To consider complaining (feedback)

[Harijane]

I am in a reasonably senior position (assistant headteacher) in a secondary school. However, DS is 3 in March and DD is 5 months and so I've been considering stepping down for a couple of years. I saw a job I could apply for, very local, as a bog-standard English teacher.

Had the interview and was told no - fair enough. However, what I'm angry and pretty upset about were the personal comments made in feedback. My voice is high pitched and girly and I was told when the students asked what they thought of my lesson that "I sounded like a Muppet!"

Was there any need? It just upset me, and it isn't as if I can help my voice. I think it was really unprofessional to share that!

Massively unprofessional of them IMO, and not someone I'd like to work for based on that.
I think you've had a close call there.

Omg. I regularly interview teachers and senior leaders and I would NEVER give feedback about something a candidate can't change and is down to individual response. I would feedback - your skirt showed your pants, your resources were misspelt but personal stuff is out. You're lucky. They sound like they would be horrible to work for.

I wouldn't complain by the way. The ht may pass that on and you don't want to be the sour-grapes interviewee.

Well, they WERE being honest. There's no way you would be able to teach students if they thought that, would you? If you want feedback, I'm afraid you have to take what is told to you. I know it sounds harsh, but that's what feedback is for.

I do teach students - have been doing so for over ten years.

Honesty is not always appropriate or desirable. Had a student said 'she's black' or 'she is too fat' they'd be told not to be so rude. Perhaps the content of the lesson rather than a feature should have been the focus.

I had feedback like that once from an interview (also teaching, it's a horrible profession!) no need at all, you wonder how people end up in a 'caring' profession with that attitude!x

Feedback should always be about something you can change otherwise it's just criticism. YANBU.

I think you had a lucky escape, OP. The school sounds dreadful if they're prepared to be that unprofessional.

I am a teacher of MFL & Business a Studies. I know that I sound & look like Jo Brand (no crime there !), I often speak to the ceiling or the projector, I take over a year to learn students' names if they are nice & well-behaved, I am frequently boring & didactic & I feel sorry for my lovely young colleague who has to listen to my voice all day through our adjoining rooms thanks to the antiquated 'heating' system. However, I would be mortified & hurt if these observations were made about me by others, we are all individuals & should be valued as such. My SLT would not give a candidate the feedback you received, they are much more caring & professional. You definitely had a lucky escape. It sounds as if the 'student council / panel' nonsense has prevailed & you would have been subjected to unpleasant treatment by the students at this school. Good luck with your job search, be careful what you wish for though !