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Education

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homework

90 replies

hmb · 20/09/2004 18:45

I have just finised marking a class set of homework for a second set (very able) of kids in Y9. These are nice kids who I enjoy teaching. There were 25 in the class, one was away on the day the work was set. Do you want to guess how many were done?

OP posts:
ScummyMummy · 20/09/2004 22:00

Hmb, hon, I don't think most people subscribe to the blanket admiration of certain professions these days. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, IMO, though I can see it must be infuriating and hurtful if you perceive that a blanket hatred has been set up in its stead.

Personally, I do not and never will respect teachers purely because they are teachers, anymore than I would respect rappers, social workers, artists, ballarinas, bankers, librarians, priests, doctors or tree surgeons automatically, just because they do what they do. Obviously my default position is that everyone is worthy of respect, but that is because of their personhood and whatever they do with that, not their profession per se, ultimately. It's my impression that you get a full range of professional fabness, mediocrity and awfulness whichever area you choose to focus on.

On a site like Mumsnet, where, as Suedonim has said, we are all education consumers and all have an interest and opinion, we may tend to hear slightly more about awful examples of teaching practice rather than the many, many fab ones. I believe and hope that isn't personal though and that the vast majority of mumsnetters respect you and the other teachers on here, hmb, both as great sounding teachers and as a people. That is certainly my position. It'd be a great shame if you stopped posting.

Avalon · 20/09/2004 22:15

I picked up dd2 from Brownies at 7.30 - held at the junior school - and met her teacher from last year just coming out of school. There were at least 3 other teachers there too. I presume they had been there for a meeting.

This is the side of teaching that parents often miss.

pixiefish · 20/09/2004 22:24

Don't leave. We MUST stick together and stand up for each other. i know what you mean about coming under fire. I sometimes feel that we're asked for advice on here and then shot down in flames for giving our opinion. But please don't leave because of it- we know that we do a worthwile job and we do it to the best of our abilities. I've stopped looking at the education threads as much after last weeks to be honest... I've had enough of being criticised etc but hmb- don't gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.........................

Rowlers · 20/09/2004 22:25

Scummymummy, I think you have hit on two areas which cause me concern.
Firstly, I don't understand why you do not respect the professions you mention simply because "they do what they do". Why not? I feel we need to get back to a society where we respect professional people simply for that reason!
Secondly, my impression of a lot of threads recently has been not just that there have been a lot of negative comments made but that the INSTANT reaction is to be angry, accusatory and sometimes quite abusive. From my experience of teaching, there is too much of this parental "jumping to conclusions", too many parents hear a child's story and immediately attack before finding out what actually happend / was said. I've been a victim of this myself and it is just wrong. It shouldn't happen.
I can't speak for her, but I can see hmb's viewpoint.

jampot · 20/09/2004 22:58

HMB it would be sad if you didn't post anymore so please don't go like this. As someone on this thread said earlier, nearly all of us have dealings with not one but many teachers each day - it stands to reason we can't all be happy with everyone 100% of the time and there are good teachers and bad teachers. I have complained about one teacher to our Head and nominated another for Teacher of the Year Award (for which he was a regional runner up). Is it that you never seem to hear the positive about your chosen profession? and that everyone just posts to complain about teaching? Please rethink your decision as hmb not Miss!

StickyNote · 20/09/2004 23:10

Please reconsider, hmb. As a serial lurker on this site, I've read a great many of your posts and agreed with most of them. You'd be greatly missed.

jasper · 21/09/2004 00:18

you're quite bloody right hmb. I can't believe some of the anti school and anti teacher cr*p I have read on mumsnet over the years and I'm not even a teacher!

SofiaAmes · 21/09/2004 00:55

I'm sorry you have such trying students hmb. I wish you had had me as a student. I loved school and I loved homework. I would do all the extra credit questions and often get extra books from the library to get extra questions. When I was a kid I could never understand why everyone didn't do as well as I did, as I thought school was way too easy, but now of course I realise that it might have had something to do with all the homework I did.

I think part of the problem today is that teachers aren't respected automatically just because they are teachers. I was brought up to respect my teachers regardless of their teaching ability, but not to be blind about what I was being taught either. (maybe coming from a family full of academics and teachers has something to do with it)

tigermoth · 21/09/2004 06:35

hmb, I think it's the way of the world that you'll hear more negative stories than positive praise about teachers. Same goes for any profession or organisation. I am really, really sorry you are taking it personally. I for one would never want to critise you personally - I so enjoy reading your posts and have learned a lot from them. I wish my sons had you as a teacher. My sons have had less than good teaching at times, but that doesn't mean I'd lump the whole profession together (or that I'd not post my negative thoughts on them on mumsnet). But they have also had some fantastic teaching and I'll say that too.

I am not sure what threads you are referring to in particular. As far as I know people on the homework threads were flagging up problems with giving primary aged children homework as they get varying support from home. I didn't read that as a general attack on teachers - or you, but I didn't read all the thread.

I guess education will always be a hot topic on mumsnet as nearly everyone has been taught themselves or has a child at school. I am really sorry that the subject matter is stressing you out. Please don't go!!

Twiglett · 21/09/2004 07:44

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WideWebWitch · 21/09/2004 08:06

Agree with scummy hmb. Don't go, but equally, I don't think people on mumsnet 'teacher bash' - more that mumsnetters sometimes criticise specific teachers for very specific behaviours - i.e angrymum's toilet problem with her 4yo. I don't see the problem with that. There are arses of teachers, just as there are arses of journalists, lawyers, you name it (sorry, maybe repeating scums here). I don't think people are getting at you in particular or even your profession in general. But you've left so you won't be reading this, right?

competitionwinningCOD · 21/09/2004 08:07

do you know what hmb i have only just read htis thread and i ma sick of mneres slagging teachers
this week they haev been
letting kids out of school
punishing htem for not doinghomework
ffs!

competitionwinningCOD · 21/09/2004 08:08

HMB ans as for HOLIdays! wow dont get me started

Yorkiegirl · 21/09/2004 09:40

Message withdrawn

dinosaur · 21/09/2004 12:36

I really hope you haven't gone for good hmb...

TurnAgainCat · 21/09/2004 12:44

hmb, please don't go, we'll miss you. If you are upset, maybe you could use use another name for a while? I have done that in the past after getting upset Or just go on the other threads?

Hulababy · 21/09/2004 14:47

www - sadly I don't think that is always true. If you read through many of the education threads they do often end up getting more personal, and don't stay focued and to the point. I do think, by its very nature, that education andthe teaching profession get a raw deal on MN - because we are all parents and many are involved with education at least as a parent.

I wrote on the other thread started by Coddy my thoughts.

MUMINAMILLION · 21/09/2004 15:02

I think too, that people are often just frustrated by the whole education system, and unfortunately teachers, as they are front-line, seem to get the brunt of it. Human nature can be very unfair and it must be very wearing for those who are trying to give of their best. I dont think it is always personal though, or not meant that way.

tigermoth · 21/09/2004 17:46

people come on mumsnet to let off steam - one of the reasons the site thrives imo. People say things here that they might not say face to face with a professional in real life. Or they need to chat through a situation to determine if they have a real grievance or not. That's IMO one of the purposes of mumsnet. People here hopefully can offer support, perspective and empathise.

Subjects for discussion may well be teachers (along with nursery staff, childminders, midwives, health visitors etc). Teaching is just one of many professions parents come into contact with. Representatives from all those professions have been put under the spotlight here. This is a parenting site after all.

I read lots of the education threads (but not all and not in great detail). Yes things have been very active lately but it is the start of term and this is mumsnet for goodness sake, where people like to vent their feelings in a safe place. I do not get the impression that parent posters on the threads are here to personally get at other posters who teach.

I think it would be ridiculous if non teaching people like me felt they couldn't post a viewpoint on an education thread. I like the discussions - I don't hold strong views and like to see what other people have to say. Should I not ever post on a health visitor thread because I am not in that profession? should I not complain about clarkes shoes bedcause I am not a shoe retailer?

Hulababy · 21/09/2004 20:47

But no one is saying that people can't have a veiw - but maybe to just try and keep it to not a mud slinging match each time. Otherwise the teachers that do post (Popsy and HMB have said they need time out already as a result recently) won't continue to do so - so you won'tget their points of view at all - and that means that the wonderful advice and support these two (and others) have given people in the past will go too.

People might not mean it personal (all though in the past this hasn't always been the case ), but if you are in the front line it can sure feel that way.

cab · 21/09/2004 21:06

Hmb you talk a lot of sense so look forward to you posting in the furure.

Galaxy · 21/09/2004 21:19

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jampot · 21/09/2004 21:25

and I work in personal injury law - what does everyone think of that ??? no please don't answer

lou33 · 21/09/2004 21:28

I just spilled my tea while reading your post Jampot, can I sue you please?

Galaxy · 21/09/2004 21:28

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