Children interviewing teachers - ridiculous?

[wedlocked]

Here www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/apr/03/children-job-interviews-questions

Some of our Yr 6 school council members asked the prospective Head Teachers questions a couple of years back, and they also were involved with the Deputy Head's appointment recently.
They were spoken to beforehand by Chair of Governors about importance of their role, and they were actually very sensible.
They were told up front that although their views would be taken into account, they did not have any 'power' as such.
As it turned out they had a preference for the two individuals that were later appointe.

In essence, I think it depends how you 'brief' them to start with and how you speak to them about their role. If you speak to them and make them aware of the importance of the situation then I think they will come up trumps.

It depends on the purpose of including the children really. It could show how teachers interest with children quite well I think.

I've worked with looked after children participating in selection panels. They used to choose their own questions, assess the candidates and make a recommendation to the main panel. Some of them started to become more accomplished at interviewing than the "real" panel.

This isn't a new thing. It has been around for at least 12, 15 years as far as I know.

definitely not a new thing, I remember a group of pupils at school were involved in choosing the new director of music at my school back in the mid 1990's.

In certain sectors of social work you have young people involved in interviewing prospective candidates.

Children aren't best placed always to see who will be a good teacher. It's not a good trend, IMO.

interact not interest -I should really do a preview before posting

Does someone needs to remind the NASUWT that a string of anecdotes does not make a scientific survey.

"But the NASUWT, which at its annual conference will debate whether members should resort to industrial action to stop pupils abusing their new powers, says the way many schools use student voice is "demeaning, embarrassing and humiliating" to teachers."
That is pathetic. How come teachers, who spend all day assessing and marking other people, can never cope with being assessed themselves? What's the other thing that they want to strike about - oh yes, it's SATs ... which measure teacher perfomance.

SATs don't measure teacher performance.

At our junior school the school council (obv made up of children) interview any candidates shortlisted, this is in addition to the formal interview by senior management and govenors.

Candidates often comment that the children are very serious and its more nerve racking that the adults interview. Its a good way to see how the candidates talk to children when not in a lesson situation.

The children interviewing always have an adult with them and the questions are prepared and talked about in advance to ensure they are fair and appropriate.

Works very well in our school.

Children were involved in the selection process at my first teaching job interview in a high school in Rochdale in 1994. I remember the school being very smug about this. We had to work with a group of children on a project. Ut was excruciating, knwing that they would then report back on us.
I got talking to a job candidate who seemed rather more relaxed than the rest of us. It turned out he was the internal candidate and was not required to be assessed by the children. He ended up getting the job.

I'm not a teacher but was interviewed by a panel of young people recently. They were excellent and quite challenging and certainly made me feel that when I was offered the post I deserved it.

They don't have power to appoint, but I would be concerned about organisations which aren't moving forward to incorporate this into their process-how do they see children and young people and their ability to contribute?

I have never been interviewed by a panel of students so cannot comment on whether it makes you feel undermined but I do think if that can reduce to tears that maybe you are in the wrong job.

I have had students evaluate my teaching and found it very useful tbh.

My daughter was on the interview panel at her primary school, I can't remember what she asked but it was nothing odd or offensive. The candidate she liked was picked, dd thinks it was down to her because like her mother she thinks the world revolves around her. Of course that was not reality.

I think the examples quoted by the NASUWT are poor examples of the use of pupil voice. I think unless you are a crap teacher you have nothing to worry about. I have seen some really awful teachers over the years and wish pupil voice could have been used to get rid of them.

As I said on the other thread children like strict teachers as they like to know where they stand.

Schools also don't allow just anyone to interview staff, they will be cherrypicked.

I have been involved with children's panels and it is both refreshing and amazing to me that they can come up with some of the most challenging and debate provoking questions usually far outweighting the adults in terms of sensible and rational thought.

I have to admit I both enjoy and dreed being interviewed by children as you can not prepare for the range of questions thrown at you.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason teachers seemed determined to strike, sats, pay, conditions, parents and teachers being able to set up there own schools and yes the one I like best, 'if the conservatives win the election'.

I have just had a look at the tory education policy and I agree with all of it. The only thing I am not sure on is academies but that is because I don't know enough about them.

but what exactly is the tory policy saying in thier manifesto? It's so wishy washy - they don't say exactly how they will achieve their ideas.

THEIR

I do pupil voice surveys of my teaching and find it very useful. However, I am fortunate enough to be a successful teacher who is liked by my pupils. I have seen a colleague in tears over a pupil voice survey before (she was struggling and the pupils ahd latched on to that).

I always find it an excellent oportunity to find out about what the school's really like! It goes two ways, I ask questions too, and children are far more honest. Used correctly it's a good thing, The second poster on this thread gave a situation where it's being used appropriately.

Agree with BoF

modish bullshit, patronising both teachers and pupils

I was going to say that cornsilk but then the cat demanded my attention. It is quite hard to pin the policies down and most of what they say anyone would agree with.

I like pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds attracting premium funding as they tend to cost more to educate. I had to leave a school that was going bankrupt as the formula used to work out budgets disadvantaged us. I like non announced, frequent thorough inspections.

I agree with upping the criteria needed to become a teacher. Although I am not sure how many people become teachers with GCSE grades below a B or a degree below a 2:2. I personally think it should be a 2:1 but know that is not a popular idea on here. I don't think my school would employ you with a 2:2. I think many schools operate this policy anyway. ( Have just noted this applies to primary in their manifesto)

I agree with paying teachers in difficult schools more, I think it is a scandal that I am paid the same in my school as a teacher in a more difficult school. Although having said that I work more hours in my present school as the students do more. I know again schools already do this, in my previous management position in a tough school I was given higher TLR payments than I am now.

I like paying the student loan payments for maths and science graduates, but think this should be extended to all good graduates who remain in teaching. But I understand that we need to attract graduates in these areas in particular so I think for now in the current climate it is fine to single out these subjects.

I am not sure what they mean by "make it easier to use reasonable force" but it is an issue that needs looking at as does pupil allegations.

Something does need to be done to improve discipline in schools, enforcing home school contracts may be the way to do this. But They are rather vague.

I agree with setting and am worried that some state schools are moving away from this.

I don't know what the secret dats is so cannot comment on that!

I agree with making exams more rigourous although they are quite vague again here. I would like to see my school offer the IGCSE so agree there.

I agree that OFSTED needs to be more focussed on teaching and learning which seems to almost be an add on with the current system.

I have not read the other manifestos. I suspect they all say things I want to hear, that is the point of a manifesto.

I hate the slogan mending broken Britain. Violence in classrooms in a big issue where it happens, ( it has happened to me) but I don't think it is an issue nationwide in all schools and I think they are giving this impression.

Agree re: teachers needing a 2:1 at least.

really, is a 2.2 a bar to being a teacher?

I got straight as in A-levels, two S level distinctions, went to Oxford, got a first and a university prize in my first year - then crashed and burned in a big way. I had a mental and physical breakdown, became very ill and was diagnosed with ME and fibromyalgia a couple of years later after months of misery failing in various jobs because I was too ill and fucked up to work. I ended up virtually housebound, so anxious that I hid behind the sofa if the doorbell rang and wouldn't even venture into the kitchen unless dh was in the house with me. I had to psych myself up to go to the loo I am still on strong medication for anxiety panic disorder, depression and chronic migraines.

I have no "medical evidence" that illness is what caused my 2.2 - no doctor at the time took me seriously. I can remember sitting my finals with the taste of sick in my mouth, hardly able to read the questions because of the pain in my head.

I was planning to apply for a PGCE next year, having worked my way up from fuck all (volunteering, sweeping floors etc) to being a SN inclusion worker in a children's centre and a governor at two schools

is my 2.2 going to mean an automatic refusal? I didn't know this

No I think at present you can become a teacher whatever your degree classification although certain PGCE courses and schools may have their own criteria.

The tory manifesto says you will need at least a 2:2.

Sorry my typing is awful above. I have just moved from my work laptop to my personal one and the keys are all in a different place.