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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To privately not have much respect for a lot of teachers

287 replies

parsnipandmushroom · 18/03/2015 18:52

Obviously I would never communicate this to a child, but when the "teacher knows best" lines emerge on here I often think 'no, they don't.'

I've known so many teachers make numerous basic errors with resources, and give children the wrong information. This wouldn't actually bother me much but coupled with the complaints about pay, working hours and stress, I do often think 'stop whining.'

So I am not accused of being a troll - I only mean some teachers, and so I'm not accused of drip feeding information, I am a teacher.

AIBU?

OP posts:
GraysAnalogy · 18/03/2015 23:03

Sorry but I find your post rather snotty YetAnotherHelenMumsnet, my 'erroneous assertion? Hmm It's not my fault that the thread showed that a MNHQ had posted beforehand. Which is did, I'm not an idiot. Bugs have been known to happen but do carry on with your PA.

GraysAnalogy · 18/03/2015 23:04

it*

Feenie · 18/03/2015 23:10

You don't sound sorry, Gray'sAnalogy. You do sound passive aggressive though. And a little bit paranoid.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 18/03/2015 23:10

I agree with the post way upthread that if the profession (including the unions) collectively acknowledged and addressed poor performance it would be a better all round

GraysAnalogy · 18/03/2015 23:13

feenie Paranoid how pray tell? And I'm not seeing what's passive aggressive about my post as I think it basically speaks for itself?

Anyway I wouldn't like to disrupt OP's post, sorry OP :)

Feenie · 18/03/2015 23:16

Look it up Wink

WetAugust · 18/03/2015 23:17

My opinion is evidence-based. Not the failure of one particular teacher but of many, acting in collusion to avoid meeting my sons needs - hence the successful legal action

It probably is an extreme case, but not as rare as many of you would like to think.

He's now got 3 degrees, thanks to the private sector who actually assisted him.

He says he will never have children unless he could afford for them to avoid state schools. That's how he rates the state sector - based on his experiences.

GraysAnalogy · 18/03/2015 23:20

Feenie I know the definition of paranoid, applying it to my post is what I'm questioning you about. But you're welcome to post responses my child would come up with :)

Wet I find that so sad, that all his faith has gone in regards to state schools. So many of us have had good or perhaps brilliant experiences but it only takes that very firsthand one to affect you so much that it effects you for the rest of your life. :(

Whiteandbrownrabbit · 18/03/2015 23:21

a lot of people I know did degrees hoping to do certain things, when there plans did not work out, they go for the fall back option of teaching
no wonder there are so many crap teachers, it is not what a lot of them even want to do
and some can't even stand children

ByronBaby · 18/03/2015 23:33

Evidence based opinions should usually be based on a broad range of evidence though WetAugust. What you have is anecdotal evidence, which is often heavily biased. I have no doubt that you and your son had a very difficult time, but that should not and cannot damn the whole state system. It is true that some teachers don't perform well most of the time and most teachers don't perform well all of the time, but if you look at the teaching profession as one huge organisation, you wouldn't expect all of its employees to be exemplary given the numbers involved as we are dealing with living, breathing humans here, problems and hang-ups and all. What I believe to be generally true about the profession is that most teachers do a good job and some do an outstanding job. Whinging and complaining is always annoying, but it is to be expected where people feel powerless and vulnerable, which exactly describes the morale of the profession at the moment.

Want2bSupermum · 18/03/2015 23:52

star I have heard similar complaints on here regarding SEN. I have been shocked at the experience we have had in the US. For all the talk of the US education system being inferior we have found the complete opposite.

I think there are some serious issues within the profession and it starts with a stern look at the processes around the appraisal and management of students with issues. When DD's teacher thought there was a problem with dd the first thing she did was to involve the district SEN specialist who is an educational psychologist. An assessment was done within a month of dd being referred. When I emailed the program director for an update I got a professionally written report emailed to both DH and I with a copy sent to DD's paediatrcian as a medical referral was suggested. This is how things should be done. I doubt very much that happens in most of the UK. I do know that the township we lived in had a small budget for SEN and zero budget for G&T. It's one of the reasons we moved.

WetAugust · 19/03/2015 00:21

My sample is very broad based Byron. I have net many parents with children who have had similarly adverse experiences. I cannot think I of one child I know in my neighbourhood who has fulfilled their potential at our local comp. This is a school in a relatively wealthy area with few social problems, but has not sent a child to a Russell Group university in living memory and which has now been placed in special measures. You can watch the teachers driving out at 3.30 sharp. No doubt you'll tell me they all put in another 10 hours of evening work. Hmmm
This is a school that has let down many children for too long

noblegiraffe · 19/03/2015 00:33

One comp is not a broad-based sample.

I've just finished marking a set of exam papers, so that's an extra 5 hours work I've put in this evening just marking. Should I plan my A-level lesson now or leave it till the morning? Decisions, decisions...

Fedupandfrustrated2 · 19/03/2015 05:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoctorDonnaNoble · 19/03/2015 06:01

The subject knowledge of teachers at my school is excellent. It has to be. That doesn't always equal great teaching, but those who aren't great don't last.
I have to admit to feeling quite respected at the moment, mainly due to my two heads of department worrying if my maternity cover will measure up.
That said, there is an issue with training. The local school-centred training programme doesn't include ANY A-Level experience. I was fortunate that both my PGCE placements included A-Level classes (team-teaching).

sparing · 19/03/2015 06:32

And there's that other word: "relentless"

No. It isn't relentless. You get 13 weeks holiday a year, how can that possibly be "relentless"?!

Unless you mean "relentless in 6 week chunks"?

BoneyBackJefferson · 19/03/2015 06:51

WetAugust

"Boney . Excellent conflation. You must be a teacher."

I am a teacher, but I am not going to try to change your views or others with similar views on this thread. It would be completely pointless and I would just have start again when the next thread appeared.

I am genuinely sorry for your experience, but that was one school and a small percentage of teachers, the truth is that many (not all) do what you posted.

sparing

"Unless you mean "relentless in 6 week chunks"?"

You could try it and find out

echt · 19/03/2015 06:51

Depends what the word relentless refers to. Would you care to give an example of its use, sparing?

Brandysnapper · 19/03/2015 06:59

So to reference another poster, would the mumsnet jury be happy if teachers worked another 10 hours at home? How much should a teacher work? If they started at 7.30 and worked through till 3.30, that's 7 hours? Working through lunch with perhaps a fifteen minute break earlier in the day. How many hours at home/after school do you want them to do? None? (About a 34 hour week then) One a night? (39) five? (59).
I think the answer is that nothing would satisfy.

Feenie · 19/03/2015 07:04

Paranoid as in the irrational assertion you were singled out for a PA' by MNHQ, Graysanatomy. You weren't.

BoneyBackJefferson · 19/03/2015 07:06

How long do posters think it takes to mark pupils work?

noblegiraffe · 19/03/2015 07:11

I'd say that finishing marking at 0:30 then having to be on your feet teaching a class of recalcitrant teenagers 8 hours 15 minutes later is pretty relentless.

It has to be in 6-8 week chunks or we'd have even more teachers quitting through stress than we do already.

teacherwith2kids · 19/03/2015 07:36

Boney, I mark between 64 and 96 books a night, every night - expectation is that every book is marked between every lessonn (IME the norm in primary, not in scondary). A set of ticking similar problems Maths book - no problem. A set of 2 page long stories + a set of science investigations can take me a LONG time!!

myredcardigan · 19/03/2015 07:54

fedupandfrustrates, where does that 'gem' come from? Most primary teachers have done a BEd so the other half of their year would have been...other teachers.
I didn't do a BEd myself but got a pretty good degree from a much sought after university. I didn't become a teacher because there was no other options available. It's true that some secondary teachers fall into it because they don't know what else to do but they almost always leave after a couple of years. I think we're at least one generation past the 'those who can' bollocks.