Really upset that students could say this about me

[Supermummy88]

Good evening everyone.

I’m a currently a head of department and have been working in this school for 2 years. It’s a fairly new school and this year will be their second set of GCSE results. When I started I took over a department where there had been numerous amounts of teachers that had left and therefore there was so solid curriculum in place. I have worked exceptionally hard for the last two years and have made it into a well resourced department with new schemes of for KS3/assessments/title pages/ knowledge organisers/ personal learning checks/ new GCSE lessons etc. There is only one other geography teacher, but he is not very experienced. I have been working really hard with the current year 11s and have been doing numerous interventions etc, making lots of revision resources and providing them then past papers, mark schemes and model answers. Just before the half term I had a line management meeting with the vice principal- he is currently in charge of humanities. He said that there have been quite a lot of complaints about me and how students are saying I’m not structuring the revision lessons properly and how I’m sitting down too much and not circulating the classroom enough. They have also said that I’m always on my phone-which I am not. I’ve sometimes had to take phone calls from my children’s school as I have young primary aged children. A few weeks ago one was sick at school and I had to make a few phone calls to quickly arrange for either my mum or husband to pick him up from school. I am so shocked that my year 11 students have said this about me as I have a very good relationship with the classes and help them with anything they need. The VP in general is not a very nice person and has had a number of grievances against him. I asked my classes if there’s anything I should be doing different and they said no, I’m giving them all the help they need. I’ve been teaching for 13 years and I’ve not had such comments before about students noticing such things. I am now feeling really paranoid. I suffer from endometriosis and have very painful periods- so sometimes I do have to take a break for a couple of minutes.

What is your take on this?

They arn't your friends. You can't trust them. Most of the kids today, sorry to say are not very pleasant. They are mostly selfish and love to get people into trouble. They aren't grateful, just me me me. I wouldn't worry or take it personally. I also wouldn't be asking them if you should be doing anything differently. How would they know what a good teacher should be doing? Saying that gives them a whiff that they are getting to you. Don't let them know if they are getting to you, otherwise they will just take advantage. Just be careful in future, don't get your phone out in front of them etc. Be strict, be confident and make it known that you are the teacher and you know what you are doing. Sorry you are going through this. Teaching is utter sh!t at the moment for so many reasons.

I just couldn’t believe I was justifying myself to these kids…it’s ridiculous! The SLT at this school take the students side and are constantly doing student voice and asking them questions about teachers! As for my phone…I don’t use it unless it’s an emergency. My older son has a kidney disorder that needs to be monitored…he will soon be having his left kidney removed as it is no longer functioning. So when he's not feeling well or he’s got a stomach the school phone straight away.

Does your school know about your pain? If they do, then there's no concern to be had about the sitting down.

In my school, though, the phone in the classroom would be a significant issue.

But honestly... stop looking for approval from the students: that way, madness lies.

Pupil voice - another thing that is seriously wrong with the education system. They’re bloody kids! How can they possibly judge your ability as a teacher? Unfortunately previous posters are correct, many kids these days as vile and love the feeling of power that they have the ability to judge your teaching and can complain. More fool the SLT idiots listening to this bollocks in the first place! You know you’re doing your best so stand your ground and don’t listen to them. Kids will blame everyone but themselves for their own lack of effort, ability etc and unfortunately the current system allows them to do this! I remember my last lesson with what I considered to be a lovely year 11 class. They had two teachers, me and another who was 25 years younger. I was the one who offered revision sessions, spent hours providing resources for them while the other teacher did the bare minimum. They consistently got much higher grades in the elements I taught as well. I overheard a group of girls discussing which one of us they thought was the better teacher and it was the other teacher because Mrs Foostit is okay but she old and doesn’t do Duke of Edinburgh! 🤷‍♀️😂

Totally agree. Then they wonder why there is so much chaos on our streets amd mental health issues. All that pressure on kids to decide if their teacher is good or not.

Yeah pupil voice sucks and would go in my room 101, i think you need to drop the phone use though, we would get slaughtered for that. Go for old fashioned communication, your kids school needs to ring reception at your school and get messages to you that way.

The phone usage is not much at all…only the couple of times when my children’s school has called, for example when one vomited and needed to be picked up…things like that. Perhaps three times in the whole year. I didn’t even think that students would pick up on it or would even remember. the pupil voice at this school is awful. They ask how often teachers circulate, how often they give homework, are their lessons engaging etc.

In my school, we're not allowed our phones outside offices. Your students clearly have noticed, and it appears to be a problem.

I refuse to put my phone away and out of my sight, especially as I have a child with medical needs. Also 7 years ago my dad died very suddenly. I was at work teaching a lesson with my phone in my bag. My mum and had called me over 10 times- I had just looked at my phone at the start of break time and started to panic and then when I called back I had found out my dad had a massive cardiac arrest. They were in a panic and hadn’t even thought of calling my school - she just kept calling and calling my phone. Since then I just feel I can’t put my phone away fully out of my sight.

That's very sad, and quite understandable.

However, you are opening yourself up to the risk of allegations in relation to safeguarding if you have your phone out and on.

p

Yes, you’re right. Last year when my son got very ill and then went back to school, he had to go back with a urostomy bag on which was quite uncomfortable for him. The school had to put quite a of measures in place for him, for example he wasn’t allowed out at break and lunch times incase the bag accidentally got pulled. It’s these type of situations that have made me paranoid about putting my phone away, as I sometimes think I’m constantly on stand by. I think I have to just suck it up and ensure my phone is out of my sight.

I think it would be best that way.

It's been mentioned by students and brought up by the VP. You need to take that as a sign, I think.

I'm a union rep and it's what I'd advise my members.

If an emergency arises at home, they should ring the school. Anyone can also check their phone at break and lunch time. As has been mentioned, it's best to have your phone out of sight. The children aren't allowed phones, so it's best to not have yours in view. It just gives the children something to complain about! Don't give them anything!

Can you get a smart watch? Then you'd know if the school was calling and wouldn't need to check your phone!!

It's unwise to extend much trust or faith in ANY minors, let alone students. All children are naturally manipulative, if they have any survival instincts, until they grow old enough to see for themselves that others dislike overt manipulation.

Defend yourself factually, neutrally, and briefly, and move on. This is not an accurate reflection of your teaching practice from what you've described.

A few weeks ago one was sick at school and I had to make a few phone calls to quickly arrange for either my mum or husband to pick him up from school

This would be frowned upon in some schools - I'd expect school to ring my husband directly, there's no need for me to be involved to coordinate. Do they not have your mum as an emergency contact for if you can't answer the phone?

It’s these type of situations that have made me paranoid about putting my phone away, as I sometimes think I’m constantly on stand by.

I think this is your issue. Ive got a child with medical issues so I honestly understand the feeling but you can't be "on standby", you need to be giving the class your full attention, and as a pp said, you risk a whole heap of safeguarding issues if you can't accept putting away. A lot of schools would not allow a teacher to have a phone out during lessons, at all.

In my school phones had to be kept out if sight and we weren’t allowed to use them anywhere but the staff room. Now our MIS and CPOMS (an others) need us to enter codes from our phones so we get them out for that but they must be on silent and still not allowed to use them for anything else.

I think it’s relevant that the VP is not a nice person. I worked at a school once where everyone (teachers and students) were given lots of positive attention for gossiping about others and stirring up trouble. It made for a horrible atmosphere where anything you said or did could be reported back to the Head.

You can't be using your phone in class. I'm sure the children aren't allowed to. As PP have mentioned, get a smart watch so if your phone is in your bag on silent, you know if someone is ringing you. What is your husband's job? Would it be more appropriate to make him first contact at your children's school if he is able to take calls more easily? Ensure that your children's school know that you are a teacher and cannot always take calls immediately so they should try the other listed contacts in an emergency.