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Education

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Teachers/Homework....the truth

76 replies

hmb · 16/09/2004 20:06

OK, time to come clean.

We only set it because we are nasty, fetishistic old bags who love nothing more than to make people?s lives a misery.

We set it knowing that it hinders you child?s learning, and we do it in a way that creates the maximum amount of disruption and misery to your lives. We even make it difficult to understand.

In lessons we constantly put kids down, we try as hard as we can to make their lives more difficult. We make a conscious effort to hold back the bright and able and over stress those finding things hard.

We step in too often except when we step in too late. We do too many things outside of school with kids, except when we do too few. We are over strict except when we are too lenient.

We do this because deep down we are all just bad people.

We were also the unknown gunmen behind the grassy knoll; we shot JR, take places in M & T parking spaces and never pay for our grapes.

Basically we are the scum of the earth.

There, now I feel better!

Seriously, I have had the worst day in school. I have been sworn at, had to step in to sort out a fight and run after a child to stop her leaving school. I have just finished my prep work for tomorrow and read that I should also be running homework clubs. It seems that I can get 30 kids in a room to work, when parents say they can't get them to work at home.

I'm not a saint ladies, I am just a regular woman who is getting tired of the kicking my profession is getting on Mumsnet. Sure, some teachers are crap. I know this. And I understand that you all want the very best for your kids, so do I. But we are not all the spawn of Satan, just reasonable people trying to do their best.

I have no problems with people complaining about the actions of some, but can we lay of some of the ruder generalisations, If for no other reason that other peoples kids have given me a shitty day today.

OP posts:
popsycal · 16/09/2004 20:07

HMB - I just mentioned to Hula that it was a long time since we had a 'heated' education thread.....

roisin · 16/09/2004 20:08

Sorry you've had such a tough day hmb

Angeliz · 16/09/2004 20:10

hmb, i am a complete novice as dd has only been at nursery for a few days but i can't praise her teachers enough!
I have never left her before and to leave her screaming breaks my heart,
There is a LOVELY teacher there though who was cuddling her as i left in tears this morning and then spoke to me for a good 5 minutes on the phone about how normal dd's behaviour was and telling me to relax and have a good morning!

There are some great ones

Hope you have a better day tomorrow!

Slinky · 16/09/2004 20:11

{{{hugs}}} for you hmb

I personally think that teachers get a very raw deal - of course they're are the VERY few who are c but the vast majority of fabulous, hard-working saints who deserve bdy medals for all the c** dished out to them.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow!

pixiefish · 16/09/2004 20:12

Agree hmb. Every year until last year I used to take a group of kids to an outdoor pursuits type place for 2 weekends a year and every f@@@ year the parents would pick the kids up from the school, some late so I had to hang on for them and NOT ONE ever used to thank me for giving up my weekend to take their child away. It was as if I was getting a freebie!!!!!!!!! It can be the worst job in the world and then you get one 'success'/breakthrough/whatever and suddenly it's the best isn't it? What do you teach? Me- Secondary English- shouldn't fess to that really- typing let's me down.

hmb · 16/09/2004 20:12

I know that I will, because except motherhood it is the best job I have even had. This wasn't a plea for people to be nice to teachers (even if your comment were very kind), but a heartfelt request for people to stick to the specific complaint about the specific teacher and let the rest of us alone.

OP posts:
popsycal · 16/09/2004 20:15

HMB - for what its worth....I have been told to f* off twice today by a 10 year old and when asking a 9 year old (whose lesson I was covering for an absent colloeague) to come to my desk as he was disrupting the group he proceeded to look round the room quizzically, cup his hands to is ear and say 'did i hear a sound? or was it just someone turning in his grave'......
that is just for starters...

blossomhill · 16/09/2004 20:17

Poor you hmb
I really feel for you. I have witnessed first hand the criticsm teachers get and the way they are treated and really sympathise.
I just wanted you to know that I have the upmost respect for teachers. Especially the ones that work with my dd in the speech and language unit. There support and hard work has turned my whole family's life around. Dd has come on so much and it's all down to her teachers.
I know what you mean about parents not supporting at home. I have always supported my children to the best of my ability and made sure they have read and done homework. It is for there benefit after all. Some of the mum are like "I don't bother, it's the teacher's job and that's what they are paid for" WTF?
I also used to help read in ds's class and I must say after that take my hat off to all teachers. Well half of the children's parents were not reading with there children and I was getting angry as without that support at home what chance has a child got?
Hmb - you do a great job, give yourself a pat on the back and ignore any insulting comments(I know that's hard!). You change children's lives and without teachers where would society be? Thank you for what you do from a very grateful mum

Frenchgirl · 16/09/2004 20:17

hmb teachers are not the scum of the earth, lawyers are (I am one but keep that to myself as I don't work as one ), apparently.... I detest generalisation as I am often the target of it as a foreigner. I am delighted with dd's teachers so far, as is she.
Have a better day tomorrow...

pixiefish · 16/09/2004 20:18

popsycal- lovely isn't it???????????

popsycal · 16/09/2004 20:19

charming!

hmb · 16/09/2004 20:20

I worry tht the bad language seems to getting worse in younger kids. The F word is common in the playground of our kids. I teach seconday science btw, and cant type for toffee

OP posts:
Hulababy · 16/09/2004 20:23

I'm with you hmb. I resigned from my current school last year. After that so did the two thers members of the department whole department, including the Head of Department. One teacher has been replaced. there were NO candidates for the other two positions. As a last resort, I agreed firstly to do one day a week to hold the department together, then finally two days. Why? I don't know - I am mad? I care? Whatever reason, I am there now.

I have talkjked about this school before:

  • secondary school in average working class area
  • was in serious weaknesses, now in special measures
  • head remains in post, as do senior management although good sixth form, school got 28% GCSEs A to C
  • behaviour of a "significant minority" (OFSTED) are a major issue
  • IMO behaviour of a lot have now been affected as this has't been addressed fully, so it's got worse

This week (only 2 days):

  • I have had 3 x Y7 classes- - quite chatty but on the whole quite lovely too; not bright but eager

  • I have had a Y8 class, very low abaility, other problems too, limited concentration span - but they worked well and we got a lot done

  • Y9 - the class from hell . I have to do some serious research on classroom mamangement this week end - It was the worst lesson in my whole teaching career. I lost them with the work (already pitched at Y8 level) within first 5-10 minutes. They came in to lesson high - been doing outdooor PE in high wind. Behaviour was awful; class dynamics are awful. Lots of vunerable pupils mixed in with SN and EBD pupils, and so called classed as set 2 (middle ability) Not a chance!!! It don't think I have ever been in a classroom and thought that I didn't know what I could do to rescue the lesson. Deputy head came at my request. He spoke to them. Half listen, half ignored him - so he left me to it I still don't know how I will address this next Tuesday and TBH I am dreading it like mad. I have rehashed lesson plans to bring down the level, and keep it t lots of 10 minute blocks of activity, with limited board work, etc. BUT the behaviour????

  • Y10 - on the whole good. Big class and too many for the computers. 7 pupils have no computer access at the moment. Major nightmare as this is an online course. Head looking into how to solve it. But anyway, working well on prep work. But one lad - bit of a "lad" but not actually vindictive, just disruptive. Wasnt working and kept removing all the mouse balls. Asked him to stop - his reply "FFS miss, why?"

  • Y11 GCSE class. Should have done lots of coursework. Loads missing, Held catchup sessions at lunch, thus having no break from 8am until 5pm (meetings afterschool). No one bothered to show up.

I could go on. This is just the pupils.

There are also major staffing issues as well.

So, go ahead. have a dig. Tell us teachers that we onyl set homework for our own good. Tell us we arnen;t doing our job properly. Go ahead. It won't make me feel any worse than I already do this week - that Y9 class knocked that out of me already. And I am still reeling from that.

So, why do I still do it?

For that look on the child's face when they do finally get it

For that sixth form lad, towering over me, who came up and said "Hey Miss, I did it, I got that C on my paper, thanks!"

That's why.

Slinky · 16/09/2004 20:24

Helped on DD1s school trip in the summer (a Year 3 class) and watched in horror as an 8 YEAR OLD boy told the teacher to "f off, b*!!!

Her "crime" for his delightful outburst was asking him to walk properly and stop messing around!!

pixiefish · 16/09/2004 20:24

I wonder why I put up with it and then I remember- The HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But seriously- the time's I've wanted to leave the profession because of ad behaviour and lack of respect. What really gets me is that kids know their rights and they have so bloody many... don't get me wrong I'm against the old cane etc but there has to be some sanction for bad behaviour.

Hulababy · 16/09/2004 20:24

Sorry, rant over. Hadn't meant to write so much - must be a form of therapy. Only 2 posts on here before I started writing. LOL!!!

pixiefish · 16/09/2004 20:29

Hulababy- that year 9 class- year from hell. Try this- have some work already on the whiteboard when they come in to class and tell them as they walk in to start copying the work. Give them something fairly boring/mundane- or have worksheets already on the table for them to copy into their books. I know there is no worth at all to copying but IMHO you have to sit on them before you can get any work done. This worked with a lot of the bad classes I've had, kids esp lower ability ones love to copy as it's something they can do well... I know I'll get slated for saying that but...

hmb · 16/09/2004 20:30

Hus Hula, you are having a worse time of it than I am. I only have 2 difficult classes, the rest are delightful. I also had a Y11 come over to me yesterday (who I taught last year) and say, 'I wish we still had you this year miss, I learned a lot from you'. I was 10 foot high, I can tell you. Then today was the day from hell.

And at the bottom of it is the knowledge that the kids that bugger about in my lessons piss me off, but they are wrecking the other kids educational chances.

OP posts:
hmb · 16/09/2004 20:31

Funily enough Pixiefish I did the same thing with my Y9 class from hell this afternoon. Write a bit to calm them down, bit of 'real' work, write a bit more. It kept the lid on them.

OP posts:
popsycal · 16/09/2004 20:32

i do the 'get a book out for 5 minutes' with mine (younger than yours though). they are in a routine that they do that straight away when they come in

Hulababy · 16/09/2004 20:32

We are not allowed to have any copying taks as starters - management policy after OFSTED put us in serious weakness. They'd go mad, literally.

But I do always have a starter up there. This week I had a spreadsheet on the whiteboard. I had paper on their desks with a list of cell addresses (you know B1, C5, etc.) and got them to start stating what data and data type (text, numeric, etc.) was in each cell.

No good They had a preset aganeda to mess up I think. And they all cam at different times and late - PE problem, has been every year, They only have 50 minute lessons so not enough time to get dressed and do an activity so they always over run. Doesn't help

pixiefish · 16/09/2004 20:33

Since I've been back this year I offer the kids that they can go outside the class if they don't want to work- I'm not that bothered but they are not ruining the education of those that want to work. Tell them they can work for me or take their chances with the new deputy... appears to be working so far... we'll see... time will tell...

Hulababy · 16/09/2004 20:35

Trouble is management are so high up ther own at the moment, desperately trying to rescue their own jobs. They set these inmpossible standards and set all these new policies. But they just hinder classes like these and mayhem descends. And we are left to pick up the pieces.

Sorry, feeling really bad about that lesson and just thinking about it brings me crashing down each time I'll cope!

hmb · 16/09/2004 20:35

Can you not even have a darts activity that they have to copy into their book?

Failing that Connectives could be good and make them write them out?

How about this is the Answer what is the question and make them write it all out? can you not get away with these?

OP posts:
Hulababy · 16/09/2004 20:36

See, there's another one. No sending kids out of the class. Instead we have to send for which ever senior teacher is on duty. Which is what I did. And the same guy left me there with them, after he didn't get their full attention or respect

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