To think teachers' kids have all the advantages

[thepogues]

Bit tongue-in-cheek but a significant grain of truth.

Wherever my kids have been in classes (whether at primary or secondary), the kids of teachers always seem to do unusually well. Of course, some kids will be naturally super bright but statistically you'd assume their IQ/potential to be spread (bell curve and all that) plus, anecdotally (though I've known lots) most, anecdotally, do not appear more sparky or intelligent than their peers. But perhaps they work harder as they all seem to excel, particularly in terms of home work tasks but also when it comes to certain exams.

What is the reason for this? Is it because the teacher parents (or grandparents/relatives, for that matter), know how to teach or is it because they are able to find out about upcoming tests/similar tests or because they know the ins and outs of what is required to achieve certain grades (in line with the curriculum). Or both?

Would love to hear your views/comments.

[thepogues]

@thepogues

This is interesting. You say 'a surprising number of teachers' kids'. More than for other occupational groups? Maybe it's not that surprising if the kids were somehow getting the peripheral 'support' and then they're struggling when left on their own? Just a thought...

Or the kids feel they need to live up to the high standards expected?

[thepogues]

@HouseofGamers

My mum was a teacher (history and english) in the school I was in for two years. I was taught by her for at least one year. It was horrible, she would pretend I didn’t exist so that she wasn’t accused of favouritism. She never marked my exams, but I was bullied because of her. She was known as a no nonsense tough teacher so pupils took that out on me. I didn’t tell her (more to do with our relationship than anything else tbh). I was naturally quite academic but more science based and did well at school. My brother was much more practical and hated academia, but did well in his chosen career once he found a good path to go down. I can’t remember mum being much help with studying etc but I was definitely expected to go to university and study hard.

It must have been very difficult. Have to say, I'm not sure I would have liked being in the same school as my teacher parent either!

[mamaduckbone]

@SoftwareDev

My son is a high flyer - always has been. However I don't "teach" him at home.

That said, being a teacher I couldn't help but be constantly aware of certain points e.g. the importance of installing a love of reading from a young age. I read to him pretty much every day and have done since he was a baby.

He is a naturally logical thinker and is able to understand new concepts quickly and has a fantastic memory - he will remember a fact after hearing it just the once. These natural traits fit in perfectly with academics.

I do encourage him to pursue his interests (trains 4 times per week in his favourite sport and loves reading certain authors) however I don't "push" him academically. I don't want to be one of those parents that pushes their children to breaking point. I simply instil the importance of education and explain that he should make the most of it.

That sounds exactly like my son, and your approach is very similar to mine too.

[cafedesreves]

@Hoppinggreen

They also have parents who work very long hours for less pay that other people who work similar hours.
They also have parents that probably cant attend any school events during school hours and may not be able to do regular drop offs and pick ups.
So its not all good

This depends on the school. I earn 61k and work 8-4 maximum. I also have 18 weeks off with DS a year.

[Cheesies]

@BendingSpoons

As a sweeping generalisation, teachers probably:

• Value education so encourage their DC to work hard, along with things like reading to them from a young age.
• Have an idea how to motivate/teach their kids at home, plus have an awareness of how schools work. Of course this will depend on age and subject, but some of it will be transferable
• Have friends/colleagues they can ask for advice in areas outside their remit.

But I don't think this is all exclusive to teachers. Other professionals can do similar, with slightly less awareness of exactly how schools run.

This.

I’m a teacher and my children have always been more able. I naturally used my teaching knowledge to encourage them to engage in books from birth. Again, quite instinctively, I used my knowledge to develop their curiosity in play etc. it happened naturally, I didn’t consciously decide to ‘teach them’ anything before they started school- it was just how I’d been trained to interact with children. They could read and write before they started school.

It’s not solely teachers though. The valuing education is key. It’s also about opportunities a life experiences that have been provided. We’ve had a new family start our school last week. Mum is a dentist and I correctly predicted that all three children would be more able.

[worriedaboutmoney2022]

@manysummersago

I am not really a fan of having teachers have their own children in the school they teach in and certainly not the class.

They might have academic advantages but socially it’s awful.

I agree
One of the teachers has a child in my daughters year and at parties etc it's massively awkward for everyone else and she looks uncomfortable too

If they have to be in the same school they should definately not be in their clas and if there's only a one form entry they shouldn't be there

[Burnshersmurfs]

I was a teacher for the majority of my children’s lives (recently shifted to another role in education). My children are both academically able and doing well- but not in ‘my’ subject area, specifically. I’ve generally found the children of teachers to be very teachable. I think the reasons are at least partly:
I leave them to get on with it and allow them a lot of autonomy. I think experience working with kids enables good communication and a light-touch parenting style that works well,
they respect teachers and are able to form good relationships with adults in school,
They see my work ethic, interest in my subject matter and enthusiasm for learning.

[MrsHamlet]

If they have to be in the same school they should definately not be in their clas and if there's only a one form entry they shouldn't be there
Where would you have them go to school if not the school in their village?

[cushionpillow]

I have 4DC, but give them no additional work. They all have good inbuilt work ethics anyway, read a lot and discuss together.

They have differing strengths and weaknesses, like all people. Nothing at all to do with their mothers profession.

[Twizbe]

@worriedaboutmoney2022 that's not always practical is it?

There was only 1 secondary school in the town I lived in. My worked there and we went there. No other choice but private which we couldn't afford.

[ChocolateHippo]

It may be unavoidable sometimes, but it's not great to send your children to the school that you teach in. It may make life easier logistically but at what cost to the children involved?

[rainbowduck]

True but most of the parents I know are all educated, including many with post-docs. In fact, many more 'educated' than some of the teachers I know. And they all value education, reading etc etc. I think knowing what is expected for grades and being able to help in primary is key; especially as there is so much that rides on how the kids do in primary for their confidence/setting and future school choices.'

I found this interesting. For example, I have a lot of friends who have post-docs, in fact, DH's best friend and his wife are doctors, as are his parents and siblings. Massively intelligent family. Equally they have no common sense between them. We now no longer travel together to a destination, for example, we meet them there.

So yes, they are educated to a much higher degree than DH and I, however, they are completely scatty and their lives are often chaotic and without order.

I see this pattern in a lot of our friends.

However, what is distinguishable for me is that parents who are involved in their child's education (and I don't mean helicopter parenting, just normally yet actively enquiring after the child's curiosity and assisting the child to satiate this) are a deciding factor on how well the child will do at school. This requires not only a respect for education but also the child's path, and their agency in their learning path.

But, in answer to your OP, no we don't have access in advance to prepare our own children. Nor do we have the energy!
The questions I have are: what drove you to post? Do you feel an injustice over something?

[ketchuponpizza]

@worriedaboutmoney2022 why was it uncomfortable? They are just teachers, still human and not vampires. I don't understand why you would feel awkward at all.

[manysummersago]

Oh, come on. That’s just really disingenuous.

Its not awkward when the child you’ve put on detention and called home about turns up at your child’s party?

It’s not awkward when you have to complain about another teacher?

Its not awkward for your child when they have their school friends telling them you’re an arse?

Yes, I know the above can be mitigated by having spouses do any complaining, by having a separate ‘work’ and ‘home’ persona and so on. It’s still awkward. It gives you absolutely no space from your child and you both need it, but more so them.

[dizzydizzydizzy]

DM was a teacher. I did really well at school, DM constantly got complaints about DB in the staff room. He goon his GCSEs twice and failed both times. (He is doing well now though!)

[DuesToTheDirt]

I was at grammar school back in the stone age, and there was a high proportion of teachers' kids, including me. I used to wonder whether this was because teachers recognised the value of grammar school education more than other parents did, so were more likely to try and send their kids there. Or maybe it was because the teacher parents knew more about bringing up well-educated children, or children better prepared for passing exams. Or, genetics/intelligence (this one seemed unlikely as there are many other professions that require higher education).

We always had plenty of books in the house, from fiction to encyclopedias. A few years ago I met another parent and we were discussing the difficulties of getting homework done at primary level (didn't exist when I was a child, but that's for another thread). She was struggling as the homework her child had been set required a dictionary, and she didn't own one, so had to find time to take her child (and other children) to the library. I couldn't imagine not having a dictionary in the house!

[itrytomakemyway]

It is very much down to the value placed on education. Also with my own children(who did not attend the school I taught in) they knew that I was unlikely to have any sympathy with them if they complained about a detention etc.

As a pp has said, lots of our holidays included educational 'stuff' - museum visits, archaeological sites. Both of my children love history and have visited lots and lots of historical sites. We also watched a lot of history programmes on TV - starting way back with Horrible Histories when they were small. Reading for pleasure is also important. As a family we have always been big readers, and their dad read to them at bedtime for years.

When it came to the exam years it helped that I knew where to go for good resources - good internet sites, or past papers. Uni applications were the same - they had lots and lots of relevant things to put on their personal statement.

I wouldn't say this just applies to teachers though. Any parent who values education and has lots of shred interests with their children would do the same.

[manysummersago]

I don’t own a dictionary. What a stupid homework!

[ThirtyThreeTrees]

As a daughter of a teacher, your post sickens me.

I'm academically bright but ever time I did well in school,I was told by other children that I must have been told the answers before the test etc.

In my case, my parent was so focused on fairness that I often had it tougher, wasn't give the extra help or support that other kids got. Never give the best role in a play,never captain of the sports team etc. even though I should have been on merit on many occasions.

To see this attitude from children is understandable as they know no better. To see it from an ill informed adult is grating.

Just out of interest, what to do you? What favours does it do your children? What advantages do they have as a result? Or does it have any impact at all?

[Haudyourwheesht]

I teach twins whose mum is a teacher at the school. One is very very good. One is alright. Not sure how that fits into your theory?

[Luckystar1]

Both of my parents are teachers and I did very well in school. But I found it highly stressful and pressurised and the requirement to do well was pervasive, despite the fact that neither of them taught in my schools.

There was also a lot of pressure socially, as ‘everyone knew who my parents were’. It felt claustrophobic.

It also became very apparent when I entered the ‘real’ world, that having 2 parents in the school world, was zero preparation for the commercial world, and my husband, whose parents were in business has absolutely thrived in that environment, whereas I found it much more difficult.

[user1469095927]

I was friends with a few kids at school, who also had siblings in different years. From experience, one child was the "clever" one (top of the class, straight A etc) and one sibling was the one who was constantly under pressure being compared to their sibling. They were no means stupid but other teachers expected higher marks, especially if it was the older sibling who excelled.

[Sarah13xx]

I’ve taught a few teacher’s kids and I don’t think any stood out in terms of being really bright. Most were top groups though I’d say, one wasn’t but it is infants I teach so that might have changed as they moved through school. Every single one was very mannerly and polite though, which is in huge contrast to many of the children from non-teacher parents. Their parents clearly showed how important school was. Many said to me that they hadn’t started the Primary 1 work with them prior to starting school as they didn’t want them to be ‘one of those ones’ and now I have my own child I will be completely the same. I would hate to think of my child being over-confident and shouting out ‘we’ve done this’ ‘I already know this’ etc, as lots of very well-read children have done in the past 😑

[Haudyourwheesht]

@worriedaboutmoney2022 * I agree
One of the teachers has a child in my daughters year and at parties etc it's massively awkward for everyone else and she looks uncomfortable too

If they have to be in the same school they should definately not be in their clas and if there's only a one form entry they shouldn't be there*

You feel awkward because a parent is a teacher? Why?

[ketchuponpizza]

@manysummersago

Oh, come on. That’s just really disingenuous.

Its not awkward when the child you’ve put on detention and called home about turns up at your child’s party?

It’s not awkward when you have to complain about another teacher?

Its not awkward for your child when they have their school friends telling them you’re an arse?

Yes, I know the above can be mitigated by having spouses do any complaining, by having a separate ‘work’ and ‘home’ persona and so on. It’s still awkward. It gives you absolutely no space from your child and you both need it, but more so them.

Are you a teacher or is this your take as a parent?

Either way, I feel quite sad for you, as that is really not anything like my experience at all.