Thread: Teachers' thread Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
I have done supply teaching in local grammar schools for nearly thirteen years and I may yet write a book about it if I can survive another eight or ten. Most of my kids over the years have been quite pleasant, but if I have the pupils of Hades I just give the classroom teacher a bad report and I never see the little monsters again. This week's kids were not evil, but susceptible to cabin fever due to rain and hail. Out of 31, most of them were bright and diligent but they wouldn't SHUT THE HECK UP after I read my favourite Dr. Seuss book following lunch: they had a hell of a lot of homework! Your thoughts and experiences?
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
This looks like a support thread, so I'm moving it to All Saints.

Ariel
Heaven Host
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I decided to ditch the glamorous world of accountancy and retrained as a teacher, to indulge my passion for education. Thankfully I amassed a reasonable amount of capital to live off in my previous profession as OMG it is difficult to find full-time work in primary teaching in Australia. Finding just enough cas work but I really want my own class

Question, why is it that it is always a boy (not all boys by any means) but never a girl who is a scourge on the educational landscape? Punching other kids in the playground, swearing at teachers and generally behaving badly? A friend had a kindergarten boy deliberately urinate ON another child with whom they were having a disagreement the other day. The worst girls ever do is have a little attitude. If i had daughters they'd be at all girls schools for sure, sons at co-ed.
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
cas? Is that the same as supply teaching?
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Yes, short for "casual" sorry the Australian habit of abbreviating everything.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Good idea for a thread Sir Kevin - and great idea for a book!

Checking in - I have been a teacher since 1978 with no breaks for good behaviour. (I tell a lie, I had six months off with each of my two babies)

I now call myself semi-retired as I only teach two and a half days a week. But since that means four days actual work maybe it's a while before the word 'retired' should be used!

I love working part time - it means there is real time for preparation, marking and planning.

I am pretty severely dyslexic and have ADHD, so I have had many personal challenges over the years - but there are great benefits too, as I find it easy to teach my fellow 'frogs in boxes'



[ 23. February 2013, 08:28: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
I was a teacher too, trained in Scotland about Primary and Secondary teaching, and did both a bit, and then in London only Secondary, but all sorts of teaching people who needed help and hadn't managed to read and write and count, as well as regular History, English, Latin, and Religion etc. It can be quite hard work, both with boys and girls.
 

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Posted by Sergius-Melli (# 17462) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Evangeline:
Question, why is it that it is always a boy (not all boys by any means) but never a girl who is a scourge on the educational landscape?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sergius-Melli:

quote:

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Originally posted by Evangeline:
Question, why is it that it is always a boy (not all boys by any means) but never a girl who is a scourge on the educational landscape?

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Sorry to make an appearance since I am technically not teaching but on a career break.

Whilst in the main this is true, girls (certainly once they reach the teenage stage) can be some of the worst people to be around, particularly in an educational setting. In my teaching post before I took a career break, my arch-nemesis (so to say) was a rather stroppy teenage girl who was disruptive and rude, but in the main it was the guys normally based on some form of societal peer pressure to live up to some sort of predetermined standard (I imagine there is probably some sort of evolutionary/phsychology link in there if someone were to look).

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Don't apologise I'm sure we can all benefit from your experience even if we might be jealous that your'e having a break. I should have qualified my statement by saying that my observations are based on what we call primary school (ages 5-11, give or take a year) and so it excludes teenagers. I believe teenage girls can be very difficult.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
I used to teach, but have now retired early due to Mr. C's career taking him all over the place. My favourite task was teaching those who found learning difficult - usually a very rewarding job, but harder in more recent years when everyone was supposed to succeed at a high level, regardless of ability / brain damage, etc.
 

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Posted by Aravis (# 13824) on :
 
It's many years since I did any teaching; I used to teach primary, but retrained as an occupational therapist as there was a huge surplus of primary teachers in South Wales, and most of the time I could only get short contracts (e.g. maternity cover) or supply.
In most classes boys caused more trouble, but I did have one class of 7-8 year olds 17 years ago (I had them for the whole year) where several of the girls were an absolute nightmare. So were their mothers. One mother had schizophrenia and depression, her partner had died of an overdose and her son was in a special school. She lived opposite the school and sometimes, if she saw someone had left the fire door open on the end corridor, she used to appear in my classroom in her dressing gown and slippers and go and cry all over her daughter. At the time I had very little idea what to do about this!
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Good to hear from everybody.

I am not teaching Monday due to the need to do a lot of business such as purchasing a car; likely Z isn't either. There are two days of federally-mandated testing for most pupils and they may not need me just to be a proctor.

I am a set carpenter for the local opera this weekend but expect to return to primary school supply teaching later this week.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Although I'm not currently teaching, I remain passionately interested in the subject of Education and try to keep up with the latest developments, even if they often make my blood pressure rise alarmingly! Especially when some of the ideas seem particularly daft. Perhaps if everyone went around wearing this badge, the absurdity might sink in.

I shall therefore be reading this thread with interest, to see how people, who are still currently teaching, handle - and are affected by - any new developments which come along.
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Luv the badge! Maybe I should talk to my teachers' union about replicating it here; can you tell me if I can order one or more from the UK? I could maybe wear it on casual Fridays...



 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
If you google the badge, SirK, you will find places where they can be ordered. You'll have to check about overseas P&P.
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
My PhD is on women teachers in Victorian Scotland (kick-ass women!) and so I often read about the latest thing in Victorian teaching. Sometimes I recognise the latest development in teaching today as something which was tried and abandoned 130 years ago!
 

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Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Sir Kevin:
Luv the badge! Maybe I should talk to my teachers' union about replicating it here; can you tell me if I can order one or more from the UK? I could maybe wear it on casual Fridays...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
There are 2.25" and mini buttons at CafePress, Sir Kevin.

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Ta, LR - I am submitting my order for two this week! I'll wear it proudly a week from Friday (payday)...

[coding]

[ 26. February 2013, 12:26: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Bloody iMAC / Safari acting up: at least I can listen to The Goon Show on iPlayer and read Oscars results on LA Times!
 

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Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :
 
Wannabe teacher checking in.

I've just begun a Postgraduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) with a double major in Religious Education and Society and Environment.

My undergraduate degree is in theology.

First assessment coming up shortly. Design and plan twelve lessons for a Religious Education class for Year 11 kids.

Peesa cake.

Not.

Yours truly,

Overwhelmed Evensong.

[ 28. February 2013, 11:38: Message edited by: Evensong ]
 

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Posted by QLib (# 43) on :
 
You'll be fine. The whole point about planning is that you never get it right. Hope somebody has had the courtesy to tell you (accurately) what the class has done recently.

We're expecting 'the call' from OFSTED any day, amd most of my groups are doing coursework, so I have no proper plans (The plan states: Students do coursework) and nothing much teacher-like to show them. And I've got 3 people on my team whose nerves are shredded (not my fault, honest); I don't know how best to support them , other than not doing most of the stuff I'm supposed to do to show "Leadership". I hate Leadership. I only took on being a Leader for fear of who would get the post if I didn't.
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
I've got ten-year-olds today at my favourite school. I know the teacher and often eat lunch with her!
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Sir Kevin:
I've got ten-year-olds today at my favourite school. I know the teacher and often eat lunch with her!

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Enjoy!

I also have ten year olds at my favourite school today.


 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
I seem to be teaching rather a lot lately and spending nearly as much time on it as I do on my other gig. Looking forward to a rise in pay sometime next month.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Well, just finished my first week back at the chalkfac... er... smartboardpenface. It's nice to be back teaching again, surprisingly! I'm utterly exhausted though.. although the fact that I managed not to have a single day off for the preceding three weeks is probably contributing to that.

Sadly it's only a temporary contract (though may become permanent) so I'm still busy filling in application forms and hoping for interviews.

But for now I'm working with a small unit of children with SEN within mainstream.
 

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Posted by Chamois (# 16204) on :
 
Although I have a PGCE and everything I haven't taught in school for many years. I'm currently teaching part-time in a university. I really love teaching but I will be 56 this month and I just haven't got the stamina to do it full-time any more. Part-time means time for preparation and marking without killing myself. But less money, of course.

Year 10 girls (14-15 year olds) are THE WORST. They hunt in packs and anyone in authority is their natural prey. My sister's class got through three class teachers in Year 10 (we called it 4th form in those days) and ended up with the deputy head because all the other teachers refused to go near them. This was in quite a "good" girl's grammar school in Surrey. Teenage boys are easy in comparison.
 

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Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on :
 
give me girls any day - a boy threw three tables in my room last week in the time it took me to call for support...

[ 11. March 2013, 20:57: Message edited by: Taliesin ]
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I've not had much work in the last fortnight Had kindy today at a local school (less than 5 mins from home) and they're a gorgeous class of well behaved kids, nothing booked for the rest of the week aaaagh.
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Just got a gig for 3 weeks in a new school, should be interesting.
 

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Posted by Pants (# 999) on :
 
Precisely why I teach primary not secondary (that and the fact that I'm at least taller than some of the primary kids!).
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Evangeline:
Just got a gig for 3 weeks in a new school, should be interesting.

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Great - hope it goes well for you
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Pants:
Precisely why I teach primary not secondary (that and the fact that I'm at least taller than some of the primary kids!).

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Yes - my husband started in High schools teaching music, but couldn't be bothered with the kids' attitudes. I persuaded him to move to Primary and he enjoyed it very much, in fact he was headteacher by the age of 33!

<teachers should know about apostrophes, yes? >

[ 17. March 2013, 09:38: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

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Posted by Emma Louise (# 3571) on :
 
I'm thinking of returning to teaching at some point (but not just yet!) I recently taught RS in a girls' grammar school and absolutely loved it. I loved introducing year 8 to philosophy and loved reading the 6th formers essays and seeing where their minds would take them.

My subjects are RS(Philosophy, Critical Thinking) and Psychology.
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
Good luck/prayers to/for you.

Feel free to PM if you get an interview and want an update on the state of play with our RE community.
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Back to school next week and expecting a pay rise next month. I have to teach 50 days in order to accomplish this!
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Pride when the children you teach / used to teach (particularly those with SpEd Needs) achieve. I keep in touch with the last school where I taught, and this week saw that two of my former pupils had merited special mention by the school for their achievements, which made me so proud of them!
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I had a really nice moment with the class I've got for a few weeks. I'd been warned that they are difficult and wow are they talkative and fidgety. There are a few students who need to be constantly goaded, threatened, encouraged etc to do any work at all.

One of these little boys (they're 8/9yo) who was quite surly and didn't want to do any writing really came alive when I read them a picture book. The story is quite clever and the illustrations are really rich (Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne) and this little boy was enthusiastically making quite astute observations about the pictures I just need to find ways to use this to get him into the more general curriculum.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
How nice of the government to graciously allow teachers to do their job properly. Do they forget that teachers always used to do this, without interference - until the government (oh yes, the government) forbade them to do all of this in the first place:

A DfE spokeswoman said: "Disruptive or violent behaviour has no place whatsoever in the classroom. That is why we have strengthened teachers' powers to put them back in charge".

"Teachers can now issue no notice detentions, search a pupil without consent when they suspect they may be in possession of a prohibited item and changes to the system mean a school's decision to exclude a pupil cannot be reversed by an appeals panel".

"Our guidance also makes clear that teachers can use force to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom when necessary."


Basically, now that a significant number of pupils are doing what the hell they like, the government decide that teachers actually should have some power in the classroom to say what goes. Pity it took them so long to realise!
 

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Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
It's 24 years since I taught a secondary age class, but in those days I did a fair amount of supply teaching in London's East End. One science cover class of 13 year old mostly Asian boys took place in the usual decrepit lab - cupboards with broken glass doors, etc. Fortunately the gas was turned of centrally. At the end of the period, one quite small boy - query, was he really 13 at all? - stayed behind.

"Can I ask you a question, Miss?"

"Yes of course," I replied, all in Good Teacher mode.

"Miss...Miss..." and his feet took up the position for a quick exit - "Miss... do you fuck?"

I was so gobsmacked that all I could think of to say was, "We do't ask that sort of question; it's not polite."

"No, Miss. Sorry, Miss!" And he ran.

Years later, when I had moved into Further Education, and was conducting a ladies' choir, many of whom were retired teachers, I told them this story. One of them took me to task for focussing on the intrusive nature of the question rather than correcting the boy's language! I suppose that I could have done both, if surprise hadn't stymied me.

Now I teach singing, one to one, practically full time. Bliss.
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
The school where I'm working obviously needs to improve on its spelling. On playground duty today, 2 6th grade girls approach "Miss, <name of boy> is saying the F word Miss." I must have failed to look shocked enough as one felt obliged to elaborate "F-U-K" Miss.
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Did you correct their spelling?
 

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Posted by The Kat in the Hat (# 2557) on :
 
That reminds me of the time I took the Y2 class (6 & 7 year olds) to visit the local church.
Afterwards they each wrote a card to thank the vicar for showing them around.
We felt it probably wasn't appropriate to include the one from the child who pronounced 'th' as 'f', his 'a' looked like a 'u' and he missed the 'n' out.

 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
Did you correct their spelling?

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Of course, made them write it out 5 times so they'd remember the correct spelling.
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Apparently I have a five-day weekend: I had no teaching Thursday due to "early release" when the classroom teachers have meetings during the last two hours of the school day although I get the same per diem; the school offices are closed today because its Good Friday and Monday due to a city holiday. I am spending the time off writing my book...
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Can school chaplains (non-teaching) join the party?
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Certainly!
 

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Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :
 
A question:

You're all experienced teachers and no doubt some of you will have had student teachers that you have mentored.

Is it fair to expect student teachers (doing a postgraduate Diploma of Education Secondary) to teach two classes on their first classroom immersion/observation term in an unrelated area to their teaching major?

I'm majoring in Religious Education but my mentor expects me to teach two Philosophy classes on critical thinking.


 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I only taught adults and not kids but I would see that as both a vote of confidence and as a really exciting prospect!
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Evensong:
A question:

You're all experienced teachers and no doubt some of you will have had student teachers that you have mentored.

Is it fair to expect student teachers (doing a postgraduate Diploma of Education Secondary) to teach two classes on their first classroom immersion/observation term in an unrelated area to their teaching major?

I'm majoring in Religious Education but my mentor expects me to teach two Philosophy classes on critical thinking.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Evensong:
Is it fair to expect student teachers (doing a postgraduate Diploma of Education Secondary) to teach two classes on their first classroom immersion/observation term in an unrelated area to their teaching major?

I'm majoring in Religious Education but my mentor expects me to teach two Philosophy classes on critical thinking.

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Doesn't sound that challenging...
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
I actually see a direct purpose for critical thinking in Religious Education. This is the kind of demand I might make of a mentee, myself. It's like football coaches making their quarterbacks take ballet.

Look at it like this-- in order to be a great painter, one might need to take life drawing. In order to cognate religious ideas, you need critical thinking. It's what you use to sketch before you paint. If that analogy works.
 

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Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :
 
I don't have a problem with the idea of teaching philosophical critical thinking as an RE major, I just would need a bit of time to prepare it! And seeing as how it's my first ever teaching lesson I would rather not be teaching new material.

Surely the idea for a first timer is to get used to the actual teaching as opposed to wrestling with content as well.

Anyways. It's all G. Spoke to my mentor today about my concerns and I'm doing a critical thinking excursion on Theodicy. ( which I have already pre-prepared in my University unit)


 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
It used to be full-immersion 'in at the deep end' teaching while training. I'm not saying that was necessarily right, but they generally take it much more steadily now than I remember.
 

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Posted by Caissa (# 16710) on :
 
When I did my second teaching internship ( my programme had two six week placements) one of the courses I had to teach was an area (ancient and medieval history) I hadn't studied since grade 10, sixteen years earlier. Needless to say this class was a rough experience.
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Evensong:
And seeing as how it's my first ever teaching lesson I would rather not be teaching new material.

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