The Decay of Schools in Ireland.

breughel1181

The role of school teacher has changed greatly over the past 40 years. Teaching was a respectable profession and most teachers had the respect of their pupils and the community.
What has happened to today’s schools? Child centered education. As a result of leftist educational changes, the classroom experience of our children has been drastically changed (group-work, classroom presentations etc. replacing a deeper and more analytical set of skills which existed in the past). Today’s kids call the shots in the classroom and teachers mostly just try to keep students happy. Teachers need to earn the respect of their students rather than students earning the teachers respect. Isn’t this the wrong way around?
Parents (mostly mothers) play too big a role in schools today. Constant interference by parents leads to short-term gains for their children but the standard of education is compromised. Teachers, as a result of unending nagging from parents, make life easier for themselves by just giving parents/students what they demand rather than what is best for them.
The teacher is to blame for all the ills in today’s schools. Weak management (most of whom fled the classroom because they couldn't handle it) are too quick to listen to a student’s side of the story when an issue arises between student and teacher. Picture the scene as a teacher dedicated to maintaining his/her standards in the classroom is forced to apologize to a teenager (s)he may have “treated disrespectfully”. The student gets off free while the teacher may get a warning from management. All of this gives the student a great sense of fun and excitement but a false sense of importance is power in instilled in the student.
In the past most employees of a school were teachers. This is not the case anymore. Many educational specialists work as coordinators, counselors, head of this, deputy head of that. These school employees can go through the whole school year without teaching a single lesson. Yet, they have the authority to judge a teacher in how he/she carries out his/her duties. Shouldn't these specialists be asked to perform some teaching as a way to show the way? They are, after all, usually paid more than standard classroom teachers!
Our schools are in the worst state they have ever been. Many are bordering on mayhem as kids rule the roost and management hide from the clear facts that the lack of discipline is destroying our schools. Those who lose out most are the students themselves. School has become a place where they are allowed to ridicule their elders and get away with it. This sets a very bad example for children. They learn no discipline as there is always a second chance when they promise to change their attitudes. Bullying is rife as groups of kids roam schools doing as they please and are rarely punished for their own lack of decorum. As a result, life skills such as respect, self-discipline, organization and politeness are lost.

Does anyone agree with me?

evolving_doors

ya , a bit general but I see where youre coming from.
Not too sure what you mean by educational specialists in the school doing no teaching though! I can see it happening allright, there was some discussion in the UK about bringing in managers to run a school without any teaching experience (or experience of education at all). That's a bit far fetched for now, but I'm at least glad our P's and DP's were teachers in a former life.

TheDriver

Armelodie wrote: »

ya , a bit general but I see where youre coming from.
Not too sure what you mean by educational specialists in the school doing no teaching though! I can see it happening allright, there was some discussion in the UK about bringing in managers to run a school without any teaching experience (or experience of education at all). That's a bit far fetched for now, but I'm at least glad our P's and DP's were teachers in a former life.

Most of us still are teachers! I have always taught as DP and as P as no one can say I don't know what's going on in classroom and its my main reason for being a teacher in the first place.....

Pwpane

TheDriver wrote: »

Most of us still are teachers! I have always taught as DP and as P as no one can say I don't know what's going on in classroom and its my main reason for being a teacher in the first place.....

I find it hard to believe that most Ps and DPs teach, even 51%.

Are there any stats out there about that?

Also, it is a good idea to teach a class but if the last time you taught full time was a few years ago then you have no idea of the current stress levels. It's a different ball game entirely.

seavill

Who are all these non teachers employed in schools? Obviously not including office staff, cleaners etc?

man_no_plan

seavill wrote: »

Who are all these non teachers employed in schools? Obviously not including office staff, cleaners etc?

I think its a Happy Christmas thread

evolving_doors

man_no_plan wrote: »

I think its a Happy Christmas thread

By jove he's got it!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FOLKS...

ustazjoseph

breughel1181 wrote: »

The role of school teacher has changed greatly over the past 40 years. Teaching was a respectable profession and most teachers had the respect of their pupils and the community.
What has happened to today’s schools? Child centered education. As a result of leftist educational changes, the classroom experience of our children has been drastically changed (group-work, classroom presentations etc. replacing a deeper and more analytical set of skills which existed in the past). Today’s kids call the shots in the classroom and teachers mostly just try to keep students happy. Teachers need to earn the respect of their students rather than students earning the teachers respect. Isn’t this the wrong way around?
Parents (mostly mothers) play too big a role in schools today. Constant interference by parents leads to short-term gains for their children but the standard of education is compromised. Teachers, as a result of unending nagging from parents, make life easier for themselves by just giving parents/students what they demand rather than what is best for them.
The teacher is to blame for all the ills in today’s schools. Weak management (most of whom fled the classroom because they couldn't handle it) are too quick to listen to a student’s side of the story when an issue arises between student and teacher. Picture the scene as a teacher dedicated to maintaining his/her standards in the classroom is forced to apologize to a teenager (s)he may have “treated disrespectfully”. The student gets off free while the teacher may get a warning from management. All of this gives the student a great sense of fun and excitement but a false sense of importance is power in instilled in the student.
In the past most employees of a school were teachers. This is not the case anymore. Many educational specialists work as coordinators, counselors, head of this, deputy head of that. These school employees can go through the whole school year without teaching a single lesson. Yet, they have the authority to judge a teacher in how he/she carries out his/her duties. Shouldn't these specialists be asked to perform some teaching as a way to show the way? They are, after all, usually paid more than standard classroom teachers!
Our schools are in the worst state they have ever been. Many are bordering on mayhem as kids rule the roost and management hide from the clear facts that the lack of discipline is destroying our schools. Those who lose out most are the students themselves. School has become a place where they are allowed to ridicule their elders and get away with it. This sets a very bad example for children. They learn no discipline as there is always a second chance when they promise to change their attitudes. Bullying is rife as groups of kids roam schools doing as they please and are rarely punished for their own lack of decorum. As a result, life skills such as respect, self-discipline, organization and politeness are lost.

Does anyone agree with me?

with all respect - generally NO. happy christmas !

spurious

breughel1181 wrote: »

Does anyone agree with me?

Like ustazjoseph said, generally no, but I do see where you are coming from.

In particular this:
The teacher is to blame for all the ills in today’s schools. Weak management (most of whom fled the classroom because they couldn't handle it) are too quick to listen to a student’s side of the story when an issue arises between student and teacher. Picture the scene as a teacher dedicated to maintaining his/her standards in the classroom is forced to apologize to a teenager (s)he may have “treated disrespectfully”. The student gets off free while the teacher may get a warning from management. All of this gives the student a great sense of fun and excitement but a false sense of importance is power in instilled in the student.

It's soul-destroying for the teacher involved and also for their colleagues. Within the last two weeks of term I heard of two such incidents in one school. A growing number of such cases, the HRA and a few other factors were what made me retire early.

However, it's Christmas and the teachers are on a well-needed break. What is always by far the worst term of the year is over. Battles can be fought another day. Happy Christmas.