What changes to teaching would make the job more bearable?

[SarfEasticated]

I am studying for a degree in Education Studies, with a view to working with children once I've finished in 2 yrs time. I have been reading the threads in here about the terrible workloads teachers have and I would be interested to know what education policy changes you would like to see made after the next general election. Which party offers the most hope for teachers? and When do you think was the golden age for teaching?
Can you see any light at the end of the tunnel?

Where I live (Australia) teachers can have time off in term time to go to weddings and the like. Just like ordinary people.

If Ofsted want to know if the teaching is good, they can look at results, talk to the kids, survey the parents. You can't be a crap teacher with great results, the respect of the kids and the support of the parents. You can be a crap teacher and get an outstanding lesson observation from Ofsted.

That is the most sensible thing I've read about teaching for a very long time. Please become education secretary...

It may not work in rural areas but in towns that have 6 - 10 high schools I think schools could specialise and do it properly, not the way it is now. It would be better still if it was done with a first, middle and highschool so from 14 you could go to a school that really does specialise in music or languages etc.

Scrap league tables.

Obviously there would still need to be a strong general education for all students but instead of offering just 1 or 2 choices for GCSE a student who is talented at, say, art might be better taking GCSEs in History of Art and photography alongside Art rather than History and geography.

A musician might be better taking grade whatever in music rather than GCSE. And GCSEs (or other exams) should be taken when you are ready be that 14 or 19.

Students who have experiences/talents outside school should be able to take exams in subjects they have not been taught in school if they want, I'm thinking things like immigrant or bilingual children being allowed to sit language GCSEs.

I think we should not be so prescriptive about age, some children are ready for school earlier than others, and some would benefit from starting later.

I think basically put the child at the centre of the education system instead of politics being the centre. And basically have a look at what we are good at instead of constantly saying other countries are better.

Yes some countries are better but that doesn't mean that system would work here, some countries are better at teaching certain subjects and yes we should look at that, but not assume their way is better or would work with UK students.

... Not that Ofsted grade individual lessons any more, but that's the first step.

My neighbour's school had Ofsted just before Christmas (she is deputy) and told me that although the individual teachers were not told the gradings of any invidivual lessons, the management were! Ofsted didn't say, eg Mrs Hughes in Green class was RI but Mr Shiny in Orange was Outstanding, but when Ofsted fed back to the SMT, said, 'this morning's bottom set Y1 phonics was RI and the lesson after lunch on electricity in Y4 was Good' etc so all the management know exactly what grade the teachers got as they could work it out. They will no doubt have that in their minds when doing PMR, but none of the teachers know or will be told. I can imagine very uncrupulous heads using that against people. I was really sad when I heard that actually.

sassh - I also think that GCSEs are not necessarily the right curriculum or examination for music. Or for MFL, where there are excellent examinations set by the countries of the language according to the CEFR.

People should come in, offer helpful feedback and as part of that, demonstrate themselves how they would improve the class.

Yes, that would be such a difference.

Expectations of what a good lesson entails needs to change. I was having a lengthy discussion over Christmas with a relative about Ofsted. She said that it shouldn't be stressful, they should arrive with no warning and just see what you normally do as you shouldn't do anything different just for them, that's what they have to do when auditors come in at her work etc etc. If we're doing extra stuff, then that's fake and we should all be Outstanding all the time.

She didn't seem to understand that O come in for 20 minutes and expect to see progression within that time, so a certain 'type' of lesson (I don't know if it's the same in secondary) is expected where something 'new' is taught. Doing consolidation is unacceptable in an observation as it's not learning anything new. You cannot teach like this all the time though as you must incorporate consolidation into your teaching as otherwise they will not ever get a chance to develop these skills.

Until the daft expectations disappear-and no, Ofsted saying they don't need to see a certain type of lesson really isn't clear enough guidelines-nothing will change.

Education should be taken out of the hands of unqualified politicians and be run by educationalists. This would put children and their learning back at the centre and stop politicians using it as a vote winner. It would also mean that there could be a proper, coherent plan and a progression of education as a whole. It wouldn't a depend on a 3 year cycle of 'what will win us the most votes'.

However, no political party will instigate this so I'm afraid there is no light at the end of the tunnel

I know Quite. But the OP did ask!

Actually I quite fancy being a dentist seeing as how I brush my own teeth so well!

If there was less of the relentless drive for evidence if every bloody thjng. If we said "yes we do that" and that was enough

Interesting about class size - research had shown it makes no difference. IKR

This bloke agrees with all my ideas after 20 years teaching www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dmxwl

Vital listening

Agree there's no trust. No resoect for teachers as in Finland where it's uniquely hard to become a teacher. I love love working with young people and would never change but this year ive seen more people leave than ever before. We are just sick of being blamed all the bloody time.

More time.
Less demand for progress to be demonstrated every 30 minutes.
to understand that sometimes kids just don't get it. I could never ever do quadratic equations and could have cried at how long it went on for in lessons.
The culture of fear, feeling like you're just waiting to be caught out even though you've not done anything to be caught by!
Incessant book trawls and work "scrutiny" ' a word I despise. Scrutiny sounds like "looking for trouble".
People at the top not listening to you down the ladder.
Realising that the progress demands cannot always be met.
Getting rid of floor targets and thinking about WHO is in front of you. Developing them as a person and giving them life skills is far more important than having that level or that grade next to your name.
Guilt. If you're off work you are constantly thinking about it. Worrying about when that marking will be done. Whether you can physically mark 30 essays in one night. How a class of 32 means more marking than your colleague's class of 10. Worrying about enjoying yourself as you have planning to do when you get home. It takes over your life and I know I personally have an inability to switch off.

I'm considering a change. I'd take a pay cut and have less holidays. But I just don't think I can keep doing this.

I went on a plane in 1983; can I be a pilot inspector? I was a really crap passenger-was sick and had my eyes shut for most of it-would that go against me?

My wish list would include removing appraisal, stopping performance related pay and getting rid of judgement based lesson observations (have developmental ones instead).

Previous posters who have said they have to do photocopying, filing etc. shouldn't be doing so - STPCD specifies that admin jobs not requiring professional judgement aren't part of a teacher's job anymore (ever since 2003).

Added pressure is caused by overly ambitious 'senior' leaders - so much of the unnecessary and time consuming work is generated by them. I have had enough of slogging away just to further other people's careers! Teachers could help themselves more by sticking together and not pandering to these unnecessary initiatives. Headteachers could also help if they were a bit more willing to make a stand.

OP asked about the golden age of teaching. I noticed a decline once Ofsted inspections started to happen (early 90s I think). Prior to that teachers were trusted, were allowed to mark and plan in their own way, set up their rooms and displays how they wanted to (didn't have to replicate learning walls etc. throughout the school). We didn't have PPA then, but didn't need it as the workload was manageable! We didn't even have TAs in those days but the job was still so much more enjoyable (totally value TAs and wouldn't want to be without them now)!

You see I quite like appraisal. Too many teachers got paid on UpS for too long doing nothing to warrant it. Plus I've set myself some targets that really changed things in school for the better.

You're righf re professional judgement. We have to analyse data on SISRA that anyone could do. better than ME

God and so agree with feathering other people's career plans. They have to show sodding impact. So we do the slog

Research might have shown that class size makes no difference to the children's outcomes, (which I am skeptical about, tbh, there are many critics of Hattie's research out there), but class size really would make a difference to teacher workload. My current A-level class went from 22 to 15 after AS, and the difference in my marking workload is huge.

I am a layman but it seems shortsighted that you have such limited opportunities to learn from each other. I listened to the R4 series "the Educators" and one of the reasons Jo Boaler gave from moving to the US was the lack of contact between teachers. I don't see how you are meant to flourish in isolation.
As for the political parties I agree it doesn't look great does it. The only party that seems to want to invest in Education are the Greens who would also scrap all the academies and have a complete comprehensive system. I completely agree that education should be out of the hands of politicians. It's ridiculous to change policy every 5 years.
Reading all of your posts here, do you feel like you actually have a voice? Who speak up for you - the NUT? I guess if the only weapon you have is to strike that's not ideal is it.

I'm not in a union at all. Pressure no one speaks up for me!