teacher crisis

[supplysam]

New name, I have been reading threads in education for a long time, and really want to put across to some parents what is really going on in our schools.

I've been in schools for 30 years. Not all teachers will have witnessed what I've witnessed, or experienced what I've experienced, but many will have.

I taught for decades. I resigned because the "profession" is now nothing more than slave labour. The normal day is 15+ hours, and many days are longer. fulfilling all the requirements of being a full time teacher simply do not leave time to sleep and eat. Not only that, but you are held over a barrel by ofsted (and school managers) who blame you for the behavior and attitude of students and parents, when you have no control over either. I am not blaming school managers, buy the way, they are often under insane and ridiculous pressure themselves.

As a supply teacher, I walk in at the stat of the day, and walk out at the end, with my job done, and no pressure or expectations at all. The pay is good, and there is no shortage of work.

I am often asked back, I am often BEGGED to take long term positions. This is what happens. I take it, on a day to day basis. When the work load starts piling up, when I find I am spending my family time on irrelevant and rubbishy non educational paperwork, when the attitude of any student becomes something I don't want to listen to, I leave.

The next day, I am in another job, being begged to stay!

[minifingerz]

"I really think private school does instill different values in them and make them different people"

All ghettoes have that effect on their inhabitants, at both ends of the scale.

As I said - children learn from each other as well as from their teachers and families.

Isolate the most clever, well supported and socially privileged children in exclusive institutions. Then isolate all the academically struggling, poor and socially disadvantaged children together in other institutions. And see what happens to society. :-(

[EvilTwins]

[NewLife4Me]

I don't think it irrelevant neither.
If teachers had the time to do their jobs in state schools, instead of ticking bloody boxes and jumping through hoops,most children would gain a good education.
You can't blame teachers and parents for feeling like this.

When my dd first started her school I tried to imagine what it must be like to teach children who you knew were not really interested in the subject and wanted to be in a practice room or stage. Then I realised it's no different from most kids my older dc were at school with.
Teachers at dd school have the time and they are happy, I have no idea if this is the case in many/most private schools as I have no experience at all.

They were always the posh kids that lived in posh areas

[minifingerz]

The independent sector hoovers up a worrying proportion of really creative, academically bright teachers, particularly in shortage subjects. Given that 16% of children attend private schools post GCSE, that's going to have a fairly significant impact on state schools.

[EvilTwins]

If teachers had the time to do their jobs in state schools, instead of ticking bloody boxes and jumping through hoops,most children would gain a good education.

If only it were that simple.

[NewLife4Me]

EvilTwins

I only lasted my probationary period.
I just wanted to pass on my knowledge and experience to people who wanted to work in the industry.
I worked hard to gain a Degree with no other qualifications.
I slogged through my PgCE with 3 dc, my dh was a rock and so supportive, I couldn't have asked for more.
I can't do it.
I can't comprehend what it must be like in Primary and Secondary.
Hoping to work in support some time at college as was highly praised for patience and empathy. Would volunteer but they won't accept me as lots made redundant recently.
I hadn't known or else I wouldn't have tried, but so glad they refused me.

[minifingerz]

"But from experience mini dd has being a high achiever in state school and certainly in her last state school there are many high achievers, I simply disagree"

In some.

But no mainstream private school has ANY poor, low achieving and disaffected children, and it's this that's the real problem, because they are ALL concentrated in state schools.

[EvilTwins]

Wealthy low achievers though, I would imagine.

[momtothree]

My granny - who's 98 - said that children of her generation we're delighted to go to school - they really wanted to better themselves and get out of the manual jobs they were destined for -

We are no only a few generations along - so why are kids disinterested?

Is it the social system? Instant fame? Lack of jobs - what?

[NewLife4Me]

Evil

FWIW I don't expect my dd to come out a high achiever, it isn't her.
She will try her best but isn't academic, she knows those who don't try or can't be bothered, but others who can and do, plus some who find it easy.
Some children from deprived areas, good areas, some leave to go to grammar (not many), most stay for 6th form. Most become Musicians.
We are from a deprived area and a low income family as are some others at the school.
I was surprised how much help is out there, not just for music but sport and Art.
There isn't nearly enough and not all of it is accessible to all and this isn't fair.

[momtothree]

My granny - who's 98 - said that children of her generation we're delighted to go to school - they really wanted to better themselves and get out of the manual jobs they were destined for -

We are no only a few generations along - so why are kids disinterested?

Is it the social system? Instant fame? Lack of jobs - what?

[EvilTwins]

New but your DD is at a specialist school (performing arts??) so I guess the academic side in your case is less of a priority. As a drama teacher, though, I agree that the lack of access for most is disgusting. One of the things that makes me very angry about state education is the Ebacc and the dogged focus on those subjects, at the expense of the arts.

[NewLife4Me]

Evil just music but she likes drama, they don't do much.

I'm going to hate myself for this, but the person we need to thank for the little support that is out there in forms of gov support in the arts, especially music is Thatcher.
Of all the bloody ridiculous people. I hated her so much and only found this out recently when looking further into MADS.
If you ever have a student you would support in this way I have a copy of our application form and notes, will gladly share.

[minifingerz]

"especially music is Thatcher."

What support?

my children were the ONLY children at their primary school who were learning an instrument above grade 3. There was no differentiation in their primary music teaching at all and they hated their lessons. My youngest is now excused from music lessons because he's so far ahead of the others - he has ASD and can't sit through a class covering stuff he learned two years ago. The nearest comprehensive didn't enter a single child for GCSE music and none of the local comprehensives have decent music clubs as there aren't enough proficient mucisians to run a brass or jazz club. This is partly because of the way private and grammar schools hoover up children who are musically gifted.

[2snugglets]

Agree you should look at other careers. If I had the time and funds I would retrain to be a sonographer.

[FannyGlum]

It's also because lots of secondary schools are struggling to cover core subjects. So they timetable drama teachers as English teachers and music teachers as something else. Music and drama teachers also do a hell of a lot for free and for goodwill. With recent changes to workload that mean this is unmanageable and schools aren't willing to budge be a use music and drama and art don't count for the statistics. I didn't teach an arts subject but I did teach an 'other' subject that wasn't English, maths and science. Therefore it didn't matter. There was no money, no time etc.

[mercifulTehlu]

You're right EvilTwins - independent schools are irrelevant to the problems kids face in state education. Anyone who thinks that state schools can be improved by 'taking a leaf out of ' private schools' books is deluded.
However, independent schools are relevant to teachers. They remind us what teaching can be like, and make us even more painfully aware of the miseries of working in the state sector. I'd say that my time in a private school is one of the major factors in my desire to avoid anything but supply work in state schools. Once you've experienced the other side, it's hard to go back.

Obviously there aren't enough private schools to employ all the disaffected state school teachers (especially in my part of the country - otherwise I'd be applying for jobs at them). But lots of UK teachers are going to work abroad too. My bil and his wife have done just that - lovely international school in Spain.

[spanieleyes]

Which is why the government are well on their way to abolishing the PGCE-which teachers need to work abroad in most countries. Another escape avenue closed down!

[mercifulTehlu]

God I'd not realised that implication!