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Secondary education

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

Original poster

secondaery teachers-do you think you really know your students?

31 replies

brimfull · 19/01/2009 20:02

ie. what type of family they come from?

standard of living?
aspirations?
religion ?

just interested as it came up on another thread.

I would be surprised if dd's teachers really knew her well.

OP posts:
undervalued · 19/01/2009 20:27

I teach about 150 students a week and I think I know the majority well enough. I always start the year off with an activity on themselves - family and aspirations etc. Their family influences and social standing becomes pretty obvious tbh- in their views, outlooks and answers throughout topics.
It makes relationship building easier and that is important for me in a tough inner city school. Hope that helps

Original poster
brimfull · 19/01/2009 20:41

really I am surprised.

I didn't think teachers would know my dd that well.

Assumed they would only know her friends/subject interests not family religion etc

OP posts:
Original poster
brimfull · 19/01/2009 20:41

really I am surprised.

I didn't think teachers would know my dd that well.

Assumed they would only know her friends/subject interests not family religion etc

OP posts:
twinsetandpearls · 19/01/2009 20:45

I teach between 400 and 500 students a week , some I only know onl basic information. Others I know a great deal about as students tend to reveal quite personal things about themselves as I teach RE. I tend to know most of their religious beliefs though.

scienceteacher · 19/01/2009 20:48

Yep, I know all my students really well. I know where they live, whether their parents are together, their parents' jobs, their siblings, their religion etc. I work full time and teach/pastor about 80 pupils, about 60 of whom I also taught last year.

twinsetandpearls · 19/01/2009 20:49

It must be lovely to teach that few students.

ANamesANameForAThatsTaken · 20/01/2009 08:46

I think a good teacher will pretty much suss out a kids background by the first half term to be honest.

ANamesANameForAThatsTaken · 20/01/2009 08:46

can anyone link to the thread the ops referring too.

Original poster
brimfull · 20/01/2009 09:27

sorry can't remember which thread it was,I was impressed that TSAP knew a student so well.
I didn't opst on it so not a hope in hell of me finding it -sorry

OP posts:
NewTeacher · 20/01/2009 13:14

I teach 300 kids per week so no I dont know them well at all!

KS3 I know the naughty/chatty ones but I know all my GCSE and A level students well.

Its nigh impossible to know each student especially as I only see them once a week.

janeite · 20/01/2009 18:25

I know the pupils I teach very well on the whole, especially the Key Stage Four pupils, including religion, family details and musical tastes for a lot of them! However, I am also HOY of about 170 pupils and there are still some whose names I don't even yet know properly I'm afraid.

BonsoirAnna · 20/01/2009 18:27

My DP bumped into the head of the DSSs' school last week (a French collège that goes from 11 to 15).

Headteacher knows loads about DSSs - this is in a school of 700+ pupils.

pointydog · 20/01/2009 18:37

This will depend a lot on how long the teacher has been at the school. They soak up this sort of information. Through their pores.

Wonderstuff · 20/01/2009 18:41

I teach SEN and know all the kids on the SEN register very well. However I also teach about 100 kids in mainstream classes and I know them less well. I could tell you about thier ability and attitude but some of them I wouldn't know much more tbh.

Wonderstuff · 20/01/2009 18:43

lol pointy, is true

TheFallenMadonna · 20/01/2009 18:43

What pointy dog said. I'm new at my school and haven't yer pieced together all the family relationships and connections. But I will. I sat next to a senior teacher at parents evening andhe knew everyone - taught some of the parents!

Wonderstuff · 20/01/2009 18:45

There are definitely some families you get to know much quicker than others!

kickassangel · 20/01/2009 19:03

i taught english, so saw most pupils about 3 hrs a week, and lots of discussion, so know them quite well. there are others i'd only see once a week, and didn't know them so well
also, form group, knew really well.
lots of my 'facebook' friends are pupils i taught, and i always leave it to them to contact me, so i kinda feel that shows they think i knew them as well.

i think any caring teacher is there cos they know the pupil, and will get to know about them.

some pupils you know more about than the parents do.

twinsetandpearls · 20/01/2009 21:54

ggirl was it the thread about a book a student had recomended me.

Original poster
brimfull · 20/01/2009 22:26

yes that's the one TSAP

OP posts:
tatt · 21/01/2009 12:44

my children's teachers may think they know them but they do not do so at all. I have superficially polite children who I'm told are hard-working but quiet. Under the teachers' noses they draw pictures, write novels, listen to MP3 players and despise the teachers who let them get away with it.

Teachers see what they wish to see, because its easier for them, half the time.

fleacircus · 21/01/2009 12:45

No. I 'get' kids generally, I think, but I certainly wouldn't claim to 'know' them individually and I'm sure then would be horrified at the idea.

fleacircus · 21/01/2009 12:47

Sorry - I mean I'm sure they would be horrified at the idea.

twinsetandpearls · 21/01/2009 16:55

I suppose that is a reflection of the subject I teach and the fact we do a lot of discussion work. I know what his parents do for a living, what his political and religious views are, his views on lots of ethical and moral issues.

I certainly dont know him in the waya friend or parent would but know a fair deal about him.

fizzbuzz · 21/01/2009 22:02

Well if thy are doing that in lessons then I wouldn't call them paticularly polite, as this would show disrespect imo.

It is impossible to watch a class of 30 kids every single second, so therefore impossible to police evey sneaky picture or novel . Don't think anyone has actually written a novel in my lesson as this would take an extremey long time, and they are usually fully occupied with coursework...

Perhaps you could help the teachers by informing them what you polite children get up to rather than blaming the teacher

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