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Original poster

For teachers- do your pupils learn something new every day?

380 replies

jasper · 02/01/2004 23:37

I am asking this due to the thread about taking kids out of school outwith holidays, where some of you explained it disrupted the teaching programme.

My question is do you really teach your pupils something different every day? This is a genuine question, not intended to provoke or criticise. I admire anyone who chooses teaching as a profession and the friends I have who teach are , to a woman, remarkable and inspiring individuals.
It's just that my memory of school (particularly primary school ) was of weeks and weeks of repetition of the same things.

That was my biggest compliant about school - it was boring and repetitive and I felt I hardly ever learned anything.

We were taken out of school for a week or two most years and there was never any notion of having to catch up or missing anything. Have things changed or am I suffering from false memory syndrome ? Might I have gone on to acheive greatness if it hadn't been for those fortnights in Harrogate?

So to repeat my question,which was not intended to rehash the holidays issue, do you teach a different thing every single day?

OP posts:
tigermoth · 13/01/2004 07:58

agree - as I understand it, the home situation, not the school, is held more responsible for children's violent behaviour.

fisil · 13/01/2004 08:18

Tigermoth, I find inspiration, tips and ideas from the most unlikely sources. I am constantly on the look out for ways to improve my teaching. When in consultation with parents I will often ask (especially with regard to behaviour) what parents have tried and found to work with their children. More often than not, working with teenagers, I find it is actually the other way round, with parents asking us for advice. But yes, I would certainly say for myself, my colleagues and teaching friends that we don't just listen to suggestions, we actively seek them.

Batters · 13/01/2004 12:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Marina · 13/01/2004 13:06

Hear hear Batters, only skim-read this thread but also wanted to say thanks to all the teacher Mumsnetters for the advice they give and the window onto the reality of the classroom they provide. I am utterly shocked at what some of you have to put up with, and enjoyed a quick snigger at some of the ways you deal with awful kids. Go girls.

codswallop · 13/01/2004 13:18

I am not a teacher any more because I am sick of being slagged off and I do not see the point of letting someone else look after my littlelies whilst I berate disaffected youths who are taught not to respect teachers by their parents.

Just because YOU went to school does not make you sn expert..... do not think you do.

FairyMum · 13/01/2004 13:52

....And what a shame so many wonderful teachers leave their profession for similar reason. I think teachers need our support and a lot more money for the sometimes impossible job they have to do. I can imagine it must sometimes be harder to deal with the parents than the kids?

fio2 · 13/01/2004 14:16

If a teacher used to tell me off at school and I used tot ell my mum and dad, they used to tell me off too. I cant beleive how parents nowadays teach their kids to disrespect teachers - god knows what some of them will grow inot. (sorry - was just replying to coddy)

donnie · 13/01/2004 15:01

robinw you are carefully avoiding the question so many people on this thread have asked you; why, if in your opinions schools and teachers are all so crap, do you not educate your child at home officially? we'd really like an answer to that one.As for your experience of teachers 'not varying their tone of voice' - is this a wind-up?

Browbeaten · 13/01/2004 15:07

fio2 I agree with you so much about respect. My bil is a deputy head and some of the stories he tells me about parents, not the children, makes me so angry. He had a father call him a w*nker in front of his form class as he was getting them to line up in the playground at the end of school. The father didn't want to wait about so came over to get his teenage son and when bil explained this was a discipline thing he said "so what w*nker" and proceeded to lead his son off. What is that all about!!!! I think for what it's worth the majority of teachers do a marvellous job and all the teachers I know are in it for the children and not for the 'long' holidays (as they do get accused of this).

emsiewill · 13/01/2004 16:41

Just read all of this thread and wanted to add my support for the teachers.

I see it as part of my "job" to support the school, and the things my children do in school. I would imagine that if a child constantly hears her parents saying that the school is failing her and her teacher is no good, then the child will believe it, and therefore will not get anything from the school / teacher....a self-fulfilling prophecy.

There are a couple of things about dd1's teacher that I am not keen on - but I would never say that to / in front of her, because the school and teachers are, on the whole, excellent.

So a big thanks to teachers for doing a very difficult job with so much enthusiasm - I know I could never do it.

kmg1 · 13/01/2004 18:44

Tigermoth - as an untrained volunteer helper at school, I have always felt valued, and any feedback I have given the teacher has clearly been taken on board ... as I basically listen to children 1to1, this is usually limited to 'child x is reading very fluently, maybe needs to move on to another section' or 'child y was really struggling today, not sure why - maybe just a late night, but you may want to keep on eye on him'. I never get the impression that the teacher values my input any more or less because I'm not 'trained'.

The teacher I currently help has two children the same age as mine, and we often compare notes on parenting/disciplinary techniques. She has had considerable training, and is a very experienced teacher, but it doesn't mean she would regard herself as a superior being. Robinw, as before, you are not making sense. I must say I will not be able to read your posts on mumsnet in future, without the issues here clouding my opinions, and I'm sure the same is true for many others. This is a shame for you.

(As far as commenting on teaching styles: in the past year whenever I have witnessed some whole class teaching, I have been completely bowled over by how dynamic, exciting, and interesting primary school education is these days.)

popsycal · 13/01/2004 18:54

WE are bullying are we, Robin?
Now I really think you must be taking the p**s!
That comment has really made me laugh!
And teachers don't seek feddback from kids do they not? Oh right!
This thread is actually making me laugh today!
If a parent asked if they could help in my class I would be forever thankful - your response Robin?
And as MANY others posters have said....please respond to our queries as we have responded to your questions...
Oh sorry - I am bullying!

Oakmaiden · 13/01/2004 19:17

donnie et al - I'm going to post something that may well be inflammatory now, because I am cross. I would suggest that maybe Robin sends her child to a school that she believes is unsatisfactory, even though she knows she could do better at home, because it is free childcare. Her daughter disappears off all day and leaves her free to get on with whayever other stuff she needs to do.

I hate that - particularly when you are not honest about it. OK - if you need to work then fine, but say "I do this cos I need to work".

Hulababy · 13/01/2004 19:22

Popsy - it isn't worth it anymore

Jimjams · 13/01/2004 19:34

We had a letter home today from the teachers saying they welcome any parents in class and they are happy to have volunteers to cut stuff up at home etc (which I'm going to volunteer for- I think it would be difficut for ds1 and his LSA etc if I was around a lot at the moment).

I'm still amazed at how well everything is going for ds1- and I am very very grateful to all the members of staff who work hard every day to make it work. He's only one little boy in a class of 30, but having him settled in school makes such a big difference to him and the rest of the family.

tigermoth · 13/01/2004 19:44

kmg and fisil, thanks for cheering me up! I just wanted reassurance that teachers out there do listen and act on untrained helpers suggestions.

I have to admit my confidence in teachers was shaken by knowing my son's year 2 teacher well - too well - as a friend. He's a nice person, but was not a good teacher for my son, in the sense of being professional and committed. The stories I could tell... but not here. He's left the profession now.

I have total respect for my sons current teachers. They do a wonderful job.

tigermoth · 13/01/2004 19:48

I'm really pleased for you jimjams, because I know your experience of SEN professionals has been mixed to say the least. It must make you so happy that this group of teachers, combined with the right support for your son, is working so well.

tigermoth · 13/01/2004 19:54

also, since so many here are thanking teachers, I'd like to add my thanks to my sons teachers since year 3 - I can see the steady change in his behaviour since he joined his current school. You can never know what causes such change, but I feel his teachers influence and hard work has been a major factor.

bunny2 · 13/01/2004 21:07

Reading this thread makes me very glad I no longer teach. The profession is the tougest there is, official stats identify it as the most stressful and, as many contributors to this thread illustrate, teachers are not respected. How sad, it is the most important job in the world but who wants to be a teacher with attitides like these?

Clarinet60 · 13/01/2004 22:59

I don't think there are many attitudes like this, really. Skim down the thread and count the teacher-bashing posts compared to the teacher-praising ones. Teaching is still greatly respected, IME. Often, it is the education system itself that is being criticised, although people don't always express themselves well enough.

TEACHERS - YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!

fisil · 14/01/2004 07:19

Thank you everyone - I like this thread now.

Tigermoth - yesterday I changed my Y9 seating plan and the way I dealt with one student on the advice of my teaching assistant, and had a beautiful lesson as a result! Re your point about getting too close to your son's teacher, I'm sure it would be the same in a lot of professions: I have heard doctors humour, which is funny unless you are actually sick and going through treatment, in which case it is just awful. I suppose it is a survival technique, and a good one so long as it is in the right place at the right time!

robinw · 14/01/2004 10:31

message withdrawn

Hulababy · 14/01/2004 10:35

This thread has now become offensive and insulting tot he teaching profession and no longer has anything to do with the thread title.

I think it is time the thread came to an end.

JanH · 14/01/2004 10:36
JanH · 14/01/2004 10:37

Sorry, Hulababy, your post wasn't there just now. Hope you are feeling better today?