CSPE has appeared on my timetable

alfja

Today, Saturday August 18th I got notification that from Tuesday next I will be teaching CSPE. I have no resources, time to prep or indeed interest in the subject. I am fifteen years in the school and taught first year CSPE 13 years ago. That is the extent of my experience. I got no warning at all that this was coming. I take great pride in my work and have prepared hundreds of resources for my actual subject. I think I will look like an underprepared idiot and I know that this will cause me serious stress. Is there anything I can do about this situation ? Can I refuse? I am insulted by the high handedness of the situation and by fear of disastrous classes as I have no confidence in my ability in the subject.

Any replies welcome.

siulach

alfja wrote: »

Today, Saturday August 18th I got notification that from Tuesday next I will be teaching CSPE. I have no resources, time to prep or indeed interest in the subject. I am fifteen years in the school and taught first year CSPE 13 years ago. That is the extent of my experience. I got no warning at all that this was coming. I take great pride in my work and have prepared hundreds of resources for my actual subject. I think I will look like an underprepared idiot and I know that this will cause me serious stress. Is there anything I can do about this situation ? Can I refuse? I am insulted by the high handedness of the situation and by fear of disastrous classes as I have no confidence in my ability in the subject.

Any replies welcome.

What year group(s) have you? CSPE is being subsumed into the 'wellbeing' category in many schools and I think is no longer going to be examined by a final exam for incoming 1st years. When I had a similar situation a few years ago I inherited 3rd yrs who had no project done so I spend most of the year on that.

Postgrad10

How many periods of it will you have and which year group? Will you have a number of groups from a particular year. In the that case you will essentially be planning for one class and repeating with the other groups. This years coming third years will be last ones examined in June 19. In any case get a couple of copies of textbooks and use them. You don't have be too fancy in your methods.

alfja

Thanks for the replies. It is a second year group that I will see twice a week.

Postgrad10

Sent you a message. Good luck for your new year.

alfja

Read your message Postgrad10 and am very appreciative. You gave good advice. I am a bit of a perfectionist in my mainstream subjects and will need to just relax a little with this one. Hadn't thought that they probably have a workbook so that is good to know. Am going in tomorrow to find out what book they use. It is the lack of notice that kills me and it really stressed me out.
Again, many thanks for taking the time to reply. For some reason couldn't reply by PM.

Postgrad10

My inbox might be full. You might be able to get the booklist from the school site. Some places might not use the workbook but if you get one yourself you could make up your own activities to suit. Enjoy !

alfja

Our school is not organised enough to have a site. Need to move on to a decent school is the moral of the story! Thanks again.

Starkystark

I share your pain, having gained 2 3rd year CSPE classes 2 years ago - so over 60 action projects to do with them. Had a second year class last year - to which I did the Action Project with them last year in preparation for this year - LOST them, and gained someone's 3rd years who haven't done a scratch. I am sick to death of CSPE. At the moment this is a culture in our school. "Oh they've to do an action project next year, I'll just get rid of them".

As a subject it gets a lot of knocking from teachers that don't teach it, and this trickles down to the students attitudes towards the subject. I only see it getting worst now there's no exam to wave at them.

Its ridiculous it's being lumped in with this whole "Wellbeing" circus. Had a look at first year book and its just a random lump in with the subject itself.

I'm boiling!

Noveight

I've been landed with one 3rd year class of CSPE. Zero knowledge nor experience (apart from doing it myself years and years ago.) At least it's on a Friday afternoon, might make the 40 minutes run a bit quicker... :pac:

Postgrad10

Have they their RAP done ? Least that keeps them busy.

dory

alfja wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. It is a second year group that I will see twice a week.

As far as I know you could fight this. The official line is that if you're not qualified in a subject, you don't have to teach it. You're doing the school a favour if you do. That said, now that it's all part of Wellbeing and not an exam subject, that might be harder to argue.

There's a good text book with a workbook. I tend to start the class with whats in the news these days and have a discussion on that. You can do a lot of fun things like have a mock trial, mock election, referendum etc. Get them to make speeches if they want to run for office and get them to count the votes. I know it's a shock to get something you're not ok with (I feel that way with SPHE) but it could be two periods where you're not under as much pressure and don't have to worry about an exam.

doc_17

C.R.A.P

Postgrad10

Did you get a class too doc?

doc_17

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Did you get a class too doc?

No. But it honestly wouldn’t bother me. It’s a joke of a subject. OP, please don’t worry about it. 5/10 mins of prep per class will be top. And even then you’ll probably see that even that’s plenty. I’ve never taught it but I looked at the exam. It’s so easy for the kids even and most of them don’t take it seriously!

But by the sounds of things OP you are very professional and conscientious so you’ll hit a home run teaching it.

bobbyss

dory wrote: »

There's a good text book with a workbook. I tend to start the class with whats in the news these days and have a discussion on that. You can do a lot of fun things like have a mock trial, mock election, referendum etc. Get them to make speeches if they want to run for office and get them to count the votes. I know it's a shock to get something you're not ok with (I feel that way with SPHE) but it could be two periods where you're not under as much pressure and don't have to worry about an exam.

Is this the Harrison book by any chance?

Do you mind my asking what you have been doing in CSPE regarding Wellbeing?

The above book has over 100 chapters and I think one chapter on Wellbeing. What materials are you using?

dory

bobbyss wrote: »

Is this the Harrison book by any chance?

Do you mind my asking what you have been doing in CSPE regarding Wellbeing?

The above book has over 100 chapters and I think one chapter on Wellbeing. What materials are you using?

We don't do anything really, Wellbeing is generally looked after in SPHE class and Learning to Learn.

Postgrad10

What's Learning to learn?

dory

Postgrad10 wrote: »

What's Learning to learn?

God only knows. Came in this year. Already has a huge textbook and workbook. From the quick flicking I did of the book it's about how to study, make pretty diagrams etc. I don't have it so didn't pay too much attention.