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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Last week I was told one of my displays was 'skanky'....

12 replies

mineofuselessinformation · 22/05/2015 20:30

By my HoD.
Context: it's not beautiful, but it was when a class had cracked a topic and was proud, so I asked them to do a piece each for display. HoD seems to have a 'thing' about tidiness.
How would you react?

OP posts:
Orangeanddemons · 22/05/2015 20:34

Are you in secondary? If so why are you doing a display?

Original poster
mineofuselessinformation · 22/05/2015 20:38

Yes I am. I'm well aware of the '24 tasks', but we're expected to do them.

OP posts:
Original poster
mineofuselessinformation · 22/05/2015 20:45

And.... I'm quite good with displays (or so I thought)...

OP posts:
HagOtheNorth · 22/05/2015 20:51

I'd have mounted the pieces of work, added the pupils' comments and questions and made it into an interactive display. HOD is an arse, if that's the LO and they met it, you are right to be proud of them and let them know.
But that's a boss for you.
All about the show and not the substance.

Panzee · 22/05/2015 20:57

Ask HoD to do it next time? (Yes, in my dreams...)

Original poster
mineofuselessinformation · 22/05/2015 21:35

Panzee, that's what I plan to do!

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 23/05/2015 13:15

You need to go into Primary schools and see how we do it - Working WallsWink
I am able to do neat and tidy displays, but some of my colleagues do really fantastic creative ones.

The worst displays I have ever seen were in my DH's school (secondary) they were depressingly bad!

echt · 23/05/2015 22:36

First, does your HOD know what skanky implies? Cheeky mare.

Tell her it's writing to learn/ writing wall as suggested up thread.

stn24 · 28/05/2015 20:05

Leave a blank wall so pupils can focus on the work and the work only :)

helzapoppin2 · 29/05/2015 11:01

You were proud. Class is proud. That's what matters.

Original poster
mineofuselessinformation · 29/05/2015 13:27

Actually, I was so pissed off about it, I stripped it.
The group concerned don't mind as they've long since progressed well beyond what the display was about.
The board is completely bare. HoD asked what was going up next, 'dunno', what colour I was going to back it with, 'dunno' (it's got no backing or edging, is painted blue so appears to have a rash where the staples were removed as the white underneath is showing), was I going to put up x (something HoD thinks I should display), 'dunno'. At this point they became baffled and disappeared.
When it's next mentioned, I'll respond I don't have time to do it.
I'm due a 'learning walk' soon - if asked I shall state HoD didn't like my display, so I removed it.
I put up with a lot, but this really pushed my buttons. When I am ready to replace it, I shall ask HoD what colour, what topic, can they point me in the direction of what specifically to display, what layout etc, etc. (In other words, I shall do what they've been doing to me - asking how to do something, and then leaving me to do it. Shock)

OP posts:
donemekmelarf · 29/05/2015 16:51

A display that's too neat means that there has been too much input from the teacher/ta and not enough from the children.
A slightly messy, rough around the edges display means that the children have all had lots of input.

That's what I see (as a parent) when I look at displays.

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