do i have a bad reputation at school or something?

[cryingfoul]

I'm not really sure how to describe this as i don't know what happened myself! I was talking with some other mums from my Dc's primary school last week and I said that I thought schools should tell parents a bit about the teachers e.g. how many years teaching experience they have, what specialisms etc. The five other Mums took me up wrong.. thought I was talking about our school and got a bit heated, saying that I needed to trust the head and similar things. I tried to explain, then got fed up and left and put it out of my mind.
Then three days later the head asks to see me in private. I follow her to her room with no idea what she wants to talk about, and guess what it was? One of the mum's had spoken of her concerns and the head wnated to tell me that the teachers won't accept it and it is the school governors business anyway! She backed down a bit when I repeated exactly what I'd said and a bit more when I said I had a right to hold a private opinion. But this is weird isn't it? For that mum (whoever she is) to run to the head and for the head to request a mettign with me citing the data protction act! Or am I being unreasonable?

OK, well I'm talking primary schools. And I'm guessing the OP was. Possibly different in secondary, I guess.

echt - they will have QTS and they will have a teaching degree or PGCE. These do have specialist subjects but they can be asked to teach other areas by the head. They don't have to have additional quaifications for this. They will have the teaching ability to do this - but they will need to research their subject. This is obviously not ideal.

However - in order to know this type of inormation you would also then need to ask for all teachers GCSEs and A Levels and additional qualifications too - oh, and their grades. It just isn't practical.

Ok then if degree matters on paper answer this.

I am an LSA the teacher in my class been teaching in the school over 20 yrs. had 30 years experience overall. Fab, very well respected and experienced in teaching special ed. (its a special sch for pupils with esn).

She does not have a degree but the teaching cert or whatever it is called. Are you saying in 5 yrs time when I have my degree and QTS I will be better than her because on paper I look it.

Sorry but NO. She is one the best teachers I've ever met. (even better than my mum and dad!)

Keep going clam ur onto a winner!!!

That's a good example, mumbar.

Teachers might have to teach another subject when there's a shortage of teachers in that subject or not enough money to employ another teacher. Headteachers will obviously realise it's not ideal but they just have to make the best arrangements that they can.

I think (as a Deputy Head) that it was very inappropriate of the Head to ask you in to justify comments you made in a private conversation. I think a)the parent must have been embellishing a LOT on what was said and making you out to be a trouble maker or b)the head has had complaints/whisperings about a specific teacher and, rather over-sensitively thought you were jumping on the bandwagon. Whatever, she shouldn't have taken what someone else said about you as the basis for action. If we did that at our school we'd spend the whole day intervening in parent politics. Even if you had said something really unjustified and unfair (which you don't seem to have) the most it would have raised at our school would be a collective tut in the staffroom and a, "hmmmpf, typical!" - but again only if we were totally sure of our facts...
Of course, maybe you are the bane of the Head's life, always in mouthing off and complaining and she relished the opportunity to dress you down, but I really don't think that's the case!

I agree, I'm really surprised at the actions of the Headteacher. Not at all surprised at some stirring from other mums.

possibly making your point very well, I have to admit to having got lost on the acronyms.. NQT, PSCE, LSA, etc., etc.

I guess though that i am beginning to understand the other point of view because reading between the lines, the implication seems to be that you can't tell if someone is a good teacher or not by their CV. I am not a teacher but in my line of work, experience counts (just as it does for lawyers, doctors, accountants, surveyors, architects and lots of other professions). From what i understand now, you either are a good teacher or you are not and no amount of experience is going to improve you?? True??

The playground does tell you who is good or not, and usually it gets it right, but my original point was about new parents to a school and parents of children who are getting a teacher who will be new to the school. So any info is appreciated, and a name is not really enough to decide whether this is the right person for your child.

but from my perspective I was just talking theoretically, not about a specific teacher or school. So, I do not know why the HT asked me into her office but I do resent the idea that she might reprimand me for my views had I not clarified my statements!
As to the mother who reported me... well I will restrict my interaction with her to a polite smile from now on!

NQT - newly qualified teacher. They will have qualified teacher status but must pass the NQT year to be allowed to teach.

Often thought of as unqualified not experienced but they have to prove themselves so probably an excellent teacher. Plus they have all the latest training!!

PGCE - postgraduate certificate in education. The 'teaching' part of learning at the end of degree before NQT year!!

LSA - learning support assistant. The person in class who will work with small groups and help those that need it work with those who need extra challenges etc. Genrally support the teacher for pupils to have a better education.

I still think that Headteacher was BU and can see why you said what you did.

Oh a to the mum who reported you - I actually think you may be being a bit to reasonable there.

I don't agree with everything other mums think in the playground (or what u said about info etc) BUT that is my opinion and yours is different and I respect that. Think snitching is a little

The good thing about mn is it means I've let off steam on here tonight rather than sending a very sharp email to the HT summarising my dismay and surprise at her behaviour. (and that would have been out of order!).
I sort of knew it was a bad idea anyway but I'd probably have spend an hour composing various versions and God forbid I might even have sent one of them!
Instead I'm over it. So thanks MN!

i know the thread has moved on a bit talking about whether or not more info would help...but back to the OPs point regarding the Head and gossip.

If this is truly bothering you, and you would like a resolution. If you would like to cut the hearsay, the ongoing goossip and the 'he said she said' shit, then you must ask for a meeting with all three of you in a room.

only with all parties concerned in a room, will the truth out.

This is a tact i always employ, in family and work situations. i get all concerned in a room in a 'say it to my face if you dare' type meeting.

funny how stories change that way and 'oh i didn't mean it like that...' is used quite often.

You can't tell whether anyone is good at their job, whatever that job is, based on qualifications alone. Doesn't mean potted biogs aren't interesting.

I think teachers who are worried by this are swimming against the tide, tbh. So much data is being put online, in a few years' time we will scoff at the idea that anyone could have objected to a potted biog (that the subject would have approved anyway - no-one's going to insist a teacher puts in anything they don't want to put).

custardo - LOL! That would mean that the parent whom the HT carefully avoided naming, would have to reveal herself!

indeed, depending on who writes the biog and what information is included it could be very favourable. in a 'getting to know you' or being part of 'the school family' or whatever bollock spin they could put on it.

Mr Smith has taught children for 35 years, his intrests are karaoke and appearing in the Lady Boys of Bangkok in his spare time.

True cryingfoul, but you could ask the head if this could be arranged if this continues.

sounds like the mums at your school are super arsey - who really gives a shit this much - very peculiar.

Then again maybe she'd think twice before causing trouble if she had to do it openly.

bingo - when they know you will call them on their shit - they quit it.

ds some years ago when he was still in secondary school was called a racist -by his (still) very good friend. they had fallen out over something as kids do - and the next thing you know the kid tells his mum, the mum understandably goes apeshit, the school take it seriously - and i say 'right get the mums and the kids in a room lets sort it out' the kid then tells his mum the real story before any meeting could happen. moral of the story is - call them on their shit.

anyway good luck.

Experience does count, of course. However it is not the be-all-and-end-all. A really experienced and good teacher is very valuable to a school. However a jaded teacher who hasn't kept up with the latest developments is not going to be so good. A new, young teacher with enthusiasm and the latest information could be very dynamic, whereas another new teacher may have weaknesses which need experience and time for improvement. So there are many factors involved.

YANBU
I'm stunned that the HT actually felt it was acceptable and within her power to pull you in for a meeting and tell you off like a naughty little girl, for your own private opinions. It has absolutely nothing to do with her what you believe and who you share it with!
It's a shame this HT is so board in a school day that she has the time to indulge in tell tales.

We have a teacher covering maternity leave with us and she is an NQT she is fantastic!!! On paper she is an inexperienced teacher and this her first job, but in reality she has been a God send and has brought a range of new skills to the school.

She is one of the best teachers I have seen and the children love her.

She has also turned a potentially difficult class into a good working group.

In my opinion as an LSA (learning support assistant) the people make good teachers NOT the piece of paper. For example someone who possesses a masters degree in quantum physics will not necessarily make the best teacher in the world just because they have a good degree.

I do and don't agree.

I agree with knowing what teachers studied for a first degree because I think it informs their teaching approach. I don't care where or how well they did. I would be thrilled if my DC were taught by someone who did a degree in, say, languages and incorporated that into their curriculum but I'd give lots of extra credit to a teacher who was enthusiastic and made an effort to incorporate a bit of Spanish even if the last time they studied it was GCSE.

I do care whether they did a BEd, PGCE or SCITT because IME they have different approaches to teaching. I'd want to know if a secondary history teacher was working in primary. This could be a fab thing for year 6, reception not so great. I'd want to know if someone with an early years PGCE is teaching year 6 so yes, it does matter what colour badge they have, because to be employed you only have to have QTS. I want to know where they got it and what in. It's not as simple as 'they're qualified', is it? I teach EFL - if I had a PGCE in secondary maths then I've got the required badge to teach but not my specialism.

I don't care how long they've been teaching although I might care if they're an NQT (because you have less teaching time as an NQT) and I might care how long they've been at the school and which classes they've taught.

I doubly care for secondary re: subject specialism.

But all of that is background information because I'm interested and I'd probably ask the teacher themselves!

There are cases where I think experience and training is important (international schools following the IBO programme, overseas trained teachers following the NC) but everyone is quite right when they say that paper isn't going to tell anyone how good someone is at their job. Good teachers are born, not made IMO.

frakkit you can't generalise like that. There is a lady in our school who trained as a Secondary Maths teacher. She now teaches Reception and is one of the best reception teachers I've ever seen.

As a general point, most primary teachers who go the postgraduate route will have to have had a degree in a Primary subject. So the list of qualifications will be very dull indeed.
They will read something like:

Mrs Butler: BA English etc, PGCE.
Mr Short: BEd.
Miss JimJams: BA History, PGCE

Etc etc etc.

As to the Head pulling you in, if it happens again just accuse them of being the thought police. I don't see the point of the list of qualifications but it doesn't mean you or anyone else can't hold that opinion!

Oh and tattletales exist everywhere. We've got one who works in our school, no letting off steam near her!