Are Teachers, as a profession, for too sensitive of criticism?

[zanzibarmum]

Perhaps it's because they expect their charges to do what they are told and not to answer back that they find criticism from any adult quarter difficult to take.

I knew this was you.

I think you will find that I was almost agreeing with you.

and another teacher said ot isnt the fact they are female perhaps they are crap teachers so hardly over sensitive.

I don't think teachers as a profession are anything at all. I don't think boys as a sex are all that homogenous either. I think there are an awful lot of individuals out there.

Why secondary, Zanzibar? Have us primary teachers scared you off??

Cory you really do need to take this criticism on the chin. Stop being over sensitive

No person who was overly sensitive of criticism would make it through the PGCE.

I think there are over sensitive teachers, I am a teacher who is very over sensitive but not about my job just everything else. But as cory said teaching is a profession made up of very different people.

a) Expecting my charges to do as they're told & not answer back would be highly unrealistic. Not to mention counter-productive - not much point teaching them to discuss/argue/persuade if you don't expect them to do just that.

b) In the last fortnight, I have been scrutinied repeatedly by the Head (one 'golden lesson', 3 observations of LSAs in my lessons, & a 'Learning Walk' whereby he & an Assistant Head potter around classrooms to see & comment on what goes on).

I've also this afternoon spent 2 hours on a 'Work Scrutiny' with my HOD (I'm in charge of year 7) - so we're looking at all the year 7 work that's been done this year, mine included.

oh & it's Year 11 Parents' Evening next week, which is guaranteed to throw up at least a couple of difficult conversations.

Honestly, there's absolutely no shortage of adult criticism going on for teachers - any teacher who found it 'difficult to take' would find their life pretty much unbearable, tbh.

'scrutinised', even.

twinsetandpearls - no it's a serious question. Of course it doesn't apply to each and every teacher (heaven forbid that I might make a general still less political statement on a site that seems so full of very personal tittle tattle).

I know some parents can be horrible to teachers - but I do sense that teachers, primary perhaps more than secondary, like to keep things very tight/closed with parents; and the profession as a whole does seem to suffer from something of a victim mentality.

I think we are sensitive to criticism as a profession, but that's because a lot of you/your personality is invested in teaching so any criticism is personal. You also have A LOT of people judging you (30X6 a week, plus their parents, plus SMT, plus Ofsted, plus the Daily Mail).

Victim mentality eh?

Janeite walks away before she's accused of being over-sensitive.

Heated - good post.

The Daily Mail - the voice of reasoned, dispassionate conversation about education.

I do think some teachers do have a victim mentality and love to do the how hard we work for a measly pay packet line, but that is because you will find those type of people in most jobs.

I also know that some teachers can be very secretive, I always take exercise books to parents evenings and am always surprised that so few of my colleagues do the same.

I disagree by the way that this site is full of personal tittle tattle.

Well, the same can be said for parents, can't it? I think we see a fair amount of parental victim attitude on these boards from time to time. And I speak as a parent.

Heated - thanks for this insightful comment. So it's a psycological occupational hazard.

If I had a sticker I would give it to you with a big WELL DONE!

Good point Heated, I know that during the week I do nothing else other than teach, mark, mumsnet or sleep. So if someone criticises my teaching I do take it to heart. But I am also very aware of how important my job is if I fail I am not only failing myself but my pupils.

twinsetandpearls - you are not telling me you don't cringe at those posts on this site which ask "My DS wants to go to a bad school, what should I do?"

Raven - I've just been on the APP website - what a pair of sad individuals we are!

Would it be terrible of me to admit that actually I was having fun!

Starlight outside of mumsnet I have never ever felt anything but respect for my profession./

Definite similarities between teaching and parenting, in fact. You invest a lot of yourself in it, you care immensely about it, you take any criticism to heart. Doesn't seem such a bad thing to me, really.