Odd words used by teachers.

[Seeker33]

CONSEQUENCES for PUNISHMENT.

I can understand why they do it. But NOT why ALL schools use that terminology/

Oh because some arse decided we had to. Because 'punishment' has negative connotations. It makes the child feel bad, boo hoo. 'Consequences' focuses on the behaviour, not the child.

It's kind of logical but I hate it, personally. Even worse though is making the kids use terminology like 'plenary' and 'learning objectives'. Bleugh.

My 4yo talks about her 'learning journey'. She is nursery

Yesterday on 'London's Biggest Primary School" the extra support group were supposed to judge whether they had achieved their "success criteria" for that piece of work! What a load of *&%$%!

oh yes that 'success criteria' thing used to piss me off.

Personally I'm not convinced that "labelling the behaviour not the child" makes the child feel any different. I very much doubt I, or my peers, would have noticed any difference in being told "you are naughty" and "what you have done is naughty" even at secondary age.

My favourite was one of ds' teacher who would talk about collaboration. In year 1. So ds asked me what it meant, just the word, no context.

Knowing he was very interested in WWII I talked about collaborators, and how they were regarded as traitors etc.
He looked at me all and asked, "Why does Miss R say well done for collaborating then?"
I did suggest at the next parents' evening that she explained any of the long words she liked to use to confuse them.

Because all behaviour has consequences whereas not all behaviour has punishment. Many schools don't give our regular punishments but discuss with the children the consequences of their behaviour.

Many children think of punishment as part of their cool image. There needs to be a discussion of the further consequences of their actions. When we reach adulthood, being a dick isn't punished. But the consequences are that people dont like you, won't work with you etc

We do have jargon in teaching, sometimes sickening stuff. But it simply isn't the case that punishment and consequences are the same.

What would you call success criteria if not that? I agree its a poncey term but what would you replace it with?

How about 'have we done well?' 'yes miss!' 'What have we done that's good?' etc?

Why underestimate the intelligence of your pupils? You don't need simple words or phrases all the time. A plenary is a plenary and no harm in them learning the term for that or any other.

My favourite is, "let me see a quality audience" - to nursery and reception age children!!

I don't think it's a question of underestimating their intelligence, but rather their not having to use the jargon of our profession. Why do tgey need to use or know the word 'plenary'? In many cases - in my experience - we teach them this shit so that they can talk the talk to ofsted inspectors. At a previous school we were told (post ofsted) we had to make the kids better at talking about their learning and had to use - and make them use - terms like plenary, success criteria, objectives, outcomes, feedback, because when the ofsted inspector had asked a (not overly bright) year 9 what sort of thing they did at the end of their history lessons their answer was 'er, pack up?'. A fairly decent answer to a fairly shit question imo!

I don't think it improves learning. If it doesn't, why bother?

a learning journey/journal is a book with photos and observations in it

@#£&@" it may be. But success criteria are specifically discussed at the beginning of the lesson to ensure pupils know what they are to have achieved by the end. They keep the lesson focused. The children use traffic lights against their success criteria to decide whether that objective has been achieved or whether I, as the teacher, need to find a different way of presenting it to ensure my children do understand. It enables the children to take an active roll in their learning.

Have we done well and what have we done that is good sounds far more Personal and Social focused (though I am not for a second saying that is not an important aspect of each lesson)
We used to use WILF - what I'm looking for - instead of success criteria. Is that better?!!

Jargon really gets my back up!
Instead of 'Success criteria' why not just say, in this task I really want to see X, Y, Z. When reviewing their work with them you just say, ' I'm really pleased with this you have clearly shown me X, Y, Z" or 'I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't remember to include X, Y, Z'
Maybe I'm particularly edgy because my husband loves to read American Business type books and will often tell me about his unique abilities or strategic partners. Aaaarrgggh!!!
So not only do I get bombarded at home, it's now creeping into school!!
Where the

I agree with you arabella. Why is 'the success criteria are x, y, z' better / clearer than 'you need to do x, y, z to do this' ?

Example:

Task: How does Dickens' description of Fagin suggest to reader that he is villain? You must:

• Select three or more specific details from the description of Fagin Clearly explain why* these details would make the reader think this character is a villain
• Use a short, appropriate quotation for each point you make (and put this into quotation marks!)

I don't see how putting the words 'success criteria' into the above would make it any better.

We only do it because we're made to! What would the inspectors say if we cut out the bullshit?? Don't blame us man, we are just cogs in the wheel.

Cross my heart I've never used any of those words to children or parents (and rarely to colleagues) ..

I was reasonably well educated and had never heard of a "plenary" until I became a teacher. Since I left teaching 8 years ago for a new career I haven't used it or seen it. I really think it is teaching jargon that children could live without.

Did you every actually say plenary out loud?

Please tell me you didn't,

I used to HAVE to in my old school. And 'starter'. And all the other guff. I don't in my current school, thank chuff. The pupil's learning does not, shockingly, seem to have suffered.

I doubt I ever said it out loud as I hate wanky sounding stuff like that and education hadn't gone quite so mad then. But I am the type of person who cringes when people say "utilise".

Meh, I don't care enough to argue about it. It all comes down to 'success criteria/ WILF' looks and sounds snappier than 'what you need to do to do this is'. And SLT love nothing more than another new snappy initiative for us to laminate and implement and evaluate to make them look good.

I've never used 'success criteria' but we do provide students rubrics to use when setting specific tasks. It is actually helpful for students to understand what it is they need to achieve certain marks, such as including five references compared to none. They are fairly basic, but the students understand them and they make the task very clear for students (and parents) as to why they get the grading that they do and what they need to do to get a certain grade.

Do you actually say those things aloud?

Please tell me you don't!

Though reasonably well educated, I had only heard 'plenary' attached to 'indulgence'. Time off purgatory in medieval Catholicism. I had to look up its modern meaning. Perhaps it fits in the medieval sense too...

Ds's year 6 teacher used to write it on the board :

SUCCESS CRITERIA

I am not sure that half the class knew what it meant.