TES Community

[Scumble]

Where the dickens has it gone? Is it gone gone? Has it been renamed and I just can't find it?

I'm sure this place is very nice and, I am a bit surprised to be seeking information about the TES Community forums on a website dedicated mainly to things maternal. However, in these non-patriarchal days, we can all be mums now and mums don't just share recipes and knitting patterns (naughty Jude).

There's hang-gliding and mountain climbing and the tear-down of large engines from excavators etc.

Still, it does seem a little like leaving the Philosophy department (remember them?) and seeking out the Vice Chancellor in the creche.

So, what's the plan? Are we old wrinklies from TES Personal going to invade mumsnet?

I mean, what have we got to do with kids? Most of us don't even like kids!

I just want TES to re-open Personal so I can leave with a modicum of dignity. Now I find myself in a very powerful, refined and ordered babyland and soon to be starting threads entitled 'toddlertime' and 'tantrumthrower'.

Actually, it's better than TES Personal and I'm not in my usual pre-moderated mode.

I'm off before I push the limits of the playpen and get sent to the naughty step.

Note: the above attitudes and opinions of mumsnet are solely those of the poster and in no way reflect the reality of the quality of the mumsnet website and forums nor the dedication of those who provide such a vital and uninterrupted service.

We aren't all retired yet Jude, I'd still like to ask people teaching in other schools if mocks are going ahead as planned or differently and if differently how will CAG's be verified and things like that. Of course I'd also like to hear about film/book recommendations and such like amongst other things too, but I'd draw the line at advising parents here or anywhere unless asked and then with caution.

If throwing toys out of prams here results in a swift demise that's got to be alright for the long term benefit of the forum hasn't it? Hang on to your toys folks it's been a bumpy ride but pleased to have been reunited here courtesy of the mums place.

Yes, a website that you have to pay to access makes complete sense and will do a lot to deter trolls and bullies. I mean, who is going to pay to be told off or threatened to be thrown off the site for behaving badly? And who is going to pay multiple access fees to create numerous personas? I always thought the TES Community Forum should have been a paid service. If it was, then some of the most disagreeable posts would never have emerged. It became an ideal place for some to attempt to convert others to one's their dubious ideologies.

@Neededabreak

Hi there, huge thanks for that input to the new network you are actually addressing some of the concerns I have that will be addressed. During discussions on TES we had mentioned how to deal with such things and the resolution started therein.

It's clear the forum cannot be self regulatory moderators are necessary, volunteer mods may not be adequate as you say so I envisage paid staffing with associated on costs and insurance, there are of course other costs to be covered not least the domain itself. A way around this could be the closed site as I mentioned, with registration posters will have to verify their real ID in order to create an avitar and user name, one way to do this is via normal ID referencing. When we talked about it on TES a few people including myself said they'd pay to access the site, someone mentioned £20pa as agreeable, so depending on usage (remember it's not just Personal) it might be doable/scalable, discounts and offers for people who post regularly or recommend new users. To this end I'm looking at costings and Kickstarter as a means to proceed further... I'm thinking along the lines of a legitimate verifiable website, membership and user areas in a user friendly format for teachers. Any thoughts?

A closed site with registration and verification of real ID sounds fine. £20 p.a. - hmmm, a bit steep, unless there are discounts as you suggest. Perhaps a free 30 day trial once registered? Just for teachers / ex-teachers? What about TAs and other education-connected workers?

I don't think I'd pay to use any website, tbh. I understand the reasoning behind it, but nope.

Yes definitely a trial period or area open to read at a lower rate then if interested subscribe, that should keep trolling down too, discount/incentive scheme will be in place although that's very much reliant on hosting costs, linked to usage/numbers etc... I thought the cost reasonable when someone suggested it, that said the cost of my non existant coffee shop coffee once a month waa a good comparison as I sat with a hot drink talking to others online. I don't envisage being a moderator myself I think that would need to be an advertised post/s to be sustainable so numbers are key here to keep costs down. I encorporated TA's etc in educators in my mind but perhaps wasn't explicit here.

Fair enough. I subscribe to news media so I'm used to it, I read the comments but they are not well regulated, often random contributions with difficult to follow threads and are generally not as welcoming as we've experienced in the past.

Just being nosy and looking in to see who's here.

Before investing any money and too much of your precious time, get a gauge from here, of how many people will be interested in investing in it and how many currently feel totally committed to the idea. I will say, I am interested, but not committed. You quoted £2.50 to £5 a month subscription, that's £25 for the poorest subscriber and £60 for those better off.

I understand fully why there needs to be a fee as the costs of the insurance for the site could be quite a lot and there will be problems getting advertisers.

If enthusiasm for this site persists, with the knowingness that it will be a paid for service, then you know you are on the right track.

I personally wouldn't invest in creating anything dependent upon teachers to contribute financially to. Sorry for sounding negative, but as a teacher, wanting to get many projects off the ground in the past, I seldom got anywhere when attempting to so, with teachers.

I’m just chuffed that I’ve found TEs people again. I really missed it and just hope the regulars find their way here and stick around.

Lovely to see more names I recognise as the day goes on. Great to see Dunty! My TES name was taken .... I need some warm weather! Can't quite get my head around how it all works on here yet!

Don't think I'd pay for a website either.

There are lots of closed/private Facebook groups that have admins, rules etc to keep out trolls. So don't think it needs to be paid for. Posts are vetted by admins and anything deemed inappropriate or going against the groups rules isn't allowed.

I do understand though that not everyone uses Facebook.

I've used Mumsnet for years and it's title is definitely misleading - it has lots of mum/parent content but also lots of random stuff too!

I understand completely and am doing just as you suggest, that said I also talk to teachers I know (quite a few over the years) and although they may be being polite they can't identify a similar service and are interested in seeing where it goes, of course I'm limiting my investment but I'd like to see how it goes, if it doesn't that's absolutely fair, then there's simply no market for it, possibly no need which may well be why TES is currently unavailable, who knows... Several people in real life pointed out that although paid for people tend ti value that which they have invested in in a small way, so either there's interest or there isn't, I'm not doing it to make money but to breakeven would be great.

I knew one of the founders of Big White Wall, it grew from need not other aims, the service still isn't as fully accessible as at first envisaged because GP referrals are needed but actually it is still an ongoing concern supporting a different kind of need but staffed by professionals, experts in their fields.

I have no knowledge of constructing websites / forums, but is the Tapatalk site an option? I believe it's free, but I could be wrong.

Hi there, I guess it is in the short term although the platform I'm working on retains control of the infrastructure design and implementation so you aren't at the mercy of another providers limitations or agenda, also not lost in a sea of general posts or risk having everything deleted without notice.

@Neededabreak

Hi there, I guess it is in the short term although the platform I'm working on retains control of the infrastructure design and implementation so you aren't at the mercy of another providers limitations or agenda, also not lost in a sea of general posts or risk having everything deleted without notice.

Understood - I know I've seen forum groups on the Tapatalk platform for other things. I take your point about retaining ownership / control.

Hi peeps. I think it’s fairly obvious who I am over on TES. 😁 It’s good to see some familiar faces. xxx

@BG2015

Don't think I'd pay for a website either.

There are lots of closed/private Facebook groups that have admins, rules etc to keep out trolls. So don't think it needs to be paid for. Posts are vetted by admins and anything deemed inappropriate or going against the groups rules isn't allowed.

I do understand though that not everyone uses Facebook.

I've used Mumsnet for years and it's title is definitely misleading - it has lots of mum/parent content but also lots of random stuff too!

Yes, I am the main admin on a private FB site (one of two, but the other works full time).

It has worked well so far - now has almost 350 members. Posts are read by around 250 members, but only a few dozen post regularly. So, a much smaller scale than TES Community.

We have a few keyword 'alerts', but haven't needed to block anyone yet.

Mind, it is hard to get approval to join without a certain knowledge of what the site is about, unlike TES Community.

Hi Tessers, I am a regular also. I've had lots of fun on TES over the years and found people to be (mostly) kind and helpful. It would be a real shame if it was gone forever. I posted before Christmas about problems with my son and his mental health and people were really helpful. He's doing OK, still on the secure unit and Christmas has been quiet and peaceful - just catching our breath really.
Lots of love to you all x

@Myothercarisalsoshit

Hi Tessers, I am a regular also. I've had lots of fun on TES over the years and found people to be (mostly) kind and helpful. It would be a real shame if it was gone forever. I posted before Christmas about problems with my son and his mental health and people were really helpful. He's doing OK, still on the secure unit and Christmas has been quiet and peaceful - just catching our breath really. Lots of love to you all x

Very pleased to hear you have had some respite, wishing you all the best in the New Year!

Another refugee. What a terrible time to take it down, and what a ton of useful info that will be lost on there if they don't bring it back.

Big hellos to all the refugees. I keep checking in to see updates and it's nice to see some familiar-ish faces. Or hear familiar-ish voices(?) I keep trying to identify who's who from posting "tone" but it's quite hard with all the different names!
Just having a glass of wine, and it's round about now I'd look in on Tes (or early morning)
Cheers everyone.

So, this is where you all are...

I've really missed the TES forums - I didn't post on it as much as I once did maybe, but I really appreciated the support of so many familiar posters over the years, and occasionally joined meets in London and Birmingham. Workplace Dilemmas has definitely kept me going through hard times. Losing it now in the midst of a global pandemic, not to mention the loneliest Christmas I've ever had seems like spectacularly bad timing.

I'll be lurking here (albeit with a different username to my normal TES one) to find out when (if...?) TES restores the forums. Good to see you all again!

@myothercarisalsoshit, so glad things are calmer and your son is doing ok. Very best wishes for a happier new year for your family.

@ReggieStration

Happy to see some familiar posters finding their way here

I'm starting to work out who is who amongst those who have a new name on here. (On TES, my avatar is casting a spell and I have a really long name.)

Could it be to do with dabbling in the dangerous dark arts by any chance?

On TES my avatar is usually a Victoria sponge cake with a slice cut out showing the Jam in the middle of the Vic . However, it was a Christmassy decorated version of said cake type at the time of.... what are we calling it...mass banishment? ....cull? ....extermination? .....room 101’ed?