AIBU to suggest that schools cannot win?

[Piglet208]

It seems that whatever schools do it will upset a large group of (very vocal) parents. If they host productions during the day they are criticised by working parents. They host in the evening and they are criticised by parents with tired children. They organise trips which annoy parents due to the cost or they don't organise trips and are thought not to care or be lazy. They give out too little or too much homework...never just the right amount. They push the children too hard or they don't do enough. Has it always been like this or are parents more invested in school life now? I don't remember my parents having such strong opinions. I also don't think society judges and scrutinises other professions in quite the same way. AIBU?

I went to a meeting last term where a parent was furious that the head of year 6 wouldn't confirm what trips were planned for the next academic year because if the Y6 trip wasn't going to be to Harry Potter Studios like the past 3 years she would need to 'emotionally prepare' her DD for the disappointment.

WTF ???? dear god is all I can say.

I agree Trifle but that doesn't mean that concerns shouldn't be passed on

Elanrode: I don't think I said otherwise. Someone sharing their concerns is never an issue. What is an issue (to give an example) is someone expecting a teacher to not issue a detention to their child because he 'couldn't' do the homework because (to give a real life example) he has to prioritise boxing at the moment. Etc. On the one hand, to that particular parent that sounds reasonable. On the other, to every other student in the room that sounds inconsistent, because they have to do it.

I don't think they do. It's their education :)

Elanrode: This is an example of what I mean. You might think that. You'd be wrong. As a teacher I am obliged to set homework and I am obliged to issue a detention when if isn't done. It is school policy. But when I try to explain this to some parents I get back comments like that

Comments like mine? :) Why? What did you consider particularly offensive or distressing about my comment?

Elanrode: Absolutely nothing offensive or distressing about it at all! It just demonstrates a lack of awareness about how schools work. Homework isn't optional. I have to set it. As a teacher it is my job to make sure it gets done. I don't make exceptions for individuals because that's unfair on the rest of the class. Simple, logical and nothing to do with my personal view on the value of homework.

You have to set homework, but it doesn't have to be written homework, does it?

And I'm sure you know there might be many reasons why children can't do it.

Oh Trifle. I bloody rest my case with you love. Thanks for all you do, and put up with.

Elanrode: Yes, it does. It has to be a piece of work that takes the student around an hour, that is completed in their book. And while there may be reasons students haven't done it and sometimes those reasons mah be good, I have to be consistent. So I can accept the reason that the child was ill, but not that they chose to prioritise something else. I am simply not allowed to do that. And that's right, because if I pick and choose reasons there is no consistency and students will rightly see that as unfair.

Again, you seem to lack awareness of how school policies often work and how much discretion teachers have. This is the point I am making.

maddiemookins16mum:

Quite alright. I love my students!

I had a child come to see me today and said he hadn't done his homework because he'd been to the Christmas markets with his mum.

I smiled and said I hope you had a good time.

You can make your own weather

Elanrode you appear to be purposeful arguementative.

Such a shame you have such a lack of respect for the education system, which unfortunately often then filters down to children.

Teachers have to be able to track & document homework ... if not written down or on the computer how do you propose this tracking/monitoring is done?

Elanrode: Great. I am not allowed to do that and would have to give that child a detention.

I have worked in a primary ( non teaching lowest of the low job, not ta) and have met good and bad teachers and staff.
There is a hierarchy, the TAs are overworked and underpaid and generally feel put upon ( they are ) and they all agree the parents are mostly unreasonable. Not all of them, but it has got worse over the years.
The head teachers are full of their own importance and the office staff are generally unapproachable. My supervisor is lovely , but she has to grit her teeth i think. Its a micro climate and sometimes toxic.
They cant win, but i think this ' im better than you' attitude isnt good and must affect the kids. Its an eye opener and not in a good way.

No, I'm not being argumentative at all, but in fairness it is a discussion and I do have a different take on it to you.

I think that many teachers cause a lot of problems by being far too inflexible and by being too rigid.

I accept some schools insist on this.

But on the whole I think there's a lot of drama queen behaviour where teaching is concerned.

TAAT. Yawn.

I only see one Drama Queen.

I'm not sure what I've said that lends you to this opinion but have a nice evening anyway.

Elan I think the hoops that teachers are increasingly expected to jump through are largely poorly thought out, prescriptive and not always about the best overall progress for children. Often, the hoops are based on fuck all in terms of research.

But...those are thoughts I voice privately to my SLT, who sometimes listen. Having consistently applied rules IS important for children. Being fair IS important. Sometimes as a teacher you have to suck up policies you don't agree with to maintain clear boundaries for children.

I think that many teachers cause a lot of problems by being far too inflexible and by being too rigid.

I would love to be flexible, but in real life this just doesn't work. If I need to mark a class set of homework by 21st, because if I don't my line manager will give me a written warning, then I need to collect that homework by 19th. I know that some students may be absent so I collect it on 18th. If I don't set a deadline and say hand it in if/when you want, 80% of my class will either not do it or will hand it in late. Then it doesn't get marked. I get a written warning. Eventually I am put on capability measures. I am dismissed because I am not following school policies. Not an outcome I am happy to countenance so that Frankie can go to boxing, sorry.

It goes back to that diagram though - the one pointing out that equal treatment isn't always fair treatment.

Personally I think homework is a waste of time and energy. I set it and mark it but I don't use up any energy chasing children who haven't done it, especially because for all I know there might be a really good reason they haven't done it that I cannot know.

Detentions imo should exist for deliberate flouting of rules that could cause hurt or harm - rudeness, pushing in, lateness (fair: turn up late, do the time) but not homework.

Anyway the point is that I know some schools are obsessed with it which is where it can be difficult but I've barely set it in a fourteen year career (though three years were in a special school where we obviously didn't set it.) Hardly anyone seemed to notice!

Thirteen years, just realised

I don't want anybody thinking I am older than I am!

Elanrode: This is great as a personal philosophy. It is less effective in a system where staff are monitored and consistency is a basic expectation.

But are SLT actually monitoring that children have done the homework or just that you've set it?

Anyway, as I've said, I know there are some bonkers schools out there.