Teachers - Do you teach in a state or private school?

[MeantToStopAtTwo]

How did you end up in that sector? Was it an active choice? If so, why? Would you consider working in the other sector?

As a teacher, you probably have lots of teacher friends in other schools, as I do. If I think of the schools those friends teach/have taught in, plus the schools that my daughter and her PGCE friends teach/have taught in, plus the Teach First experiences of many of my childrens' friends-I can think of many, many schools where the behaviour of many of the pupils is as described, and not only with NQTs or "weak" - how convenient-teachers.

God. How depressing that teachers can be such a prejudiced bunch. Private school pupils are not in touch with their communities, emotionally neglected and need extra help. State pupils are badly behaved and poorly motivated. I am but not surprised.

I speak from experience, not preudice, which is opinion formed without knowledge.

Jonnyfan. You may have some experience but I think it's nuts to write off either sector in such broad terms.

State but wouldn't rule out independant. For me it's not the secotr but the individual school that is important, there are fantatsic and shite schools in both sectors.

Private school pupils are not in touch with their communities,

Sorry, if that was based on my post then please do read it again because I actually didn't say that at all.

I was talking about my country state school, which I am particularly enjoying working at for its community spirit in comparison with the state town and city schools I have worked in, where catchments overlap and there is less of a community spirit. I hope this explains more clearly what I meant

I have not worked in any private school so cannot (and never have) commented on the community spirit you might find there.

Sadly, the thread is descending. Shame.

Similar to Holls2000. Went straight into independent because I wanted to be at a boarding school and am now a housemistress. Wouldn't rule out working in a state boarding school but there are so few I expect it's unlikely to happen (certainly none where we've settled). I get paid less to be a teaching housemistress in my small independent girls school than I would to be a teacher in a state school, plus I work all evenings and weekends, but I love it and can't imagine doing any other job.

The OP asked which sector we work in, and I answered. I have worked in both. I would not return to the state sector. I have not written it off, I simply choose not to return and I gave my reasons. No doubt the state sector will do just fine without me. Off to fine-tune my Calculus lesson for my lovely year 10 tomorrow .

Private school pupils are not in touch with their communities,

Absolute nonsense ime.

enjoy I've still got a lesson on gycolysis and the krebs cycle to sort.

Nice to see Jonnyfan and Migratingcoconuts are friends now, united by their common enemy me

I agree hula, my dd is in the state sector but I have lived in areas where most people privately educate their children and their is a strong connection between the community and the school.

Have fun with that MigratingCoconuts. Guessing year 12 students back after exams starting A2? I'm doing photosynthesis tomorrow.

I worked for a number of years in state schools. I now work in an independent. The move wasnt so much a " choice" but it was a job and I applied for it and got it ( I was being made redundant in the state sector) The problem with state schools is they want cheap and young nowadays so as an experienced teacher I was finding myself unemployable.

But moving to an independent was the best thing I ever did. I just wish I had deserted the rats in the state sector sooner. They have little sense of respect , loyalty or value for their teachers there in my opinion.

I work in a fantastic school and consider myself pretty lucky to be here. Fortunately my employer has neither ageism nor costism as a feature of its emplyment policy. They pick the best person for the job and they try to keep their staff . They value experience and ability. That is just my experience. I know all schools are different ( and that includes some state schools but not so many as far as I can see these days)

I am so pleased there are others who agree private school kids can have close links with their community. It has been said many times on similar threads that this isn't the case and my personal view of migratingcoconuts post was that she/he was implying just that.

I seriously wasn't and I am slightly annoyed that you have ignored my post where I made that clear. I was simply stating one of the things I love about working in my country state school, is the sense of shared community it gives me. I am upset that you have inferred something from my post I didn't actually write. Why would you automatically jump to the conclusion that I am saying anything negative about private school?? Why wouldn't someone in a private school in a country setting share a similar sense of community?

I have made it very clear I have no experience of private schools and have never stated they have no sense of community. In fact, I have stated that I would consider working in thee private sector if the right job came up at the right time.

I actually would like an apology for this continued misrepresenation of my post. I know what I wrote, I can't be held responsible if you interpreted it negatively but I don't want my name associated with your negative assertions.

I can only assume that people who thing that private school children don't have links to their community must assume that all children live in tiny bubbles surrounding them and their school???

DD goes to an independent school 3 miles away from home. She has no school friends within walking distance but has many play dates, etc.

She goes to brownies at out local church hall and mixes with other girls of the same age from our local area. She plays with some of these girls outside of Brownies, as a reault of meeting there, now.

She goes to Drama about 4 miles or so from home, mixing with boys and girls from other local areas. So even more of an increased friendship group in anyother community.

She goes climbing with boys and girls in yet another area - making even more links and friends.

She plays outside on the street with all the other children - all live on our estate, but go to various schools including the catchment school, schools out of catchement and the other independent schools. Where they go to school has no bearing on who they play with at all round here. They all muck in and go out and play.

She has other friends from other activities or links, all over - not just our local community. Her best friend lives about 3 miles away, not related to school at all.

DD doesn't live in some little school based bubble. She is really sociable and firendly and will just make friends with anyone and everyone!

MigratingCoconuts - I was responding to a quote from someone else I think. I saw te sentence taken as a seperate on here elsewhere and responded to that alone.

Both

Independant when not qualified, state once I'd completed my PGCE.

I spent the rest of my teaching career in state. (am an escapee from teaching) because it was far, far more challenging and therefore less boring and, quite frankly, the terms and conditions were better. I was also quite to discover very few of my colleagues in a very posh public school (with the big fees to match) had a degree, much less a teaching qualification.

Yeah, that's what I thought bestis

Stop trying to put words into other people's mouths and don't try to pick fights with people on thread that you know will inflame feelings.

Thanks Hulababy...sounds like she has a very rich experience.

State for 18 years - inner London and then Glasgow city.

I now teach in a private school and I would say I have enjoyed each school equally. I am from small town Cheshire and moving to inner London teaching was the best thing I ever did. I found Glasgow city schools very perocial and teaching a lesson was not and is still not part of the interview process. I found this very strange!
I love my current job and am paid more than the state sector. There are teachers from all over the globe and being English is not a problem which I found at my last state school in Glasgow!

Migratingcoconuts.

I am not putting words into anybody's mouth

I made a statement about it being commonly said on here that privately educated children are disconnected from their community and you assumed that was a reference to a comment you had made.

Your insistance that I apologise is hilarious. I really think you should work on your social skills, in particular, try to remember when you are speaking to people you can boss about children and when you are speaking to other adults

As I said, earlier up the thread, I work in a state school (not a teacher, I'm the assessment data manager and deputy safeguarding person). I've worked there for nearly 7 years.

My DS is at a Prep school. I can, and do, see both sides, every day.

Some teachers at my state school have no idea about the independent sector and quiz me about whether I get my sons grades changed if I disagree with them . As if that would actually happen?. I cannot believe it does happen anywhere. Some of these teachers say they could never work in the private sector as it would go against their principles and they would hate pandering to the whims of rich parents.

Similarly, some of the Prep school teachers, seem to assume that all state schools are populated by druggies, thieves and potential rapists and say they would categorically never work in that sector.

Never the twain shall meet, so it seems.

diablo.

That's pretty much exactly what I said earlier and got flamed