Don't do A levels.
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Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
But there are issues with it and there need to be some reforms.
One very obvious one is that not all students receive the same standard of teaching, not all of us are prepped the same. That may not seem like a big deal, and yes we are capable of teaching ourselves, of course we are (taught myself all of GCSE biology, absolutely not a problem) BUT it is unfair. I don't ask to be spoonfed but having a bad teacher causes unbelievable stress for students, at A-level it makes you feel like death. Honestly, there are things that need to be looked at.
One very obvious one is that not all students receive the same standard of teaching, not all of us are prepped the same. That may not seem like a big deal, and yes we are capable of teaching ourselves, of course we are (taught myself all of GCSE biology, absolutely not a problem) BUT it is unfair. I don't ask to be spoonfed but having a bad teacher causes unbelievable stress for students, at A-level it makes you feel like death. Honestly, there are things that need to be looked at.
How can we fix that?
I mean, you can try to root out bad teachers but I dunno... you'll always have some that are better than others 
(not to mention that there's something of a shortage in some subjects 
)
Original post by Zacken
There was no need for that, it comes off as a bit elitist.
Ok I'll edit it out.
Original post by Serine Soul
This
I've gotten into the habit of essentially teaching myself all the content since GCSE that I sometimes forget that this isn't what my school experience should be like.
I've gotten into the habit of essentially teaching myself all the content since GCSE that I sometimes forget that this isn't what my school experience should be like.
Exactly, I'm the same but at A-level it is disgustingly difficult to teach yourself everything without the support of a teacher. I mean one of my teachers is so terrible she didn't even know what exam board we were on or how the questions are posed in the actual exam.
I've honestly had enough with teachers that don't give a ****. Why are you teaching? Why do you bother to get up out of bed and come in every morning when you are TERRIBLE at what you do?
I'm sick of it. Honestly, it hurts to know there is a student out there in my position who has a brilliant teacher who has prepped them a 1000 times better than mine has "prepped' me.
We forget that teachers are key in our education system, they play a massive part in it.
Ugh it makes me SO angry and I know I'm not the only one!
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
But there are issues with it and there need to be some reforms.
One very obvious one is that not all students receive the same standard of teaching, not all of us are prepped the same. That may not seem like a big deal, and yes we are capable of teaching ourselves, of course we are (taught myself all of GCSE biology, absolutely not a problem) BUT it is unfair. I don't ask to be spoonfed but having a bad teacher causes unbelievable stress for students, at A-level it makes you feel like death. Honestly, there are things that need to be looked at.
One very obvious one is that not all students receive the same standard of teaching, not all of us are prepped the same. That may not seem like a big deal, and yes we are capable of teaching ourselves, of course we are (taught myself all of GCSE biology, absolutely not a problem) BUT it is unfair. I don't ask to be spoonfed but having a bad teacher causes unbelievable stress for students, at A-level it makes you feel like death. Honestly, there are things that need to be looked at.
Having a bad teacher isn't a excuse, at uni you'll come across many awful lecturers but you just have to suck it up as the uni probably won't listen to you
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Original post by SeanFM
How can we fix that? I mean, you can try to root out bad teachers but I dunno... you'll always have some that are better than others (not to mention that there's something of a shortage in some subjects )
I mean, you can try to root out bad teachers but I dunno... you'll always have some that are better than others (not to mention that there's something of a shortage in some subjects )Maybe Ofsted could do something? instead of pretending that schools really are like that on their visiting weeks. Maybe place someone permanently in schools who regulates and checks that everything is running smoothly? I honestly don't know, but something needs to be done.
Original post by Serine Soul
Ok I'll edit it out.
Thank you.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
Exactly, I'm the same but at A-level it is disgustingly difficult to teach yourself everything without the support of a teacher. I mean one of my teachers is so terrible she didn't even know what exam board we were on or how the questions are posed in the actual exam.
I've honestly had enough with teachers that don't give a ****. Why are you teaching? Why do you bother to get up out of bed and come in every morning when you are TERRIBLE at what you do?
I'm sick of it. Honestly, it hurts to know there is a student out there in my position who has a brilliant teacher who has prepped them a 1000 times better than mine has "prepped' me.
We forget that teachers are key in our education system, they play a massive part in it.
Ugh it makes me SO angry and I know I'm not the only one!
I've honestly had enough with teachers that don't give a ****. Why are you teaching? Why do you bother to get up out of bed and come in every morning when you are TERRIBLE at what you do?
I'm sick of it. Honestly, it hurts to know there is a student out there in my position who has a brilliant teacher who has prepped them a 1000 times better than mine has "prepped' me.
We forget that teachers are key in our education system, they play a massive part in it.
Ugh it makes me SO angry and I know I'm not the only one!
Sounds a bit like my chemistry teacher
Yep, and they get the higher grades because they're taught in better environments and are thus seen as smarter
Original post by madmadmax321
Having a bad teacher isn't a excuse, at uni you'll come across many awful lecturers but you just have to suck it up as the uni probably won't listen to you
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Posted from TSR Mobile
The poster isn't saying that it is an excuse, necessarily.
Erm, that might be the case at university but at GCSE/A-level (prepping for university admission) the education one receives is fundamental and thus it should, in practice, be applied equally to all students.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by madmadmax321
Having a bad teacher isn't a excuse, at uni you'll come across many awful lecturers but you just have to suck it up as the uni probably won't listen to you
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Posted from TSR Mobile
But at the end of the day, university is a far more independent. GCSE's may not seem important to you but they practically form you, they form a platform for whatever you want to pursue. You need to be prepped well, same goes for A-levels. I'm not asking the teachers to turn up at my house and spoon feed me, but I would hope that they know the SPECIFICATION and the STRUCTURE OF THE EXAM atleast. I mean it's actually laughable.
Why should we have bad teachers though? It's a job. You get payed, it is a job. What if we had a bad doctor? or a bad fireman/woman? Honestly, it's a job and you should perform.
I mean I'm not saying all teachers are bad, I have had BRILLIANT teachers before. My history teacher this year was sent from the angels, I'm sure of it.
But others have been terrible, I don't know why they bother turning up.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
I'm sick of it. Honestly, it hurts to know there is a student out there in my position who has a brilliant teacher who has prepped them a 1000 times better than mine has "prepped' me.
If it helps, there are also students out there who don't even have the benefit of a school, let alone a teacher! Imagine having to run around begging your exam centre to sort out why your unique candidate number has suddenly changed because you don't have a school to sort that out for you whilst also simultaneously trying to get yourself 3 A*'s without the help of a classroom, textbook or teacher as well as juggling STEP.
Not that I'm trying to trivialise your problems, they do sound bad and something definitely does need to be done, but there's no point getting upset over "oh, someone is getting a better teaching than I as", that'll always be the case, things are unfair all the time, you just need to view them as opportunities instead. You getting to teach yourself a bunch of A-Levels is a good thing, it'll prepare you for university all that much better. So what if some rich Eton kid is getting taught how to get an A*? You're engaging with your subject that you find genuinely interesting and exploring them on your own terms, that's an invaluable experience!
That said, I can sort of understand what you're feeling and I do agree that genuinely horrible teachers do need to be rooted out of the system.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
Maybe Ofsted could do something? instead of pretending that schools really are like that on their visiting weeks. Maybe place someone permanently in schools who regulates and checks that everything is running smoothly? I honestly don't know, but something needs to be done.
Yes, the pretence that some schools put on while Ofsted are visiting is unacceptable.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
Maybe Ofsted could do something? instead of pretending that schools really are like that on their visiting weeks. Maybe place someone permanently in schools who regulates and checks that everything is running smoothly? I honestly don't know, but something needs to be done.
I agree. What's in place isn't perfect
and Dispatchers style investigating (we had someone come into our school and do that, and one of the teachers flirted with her 
and it was all secretly filmed) might be a good shout. But I dunno, I guess it's just not really an attractive career for a lot of people and/or the whole keeping kids well behaved thing is more of a struggle and wears teachers down than the actual teaching itself - maybe looking into how to improve behaviour 
which would be a mammoth task, is worth looking at too.Otherwise, you can try to get rid of 'bad' teachers but you'll just end up with more of a shortage, and you can't exactly force people to become teachers
Original post by rumana101
'BTEC equivalent of 3A*' ... are u mad
Well 95% of UK universities see it that way.
As a repeat student doing A levels again, my friends that did BTEC are now off to universities such as Manchester and even Kings college. Some did one A level with BTEC qualifications. Our head girl from two years back got A*D*D*D* which is worth even more. While I'm here repeating, some of my friends are about to start their first semester of university in a few months without the fear of repeating or not meeting their grade predictions. I used to think BTEC level 3 qualifications were inferior but now I know I was so wrong as some of these students are about to do the courses I wanted to university such as Law in russell group universities.The only thing is that A levels allow is more flexibility which BTEC qualifications do not. With the A levels I have chosen, I could change my mind, choosing law, if I wanted politics and international relations or even Economics unlike those who did Business at BTEC level 3 for example. They could only stick to that career path- being denied that flexibility. But for someone who is sure of what they want- who cares about the flexibility. If you're unsure, that's when the problems rise.
Original post by Zacken
If it helps, there are also students out there who don't even have the benefit of a school, let alone a teacher! Imagine having to run around begging your exam centre to sort out why your unique candidate number has suddenly changed because you don't have a school to sort that out for you whilst also simultaneously trying to get yourself 3 A*'s without the help of a classroom, textbook or teacher as well as juggling STEP.
Not that I'm trying to trivialise your problems, they do sound bad and something definitely does need to be done, but there's no point getting upset over "oh, someone is getting a better teaching than I as", that'll always be the case, things are unfair all the time, you just need to view them as opportunities instead. You getting to teach yourself a bunch of A-Levels is a good thing, it'll prepare you for university all that much better. So what if some rich Eton kid is getting taught how to get an A*? You're engaging with your subject that you find genuinely interesting and exploring them on your own terms, that's an invaluable experience!
That said, I can sort of understand what you're feeling and I do agree that genuinely horrible teachers do need to be rooted out of the system.
Not that I'm trying to trivialise your problems, they do sound bad and something definitely does need to be done, but there's no point getting upset over "oh, someone is getting a better teaching than I as", that'll always be the case, things are unfair all the time, you just need to view them as opportunities instead. You getting to teach yourself a bunch of A-Levels is a good thing, it'll prepare you for university all that much better. So what if some rich Eton kid is getting taught how to get an A*? You're engaging with your subject that you find genuinely interesting and exploring them on your own terms, that's an invaluable experience!
That said, I can sort of understand what you're feeling and I do agree that genuinely horrible teachers do need to be rooted out of the system.
I'm not upset, but it is an issue and something needs to be done.
I also taught myself an A-level these past 2 years because my school didn't offer it, I'm an independent person myself. But what I'm saying is, we mustn't forget that there are flaws and things need to be done. It's as simple as that. I don't feel sorry for myself, I mean my exams finish next week so there is nothing more that can be done apart from me hitting the books as hard as possible.
I'm not talking about Etonians either. One state school can have better teachers than the state school down the road, there is an issue with that.
Original post by Pokémontrainer
Yes, the pretence that some schools put on while Ofsted are visiting is unacceptable.
It's hilarious, as if the school is really like that. As if you really teach us like that....
Pfft please
Why would you laugh at his decision?
I know some people who did social care btec and now at a slightly better uni than me.
Bad thing about taking the btec route is that people have found it hard to cope with the first year of uni. Engineering students who did btec struggled with the maths module.
I know some people who did social care btec and now at a slightly better uni than me.
Bad thing about taking the btec route is that people have found it hard to cope with the first year of uni. Engineering students who did btec struggled with the maths module.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
I'm not upset, but it is an issue and something needs to be done.
I also taught myself an A-level these past 2 years because my school didn't offer it, I'm an independent person myself. But what I'm saying is, we mustn't forget that there are flaws and things need to be done. It's as simple as that. I don't feel sorry for myself, I mean my exams finish next week so there is nothing more that can be done apart from me hitting the books as hard as possible.
I'm not talking about Etonians either. One state school can have better teachers than the state school down the road, there is an issue with that.
I also taught myself an A-level these past 2 years because my school didn't offer it, I'm an independent person myself. But what I'm saying is, we mustn't forget that there are flaws and things need to be done. It's as simple as that. I don't feel sorry for myself, I mean my exams finish next week so there is nothing more that can be done apart from me hitting the books as hard as possible.
I'm not talking about Etonians either. One state school can have better teachers than the state school down the road, there is an issue with that.
You did say that "it hurt a lot" and stuff, which came across as you being upset; if you're not, then that's great - you can ignore my reply.
Original post by SeanFM
Otherwise, you can try to get rid of 'bad' teachers but you'll just end up with more of a shortage, and you can't exactly force people to become teachers
Sounds like surprise Ofsted visits would be a good idea.
But yeah, I think it'd be a good idea to address the problem at it's cause. The teaching system needs a major uphaul; if we could treat teachers better then we'd get more potential teachers attracted to the field, giving us a wider variety of choice and allowing us to select the better ones as well as improving the motivation of the current teachers, ensuring they can teach better, etc...
I'm stopping there because I feel like I'm writing an answer for some employee motivation question for GCSE Business now.
Original post by Zacken
You did say that "it hurt a lot" and stuff, which came across as you being upset; if you're not, then that's great - you can ignore my reply.
Well it is an upsetting issue because I know I'm not the only one.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
It's hilarious, as if the school is really like that. As if you really teach us like that....
Pfft please
Pfft please
Oh god, everyone is so wooden while they visit - it is actually hilarious!
And the teachers tell you before the inspectors come, to get you to maintain the facade...
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