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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Staff Room!!!

465 replies

ScienceTeacher · 27/01/2008 14:42

It was suggested on another thread that we should have a staff room, so I thought I'd bite the bullet and start one.

Shall we introduce ourselves?

I teach Science (Physics A-level and GCSE Chemistry plus the usual general science in KS3, and also KS3 Geography). I work in a small girls' independent school. I started this job in September having spent two years in contract and supply. This was a getting back to teaching after an 8-year maternity leave.

I am a mum to five children from 16 (gcse!) TO 5.

OP posts:
Nymphadora · 13/04/2008 10:16

dd1 had meeting with governors as part of school council! She awas really proud but said they asked hard questions about the local community???

Nymphadora · 18/04/2008 17:22

Had her OFTED report today, got mainly 2s and they even said nice things about her Head that none of the parents like!

MaureenMLove · 21/04/2008 20:37

Hello. I'm new to secondary education, so I was hoping for some pointers over the next couple of weeks! I've just started as a Cover Supervisor and today was my first day! I have observed a yr 7 class today and for all but one of their classes, they we perfectly behaved. Sadly, it was the last lesson that fell apart, so I thought I'd found the perfect kids!

So, clearly, its the teaching that isn't effective, otherwise they'd have been little so and so's all day. OR maybe it was last lesson of the day syndrome?

My first question of many, I suspect is, 'what do you do or say to keep order or restore order, when necessary?

Thanks for your help!

Heated · 21/04/2008 20:47

Oh congrats on starting the job. Sounds like not a bad first day.

Practice breathing fire!

With the last lesson of the day you have the sword of Damocles hanging over them because they want to leave on time. You can't keep them back for more than 10 mins at my school but it is a very looooong 10 mins!

Year 7 are also like puppies and respond to simple instructions. Counting 5 down to 1 where everyone had to be sat in their seat, silent, sat upright, facing you works.

Getting to know names (and there are names you'll get to know!) is good as you don't then do the scatter-gun approach, but pick them off one by one.

God, I sound evil, but often humour, jollying them along and rewarding the good helps. My good ones always leave on time which of course is all of them

fizzbuzz · 21/04/2008 20:57

Stand and wait in a purposeful manner, looking at your watch, but don't say anything...

Or, stop everything they are doing, pens down etc, and make them sit quietly for 3 or 4 minutes. Make sure they are completely still and silent before starting anything else.

I find Y7 more wearing than any other year tbh

MaureenMLove · 21/04/2008 20:58

Thanks Heated. I've seen the countdown tactick twice today, very effective! Funny isn't it, how the one who did that, never raised her voice once and the guy who had little contract, kept shouting! They weren't naughty, as such, just loud!

Our can only be kept back for 10 mins too, so I'll bare that one in mind! I suppose you have to find the fine line between being friendly and being in charge. Hopefully that will come.

I did see one or two choice lads, who just flatly refused to do anything, other than get on everyones nerves. The teacher started by trying to get them to do something, but just ended up ignoring them and getting on with the others. One lad was pulling things off the wall and banging his foot constantly on a filing cabinet. I wan't to knock his head off frankly, but it was just ignored!

MaureenMLove · 21/04/2008 21:00

*little control, not contract!

Heated · 21/04/2008 21:06

Have they also given you a copy of the rewards and sanctions policy and has someone talked you through it? It's good to know what systems are in place so you can use them confidently.

MaureenMLove · 21/04/2008 21:13

That's all happening tomorrow apparently. The school is in special measures atm and we (5 of us) are their first bunch of Cover Supervisors. The HR lady that was supposed to be with us today, had to do interviews for TA's all day, so we were kinda left to just observe. Not the best start, but I think there are an awful lot of changes afoot and the only way is up I suppose!

Trouble is, my dd goes to the newly awarded, Outstanding school in the borough and I know what they stand for, so I'm trying hard not to make comparasions!

MaureenMLove · 22/04/2008 15:52

OK, Day 2, question 2!

How long to you give a class to get quiet before you call in re-inforcements?

I've just sat in on a Year 8 class for the last period and they were hideous! Admittedly, they were all SEN of some degree or another, but they were truely awful. It look the teacher nearly half an hour to even start the lesson, but the 2 TA's spent most of the lesson following students in and out of the classroom, who just refused to listen.

Another question!

How does your school split its timetable? We have 4 lessons in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. The last lesson, going on only 2 days experience, seem to be a complete waste of time, because they have no attention left at all!

chocolateshoes · 22/04/2008 16:08

Our day is split 4 lesson am and 2 pm. This is ok but p6 they are shattered. I used to work in a school that had 4 period ibn the morning, 1 straight after lunch and then assembly & reg. It was brilliant because any probs during the day could be followed up during assembly/reg time. Also it meant that when the kids were at their most tored they could have bit of quiet time in Assembly.

chocolateshoes · 22/04/2008 16:09

ohhhh lots of typos - sorry!

scaryteacher · 22/04/2008 16:10

One way to get quiet is to tap into what some primaries do, and stand there with your hand raised, until they al put their hands up. Looking at your watch is a good one, but difficult in the last lesson of the day.

We changed our day from 2:1:2 which was hideous to 2:2:1, which worked better,as at least you get 4 decent lessons in, and only one is a waste, and even then it depends on the group.

SEN classes are always difficult, as it depends what their particular special needs are. I taught 1 class of SEN year 10s and kept them in year 11. There were about 11 of them and I had 3-4 TAs and the HoD peering through the door to see if I could cope with them. They all passed their GCSE with me, once we had established who was boss.

With SEN you have to be on the ball all the time, and how you seat them can also make a difference. Giving time limits for a task can help, and making the instructions very clear and simple.

This may be an horrendous class and the teacher may normally take that long to settle them. Ask her what the deal is with the class, she'll tell you.

MaureenMLove · 22/04/2008 16:40

Thankyou ladies. I get the impression that I won't have to cover SEN lessons for a while on my own, so I'll keep an eye out for them and hopefully once I get to know them, it won't be quite so bad!

I was really shocked at how little respect they gave the teacher and she kept looking at me, worried! She also apologised at the end of the lesson. I was already getting vibes from the TA before the lesson that it was going to be bad too!

They were out of control! One was sitting at the piano in the corner, thankfully he couldn't switch it on, so it wasn't noisy, but he just would not get off it. Another took the door stop and was just thumping it on the table. One insisted on keep pressing the 'next' button on the presentation the teacher was trying to do. That, with at least 8 children flitting in and out opf the room, it was really quite horrid. Tell me this isn't the norm? I'm used to little people crying if I shout too much!

Heated · 22/04/2008 19:34

Day 2 sounds like an eye-opener!

It's always interesting to get joe public's pov which essentially you are providing before you get too used to it!

If that SEN class is a EBD group you might have some of the toughest students to manage all in one room together!

It could be useful to see this group or some of the students with other teachers to see what they are like and then you can decide your parameters.

Do the school do the strike/tally system where names go up on the board and if they accumulate so many they are sent out?

Have the school booked you on a classroom management course? There are ones designed especially for cover supervisors. An assertive discipline course would also be beneficial ime.

MaureenMLove · 22/04/2008 20:13

Yes I think that is all planned. As I said, the school was put on special measures, at Christmas, and we are the first Cover Supervisors they've ever had! They can't even decide which faculty we should belong to yet! This week is obvisously a difficult one to join in, as we will be effected by the strike on Thursday. We've got just Yr 9 & 11 in. The plan is to shaddow this week and hopefully start getting some more formally training from next week.

I really haven't been given any guidelines yet, to work to, but we have been promised it'll come.

roisin · 22/04/2008 21:30

MaureenMLove - when I started as a CS I was really shocked by behaviour in school, in classrooms, and so on. Tbh every time I go back to school after a couple of weeks' holidays I'm shocked by the behaviour, and our school isn't even in special measures.

And - be warned - children will try it on even more for any sort of cover teacher, and behaviour can be even more challenging!

The time of day does have a huge impact. One of our yr7 half year-groups (4 classes) are very difficult P5. They go to bed late, don't get enough sleep, and by that stage in the day they are just shattered. It's shocking.

Thursday P5 is definitely the worst time of the week for any lesson.

roisin · 22/04/2008 21:34

Doing shadowing/observing is crucial to see how the school usually functions.

Try and be as observant as possible. In the good lessons, the teacher will be actively using lots of little techniques, routines, expectations. Think about the 'stage presence' of a teacher as they enter the room and start the lesson: this is vital. You need to put on an act.

Hope things go well for you.

MaureenMLove · 22/04/2008 21:47

Thanks Roisin! I have definately seen a major difference in the effectiveness of different teachers already! The same class was quiet for an entire hour, with an incredibably quietly spoken teacher and like a pack of wolves for one that started by shouting!

I did manage to get one lad to sit and get his contact book and pen out, by pointing at his chair and suggesting that he did as he was told, so that's a good start!

Heated · 22/04/2008 22:16

I meant to ask, with all the posts about the strike on Thursday, have you joined a union? Our cover supervisors are and every teacher I know is, for the protection and insurance they offer.

Heated · 22/04/2008 22:22

Btw, their union is Unison.

MaureenMLove · 23/04/2008 17:36

I've just got a big pile of papers in the post today, which I'm sure will include stuff like that and I will look through it at the weekend. I'm soooo tired! I know I've only been sitting at the back of a classroom for 3 days, but its mentally exhausting! I thought that working 8.30 - 3 would free up the late afternoon for doing things, but I'm too knackered!

I have e-mailed you Roisin.

roisin · 23/04/2008 18:13

Email hasn't arrive MMLove - can you try again, as my email is pretty dodgy atm!

roisin · 23/04/2008 18:14

Oops! No, scrap that, I've found it!

Nymphadora · 23/04/2008 19:29

I am UNISON,, though not had great experiences when we were all threatened with redundancy last year IIRC MMLove you are same county as me (& roisin)? so watch that if you need them ,NAG!

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