Headteachers letter to parents with teacher training link.

[itsgettingweird]

I just saw this and thought it was brilliant.

apple.news/AL86JlzklRQ2AoWEC5HeXKg

There's no denying this isn't easy for anyone.
Those WFH and homeschooling have it hard.

Many teachers are also doing this.

But there does seem to be some parents who think they can do it better and yet also cannot wait to send their kids back - because it's hard!

Well you're kind of proving my point there aren't you. A lot (not all) teachers seem to have a real victim complex. I'm not saying for a second that it's an easy role because I don't think it is, but teachers are hardly the only ones having a tough time right now

Ah classic whattabouttery.

Teaching as a profession is not respected, why the need to deny that?

It’s the same with a lot of public sector jobs - constantly undermined by the government. Junior doctors, consultants, teachers, local government workers, social workers..... you name it, the government has shit on them for years and years.

I thought it was great. In life l am a fan of people putting their money where there mouth is about things e.g. if someone thinks teachers are lazy and dreadful, l can do way better! Then l suggest they go for it.

I also work in a profession people love to criticise but then in the next breathe say “l couldn’t do what you all do”. Well, which is it? Are we all lazy and crap, or working very hard with little resources and sky high expectations

@iggly well yes, exactly. My point was that some (not all) teachers seem to believe they have it much harder than everyone else. Not that they don't have it hard. Of course they do. Most of us do right now.

Would it be acceptable for a social worker (one of your examples) to write a letter like that to the people they are meant to be supporting?

Chose that's actually an excellent point and very valid. Parents blame teachers because they can motivate their child to do the work.

They seem to blame the teachers.

Forgetting that the teachers are expected to do it for this child alongside 29 others!

It's very interesting but I wonder how many people actually know and understand the education act and law around education? It's only law that children are provided an education. Parents can choose to outsource that to the state. The state is only required to offer education to children and it actually doesn't specifically state anywhere that it's in a school physically.

By law education is fundamentally a parents responsibility.

Well you're kind of proving my point there aren't you. A lot (not all) teachers seem to have a real victim complex

This does seem true. I have teacher friends who are driven mad by their colleagues in this way. It seems to be a long standing issue and I do wonder if it's ever fixable. I am not sure it was much better when Labour were in power.

@TwelvePaws

It seems a bit unprofessional. But honestly, having heard what some parents are like, at this stage, I don’t blame them. There’s so many useless parents blaming everything on teachers. Obviously it’s nothing to do with the fact that their kids are fucking nightmares, won’t concentrate or engage.

🤣🤣🤣

Blunt but probably true!

By law education is fundamentally a parents responsibility.

Which law are you referring to?

MN isn't a hive.

It is when you suggest there exists a terrible school or teacher :)

@notevenat20

By law education is fundamentally a parents responsibility.

Which law are you referring to?

Education act

It's a fucking appalling letter. I'm getting so angry at the tone of the school's communication to parents - it's constantly telling us off, telling us we're not engaging well enough, we're not responding via the required method (which changes on a weekly basis), the kids are interacting too much... the kids aren't interacting enough... the work being submitted is too long to mark... there's not enough work being submitted... it just goes on and on and on.

You want parents to do a full-teacher's job - pay them and train them - otherwise back the fuck off a bit and accept that the bulk of them are muddling the hell through, with a world that's changed completely since they were at school and that you can't bloody send a barrage of shitty memos to them as they're not your sodding employees.

The stuff that's being set for my kids - well one year group have it well pitched, backed up and showing a progression through... the other one is just shoving whatever she can find online up that won't get parents hassling her for anything or stuff needing to be marked so she can get back to politicking on the school twitter account about how hard done by the teachers are. She is an utter fucking waste of space (wasn't much better when the schools were open - marking time till retirement).

The teachers wanted the schools closed and to teach remotely - they got it... so they can shut the fuck up and reap their wishes.

And yes, before people start the "can't criticise if you've not done it" routine - qualified primary teacher, experience teaching my kids' age groups and it's still shit.

Teaching as a profession is not respected, why the need to deny that?

I am not sure this is true and in any case teachers are more respected in the UK than in many countries. See the attached.

I think the main flaw with this is the assumption that parents know nothing! However, they often do. Many are teachers themselves or have expertise in various related professions. They also know their own child very well! Especially if they have been home schooling them for extended periods of time! So (respectful) feedback does actually make sense in a lot of cases.

I think the main flaw with this is the assumption that parents know nothing! However, they often do. Many are teachers themselves or have expertise in various related professions. They also know their own child very well! Especially if they have been home schooling them for extended periods of time! So (respectful) feedback does actually make sense in a lot of cases.

As a parent I would never write to the school about failings in their educational provision. I just can't imagine that anything would change as a result. The reason for my pessimism is partly due to the attitude towards parents shown repeatedly here on MN. Another reason is that educational failings that I have seen are typically due either to a fundamental disagreement (with me) over educational priorities and/or a lack of resources. Neither of those will be helped by my writing in.

As a parent I would never write to the school about failings in their educational provision. I just can't imagine that anything would change as a result.

I have (very respectfully) and it did work. I didn't word my concerns as 'failings' though. My feedback was asked for as part of a Statementing process. The D.C. concerned is now doing very well.

Respectful feedback is always appreciated. I know parents know their children best. I also know that providing 30 different lessons is unmanageable.

Yes respectful feedback is great.

Great in society as a whole.

Questioning someone's level of qualifications and training is a direct insult.

Parents do often know their children best. Their children. Teachers are providing lessons for 30. There has to be some foundation and basic set.

I personally respect the heads who are sending out letters telling parents to do their best.

I also know that providing 30 different lessons is unmanageable.

Quite. However, the Statementing process was about additional individual funded provision and therefore feedback and provision needed to reflect that. Added to this, with provision for NT children, if there is a lot of negative feedback it might be that something is 'off' about the provision. Online schooling is still pretty new so one would expect there is somewhat of a learning curve.

What comes across from some head teachers is that they’ve clearly never had a job in an ‘adult’ environment. Sound off to your friends and family of course but when you put something in writing it needs to be professional and appropriate. It always makes me wonder how they relate to their staff and whether they speak to them in the same manner

@PigggieABC

That's just so silly and narrow minded of the headteacher. Why shouldn't parents constructively suggest improvements? The school should welcome it if they care about the children. Teachers have little to no experience with remote learning and can't be expected to get it right when thrown into the deep end so fair and well considered feedback might help improve things.

Our dc spend hours and hours on the computer which is going to be detrimental for their eye sight and is quite age inappropriate in terms of sitting and staring at a screen. However, I would think twice before suggesting anything to the teacher as I know they are fire fighting. But if there was something important that could adversely impact the health and wellbeing or education of my kid sure I'd say something.

The headteacher's stance is the typical, haughty top down approach of some in the teaching profession. Patronising, boring and predictable, not to say old-fashioned. On the other hand the amount of moaning about learning content from some parents is just tedious albeit understandable.

So you think it is right and fair that parents should be posting rude comments to teachers telling them how to do their jobs and that they are teaching incorrectly? Really?

Some posters on here clearly have no idea how awfully some parents communicate with teachers.

The assumption seems to be that it was polite constructive criticism.

@noblegiraffe

Some posters on here clearly have no idea how awfully some parents communicate with teachers.

The assumption seems to be that it was polite constructive criticism.

Exactly.

And the head actually referenced parents who had provided this type of feedback.

The assumption seems to be that it was polite constructive criticism.

It might have been. It might not have been. There should be no assumptions either way. However, the head master's response was rather rude.

It might have been. It might not have been.

Pretty clear it wasn’t. Questioning their skills and training is neither polite nor constructive.

Pretty clear it wasn’t. Questioning their skills and training is neither polite nor constructive

We didn't see all of the criticisms. Some might have been constructive or at least have had a constructive element. They would need unpicking to get to the root of the problems. Which I don't think is parents are 'stupid and horrible' but that the situation is very stressful for some. Responding to rudeness, though, in the same vein can only serve to escalate hostility.

The head said that they welcomed the constructive feedback that they had also received.