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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ex forces members as schoolteachers, (Panorama tonight?)

552 replies

GabbyLoggon · 28/02/2011 11:53

Are they being unreasoable?

Its a government idea copied from America
(suprise, suprise)

Training ex forces members to be schoolteachers (It has always been open for them to do that.)

Is it a gimmick? The trouble is Cameron learned from Blair the art of regular publicity stunts.

So it is difficult to know what to take seriously.

What do the teaching profession think of it? "Gabby"

OP posts:
scaryteacher · 28/02/2011 23:32

Mila - lots of the military haven't been near Afghanistan, so get real please. It didn't show up on a CRB check that the teacher who was prosecuted for hitting a pupil with a heavy object was going to flip, so your point is? The CRB just proves that you haven't been caught yet.

vintageteacups · 28/02/2011 23:34

This is relevant VS, but can I ask roughly (if not exactly) how old you are?

MilaMae · 28/02/2011 23:34

Communication and interpersonal skills,Piglet most teachers I know already have that by the bucket load.

So again what skills are they bringing that teachers don't already have and how is this scheme giving existing teachers power?

MilaMae · 28/02/2011 23:36

So Scary these miliary teachers haven't been to Afganistan,don't live and work on bases and are all amazing teachers.You seem to know an awful lot about all these fantastic new teachersHmm.

scaryteacher · 28/02/2011 23:36

Authoritative body language; expectation of good behaviour; intolerance of low level disruption and sometimes Mila, just being male!

pigletmania · 28/02/2011 23:36

Mila I am talking about an alternative way of communication and interacting

pigletmania · 28/02/2011 23:37

there scary thanks I was looking for ways of trying to explain myself, Mila have you seen Panorama mabey that will help you understand

MilaMae · 28/02/2011 23:38

Scary those (with the exception of the male thing)are all qualities most teachers have. Your experience of teachers maybe very negative but it doesn't speak for all teachers and differs greatly to my own experience.

Again what power is this scheme giving to teachers?

pigletmania · 28/02/2011 23:38

Mabey you need to do some reseach yourself Mil to find out more.

vintageteacups · 28/02/2011 23:39

Sorry but I've yet to see many teachers with great interpersonal skills with parents; they love to tell you everything they know and how to bring up your kids and always win in the pub quiz but......have a normal conversation with them about anything other than teaching (especially if they have taught from straight out of uni and haven't done any other job), and they can't.

and yes, I know it's another sweeping statement and obviously I'm not aiming this at all teachers (espeically not the forces wives who are teachers Grin) as 2 of my best friends are teachers but most of the teachers who have either either taught me or DCs have had very poor social skills and think they know everything and have the ability to talk over you whilst you're in the middle of a sentence.

Goblinchild · 28/02/2011 23:39

Well, I don't have the Y chromosone, but I've got the rest.
One of the interesting knock-ons will be the squealing from the chaps who expected to be running a dept or being a deputy 5 years into teaching, who now have less chance of winning promotion based on their gender alone.
Big fish in small pond, look forwards to the over-stocking. And the increased competition.

pigletmania · 28/02/2011 23:40

No Mila not all teachers, some do need to learn, isent life about constant learning and gaining new skills, if you think that you know everything there is to know than its not good on you.

vintageteacups · 28/02/2011 23:41

Milamae have a proper look at scaryteacher's MN name Grin

LDNmummy · 28/02/2011 23:41

My sister and her DP both use that same technique with their kids, it is not to do with anything military, its just about how your children relate to you and read your moods and facial expressions etc..

MilaMae · 28/02/2011 23:41

I have seen Panorama thanks,thought the secondary school was appalling and didn't see any qualities in teachers featured I haven't already seen in the vast majority of teachers I've come across.

I liked the primary head but I've seen plenty of other great heads who haven't got a military background.

vintageteacups · 28/02/2011 23:43

...and lots of crap heads who don't have a military background Grin

Goblinchild · 28/02/2011 23:44

And plenty of crap officers and NCOs with a military background...
This could run and run you know.

MilaMae · 28/02/2011 23:45

Vintage how insulting.So this nations entire teaching staff is to be based on your dc's teachers Hmm.

Jesus seriously hope these new recruits have a better attitude to many of the military attitudes on here.

pigletmania · 28/02/2011 23:46

Well that kind of closed mindedness is exactly what I mean, it might not be needed in your school Mila but in other more needy schools that approach may be just what the school needs, the teachers may be low, demorolised, fearful, unable to keep control, and a military approach can help them regain all that, and show them new skills.

scaryteacher · 28/02/2011 23:48

If you look at the Services Mila, they are different. My dh is a nuclear submariner, so he hasn't been to Afghanistan as his skill set isn't required there. We have never lived in the 25 years we have been married on a base, as we have always had our own house and been part of our local community. This is usual for much of the RN.

The Navy go to sea, and thus spend much of their time on ships or submarines, and don't work on a base for much of their career. They also work in places like the EU (not a base) and NATO HQ (not a base). They may teach as my dh has done at Forces Engineering colleges and Defence Colleges (to MA level) with academics from places like KCL and other universities, and teach civilians as well as military staff from HM Forces and abroad.

I know about them because I am a Naval daughter, wife and sister, and daughter in law, and have been for all my life. so I suppose 45 years experience of the military way of life might just give me some expertise and insight.

Not all military personnel will want to teach. However, there is a skill set there with some that would match very well to teaching teenagers, especially some of the boys who need a male role model. I've taught boys like that, and I'm sure you have as well. Doesn't matter how good you are as a teacher, sometimes only a male teacher can get through to them.

Saltatrix · 28/02/2011 23:51

Seeing the panorama episode it does seem to make a difference especially since we were able to see a look into the 'future' as America has been doing this for years now and they have results. Whether we can/cannot see any differences there obviously is something different as the children's take greater interest in school, show greater respect and are less invovled with criminal activity outside of schools.

Saltatrix · 28/02/2011 23:52

get a look (not see)

lovenamechange100 · 28/02/2011 23:54

JUST JUMPING IN I caught 15 mnins of this and was quite inspired by it, I think it could work but again depending on idividual. Does this not say something more about the way teacher are trained? OR the way schools ethos are 'set'? Interesting

vintageteacups · 28/02/2011 23:54

Oh I see mila - so it's fine for you and VS/LDN etc to say the previous insulting comments but as soon as I retaliate with my opinion of some, no actually many teachers I've come across, then I'm insulting. Perhaps then, you won't make such unfounded remarks in the future then Smile

MilaMae · 28/02/2011 23:57

I also have a whole childhood of RAF life and a partner who was ex marines to give me some insight.

The male thing would be great but an increase in male teachers from any walk of life would be beneficial.

Also from my experience there are qualities that may be useful but there are qualities from many walks of life which could be useful.

There are also qualities and experiences that I think wouldn't be useful.

Also I have to say life on a ship for months,totally apart from society is isolating and completely different to handling teenagers living in a community and all the negative influences that modern teenage life entails.