Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
If we do not hit our goal we will be forced to close the site.

Current status: https://keepboardsalive.com/

Annual subs are best for most impact. If you are still undecided on going Ad Free - you can also donate using the Paypal Donate option. All contribution helps. Thank you.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.

A message to wannabe teachers - Stay away from teaching.

1…91011121315»

Comments

  • #422
    marienbad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭marienbad


    acequion wrote: »
    What I would like is to be able to discuss the very real concerns of my profession with my on line collegues,without being constantly sidetracked by some know it all from the general public, who actually knows very little about the topic on hand,teaching. I have noticed that the OP and several other posters who are real teachers have faded away from this thread,probably bored at what it has descended into, while others,as you say yourself,prefer to ignore you. It's probably time I did likewise.

    Well I really seem to have got under you skin ! I might remind you that the very real concerns of your profession are the very real concerns of the general public of which I am one and are not to be dismissed by some self-righteous know little from the teachers union.

    And you have no idea what topics I know or don't know- agreement with you is not a prerequisite of knowledge .

    Edit: Please do not refer to other posters as "self-righteous know little"


  • #423
    acequion
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭acequion


    Afroshack wrote: »
    Who said anything about transforming? It's about accountability - and will hopefully rule out these ridiculous calls for pay-related performance and 'bad' teacher bashing.

    If a headteacher can comfortably say, 'I have seen X teaching several times over the past year, and I have seen how they deal with X, Y and Z, and they have taken my advice on M, thus I am secure and comfortable that they are sufficiently good and able teachers', then perhaps teachers won't feel they have to attain all A grades in order to defend their own position. It won't be about the grades, the crazy demands of extra-curricular hours, or the amount of marking /paperwork you do. It's what actually happens when you enter the classroom.

    I was terrified at the idea of it, (it happens in my school pretty much every day) but it's honestly such a saving grace sometimes. If you have a bad day or a student/parent makes a complaint about you, or your grades aren't particularly high, you can point out that a headteacher entered your classroom, maybe 12 times last month and seemed happy with everything going on, that you are doing your job to the very best of your ability. It's not about transforming teachers - it's about the school being secure that they have made the right choice in hiring you.

    I disagree Afroshak. A culture of surveillance is essentially negative and distrustful and in the present environment of rock bottom morale can only do more harm than good. Why the need to constantly justify? Why not simply trust the professional to do a professional job? Why even dignify the teacher bashers? And why should the school need reassurance that they've made the right choice? Even such a concept,by it's nature, is negative. Schools have every opportunity to thoroughly check and vet a new recruit,blatant surveillance should not be necessary. Granted, if there have been allegations about a teacher or a concrete reason to need to check out an individual,perhaps,but otherwise,headteachers walking into classrooms as they please is patronising,and demeaning and doesn't inspire confidence. I'm horrified to hear that this is actually happening.


  • #424
    amacca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,379 ✭✭✭amacca


    marienbad wrote: »
    Do you include the teachers unions in ' the powers that be' ? If so I probably agree with you.

    Yes…the leadership at least. Many of the grass roots members and CEC no.

    The fact that we have effectively two unions representing us + one of them represents 3rd level is also a shambles imo

    I still think without them we would be totally up sh1t creek though

    I also lay some of the blame at the feet of cowardice, short sightedness and sometimes laziness (unwillingness to really inform themselves on the issues) of some members…..although that last one can be forgiven to some extent by the fact that members with families etc are literally run off their feet during term time and to and increasing extent during their so called holidays ---- the only real let up without crap hanging over you as far as I can see is summer.


  • #425
    Afroshack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 429 ✭✭Afroshack


    acequion wrote: »
    I disagree Afroshak. A culture of surveillance is essentially negative and distrustful and in the present environment of rock bottom morale can only do more harm than good. Why the need to constantly justify? Why not simply trust the professional to do a professional job? Why even dignify the teacher bashers? And why should the school need reassurance that they've made the right choice? Even such a concept,by it's nature, is negative. Schools have every opportunity to thoroughly check and vet a new recruit,blatant surveillance should not be necessary. Granted, if there have been allegations about a teacher or a concrete reason to need to check out an individual,perhaps,but otherwise,headteachers walking into classrooms as they please is patronising,and demeaning and doesn't inspire confidence. I'm horrified to hear that this is actually happening.


    It's really not all a bad thing (although each to their own :) ) How can a headteacher say that they are 100% comfortable the students are being taught to the best of the teacher's ability if they have never actually ever seen the teacher teaching? Ideally, it would be great if every teacher was trusted to be a professional, but so many of them don't and they take the p*** in work and leave the more dedicated ones to pick up the slack with that class a year later. I understand it may horrify some people, and it made me really uncomfortable at first too. However, I honestly don't even notice it now, and if anything it definitley keeps the kids in check knowing that senior staff are popping in to check out the lesson :)


  • #426
    acequion
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭acequion


    marienbad wrote: »
    Well I really seem to have got under you skin ! I might remind you that the very real concerns of your profession are the very real concerns of the general public of which I am one and are not to be dismissed by some self-righteous know little from the teachers union.

    And you have no idea what topics I know or don't know- agreement with you is not a prerequisite of knowledge .

    Look a bit closer to home before calling people "self righteous know littles"

    Edit: Please report posts, do not respond.


  • Advertisement
  • #427
    acequion
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭acequion


    Afroshack wrote: »
    It's really not all a bad thing (although each to their own :) ) How can a headteacher say that they are 100% comfortable the students are being taught to the best of the teacher's ability if they have never actually ever seen the teacher teaching? Ideally, it would be great if every teacher was trusted to be a professional, but so many of them don't and they take the p*** in work and leave the more dedicated ones to pick up the slack with that class a year later. I understand it may horrify some people, and it made me really uncomfortable at first too. However, I honestly don't even notice it now, and if anything it definitley keeps the kids in check knowing that senior staff are popping in to check out the lesson :)

    But surely that undermines the teacher! Each to his own as you say,but I don't like the idea of it. We're already subjected to high levels of inspection as it is.


  • #428
    Afroshack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 429 ✭✭Afroshack


    acequion wrote: »
    But surely that undermines the teacher! Each to his own as you say,but I don't like the idea of it. We're already subjected to high levels of inspection as it is.

    Probably should have mentioned - I teach in the UK, not an Irish school. They fcuking love inspections here - they invented OFSTED sure :pac:


  • #429
    whiteandlight
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,359 ✭✭✭whiteandlight


    Several polite warnings edited into the thread. Next will be infractions.

    Please note the following in future posts:
    1. Do not call other posters names. Keep it civil.
    2. Report posts if required, do not respond.
    3. Topic! This thread is not about teacher pay and there has already been a warning given to that effect in post 262

    Do not respond to this warning on thread.


  • #430
    ledgebag1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 334 ✭✭ledgebag1


    I would say one of the most difficult aspects of considering teaching has been dealing with the teaching council, with exception to one girl every other person I spoke to referred me to the website, would not answer or couldn't clarify any f my queries and left me really reconsidering. Regardless of all the negative comments all any of us want to do is teach, personally the money issue doesn't put me off because you can be enterprising when your back is to the wall


  • #431
    Ferg29
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9 ✭Ferg29


    I know exactly how you feel SarahBeep. Just came back from 6 months of teaching in London and was doing the same hours. There is a reason why its fairly easy to get a teaching job in the UK. Way more stressful than teaching back here.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement