"if we do badly your pay will drop"

[Verycold]

"So you will make sure we don't"
is a comment I've heard in more than one class now. And which really sums up a lot of what is wrong with the education system...

Good answer Phil

JustAShopGirl
Why don't you attend parents' evenings? Do you see the teacher at an alternative time. I have never met you so it would be unfair to judge your parenting.

If a parent cannot make parents' evening then usually the teacher is prepared to make an appointment at a different time. If a parent cannot make time to see the teacher about their child's progress twice a year then there is something seriously wrong. Children need their carer to show an interest in their education.

Whether that person is a crap parent is a judgement call.

Parents' evening at our local school was a bit of a pain . You were allocated 5 min- between 3 and 4.30 on a Tuesday or Thursday (you got to choose either day) - we were in and out in less than 2min.

We knew that the DDs were doing fine, they knew that and the teacher/school knew that. We had no problems at all with the school, felt they were pushing the girls to be the best they could and we were supporting that from home too. We show a full interest in their education.

We went for the first 2 for each - to be told (in sum total) "miniJust (1 or 2) is delightful, has no trouble in class, is getting along well with reading, writing and numeracy, hope she can keep it up, any questions?"

Hence we felt no need to go thrice a year at inconvenient times (had to book a whole shift off for 2 min), and trusted the school to let us know if things were to change. (they didn't change)

"
Hence we felt no need to go thrice a year at inconvenient times (had to book a whole shift off for 2 min), and trusted the school to let us know if things were to change. (they didn't change)"

Lots of people see teachers at a different time to parents' evening. Sometimes teachers even discuss their children's progress over the telephone if they can't get to the school. (For example one of dd's friends mum is disabled with a stroke and agrophobic.)

Taking time off to see teachers is no different to taking time off to go to the bank, the doctors, hair dresser, lawyer etc. Some things in life are important and worth making time for. A chid is in the care of a teacher and IMHO its fair enough to speak to the person who looks after your child for 25 hours a week once a term.

The type of parent who doesn't make time for their child somehow is a crap parent.

Some things in life are worth making time for - but to be told everything is tickety-boo, when I know everything is tickety-boo, my daughters know everything is tickety-boo and their teachers know everything is tickety-boo seems a bit of a waste of my time and theirs.

Teachers do communicate this to us, both through the children and their weekly planners - which I read and make comment in. Not speaking face-to-face to a teacher does not mean not making time for my child.

(It is specious to suggest it is the same as going to the hairdresser etc. - I do that in non-working hours.)

Parents evenings are mostly a waste of time both for teachers and parents - I have been in many of them , on both sides of the table.
The parents who ought to have contact with he school don't turn up anyway, and anything relevant to the rest is on the report anyway.

"A child who tuns up for a public exam with no kit should be allowed to fail!"

I disagree with this. Many of us have taught very bright children from chaotic homes; the impact failing a GCSE in maths (for example) has on their life chances can be huge.

Would you really withhold equipment to teach them a lesson? Given that they may not have the means to buy their own equipment, it is likely to be a futile 'lesson' with potentially massive consequences.

I agree tethers, I have sometimes let a pupil go into a mock exam without equipment to teach them a lesson, I am not sure if I would ever do the same for a real GCSE.

If a child has no kit then why do they wait until the middle of the exam to ask to borrow a pen. Why don't they ask their teachers/ friends before the exam? Some of the students who don't have a pen are sixth formers. At what age do we tell student to leave out the sob stories and take responsibility to make sure they turn up for their exams.

At what point do teachers stop taking the blame for failure..

Where did it say in the middle of the exam, we are talking about just before they go in.

It is not about taking blame but showing compassion. The number of students who will turn up to a public exam will be tiny.

If I was still at work I would be guiding the following students through their exams.
A boy whose father dies suddenly of a heart attack a few weeks before his GCSES
A boy who was dealing with the anniversary of his mother's death, helpfully featured in the local papers
A girl whose brother is being questioned on abuse accusations

I could go on.

Which sob story should I ignore

I'm never sure about very one should attend parents' evenings. Can you imagine how long they would have to be?

As a teacher I'm happy if parents of children doing generally well don't come to parents' evenings. Lovely as it is to have a nice chat about a child doing well, rounded off with a "and your target is...er...keep reading!", it's not hugely productive. Obviously I don't mind or resent these appointments at all, but I do sometimes think those parents have disrupted their whole evening just to hear what they already knew. No judgement here if you choose not to come in these circumstances.