Something EVERY parent of a child in a UK State school should know about

[QualifiedTeacher]

The UK Government has new proposals to allow non qualified teachers to teach in UK schools. This means our children?s education may be placed in the hands of teachers without basic qualifications such as English and Maths GSCE let alone a Bachelors degree. This policy will mainly be affecting children from the lower economic backgrounds and the reasoning behind employing unqualified teachers is simply because it costs less.

I have attached an epetition which gives more information and is asking for signatures to oppose the use of unqualified teachers in UK State schools. If the numbers signing this petition is large enough, we can get the debate discussed in the UK Parliament. Please help and protect the education of all UK children in State schools.

Thanks

'My point is does it matter if a person isn't a qualified teacher if they have the subject knowledge, and are qualified/experienced in that subject.'

I beg to differ. As a parent and a teacher I would prefer my colleagues to have qualications and experience in the subject that they teach unless there are absolutely exceptional circumstances and even then I would like to know that the teacher was in the process of achieving their qualification.

At least she had GCSEs. Some of my older TAs, whilst great with the kids and have been doing the job for years, would admit themselves that they fell into the job because it fitted with being a mum. They have very poor literacy and numeracy skills, never mind GCSEs. I'm not generalising as there are lots of very literate TAs too. These TAs have their place under direction of a teacher and would be first to admit they could't do the job of a teacher. However there are one or two I've worked with who wouldn't recognise their ahem 'shortcomings'. To balance the scales my current LSA is excellent, NVQ level 3 nursery nurse and could do all of my job standing on her head whilst juggling but doesn't want to.

She like me doesn't have QTS as its not applicable to our PGCE.

How so? It's a Post Graduate Certificate of Education. I don't understand.

I think there have been enough posts explaining that subject knowledge is a tiny part of education. Planning, assessment and knowledge of the progression of skills are far more important. As you have already said, you can always keep a step ahead on subject knowledge, but without proper planning and assessment the children will not meet expected levels.

I think that's really important mumno. Most TAs either couldn't teach or don't want to.

I think we have to respect the fact that if people are able and really want to teach they will get their qualifications so they can do so. As I understand it, we already have a surplus of qualified teachers so the only possible reason to recruit those who are not qualified is to save money. Our children's education is priceless and they should be taught properly.

Fivecandles . I would rather have my dcs educated by somebody qualified to teach a particular subject than a qualified teacher teaching anything other than their own subject, or woodwork.

Personally, I learned more faced with a class of learners especially in terms of classroom management and differentiation than I ever did during my PGCE. You learn pretty quickly when your first class hurls chairs and tables across the room.

MTPP said, 'You learn pretty quickly when your first class hurls chairs and tables across the room.'

I usually duck, if I can find a sensible student tell them to get the Duty Teacher ASAP and try to calm the situation.

Each to their own I suppose.

Flexybex.
Its a PGCE in Post Compulsory ed. It attracts QTLS which is not the same and you are not allowed to teach compulsory education. It is QTS which allows a person to teach under 16's. So my friend teaching GCSE Maths should not be.

Qualified Teacher. I agree, but anybody with common sense knows that. I didn't learn this during my PGCE but from being in that experience.

MTPP said, ' I didn't learn this during my PGCE but from being in that experience.'

Yeah, learning to duck when having chairs and tables hurled at you is a skill most ITTs don't teach. I agree with you there.

I see that QTLS has been an acceptable qualification to teach in maintained schools since April.
QTLS

Interesting. I'd never heard of it!

I've got some good reads for over the weekend, Gove's plans, which take effect immediately to take PRUs away from LEAs and set them up as Special Academies and also reading up about our new behaviour management tzar, an ex North London primary HT.

Will keep you all informed when I am.

A colleague and I had parallel classes. He complained that his class were unmanageable, climbing out of the windows, seeing fire to curtains. So one day we swapped classes. And they were fine with me, but 'my' class behaved badly with him. I don;t claim to be tjhe best teacher ever, but have no repsect for teachers who moan about and hide behind classroom control/behavioural problems to avoid actual teaching.

Some of you teachers must teach in the Wild West,

Kids throwing chairs and tables, setting fire to curtains, climbing out of windows....

Does this happen in EVERY lesson? and
Do you think teachers either qualfied or unqualfiied should be paid peanuts for putting up with this?

Perhaps MrsG YOU should be the new behaviour management tzar.

You have surely experienced such disruptions, QT? At least if not first hand, then in the room down the corridor?

Never had an unsupported child with EBD and an evacuation policy to manage the frequent disruptions instead of an actual additional 1-1 worker?

Lucky, lucky.

I guess narrower experience can have benefits too.

Never been the next door teacher who has to welcome a class of frightened kids who have been evacuated from their lesson whilst the teacher, ht, and any other spare staff go to try to talk down the child with an?

I don't think some of the teachers on this thread realise just how much of the argument they lose with their poor grammar, punctuation and syntax.

There are some glowing exceptions (Mrs Guy and Feenie for instance).

Fivecandles there are two kinds of PGCE (at least) one is a teaching qualification the other is the part of the masters level study

According to the QAA

The qualification acronym ?PGCE? has traditionally been understood to stand for ?Post-Graduate Certificate in Education?. However, the academic level of PGCE courses does vary. Some institutions run PGCE courses which aim for the academic equivalent of the final year of an undergraduate honours degree, with QTS. Other courses, however, are pitched beyond Honours level, incorporate subject or specialist work in greater detail, and include consideration of research methods. Such courses may form a progression route within a framework which ultimately leads to a Masters degree.

Did anyone notice the latest announcement about Post threshold/Excellent teachers/ASTs? They will be no more.

Instead we can all aspire to be Master Teachers. I am not kidding. Don't even start me on the semantics of this title...

Wait till the wine starts, Abra1d

Master teacher????

Sounds kind of....wanky.

Priceless, isn't it?
(From Itchy's link to DfE)
Is the Master Teacher standard going to have a direct link with pay?

The review group makes no recommendations on teachers? pay, but has observed that it does not expect the standard to be directly linked to pay.

Any changes to teachers? pay and conditions in maintained schools in England and Wales are determined by the Secretary of State following recommendations from the independent School Teachers? Review Body (STRB).

I teach in a top gangland borough, so the kids are more knives and guns and threatening to 'put you down,' kinda stuff.

Witnessed a few knife incidents and shots being fired but no tables, only chairs thrown and no curtains set alight or kids climbing out of windows.

Um, I'd be interested to see the errors in my posts Abra1d...

I start my GTP in September. I'm so excited, optimistic and idealistic!

Abra1d

I have always believed that when you start commenting on others posters grammar, punctuation and syntax you have already lost the arguement.