Stories + Views: Teachers

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richard mainprice: OFSTED is changing its spots

As many good teachers as bad ones fear the arrival of OFSTED inspectors. A frequent complaint has been that OFSTED is too prescriptive: that it believes that there's only one way to teach - the OFSTED way. Good news, then, from HMCI Sir Michael Wilshaw, addressing the RSA. Sir Michael said: We, and in that word “we” I include OFSTED, should be wary of ... read more and comment →

3 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "This drama beautifully describes Ofsted as it now is as we know it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nb28j I suppose Ricky will know that Georgina Love in the drama is clearly a mentally ill paranoid nutter who needs to be punished. But then he didn't ......"

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Janet Downs: “State sector’s inefficient culture makes me sick,” says new director at profit-making provider of independent schools

The new director of education at private equity-owned Cognita, Geraint Jones, told TES that the “State sector’s inefficient culture makes me sick”. He’s referring to tasks listed in the “Raising standards and tackling workload: a national agreement” signed in 2003 following a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report which recommended that many jobs done by teachers did not require professional expertise and could be done ... read more and comment →

8 comments

Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Special Needs Teaching Assitant - it is not acceptable that TAs are expected or required to do professional work which should be done by teachers. No TA should be expected to teach classes. This may be more "efficient" ......"

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Janet Downs: Gove misleads Tory Conference with ill-informed attack on teacher unions

Union bosses “are saying that teachers shouldn't do photocopying, they are saying that teachers shouldn't put up displays, they are saying that teachers shouldn't invigilate exams,” declared Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, when he addressed the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham. But it isn’t union chiefs who are telling teachers they should not do these jobs. Tasks which are ... read more and comment →

17 comments

Latest comment by Richard: "".and sarah, the current NUT action is based on a ballot for which only 27% of teachers eligible to vote actually did so" And Bristol is to get a mayor on the basis of a 24% turnout. Locals objected but the ......"

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Fiona Millar: London schools – another success story

I am feeling very proud of my local schools today. The latest Primary Performance Tables have just been published and show a story of improvement across the country. This is especially interesting as so few primary schools have converted to academy status which proves that success isn't actually due to 'independent' status and is instead down to the sheer hard ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by agov: "The statement quoted by Janet Downs is not a matter of statistics nor was it necessarily written by statisticans. It is a statement about control. It is also in part a lie and the DfE must know it ......"

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Lucia H Silva-Clark: Anxious RE teacher

I am passionate about RE which a good practice includes RE-ligion but also Reasoning i.e. Philosophy and include Sociological & Anthropological approach. My passion for the subject is not an irrational frugal passion but a sentiment, a belief based on deep grounds of reflection & experience. After 6 years of experience as RE Specialist Teacher, more than ever, I am ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Lucia H Silva-Clark: "Hello, thank your comments. Chas I welcome your views but I agree with what Allan and Janet said. As a RE teacher I don't preach to students one faith but I introduce them to different beliefs includingthose religious ......"

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Stephanie Gibson: Phonics – the phight back!

I know I am far from alone in lamenting the government's current obsession with synthetic phonics. However, the potential for this approach to the teaching of reading to become statutory (per the new English curriculum, and to some extent the new Professional Standards) is far more sinister and has wider implications for all of us as teachers. I cannot think ... read more and comment →

37 comments

Latest comment by Jenny Byrne: "Why do you all confuse phonetics with phonics and spelling with grammar? English has 44 sounds. Something like 170 letter combinations cover all those sounds except one. Phonics requires connecting the sound to the various letter combinations ......"

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Janet Downs: Airbrushing state teachers out of sporting achievement is “mean, unjust” and prejudiced

Airbrushing the tens of thousands of state school teachers who spend hours of their time on sports activities out of the national picture is “mean, unjust and reveals a class prejudice that should have died out with the Romanovs,” writes TES editor, Gerard Kelly. Kelly rightly praises all British Olympians whose inspirational success has received adulation but describes as “appalling” that ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "FullFact also looked at school sports by investigating Stephen Twigg’s claims that by the end of Labour’s period in office at least 90% of children spend two hours or more in PE lessons or doing sport outside of school. ......"

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Stacy Hewitt: I am worried that the state system is under real attack

I am a parent of secondary aged children and I have taught in state secondary schools for twenty years, part-time since having children. I have just left my job and I am not sure that I want to find another job in a school. That does not mean that I have become less passionate about supporting state education, in fact ... read more and comment →

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Janet Downs: Sign petition making it a legal requirement for teachers to be properly qualified – keep untrained amateurs out of the classroom

Michael Gove, despite saying he’s anxious that teachers should be highly-qualified, allows academies to hire unqualified amateurs to teach in English schools. But the public doesn’t agree – 89% in a ComRes poll (April 2011) said they wanted children taught by a university graduate who is also a qualified teacher. A Government E-petition has been launched which states: “That the government makes it a ... read more and comment →

15 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "I think it is okay to put unqualified teachers into schools where it can be ensured that children turn up to lessons in a fit mental state to learn well and the school as sufficient spare staff capacity to support ......"

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Janet Downs: Academies have freedom to force unacceptable conditions of service on teachers – and that’s a good thing, according to Secretary of State

Teachers in local authority (LA) maintained schools are “held back by the terms and conditions, the restrictive practices, which work against children’s welfare,” said Michael Gove. What are these unacceptable “terms and conditions”? Could it be the hours that teachers work? The OECD found that in England working hours in teaching are already “fairly long compared to many other OECD countries”* ... read more and comment →

7 comments

Latest comment by Rebecca Hanson: "In Finland it is expected that teachers will also be enthusiastic learners and will therefore be role models for their students to help them also become so. So teachers need time to be able to explore and nurture their wider interests. ......"

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