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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my son's yr 4 teacher to be older

268 replies

katedan · 08/09/2011 21:17

I know it is like policeman and a sign I am getting older but WTF she is 22 and this is her first teaching job a class of 35 8/9 yr olds. She seemed so out of her depth and it is only day 2.

I am really worried she will not be able to keep the class interested and the standard of my son's education will suffer.

AIBU?

OP posts:
southeastastra · 08/09/2011 21:32

i would have thought year four would require more expertise only as that would be the age some kids could slip through and not have their educational needs met

would have thought it hard for someone with NO experience to recognise this

years 1 and 2 are easier surely, especially to learn how to control a classroom if nothing else

cazzybabs · 08/09/2011 21:32

I am sure Feenie - one of my coherts was an NQT in Year 6 - depends where the space is .. but I would think most schools would avoid those years .. but not all

worraliberty · 08/09/2011 21:32

Regarding the 'class of 35'

If that's how many pupils there are in each class, what can they do about it?

They're hardly going to cut the class in two in case a young teacher can't cope. She's either going to be a teacher or she's not.

Inertia · 08/09/2011 21:32

If she's 22 an NQT she will be very closely mentored and supervised, and have extra planning and assessment time. Primary teaching is very competitive; she will doubtless have proved to the Headteacher and Governors that she is capable of doing the job during her interview and observed lesson.

As Hulababy suggests, 22-year-old secondary teachers have to keep classes of 35 fifteen-year-olds not only interested, but also safe as they handle drills, cookers, Bunsen burners, hazardous chemicals. That's why teachers are trained to do the job.

What people really should worry about is the relaxing of rules about who can teach- it seems to be increasingly common for whole classes to be taught by HLTAs, who don't need either a degree or a teaching qualification.

Sandalwood · 08/09/2011 21:32

What do you mean "without prior experience" SEA?
You don't come out of a teaching course without experience.

Hulababy · 08/09/2011 21:32

SEA - NQTs have had experience. They have to do a certain number of weeks experience int he classroom as part f their PGCE. The NQT year is not the first time teachers go in a classroom on their own!

Flisspaps · 08/09/2011 21:32
Confused

But they don't go in with no experience southeastastra

To be in the classroom at 22, the teacher will have either done a degree followed by a PGCE, involving various placements in different schools where they go in and teach for perhaps half a term in each setting, OR they'll have done a B.Ed which is three years in university plus one full year's teaching in a school.

Hulababy · 08/09/2011 21:34

sea - key stage 1 is definitely not the easy option! I know. I work in year 1. Have prevously worked throught all of ket stage 3 and 4 and sixth form, as well as adult ed, and have some limited experience in key stage 1 and 2.

LoopyLoopsPussInBoots · 08/09/2011 21:34

"i would be worried to tbh - no one wants a nqt to teach at that level, can't they start at years 1 or 2?"

What a stupid thing to say

  1. Year 4 is not harder to teach than year 1 (probably less)
  2. Subject knowledge for year 4 is nothing compared to KS4/5. Do you think you have to be old to teach in secondary?
  3. At what age do you think teachers should be allowed to practice? And with hos much experience? How do they get this experience?
worraliberty · 08/09/2011 21:34

Years 1 and 2 would be harder imo

For a start, a few of them will still be having toilet accidents and some still won't be speaking clearly.

It's also more common for them to be crying for their parents at that age.

I think by the time they're in year 4, they're a lot less emotional and ready to learn.

Inertia · 08/09/2011 21:36

Sorry for stray 22 there- poor editing skills on my part Blush

Fontsnob · 08/09/2011 21:36

Oh blimey, I feel out of my depth every year at the start of a new term. I've been at the same school for 7 years now, get great results and am generally a pretty bloody good teacher. Still feel like puking the first day back teaching at the start of a new year though! YABU, she will find her feet soon enough.

southeastastra · 08/09/2011 21:37

it's not stupid, maybe just my experience of young teachers

KittyFane · 08/09/2011 21:39

KateDan- she was certainly very pretty so that will encourage DH to attend parents evening! yak, this kind of thing gave me the creeps when I was running a department in secondary school at 24.

NQT year is intense, she will be mentored, assessed and her planning will need be top notch.

YABU and a bit (sorry) thick to judge after 2 days purely on her age and first week nerves. She was probably flustered in front of the judge pants, gossippy parents and great with the children.

Feenie · 08/09/2011 21:39

It's as daft as our caretaker, years ago, who thought I'd been demoted on my move from Y6 to Y2!

aldiwhore · 08/09/2011 21:39

ONE child is a big place to 'start' I know from when I gave birth!!

An NQT is QUALIFIED, and has had experience. If she's out of her depth then so has every teacher who's got a new post ever.

My friend was 45 and an NQT, she had a major confidence crisis in her NQT year, she did brilliantly, but she felt out of her depth, scared, overwhelmed... through the support of the other staff, and their reassurance that she was there on her merit, she blossomed quickly... outwardly more quickly than her inner confidence.

I used to organised conferences for Headteachers, they sometimes felt out of the depth and overwhelmed too... I'm sure there are many managers on here who feel the same at times.

See past her age, and her prettiness, make friends with your age, realise you sound like a bitter old fart, you know, the sort of people you hated when you were young and able, and you'll be fine!

sparkle12mar08 · 08/09/2011 21:39

No, it's stupid. HTH.

southeastastra · 08/09/2011 21:40

oh i am stupid then thanks sparkle

and just noticed this is in aibu so i guess you don't really want to hear my side of the debate

KittyFane · 08/09/2011 21:41

"i would be worried to tbh - no one wants a nqt to teach at that level, can't they start at years 1 or 2?" ummm... An NQT teaching secondary then???

Badgercub · 08/09/2011 21:41

Doesn't sound like you have much experience at all SEA, if you think that NQTs have no experience, Years 1 & 2 are "easier" and that teaching younger children will automatically mean easier class control.

rolls on floor laughing

Cleverything · 08/09/2011 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

balia · 08/09/2011 21:42

Your experience of driving random young people to the gates of schools on the first day and seeing if they can blag themselves a job, SEA? Confused

Moulesfrites · 08/09/2011 21:43

SEA I am a secondary teacher (who started at 22!) but I am in awe of primary teachers and I actually think the early years would be more demanding. I have a primary teacher friend who is going to teach Y1 for the first time having taught older children for 4 years and she is very nervous about it! I think you are being quite illogical in your denigration of younger teachers.

worraliberty · 08/09/2011 21:43

I took that to be a light hearted joke about the DH attending parents evening

KittyFane · 08/09/2011 21:43

South- years 1 and 2 easier to teach really?? Hmm