Feeling useless

endacl · 15-10-2018 06:04PM

judeboy101 wrote: »

Most cultures and the vast majority of males on this planet are considered adult by 16.

Neuroscience is demonstrating that adolescence, in the cognitive development sense, continues for about a decade later than that though.

amacca · 15-10-2018 08:24PM

Bananaleaf wrote: »

I don't think the problem with the school system is that it is far too rigid at all. I think the problem is the opposite in fact. Parents and the media want to pass every single facet of education off as an issue for teachers to deal with. They seem to think that the education of their children is the sole responsibility of teachers. In the past month alone I have heard interviews with various representatives of political parties, radio show hosts, media personnel and parents state that animal cruelty and its effects should be taught in schools, the benefits of breastfeeding needs to be taught from school apparently too. We should be teaching them how to drive, how to cook, how to garden. About drugs, about sex, consent, alcohol. Teaching them about the dangers of meeting strangers online, about the repercussions of spending too much time on their phones. We are now teaching them wellbeing and mindfulness. We are adapting our school uniforms, common areas and toilets to accommodate LGBTQ+ students. There is more SEN provision than there has ever been.

The problem is we are stretched beyond what we are actually trained to do. There are kids in schools that struggle to get in in the mornings because they are suicidal, living in direct provision, are being abused, bullied, parents are separating, etc. When principals are dealing with all of that on a daily basis, it's understandable that the awkward student who is mitching and refusing to do homework for the sake of it would get on their nerves.

There is so much flexibility within the education system. There just won't ever be enough for some people, because there are some you will never please.

I'd agree with the bit in bold but I would go much further and add that I think its more than just being stretched beyond what you are trained to do.....its being stretched beyond what you are resourced to do as well.....and by resourcing I mean ...adequate prep time in the working day coming from a reduction in already quite high contact hours (and not in from an increase in BS planning and time suck meetings/well being etc etc eating into your already quite small personal time during the week where you have to do things like eat, speak to your loved ones, buy food, pay bills, rest, live like a normal human being, recharge for the onslaught of unreasonability the next day etc) ..... a room/area under your control (for some teachers), all equipment etc required for the subject, a decent pupil teacher ratio adhered to strictly no ifs/ands/buts or maybes ..... a proper disciplinary structure in place where its not up to you the teacher to impose law and order through sheer force of will alone like the sheriff of some long forgotten town in the wild west.....some basic standards of behaviour should be a prerequisite for anyone attending a secondary school and they shouldn't be attending one until they get that right...it shouldn't be up to a teacher to do this with a certain cohort of students that continue to disrupt simply because there are no real meaningful consequences for them within the system because they have all these rights they can enforce but no way the system can enforce responsibilities on them or their parents etc etc......at least not with the way the system is set up now with everyone afraid of their own shadow and worried about consequences for themselves simply by insisting on a certain basic standard of behaviour...ffs principals are afraid to really tackle some students and enforce expulsion even suspension due to fear of legal challenge and optics........I know of cases even where management/teachers etc completely in the right but know if they do anything its section 29 and they are probably back in anyway even if all the little procedure boxes are ticked given the nature of some of these people, or its fear that the publicity will affect student intake etc.....its basically the tail wagging the dog.

TBH I'd be with the OP....enough is enough...if you actually divide the wage by all the time you have to put in the hourly rate doesn't seem all that wonderful (before you go and start thinking about the changes to the pension (which for some will mean they pay in more than they get out if I'm not mistaken).....then think about the stress involved in some of those hours depending on the class thats in front of you and you alone or the sheer mind numbing frustration and yet more post-it patronising from the get promoted or die but do it positively brigade as they ask you to write don all the ways the new JC helps your students to flourish (when you know in your heart and soul the new syllabus would be more useful as toilet paper if it wasn't so abrasive)

Makes you wonder if making sandwiches in the local Centra might not be such a bad option given your weekly take home wouldnt be too far behind a lot of teaching wages for NQTs after tax/deductions now + if you'd thought of that before the opportunity cost never mind the financial cost of getting the qualification you might actually be better off now had you pursued a career in sandwich making

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Poor grades in students, you will find, is often more down to the poor calibre of teacher that is now entering the profession rather than teachers who are disillusioned. Disillusioned teachers care - that's why they are disillusioned. The ones you need to worry about are the ones that wander into teaching because they didn't get the points to do anything else. Because, with the conditions new teachers are facing coming into the profession, most people who can are doing something better in college.

There probably is something in that but in my experience really poor grades in students boiled down to many of these students putting in almost zero effort inside or outside of class. Occasionally it was a complete lack of aptitude or SEN though more often than not these students actually cared and wanted to achieve and their efforts paid off.

I think really poor grade in the next couple of years will be down to the new JC that is if the actual grades ever see the light of day.

Bananaleaf · 15-10-2018 09:09PM

amacca wrote: »

I'd agree with the bit in bold but I would go much further and add that I think its more than just being stretched beyond what you are trained to do.....its being stretched beyond what you are resourced to do as well.....and by resourcing I mean ...adequate prep time in the working day coming from a reduction in already quite high contact hours (and not in from an increase in BS planning and time suck meetings/well being etc etc eating into your already quite small personal time during the week where you have to do things like eat, speak to your loved ones, buy food, pay bills, rest, live like a normal human being, recharge for the onslaught of unreasonability the next day etc) ..... a room/area under your control (for some teachers), all equipment etc required for the subject, a decent pupil teacher ratio adhered to strictly no ifs/ands/buts or maybes ..... a proper disciplinary structure in place where its not up to you the teacher to impose law and order through sheer force of will alone like the sheriff of some long forgotten town in the wild west.....some basic standards of behaviour should be a prerequisite for anyone attending a secondary school and they shouldn't be attending one until they get that right...it shouldn't be up to a teacher to do this with a certain cohort of students that continue to disrupt simply because there are no real meaningful consequences for them within the system because they have all these rights they can enforce but no way the system can enforce responsibilities on them or their parents etc etc......at least not with the way the system is set up now with everyone afraid of their own shadow and worried about consequences for themselves simply by insisting on a certain basic standard of behaviour...ffs principals are afraid to really tackle some students and enforce expulsion even suspension due to fear of legal challenge and optics........I know of cases even where management/teachers etc completely in the right but know if they do anything its section 29 and they are probably back in anyway even if all the little procedure boxes are ticked given the nature of some of these people, or its fear that the publicity will affect student intake etc.....its basically the tail wagging the dog.

TBH I'd be with the OP....enough is enough...if you actually divide the wage by all the time you have to put in the hourly rate doesn't seem all that wonderful (before you go and start thinking about the changes to the pension (which for some will mean they pay in more than they get out if I'm not mistaken).....then think about the stress involved in some of those hours depending on the class thats in front of you and you alone or the sheer mind numbing frustration and yet more post-it patronising from the get promoted or die but do it positively brigade as they ask you to write don all the ways the new JC helps your students to flourish (when you know in your heart and soul the new syllabus would be more useful as toilet paper if it wasn't so abrasive)

Makes you wonder if making sandwiches in the local Centra might not be such a bad option given your weekly take home wouldnt be too far behind a lot of teaching wages for NQTs after tax/deductions now + if you'd thought of that before the opportunity cost never mind the financial cost of getting the qualification you might actually be better off now had you pursued a career in sandwich making

There probably is something in that but in my experience really poor grades in students boiled down to many of these students putting in almost zero effort inside or outside of class. Occasionally it was a complete lack of aptitude or SEN though more often than not these students actually cared and wanted to achieve and their efforts paid off.

I think really poor grade in the next couple of years will be down to the new JC that is if the actual grades ever see the light of day.

You're dead right in all you have said. Also, I feel the tone of your words as I read them - you capture the situation brilliantly and you also made me laugh twice (Centra and the Wild West) Laughs of amusement or dejection? I'm not sure yet :eek:

Bobtheman · 16-10-2018 04:39PM

Lot of unsubstantiated comments here. Parental back up plus teacher skills plus economic background plus leadership = student outcome. ( my theory)
You can prepare hours and hours and yet your colleague gets the same results from only doing half as much.
All theories. Some posters here speak like Moses coming down from mount Sinai .
Anyway adieu

evolving_doors · 16-10-2018 10:45PM

Feeling useless

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