to think teachers and schools do a fooking amazing job, and to be stunned and disgusted that they get such unnecessary arse-ache from ridiculous parents?

[bejeezus]

Im despairing of the amount of AIBU threads recently along the lines of- teachers shouldnt be telling my dc to go to bed early/ shouldnt be promoting 100% attendance blah blah blah

I understand there are other routes to adulthood besides main-stream education. But whilst you do use mainstream education you should understand what a difficult job it is for schools and teachers to educate groups of 30 children and maintain discipline, if those children are late/absent/tired and if the parents are constantly undermining the teachers/schools authority.

Schools have a whole diversity of families and children to accomodate including children with English as a 2nd/3rd language,social problems,SENs, disabilities and a whole range of abilities to cater for within each class. The last thing they need on top of this is spending valuable time and resources accomodating whiney-arsed parents who think the rules should not apply to them because they are in some way 'special'; ie. they are educated and rich and capable of home tutoring to facilitate an extended trip and absence from school. Ifthat isthe case, then do your home schooling and free up the schoolplace for a child that is not going to disrupt the class by extended absences/lateness and duvet days.

And, no, having your childrens lead an enriched and cultured lifestyle does not constitute a valid excuse for lateness and tiredness. Get your kids to bed on time so the teachers have the best chance of getting the best education to the most kids

There are very many countries and cultures where only1 child per family is educated (at best) because the family cannot afford more. This is almost always not a daughter

Its appalling. Education is a priviledge. What chance in hell do teachers have of getting kids to appreciate that, if the parents insisted on taken it for granted.

And finally, big-up to the teachers on here. You do a grand job, in the face of lunacy!

[Becaroooo]

There are too many "individual cases" for my liking echt

I saw too much teacher abuse of pupils as a child in the 1970s to have a very high opinion of the profession as a whole

I am sure there are good teachers out there (my sons current teacher is very nice, for example) but they are in the minority IME and will continue to be so until there are minimum educational attainments required to be able to train to teach.

[Heswall]

How many individuals add up to a pattern ? I would introduce psychometric testing for any job offering a position of power teachers, the police, social workers. The results would make interesting reading but might mean recruitment is difficult.

[StarlightDicKenzie]

Tethersend, can you have a look at the Q&A thread on MN if you have time?

There are very few teacher posters on it.

[StarlightDicKenzie]

My whole family are teachers. Every bloody one of them, except the Chef.

[Becaroooo]

Its like most things in life, tethers Its not until you have experience of sen provision that you realise how awful it is and how poor sen provision damages the children involved.

Part of the issue is that sen budgets are miniscule Its ridiculous!!! Then there are the other parents who think the the kids with sn/sen shouldnt get extra help as it means money isnt being spent on their kids. sigh.

Its a real minefield.

[Becaroooo]

Good point heswall

I had a teacher when I was about 8 and the poor man was a mess...he later left teaching after having a breakdown. At the time though, when he was emptying a wastepaper bin over my head, I didnt feel so forgiving!!

[OrmIrian]

When I worked for a local authority you got a pay rise every year regardless of performance because of the pay structure - another job where your pay goes up whether it's desserved or not. I don't know if it still happens - I guess not but I am fairly sure teachers aren't or at least weren't the only ones in such a privlieged position.

[Becaroooo]

star I have teachers in my extended family too

Its makes for some interesting conversations!!

[Becaroooo]

The SENco at my sons school has been on long term sick leave for months This is not the first time, either.

So, they have no SENco and there is no sen provision at the school atm.

She will be back, I am sure, when her sick pay stops, like before.

Sigh.

[echt]

becaroo couldn't agree more with you about minimum standards for teaching, though presently there'll be a queue to say some illiterate is "so good with the children".

Your experience is of the 70s - nearly 40 years ago. What's happening now? Do you know?

[Becaroooo]

Am I right in thinking its still really difficult to get rid of bad teachers???

[Heswall]

My mil was a teacher left at 55 after suffering a nervous breakdown and having been depressed her whole life, she damaged her own children so goodness knows what she did to other peoples. She was quite proud of the fact that she heard kids who's parents didn't work bragging about their Christmas presents so she confiscated as much as she could from them and then lost it.

[OrmIrian]

Re SEN, Dh works in a school for children with EBD. In some ways it isn't so much 'teaching' as caring for, shepherding, listening to and stopping them hurting themselves and other people. He has learned a huge amount since doing it - frequently about thinking outside the box. The staff have the luxury of much smaller classes and more time to spend with individual pupils (and the disadvantage of being spat at, kicked, punched and sworn at of course ) I often wonder if mainstream teachers could benefit from a term spent in a similar school.

[StarlightDicKenzie]

I've been resisting it all my life but I reckon when this one pops out I'll probably have to train as a teacher like my genes have predicted.

[Becaroooo]

I have a fair idea echt

I have been a parent helper in pre school, years 1-2 and now in Y4 and 5. I am also on the PTA.

Things have changed (obv) and thats a good thing but there is still a lot to do and the idea that "teacher knows best" infuriates me. Teachers are human and as such are fallible, just like parents

[Heswall]

It's proving that they are bad that is the problem. Schools are like bloody playgrounds for adults at times the things I've heard my cousin who is a head teacher say about children and parents and other teachers you'd think she was the 5 year old.

[echt]

What's your point heswall - by your account your mil sounds like she'd have fashioned her cuntiness to fit any walk of life.

Becaroo tecahers are subject to due process, as are all employees. Unfortunately, ball-less managers interpret this as "hard to sack".

[Becaroooo]

Its terrible isnt it heswall?

There have been cases locally of teachers calling sen kids "spazzes" on FB

star You would be a kick ass teacher and you know it!!!

I can only imagine what the HT says about me!!!! hahahahahahaha......

[Heswall]

My point is she was allowed to get away with it for nearly 30 years

[echt]

Read the last post I made: it's not the fault of the teachers, but their sackless managers.

[Mumsyblouse]

Cory, one massive difference between teaching at university level and teaching in primary/secondary schools, which may concentrate our minds, is that we are assessed by our students, mine fill in my performance on 49 different dimensions! Effectively I am graded by them, and this satisfaction rating is then used to assess me as a member of staff.

[NoMoreInsomnia12]

I think most teachers do do a great job and parents do whinge about odd things, but also they aren't above criticism. Education is too important to get wrong.

[Hullygully]

fooking

why?

can't get past that

[Hullygully]

But

some teachers are great

some are ok

some are shit

just like every other profession.

Surprise!

[roundtable]