Why do the worst students become teachers ?

fundamentally

A teacher saying that teachers are great !
Such objectivity....
Such mendacity...

That is acceptable only if you want to be a teacher.
In the rest of the world, a 2.2 is a route to unemployment or working at Tesco.

There is a reason why a 2.2 is called a 'Drunkard's degree', 'Dunces degree' and a 'Desmond'.

I may have done a teaching degree, but I am not a teacher.
And for your information, I did that in Germany, studying English, Mathematics and German. Oh, and I graduated from school with a 1.4, which is pretty much AAA/B.

And a 2.2 has opened up doors for people with more than a degree in their pocket, trust me. Just the degree won't cut it.
Needless to say, it is all relative and depends on what you want to do.

And yes, many people waste their time at university. When I see someone asking which uni is the best for drinking, it makes me cringe. WTF? But ! This is not really a thread about degree classifications. You are questioning the credibility and intellect of teachers, which is something that most people will condemn you for.

Reply 42

fundamentally

It may be different in Finland, but that simply will not work here.
At my comprehensive state school, NONE of my teachers were good enough. Except perhaps my English teacher in year 10, but she got a job at Oundle School, an ultra-prestigious private school and left in a hurry

There was no way that they could have done anything. The funding and resources were simply inadequate.

There you have it. Don't blame the teachers, blame your government. I have studied the history of education in England, and find it backwards. While other countries encourage alternative methods of teaching and assessment, the British government has made many mistakes, starting an obsession with grades and not with the actual learning process. But, I don't think you care about that. I suggest you read up on the topic and then we can talk about that.

Any system that works in Finland, could work there. Starting with a good teacher salary. Less pointless paperwork. Giving teachers more autonomy and freedom when it comes to lessons. Getting rid of the NC to come extent.

The dimmest of teacher-trainees become PE teachers.
Even teachers look down upon PE teachers.

That is completely wrong as well. If you had any sense, you'd consider what PE teachers do. Sure, maybe in the lower grades they just play games, but it is a lot of hard work. Studying sport sciences and PE is not a walk in the park and swimming every morning, it is about theory as well. Anatomy is incredibly important.
Check some sport courses out and read up on the modules.

And those teachers who look down on other teachers are just as bad as you. Pretty ignorant and arrogant brats.

Reply 43

Dougie

And all the computing teachers at my school used Apple Macs at home!!! :confused:

Nothing wrong with that. I use one myself, but then I use it for my photography and design work in the first place.

BUT, it is important that an ICT teacher knows more than his or her own computer.

I also think that the actual subject, ICT, is somewhat silly. In the end, IT should just be incorporatesd into normal lessons

Reply 44

OP

yourjoyismylow

And for your information, I did that in Germany, studying English, Mathematics and German....You are questioning the credibility and intellect of teachers, which is something that most people will condemn you for.

The situation is the UK is very different from Germany.
You may want to read http://www.tes.co.uk/ to get an idea of the local situation.

Reply 45

fundamentally

Respect has to be deserved and is not an absolute prerogative of the position. Would you respect a PE teacher who fondled your buttocks ?
This actually happened to me at school. I am ashamed to say that I was too frightened to report this.

If reporting incompetence would have led to action by the authorities, every teacher at my school would and should have been reported.

Instead, two teachers were reported to the police in my last year ( by the parents of other students ). One for sexual harassment ( our PE teacher, who progressed to putting his hands into panties ) and another for assault causing actual bodily harm ( A known-to-be-sadistic geography teacher twisted and broke a boy's thumb ).

They were both charged by the police.

I'm sorry for your bad experiences, but do not ever ever generalize.

Reply 46

Mrs_F

fundamentally

Just wondering, why is it that the not-too-bright are the ones who become teachers ?

How insulting! I am becoming a teacher because it is all I have ever wanted to do. I decided on my career along time before I knew how bright I would be. I want to help people to better themselves and give children with awful lives a better chance. Not because I am "not too bright"! :mad:

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fundamentally

Probably the ones with 2.ii's.
Having a 2.2, makes you unemployable except as a teacher.

Hmmm, wait a second while I check my degree certificate because I am positive I got a 2:1 - but I couldn't have otherwise I wouldn't be training to become a teacher. Oh yes, that's right I DID GET A 2.1!

Reply 47

OP

lynseyweth

How insulting! I am becoming a teacher because it is all I have ever wanted to do.

How nice... :rolleyes:

Tell us, how many A's did you get at the A-levels ?

Reply 48

Mrs_F

fundamentally

How nice... :rolleyes:

Tell us, how many A's did you get at the A-levels ?

I do not have to justify myself to the likes of you.

At the end of the day, teaching is about caring for and understanding your pupils in order to give them a better chance at life, because unfortunately many people do not have this given to them automatically.

I know I can do that, as well as teaching them all of the subjects which they need to have an understanding in to go on to secondary education. If I can do this and provide a secure and safe environment in which the children can learn, then I am sure children, carers, and school will be happy.

Reply 49

penfold

Just to clarify, I completely agree that teachers who do things that are ILLEGAL should be reported - not just to the school, but to the police. Things like touching pupils inappropriately and obvious abusiveness are absolutely not acceptable.

I was referring to pupils reporting teachers that they feel aren't good enough or that they feel they've been personally slighted by. Pupils aren't "customers" and to treat teachers as if they are simply providing a service and nothing more and to judge them on the basis of how well they provide that "service" (as if a high school student would even have the ability to judge such a thing fairly and competently) is, in my opinion, wrong and extremely disrespectful.

Reply 50

OP

lynseyweth

I do not have to justify myself to the likes of you.

Translation: Your A levels were crap.

Proves my point.

Reply 51

kb500

Poica

A 2:2 is a perfectly respectable degree. Maybe not for the very top jobs, but certainly not unemployment or working at Tesco: if you think that then what about the great swathes of people with nothing more than GCSEs or A-levels?

It isn't respectable at all, what happens you ask to the people who come out of university with a 2:2 supposedly more qualified that those with just A-Levels or GCSE's? Well what happens is that these people struggle to find graduate level jobs, the primary reason for going to university I assume. If they are unable to find these jobs then they are competing with the vast swathes as you refer to them who didn't go to university. Given the fact that the latter group will have had some experience of industry during the time the former wasted at university the people who have 2:2's may be at a disadvantage even here. Also if you're speaking from personal experience it's not that dificult to get a 2:1 in history at York having spoken to many people doing the course :wink:

Reply 52

pghstochaj

11

fundamentally

Translation: Your A levels were crap.

Proves my point.

I think that right now I am speaking for many on here, when I say in the words of Matt Damon on Good Will Hunting,

"You arrogant prick".

People, do not feed keyboard warriors/trolls, you know better than this person's single experience.

Fundamentally, your generalised and stereotyping comments leave a lot to be desired, they have been wrong, insulting and rude. If you speak like this in the real world (which you do not), you would have received several thumps and have few people who like to speak to you. My academic grades are as good as is really physically achievable, I would still consider becoming a teacher, as do many in a similar position.

Teachers on the whole do an excellent job, stop writing nonsense and offending people.

I hate getting personal :frown:

Reply 53

discombobulation

2

My English teacher got an E in English A level :frown:

and still got kept on by the college when she came as a trainee...it's completely mental

Reply 54

Mrs_F

fundamentally

Translation: Your A levels were crap.

Proves my point.

Not at all. It does not prove anything. How can you even suggest that a sentence can prove my A level results?

What is your profession then, if you are so clever?

Reply 55

Poica

14

kb500

It isn't respectable at all, what happens you ask to the people who come out of university with a 2:2 supposedly more qualified that those with just A-Levels or GCSE's? Well what happens is that these people struggle to find graduate level jobs, the primary reason for going to university I assume. If they are unable to find these jobs then they are competing with the vast swathes as you refer to them who didn't go to university. Given the fact that the latter group will have had some experience of industry during the time the former wasted at university the people who have 2:2's may be at a disadvantage even here. Also if you're speaking from personal experience it's not that dificult to get a 2:1 in history at York having spoken to many people doing the course :wink:

a) Don't be ridiculous, I'm a fresher. And just because you've 'spoken to people doing the course' does not mean you know a damn thing about how hard/easy it is. Take the degree and maybe you can say that; until then, don't make generalisations.
b) For jobs that require a degree, someone with a 2:2 will be preferrable to someone without one. They will still be able to find a high paying job. If you believe otherwise, please provide some evidence to that effect, because I think you are talking utter crap.

Reply 56

SlyPie

12

fundamentally

In the UK, teaching seems to be the domain of pedophiles, failures and C-grade students.

Perhaps there are some decent teachers in the private schools. However, only 6% of kids go to them. The rest of us are stuck with the gammas as teachers.

hahah

Teachers prior to university belong in one category. Professors at university on the other hand are really quite bright. So don't worry...not all teachers are morons.

Reply 57

Poica

14

Incidentally, the teacher I talked about in my earlier post teaches at a Comprehensive school. At a school which has just failed its last Ofsted. Unsurprisingly, his department was one of the few praised.

I went to that school, and while the teachers found it almost impossible to teach due to bad behaviour, they were in fact excellent teachers and got points across despite everyone in the class ignoring them.

Conversely, I also went to a Grammar school where most of the teachers were Doctors of their subject, etc. They were some of the worst teachers I had ever come across.

Don't make generalisations people; just because you've had bad experiences doesn't mean that's how it is across the board.

Reply 58

OP