Other staff memebers commenting on my professional practice

JDD10

Hi,

I can't give too many details as I don't want to be identified, but in a conversation about the modern methods that the department of education want us to be using (post primary), it emerged that a staff member knew about a very particular method that I had used. 'Someone told her that I had used x'. She was shocked (very old school), the method that I used is very modern, but recommended on hdip courses etc.

Out of fear of being ridiculed and gossiped about by cynical people who refuse to update or try new methods, I did not tell a soul about my trying out of this method. No member of staff knew.

So the question I am left with, is how on earth do they know the specifics of my lesson?

Some member of the teaching staff has clearly been discussing/questioning the students about what goes on in my class.

This in my mind is totally unprofessional, I would never dare ask students what other teachers do with them in their classes.

12 element

Maybe one of the pupils offered the information without being asked.
Don't worry about them either way! Do your own thing!

RealJohn

Yeah, you might be over-thinking things here. Students talk to teachers about what goes on in other classes, both when they like something and when they don't. Your colleague might have pressed them for more information because they thought it was interesting that you tried it and were interested to know what the students thought of it. Just because they were surprised you did it doesn't mean that they think it's a bad thing, regardless of how they came across. Most teachers, even 'old fashioned' teachers are interested in improving their own practice.

Regardless, if it's working for you and not causing problems for anyone else, fire ahead with it. Your classes are your responsibility. Teach them your way.

teacherhead

Ms, we did a really cool thing with ms. X earlier. It was great fun etc...

you often hear stuff without looking for it. You have them talking, you do know that that's the first step in a change cycle, if they're talking about it they're thinking about it, if they're thinking about it they might try it. They might not but hey there you go.

seavill

I was told by a colleague that one of my classes said X,Y and Z about me last week while in his company. Not in this instance it wasn't that bad but you must know yourself when the kids are talking and lack all cop on to realise that you are sitting 10 feet away and can hear every word they say.

Other times as others have said they may bring it up saying how they really enjoyed doing this in last class etc.

You are jumping to conclusions that 1. they are talking about you behind your back and 2. that the teacher was questioning the kids on your techniques.

The other side of it is who cares what they think. If it works for you they why not use it, they are the ones missing out. I am seen as over strict in my school at times. Over time it has been discussed about strictness in my presence knowing full well they are referring to me. Am I bothered, no. It works for me, the kids know where they stand with me. They might not always like it but they know I am fair about everything. Others disagree and feel I am wasting my time etc. etc. Again who cares, my class, my rules, my way, it works. Not saying I'm not open to new ideas etc. I am just I really couldn't care less what the kids say or the teachers think about me.

If i had proof that they were actually mocking my methods in front of kids then thats a whole different story but you certainly don't know this

rainbowtrout

I think you are over thinking this OP. I know how a fair amount of the teachers in my school operate through a variety of ways, none of them include quizzing the students. If I'm walking down the corridor during a free class or organising equipment and chemicals in the prep room (science teacher) I can see without watching what is going on. If a teacher has their classroom door open you can a little bit of what is going on passing the door. But like everyone else here I would say most information comes from students talking between themselves about other teachers or saying it straight out to another teacher in another class.

There are two of us teaching ag science for LC in my school. We get a class each every year. We have different approaches to getting things done. The students comment on it regularly. I know exactly where the other class are in the course and the other teacher knows where I am. We know this because our students discuss our classes among themselves. I get a lot of 'when are we doing X experiment, the other class did it last week and they are on the same section as us,etc etc' The other teacher gets similar comments.

Actually what I find amusing about it all is that teenagers despite thinking that they are the bastions of all that is cool, rebellious and anti-establishment spend their break times discussing what went on in their classes. Yesterday I went into my ag science class who quizzed me on the transformer the physics class made in a class earlier that day. I feel that I must be doing something right if my physics students felt that the class merited discussion time at break. :pac:

evolving_doors

I had this one class a few years ago and it was like something out of lord of the flies with everyone watching what everyone else was doing, it was mental. It didn't help that the year group was split into 3 hons maths classes with common tests every month... "The other class got the test results back yesterday when are we getting ours?... the other class are a page ahead when are we moving on?.. the other class do it a different way..etc". I had to give a few polite 'dressing downs' to tell them to cop on with the chat and looking over the fence.

I'd say OP take no heed of the 'mutterings' from the other teaccher and be thankful that you're open enough to try out new methods and reflect on your teaching. Anytime I hear students start to discuss other teachers I cut them off ASAP and tell them I'm duty bound by the 'teachers code' to tell colleagues exactly what is said about them.:):):). I think it's actually unprofessional to entertain any type of chat about colleagues from students.

Also you could be well advised to suss out who the 'mole' is and observe their work and behaviour in your class. You might find that this student is swinging the lead in your class and using idle gossip to stir the pot to undermine your teaching. So when their bad results come out you are the fall guy for them. It's rare enough but maybe just something to think about.

electoralshock

As a rule, I say 'I don't want to talk or hear about other teachers'. I think it is very bad form for other teachers to try draw information from students or listen to their rants about teachers from students. However, It should be good practice to share ideas and different approaches to teaching topics. i think this should be done between teachers not through information provided by students.