Posts of Irresponsibility

Terri26 · 23-06-2021 5:37pm

Treppen wrote:

I thought it was an ETB Vs Voluntary thing, rather than TUI Vs ASTI

You're kind of correct. Nothing to do with being in TUI. Community Schools and Community Colleges give the hours off. Lots of ASTI members have these hours off. Some other secondary schools do give some hours off but it's nothing to do with what union you are in.

am_zarathustra · 23-06-2021 6:20pm

Is it correct to say in C and C's and ETBs you have to be given the time off but in voluntary that may not be the case, as in it would be down to the principal?

Icsics · 23-06-2021 7:01pm

am_zarathustra wrote: »

Is it correct to say in C and C's and ETBs you have to be given the time off but in voluntary that may not be the case, as in it would be down to the principal?

Yes, I’m in VS our post holders have varying amounts of time off, resource classes, PME taking their classes etc. They also now have timetabled ‘management meetings’ weekly where they run the school & tell the rest of us minions what they’ve decided via email. And since the latest cohort of post holders are relatively new to teaching it leads to disastrous decisions going unchallenged. But the P & DP can roll on into their next interview with a list of ‘initiatives’ they’ve implemented & examples of ‘building leadership’ on their CV.

Treppen · 23-06-2021 9:34pm

Icsics wrote: »

Yes, I’m in VS our post holders have varying amounts of time off, resource classes, PME taking their classes etc. They also now have timetabled ‘management meetings’ weekly where they run the school & tell the rest of us minions what they’ve decided via email. And since the latest cohort of post holders are relatively new to teaching it leads to disastrous decisions going unchallenged. But the P & DP can roll on into their next interview with a list of ‘initiatives’ they’ve implemented & examples of ‘building leadership’ on their CV.

One thing I didn't miss during covid was initiatives.
Looks like they'll be back with a vengeance.
I wonder what the next flavor of the month will be?

doc_17 · 24-06-2021 11:41am

There's a school of thought out there that the Dept would love to make the posts temporary, as in a 3 year term, and then advertise it again.

I had a principal one time who was bewildered that only 2 people went for a B post. They couldn't see that some people just want to teach their class and forget about all the s***** that gets discussed in pointless meetings. meetings are the alternative to work.

am_zarathustra · 24-06-2021 4:58pm

doc_17 wrote: »

There's a school of thought out there that the Dept would love to make the posts temporary, as in a 3 year term, and then advertise it again.

I had a principal one time who was bewildered that only 2 people went for a B post. They couldn't see that some people just want to teach their class and forget about all the s***** that gets discussed in pointless meetings. meetings are the alternative to work.

The inefficiency of meetings is well documented. Most are surplus to requirements and cause frustration. Adding more into the system seems mad, look what it did to the HSE.

pandoraj09 · 24-06-2021 6:27pm

I never got any time off to do my post. Last year I had 8 classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. As a year head most of my post had to be done during the school day. I used to be standing at my classroom door dealing with distressed kids and talking on the phone to parents, while 28 first years were in my room. This was my situation for the last few years since our duties were increased. I didn't even have tutors last year to help with the smaller issues. It appears some schools are happy to have a list of duties that need to be done by Post holders and they're dished out to us with no real thinking as to whether we can actually do the jobs properly or not. Its changed so much in the last few years and not for the better.

am_zarathustra · 24-06-2021 7:06pm

There is a lack of respect from management for actual teaching, as if people have forgotten that's us teaching and the kids learning should be the central focus of the school but have no bearing on promotion. Despite the fact I would consider them very basic in my hierarchy of respect for someone in a position of authority in an educational institute.

They will end up with no serious teachers in management, they are heading that was as is. It creates a lack of depth of knowledge of classroom practice and the plethora of mad ideas being pushed in schools.

Completely agree a lot of the changes have not been in the interest of education. No serious educationalist thinks weekly meetings are more valuable than an hour spent actually talking to parents and students but we can all feel better as good little dickensian instrumentalist

Treppen · 24-06-2021 7:32pm

pandoraj09 wrote: »

I never got any time off to do my post. Last year I had 8 classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. As a year head most of my post had to be done during the school day. I used to be standing at my classroom door dealing with distressed kids and talking on the phone to parents, while 28 first years were in my room. This was my situation for the last few years since our duties were increased. I didn't even have tutors last year to help with the smaller issues. It appears some schools are happy to have a list of duties that need to be done by Post holders and they're dished out to us with no real thinking as to whether we can actually do the jobs properly or not. Its changed so much in the last few years and not for the better.

They may be dished out but there's plenty willing to take them.

Bobtheman · 20-07-2021 12:34pm

I just found this thread again. My sympathies to those who have been sucked into pointless posts.

I still find it confusing to see practically all post holders go straight home at 345pm. I do know some of them do work at home but it's a minority.

I raised the issue of useless posts in our school but got nowhere. Too many greasy pole climbers about.

It's true that making up the 4k or 2k does take a lot of time but it's under your control when and where you do that.

If anybody is thinking of resigning a post-don't. Play them at their wellness game and say you are stressed. Take a few weeks off. Then see what happens. They can't fire you.

Dickie10 · 27-07-2021 3:08pm

does there ever be pressure put on younger teachers to go for these posts? I have no intention of ever going for a post tbh, I will be ok financially without it.

am_zarathustra · 27-07-2021 8:35pm

Lots of talk in schools more than pressure. I'd imagine every school has its own ecosystem but from experience a lot of surprising candidates go for them and a preponderance of people with limited whole time teaching experience, makes for teams who's focus is not on what schools were traditionally for ....learning.

Bobtheman · 30-07-2021 9:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668908#Comment_117668908

If you think there is a post you'd actually like doing then consider it. It depends on your mindset. Some people will just want to be mgt even on a small scale.

Some people will never say no to extra money no matter what they have to do for it.

It's still public sector so hard to see how you'd get fired from a post!

But just be prepared for the bullshit express.

Posts of Irresponsibility

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