How much has primary teaching changed in past 10 years?

[WallyFiggAttorney]

I did my NQT year in 2004 and then left with birth of my first baby. I've been working in a different field since then (for childcare reasons) but am now thinking of returning to teaching.

Would appreciate hearing from any primary teachers about how much the profession/classroom has changed over the past decade.

TIA.

I would say it's changed a lot. I did my NQT year in 2001 and decided to take some time out to be 'mum' in 2012.
I would say it is a lot more data driven these days, with an emphasis on having the evidence to back up your data.
Classroom practice may vary from area to area. Where I was teaching there ha been a big rise in Kagan structures (children are more invloved in their learning) and creative curriculums but when my husband moved authorities last year he found that the new area didn't use Kagan style learning.

Data, paperwork followed by more data and with extra bits of paperwork thrown in! Whatever you do is never good enough, as soon as you reach a goal, someone shifts the goal posts, everything has to be evidenced, assessed and evaluated. We are pilloried in the press, have no respect from the government and yet are expected to smile and just get on with it!

I wouldn't ever want to do anything else

I've been teaching since 1996 and it's changed a great deal. Like others have said it's very data driven. You need to know where each individual child is with regards to levels and how you can enable them to progress.

There is a lot more emphasis on children being independent learners and how teaching can reinforce this.

Ofsted expect more and are constantly changing the goal posts. The government has little idea of how important teaching assistant are to success and are continually adding 'new' initiatives e.g. phonics testing for Y1, grammar & punctuation for Y6.

I teach Reception now and each day is a joy. The kids make me laugh and are enthusiastic learners. How my secondary colleagues cope I don't know!

Thanks for replies. I have been helping in various classes in my DC's school and am surprised (and dismayed) by how stressed the teachers are. They certainly spend a lot more time on marking, preparation, assessment than I saw during my BEd/NQT years. I taught KS1 before but think I will look into doing some training for reception or pre-school.

EYFS may not have the marking of other key stages but with Learning Journals/Journeys and profiles etc it is no less stressful and much more physically demanding than working with older children.

Wow. Cannot believe this thread has been posted. I've just accepted a nursery teachers post after being at home for seven years. I'm so excited and cannot wait but am also full of dread and fear! We may be speaking mrz

It's changed loads! I qualified in 2000. It's all about AfL strategies...app sheets...targets set for the school, for the teacher...for the children, way much more than in 2000. The kids peer mark, self mark...I mark with 2 stars and a wish...used to just write a comment!

It has changed lots BUT although it may take a while to get in the swing of it, it's still the sane job. Just the same job with a lot more hoops to jump!!!!

Yes, I agree the essence of teaching never changes but the stuff that comes with it does ( all the time ). Wouldn't dream of doing anything else though. I was born to teach