at the top of the field, and didn't have to bother with the daily hell of paperwork, marking, teaching the curriculum, discipline, making sure punishments are carried out and followed up, etc. Of course, some people will say this is probably the point.

So these kids will perform "better" when given the chance to appear on TV and be taught by Jamie and his fellow slebs. Well, no shit, Sherlock. When I first heard about this programme I joked to DW "I'm surprised they haven't got Tinchy Stryder on doing GSCE Rapping..." And, lo and behold... You could not make it up!!

I expect a lot of them are doing it to "get famous". That seems to be a common career aspiration among disaffected youth these days.

[UnquietDad]

And I hate this idea that teachers have got be "inspiring" all the bloody time. They are not entertainers - they are doing a hard, challenging job. Do you have to be "inspiring" every minute of every hour in your job as a baker, accountant, hairdresser, lawyer etc.?

When I was at school I somehow knew the onus was on me to do the work, not the teachers to spoon-feed it all to me. I had a good few teachers who were pretty boring, but knew their subject. All you needed to do was listen to them and take notes and O-Levels were not that hard.

Most of the time the problem isn't "uninspiring" teachers - that's an easy get-out. It's lazy and/or thick and/or who-gives-a-shit kids, making it more difficult for those who actually want to learn.

Ofsted has bought into this fallacy too - the idea that, if a lesson isn't working, it must be the teacher's fault. One inattentive kid means the lesson can't be classed "outstanding". ONE kid. Never mind the fact that he could be a conniving little shit who is more interested in making the teacher's life hell, listening to his iPod all the way through class and copping off with Jodie, before leaving school to go on the dole like his older brother.

[SpringHeeledJack]

yeah, what he said

[SpringHeeledJack]

Ofsted hold teachers wholly responsible for lessons/learning, because if they acknowledged that poverty, deprivation, shit housing and other social problems had a huge effect on childrens' (and therefore schools') performance, then the government would have to do something about it

...much easier to just say Teachers Are Shit

[dandyclock]

I find it interesting that the mere mention of 'problematic' teenagers can promote such a mixed set of reactions. Regardless of our backgrounds or where we live in the country, town or city - I'm pretty sure that most of us have teenagers in our communities who could be considered 'problematic'. But how many of us have stopped to really think about what might be the root cause of their problems?? Poor parenting I would guess in most cases. Which comes from poor, or a lack of, education. And not a just a lack of academic qualifications necessarily but from a lack of emotional intelligence too. Hats off to Jamie for attempting to tackle the issue and raise the awareness of this area. It may just prompt people into doing something positive to contribute to their community - volunteer to support their inner city secondary school perhaps?? C'mon, if those of us capable enough of sitting in front of our laptops, commenting on a serious topic, in a mature debate were to give a little latitude to our young people, wouldn't the world seem a nicer place :0

[IlsaLund]

Great post UQD.

The reality is that many lessons are non-inspiring bread and butter type lessons. Let's be honest, real life isn't filled with never ending excitment and surely we are meant to be preparing children for the real world.

[SmashingNarcissistsMirrors]

YANBU. jamie oliver doesn't know his arse from his elbow when it comes to political / social issues. it's all major spoon-feeding from the producers. adn for someone who claims for be a healthy eating guru he's looking a bit tubby these days imho.

plus he didn't do to badly despite being a classroom numpty did he?

[IlsaLund]

Also, JO and co won't be dealing with all the other things teachers find themselves responsible for (apart from teaching)

My average week can include sorting out blocked toilets, meetings with parents, meetings with other agencies, playground duties, assisting other teachers with violent pupils, pupils stuck in toilets, preparing the most obscure things for my inspiring lessons, removing dogs from the playground, trying to solve IT problems, providing support for upset colleagues etc etc

[ssd]

why are you saying he was a classroom numpty????

I've read he didn;t do well due to dyslexia, he wasn't a numpty

[NinkyNonker]

What UQD said.

[EvilTwins]

Excellent post, UQD.

dandy - "Hats off to Jamie for attempting to tackle the issue" Are you serious? I will take your doffed hat and eat it if Jamie's programme leads to anyone volunteering to help out in their local secondary school. Presumably you do that already, do you?

[UnquietDad]

The best way anyone can help out in their local secondary school is to send their children there and be an involved parent.

[dandyclock]

hello EvilTwins, my hat is metaphorically in the post and on it's way to you! C'mon, less of the cynicism. And, yes, of course I do help out in my local secondary school - not because I've got too much time on my hands either - because young people, struggling schools, need folk like us with a little bit of drive, determination and passion in what we believe in to inspire the next generation. Where does that leave us all otherwise??

[dandyclock]

You're right, is that a change of heart for you then, UQD?

[beatenbyayellowteacup]

The thing that bugs me about these sorts of shows is the premise that teachers have either somehow missed that there are disaffected kids in school (or out, some of the time), don't care about them or don't know what to do about them (despite being trained and experienced professionals).

Not all kids with SEN are made to feel inadequate. In fact, I bet some SENCOs and some units are doing an outstanding job, with SEN kids making better than expected progress.

My point is, that there is so much good practice going on in schools, which shows like this seem to ignore.

Why not go in and follow a brilliant teacher/school for a week, learn something about all the things that go into outstanding teaching, then try to improve it.

Why re-invent the wheel?

[UnquietDad]

dandy - I'm not quite sure what you mean? Change of heart? I do send my children to the local secondary school.

[UnquietDad]

(Well, DD has a place so far, DS is still at primary school. Just for accuracy.)

[chocolateshoes]

At one stage I was considering taking part in the show. I was approached to be the languages teacher. My worry was that I was the only 'real' teacher whilst the others were all famous and therefore would have a lot more cudos amongst the students. I think they couldn't find a famous person who could teach MFL. Anyway after some discussion with them I decided not to go ahead. I heard later that they had totally re-thought the language input. I think that must be where Ellen MacArthur has come in - am sure she wasn't on the original line up.

[beatenbyayellowteacup]

well obviously, chocolateshoes, who needs languages anyway?

[chocolateshoes]

was funny cos it was only 3 weeks or so ago that i said to DH that surely Dream School should be on soon...and then the ads started. Will be interesting to see what it is like. I hope the celebrities struggle!

[beatenbyayellowteacup]

What's the bet - there'll be tears and disappointments as they realise just how hard it all is, they'll lose one student along the way, but in the end, they'll have done some great work with them, with the acknowledgement that teaching is tough.

But JO will realise that there is more resources needed and will badger the government for more something.

Not that this campaign of his will be a bad idea.

[UnquietDad]

They really should be thrown into a proper school... But all that would show is how you can't do a job without being trained. The series would then have more of a "Faking It"-type emphasis on the teachers.

I'm still totally puzzled by dandyclock's comment - I can only assume I was momentarily mistaken for someone else, which can happen!

[NinkyNonker]

This sort of thing just adds fuel to the fire that is your average Daily Mail reader's ire, cheap kicks that don't look to the root of the problem. Or rather, fear that might be unpopular so pick an easier target.

[dandyclock]

My bad. I'm guessing you're a teacher???

[dandyclock]

Doh, that last comment to UQD.

Sorry, been away from my laptop volunteering in my local school. Not. ha ha. Its half term.

Might explain why so many of us have got some time on our hands to contribute to this mature debate...?