What does Nicky Morgan not seem to understand?

[theluckiest]

Nicky Morgan urges teachers' unions to 'do their bit' www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35899478

No Nicky, teaching is not wonderful at the moment. No, teachers are not just moaning yet again (because that's what we usually do, isn't it?). No, your constant interfering, moving of goalposts and unnecessary 'reforms' are not helping anyone. In fact, you are damaging education irreparably.

Here's an example: the 'more rigorous' testing that you insist all 11 year olds should be put through are actually damaging. They are demoralising teachers but much more importantly, they are seriously damaging children's mental health. Yes, really. The stress these children are being put under is unforgivable this year. As a school we are held to ransom because of these tests (let's be honest, tests that we teachers, parents and schools know are bullshit).

They feel like they have failed already because your 'rigour' is inappropriate, unnecessary and completely pointless. They despise learning this nonsense and I can't blame them. At a time of their lives when learning should be exciting, they are force-fed inaccurate, archaic grammar and given the message that their writing cannot be good enough if it doesn't have a semi-colon.

Sounds crazy doesn't it? Because it is. So forgive me if I don't "Use the tools available to them to build up teachers, promote the profession and tell the story of what a rewarding job teaching really is" at the moment. (how I laughed when I read that one!!)

And don't get me started on academisation....Nicky, take your fingers out of your ears and listen. Before it's too late.

Not according to this article:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3509723/Now-TEACHERS-threaten-strike-Children-face-severe-disruption-walkouts-plans-force-schools-academies.html#reader-comments

I do apologise for the Daily Fail link.

And I meant we CAN according to this article.

Surely it would come under pay and conditions as academies do not have to abide by the STPC?

Interesting. Well, I hope they do strike; I will join them.

From BBC article about Corbyn's speech at the NUT conference:

''Schools minister Nick Gibb said it showed the Labour party had "chosen to retreat into the fringes".

What is Nick Gibb's opinion of NM giving a speech at the NASUWT conference I wonder?

Yes, what can we do? We must be able to do something. NM is utterly deluded - one one hand forcing through sweeping and devastating changes with no consultation yet ticking off those naughty unions for not telling everyone how rewarding and wonderful teaching is. WTF??! It was NIcky, but all these 'reforms' are making it untenable. Honest question, wonder why she genuinely thinks teachers are leaving in droves?

Is she actually admitting there is a teaching crisis now then?

I've dealt with it by quitting. Thats my protest.

I thought a couple of weeks back the unions were meeting in regards to the ks2 SATS situation? What happened with that? Will there be a boycott like in 2010?

Teachers in academies may not be able to strike. Which means that once all schools have converted teachers will be in an even weaker position than they are now.

The decision to open, partially open, or close a maintained school is for the headteacher.
The decision for academies rests with the academy trust, but is usually delegated to the principal.

taken from handling strike action in schools - gov.uk

It's too late now, jinrame, no time to vote, etc. So pissed off, they had all the momentum a few weeks back.

Oh :( that was a dumb squib then. I wonder why they lost the momentum and didn't go ahead with it?

Why the fuck is she telling teachers to be more positive about teaching when it is so awful at the moment?

If she wants us to be more positive then she needs to make teaching less shit.

If she wants us to be more positive then she needs to make teaching less shit

That exactly sums up my feelings today! Well said.

Yes noble!
And it's not as though the Government have been bigging up teachers all these years either.

I've een looking for this thread! It's incredible that she can be that stupid that she says something like that! I was watching her on the News channel this am, with mouth agape; every time they play it, my mouth is agape again!

How? Just how can she be so thoughtless that she could say that? She was bad enough before, but she's now ridiculous and fit only to be laughed at. If only we could just laugh our politicians out.

Well said Feenie.

I'm not in teaching any more, but even I was fucked off with that speech this morning.

If she thinks that teachers won't have the support of non-teachers, then I think she's miscalculated. From what I can tell there is support out there even among those who have never been in education.

The thread on academies might have shown her that if she'd ever come back to it.

The NUT are going to ballot for strike action. Excellent.

I get the impression that she doesn't like teachers very much or have any respect for what they actually do.

She does seem to have declared war on teachers and the unions this morning.

The part about not having another government so come with us or fight us was pretty much her drawing a line in the sand.

I'm reminded of a comment I once heard Tedd Wragg make about the Department for Education being a stupid name because you wouldn't expect them to be against it.

If she thinks that teachers won't have the support of non-teachers, then I think she's miscalculated. From what I can tell there is support out there even among those who have never been in education.

It certainly seems as if some posters on here are beginning to get the idea. I think once it hits home how many schools are having to cover classes with TAs and supply teachers, things might change.

It happened at work the other day. Someone approached me while I was doing something and started talking about the government's treatment of teachers. In this case I think it was actually Wilshaw, but it hasn't gone totally unnoticed even among those that don't have school age children.

The fact that the highly rated DM comments on NM's speech yesterday are overwhelmingly anti the government on this is quite telling. The anti-teacher pro-government posts have been heavily down-voted.

I don't know how much they'd be in support of a strike though. It does cause ore hassle for people than a doctors strike does.

Doesn't seem to be any support out there for the massive changes to our education system.

www.naht.org.uk/welcome/news-and-media/blogs/susan-young/new-heads-feeling-inspired-by-changes-in-the-system/

I hope it goes further than teachers striking, teachers should join the junior doctors Nhs staff, disability campaigners. Time for a national combined day of opposition. Maybe even a Saturday. As for a teaching strike I do feel this time there is more support from parents as it is parental choice and democratic accountability that is most affected and not about individual pay and conditions. This is teachers really wanting the best for children. The system is a mess.

I just don't see how they can bring in such a massive change without it being in their manifesto and with so much opposition?

Widening the academisation agenda and taking action against coasting schools was in the manifesto.
No, it didn't say how it was going to be brought about - but the manifesto is never about the how, it's about the what.

Given that increasing the number of academies was in the manifesto, would it really have made that much difference to the outcome of the election if they'd explained back then how they were going to do it?

Teachers on another thread said that this hasn't come as a surprise. Education commentators have been predicting it for years. I imagine the serving Government are forming their opinions of parents and teachers based on the fact that it's taken until now for anyone to object to something they've been telling the electorate about for years.

Widening the academisation agenda and taking action against coasting schools was in the manifesto.

Nope. It said they were commited to "turn every failing and coasting secondary school into an academy and deliver free schools for parents and communities that want them."

It also said: "We will continue to allow all good schools to expand, whether they are maintained schools, academies, free schools or grammar schools." which promises expansion of good maintained school, a promise they would be going back on if they turn them all into academies.

Teachers on another thread said that this hasn't come as a surprise.

I imagine that's because with all the shitey nonsense that's been dumped on education for no clear gain to the students, nothing would surprise them anymore! And I have never, ever seen a teacher mention on here that it would be a positive move.