to be horrified at the behaviour in bohunt school

[SEsofty]

Just watched the programme about Chinese teachers in uk. Whilst I appreciate that it is reality tv and thus exaggeration for effect I was still horrified with the apparent number of children who were talking in class.

I'm not that accident and went to a very normal school but talking whilst teacher did simply didn't happen. I don't agree with the Chinese methods but talking whilst someone is trying to teach you is simply rude.

vanilla, I found it uncomfortable to watch at times.
The Chinese teachers were clearly floundering and the Bohunt leaders were clearly gloating.
Not pleasant.

I feel really really bad for the Chinese teachers.All are clearly excellent teachers (as evidenced by their work with chinese students), but they are being set up to fail.As far as the students are concerned they are supply teachers, who have 50 students and seemingly no disciplinary support from the SLT.How would a British supply teacher fare with 50 children? That would have been a more fair comparison.
It makes for very uncomfortable viewing.Bringing foreign nationals over here, setting them up to fail, filming their distress.SLT oily smug tor rags gloating, the BBC should no better.It is rude and unkind to traet people with good intentions, doing their best, reduced to tears, nearly broken is NOT ON and not how I want my licence fee spent .
I am wondering whether there will be a twist at the end.Has clever editing made us think that the Chinese school is failing? If the Chinese school wins out that would be the only redeeeming feature.

Incidentally, I stumbled on this article on the Guardian web site. Apparently there are a few schools where the government is experimenting with Chinese methods, away from the camera, and it is a resounding success, so the government decided to expand it...

According to the article, the results show modest improvement of Maths skills with Chinese method with less able students doing particularly well. I don't know whether they actually tested the IQs of those children labelled as less able or just categorised them by observable attainment. In the latter case it might be a matter of learning style. Some DC might be actually disadvantaged by the current system and fair better with a more structured approach such as the Chinese one.

I would expect that introverted and visual learners would do much better in quiet classes with teachers explaining things, rather than requiring those DC to talk and interact , which would be draining and disruptive for their learning. Extraverted DC would learn best by talking and doing. I don't think it is necessary to label and dismiss introverted learning style as 'less able' and inferior...

I have just seen the recent programme, I was shocked at the Bohunt teachers attitudes towards the Chinese teachers, quite immature. If they are talking behind their back like that, how are the students going to respect them. Shocking!

I agree Aeroflot. Bohunt reminds me of the state primary my children attended. Weak, deeply complacent HT and the attitude filters down through the staff. Glossing over the bullying of the teachers. Came in to give the most cursory warning to them, as though he wanted them to stay on side - his side.
The Chinese teachers are so hard working, so dedicated, so passionate, and the few egocentric teens that ruin their lessons are given free rein by the school.

Exactly janet it's a mindset they have that begins at home with the parents supporting the same goal and beliefs. The parents here thought it was so funny when they had to go in to listen to the Chinese teachers talk, and the kettle incident, the mum did not take it seriously. The little Chinese teacher who had trouble talking, she was so sweet I wanted to hug her. The teachers gossiping about the Chinese teachers methods . If students see that, how are they going to respect the Chinese teachers.

In China if you don't work, you don't eat. Here pupils know there is a safety net.

The mother didn't just not take the kettle seriousely. She probably inspired the behaviour. Her son was a "victim", he was "crying for help" you see, so she could lecture the Chinese guy on human rights instead of telling her darling to get on with the studies.

'Kettle boy' made a fair point - he was finding it difficult to copy loads of information from the board and listen at the same time. Unfortunately it was overshadowed by him being such an arse.
Though as others have said, copying and listening at the same time is something they'll have to get used to as they progress in their studies.

Some PPs have said that they were bound to be a bit disruptive if having to be at school for 12 long hours. But it appeared they were pissing about in the second lesson - the first lesson being 'introduction to your teachers'.

Would love to know what the Bohunt parents are saying about it all.

vanilla how can the Chinese method be used when a whole culture needs changing, you cannot just change one thing. As one of the teachers said, in China, your parents being called to the school would be shameful, here it's a joke, the parents are laughing with their children. In China thus woukd not happen, they woukd get a bolloking from their parents and sanctions.

I am thinking of those two girls with the spectacles. They seem to benefit from this method and enjoy the learning. In the first programme one of the girls said that she finally understood the equilibrium in chemistry, something she didn’t understand from Bohunt teaching. Surely this is a good thing. But the head teacher immediately poopooed this as rote learning…

Why do they not put value on the learning of these DC?

It seems for sake of some educational ideology they prefer the system that segregates into winners and losers and let the losers to fall further behind and leave school without qualifications.

There was a discussion about what happens to those who cannot keep up with the Chinese system, but why are there no discussions on the massive number of those who are left behind with our system, if it is so wonderful.

All this differentiation and setting means those at the bottom do not get the same curriculum and the same chances as those in the top set. We say they have lower ability, but maybe they do not respond well to the system due to their learning style. And this starts at the primary school. Surely the purpose of compulsory school education is to take everybody to some suitable level of education, not to segregate into social strata.

I am not suggesting for a second a 12 hours a day Chinese school. I am wondering whether our stereotypes about all things Chinese prevent us from a quality discussion on the culture in our schools, whether it is indeed the culture we want.

I am not sure that the method is specifically Chinese. The idea of DC sitting quietly, being focussed and listening to the teacher is not uniquely Chinese and I don’t think copying rather that receiving notes electronically through technology is the key feature of the method. What I understand from the Guardian article (and there is another articles linked to it) is that the Chinese method enables all DC in the class to grasp the difficult concept fully and at first time, so they can all progress at the same pace and succeed. I do not see anything wrong with that.

ITV Tuesday 18th August 9pm 'School Swap' - The Class Divide. PT1

Documentary about pupils swapping pupils from Warminster and Bemrose Comprehensive in Derby.

Bembrose Comprehensive in Derby makes Bohunt look like Eton !

It will though prove that most kids behave the same way if not engaged by appropriate or relevant teaching showing how how engaged the Bemrose pupils become at Warminster.

I bet this proves that pupils do become interested and interact , if relevant and are not treated with a 'seen but not heard' type approach initiated by the Chinese teachers.

SILLY MISTAKES ! DOUBLE SPEAK SORRY.....

vanilla my dd has ASD and dev delays so I don't think the Chinese method woukd be right for those with SN. I winder what those with an do in China. My dd because of her needs, would not be able to keep up with her peers, as default would fall behind. She is at a Specialist ASD schoo,, where class sizes are smaller, and teachers are ASD and Teeach trained. She is 8, but is doing a KS1 curriculum, her not peers are on KS2, noway woukd she be able to cope with the work.

Meant her nt peers

I don't know where "seen but not heard" comes from. I haven't seen in the programme the students offering comments relevant to the curriculum. I've seen disruptions and provocative attention seeking.

Aeroflot, this is very interesting. My DC have ASD and I think they would thrive in a more structured Chinese style system, without 1:1 support and become more independent. It could reduce spending on SN and lead to better outcomes for larger number of pupils.

The point is we don’t know and a serious research is need taking into account learning styles.

Aeroflot, you are right, different DCs have different needs and there should not be one size fits all. DC with SN needs specialist support.
My DC are in mainstream school and I think the current system fails them.

I wonder vanilla if they do have SS schools, wether they are excellent, and get the best out the students, or are they like they used to be in the UK 50/60 years ago, put away and shamed.

But the SS schools in China or in this country 60 years ago is totally irrelevant, beside the point. This Chinese branding distracts the argument from the real problem here and now.

I don’t know what the current UK method is, but it clearly does not engage everyone, it leaves behind a huge number actually, and a serious analysis is needed, not complacency.

I know DD woukd really struggle in that environment, because of the big class sizes, and her dev delay means her cognitive ability is not on the same level as her peers, so her understanding and grasp woukd be severely impaired and she woukd really fall behind without special help.

vanilla we used to have one if the best education systems in the world,'now not so. There used to be a respect for the teacher when there isn't now. I think it started to decline in the 1980's with a more liberal approach. I am sure the Chinese way I sent the only successful way. The Nordic countries have it right, well everyone except the UK.

"vanilla we used to have one if the best education systems in the world,'now not so"

Did we? When? Who says?

I run a guide unit. A place of fun and I do not tolerate the kind of rude behaviour it would seem is classed as normal. In fact when discussed with the girls they recognise how rude it is and agree not to do it. The behaviour that really irks me is the cupping a hand in front of the face as if they think I'm blind as well as deaf. I always call them on it as I won't be bullied or belittled by them.

The lack or courtesy paid to the Chinese teachers I find shocking.