Have we all be watching "ToughYoung Teachers" on BBC?

[LizzieVereker]

What did we all think? I liked the Science teacher - I felt sorry for her when Year 8 didn't enjoy her activity and she cried.

DH and I are both teachers and watched this.

We were absolutely cringing at the business teacher and his playing classical music as the kids came in. I really thought "know your audience, mate"

The RE teacher will do well, I think but not so sure about any of the others. I've worked in schools very like those featured (indeed still do!) and I think you need a certain toughness about you and ability to empathise with the kids that most of them seemed to be lacking.

Completely agree with everything LizzieVereker says.

I work in a school like the ones in the programme. Of the 10 TF's we've had, 4 lasted the full two years. The others quit during the first year, mostly disillusioned with the amount of data and apathy of the kids. The 'summer institute' seemed to have convinced them they were going to change the world, one lesson at a time.

The 4 who completed the placement all left teaching for other careers - advertising and journalism. While they were there, they were enthusiastic, bright and creative - but honest about the fact that TF was merely a route to doing something better. Other colleagues felt belittled by that attitude.

6 teachers quitting in their first year equals hundreds of kids missing out on the stability and consistency they need. I'm not a fan!

The thing that children in challenging schools need, more than anything is commitment and consistency, I can't see TF delivering on that. I think as a route into school it's a valid training option, the four year BEd gets the same results as a years PGCE, most teachers will tell you they really learn in their NQT year, why not allow the best graduates to go straight into teaching, but they need to be closely mentored and they need to want to teach, seeing it as a sort of extended GAP year is not what kids need. It would be interesting to see the stats, because if 60% of them are leaving in the first year and those that stay are only doing two that's massively disruptive and a waste of resources. I'd like to see teaching getting a better press and being a more attractive profession. Bring back key-worker housing scheme for teachers in year 4 or higher in challenging schools or shortage subjects?

I really liked the Science teacher and the RE guy, but the English teacher, I wasn't sure why she was there, she seemed to feel she was doing her students a massive favour by being there. If she was well prepared and enthusiastic she may have been, but she wasn't. It is a privilege working with teenagers, being in secondary and seeing them go from children to young adults.

I liked the business teacher - his classical music thing was a bit off the wall but in years to come if his pupils know nothing about business studies they will remember him for being the one who played them Bach and Beethoven - had to laugh when his computer failed. Happens all the time at my place.

In the trailer for the next episode, the English teacher is told that she has been flagged up as a cause for concern so maybe she'll improve (still wouldn't want my dc in her class though) Very strange that someone who is on film stating they don't like reading, should be given a role teaching English.

There is a lot of negative around TF but I think this post addresses some of it:
dailygenius.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/youre-my-teach-first-my-teach-last-my-teach-everything/

That's a really interesting piece Molly, it's certainly thought provoking with regard to the rigour of the TF programme and it's retention rate.

wonderstuff where did you get 60% leave? All the official stats I've seen say TF has a 95% completion rate (and I hate comparing but for info PGCE traditional route has a 86% rate.
After the 2 training years it is 65% retention rate for the most recent cohorts (PGCE retention rate is 63%) so barely different.

As I said in my post, I am level-headed about TF and see its pros and cons (And same with other routes- I did the trad PGCE route) but it does grind on me all the misconceptions which I find very unfair and unjustified. That article sums it all up brilliantly thanks Molly.

its retention rate