The Student Room Group

Why I Have not become a Teacher

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Original post by Spiderman
Yeah I like the Green Party and i'm probably most in line with their perspective in general.

I see what you mean at the top of your post. I think all this stuff is often a lesson in pragmatism to be honest!


They are very honest, it's just a shame that aren't seen as a widely acknowledged political party in the forseeble future of government- not the near future, at the very least. Perhaps, in 5, maybe 10 years we could see their ideals as the hea dof oru country. I'm not sure.

:smile:
Reply 21
Original post by Amy. J S
They are very honest, it's just a shame that aren't seen as a widely acknowledged political party in the forseeble future of government- not the near future, at the very least. Perhaps, in 5, maybe 10 years we could see their ideals as the hea dof oru country. I'm not sure.

:smile:


Well they've definitely increased in stature in the last for years - for example their leader won a seat in Brighton and they run things down there.

Maybe it's the cynic in me but i'm hesitant to jump in and think they're that much more honest than any other politician. Remember they haven't had a chance to enact any of their policies and it's easy to promise anything when you're not likely to ever have the power to put them into practice? They do seem genuine though, in my experience.
I worry that the only thing I am half good ta is passing exams :frown:
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
I worry that the only thing I am half good ta is passing exams :frown:


That's basically me. When I came out of university I wondered what on earth this was all for. I'm now 25 trying to spark passions and play around with things in hope of discovery. I was never pushed towards doing anything creative or free thinking. It's a little depressing... but life is what you make of it. Just go out there and try things out :smile:
Reply 24
Original post by Spiderman
I'm not sure if Summerhill do but Sands definitely do (they're the other democratic school in the UK). They actually specialise in kids who have been disillusioned with normal school so I think they sometimes cater for kids whose parents can't afford thousands per year.


Original post by Amy. J S
I hope to go down and visit the school in the near future.


I was curious about Sands school so I checked their curriculum, particularly English and Mathematics, as I think those are important subjects. I found this quite funny:

Sands Mathematics
All students at Sands do Maths and nearly all take a GCSE in it.
However, no subjects at Sands are compulsory. Particularly because some students really dislike maths, this may seem a contradiction. In order to make even the most hardened maths hater choose to come to their maths, a constant gentle draw of encouragement and discussion is necessary.
Given the small class sizes it is possible to give enough support in classes to help people who struggle with the subject, as well as push the able students to achieve their best.


In other words, they nag and bully them into it. :lol: TBH I think that's even worse / more patronising than a normal school.
Original post by Spiderman
Well they've definitely increased in stature in the last for years - for example their leader won a seat in Brighton and they run things down there.

Maybe it's the cynic in me but i'm hesitant to jump in and think they're that much more honest than any other politician. Remember they haven't had a chance to enact any of their policies and it's easy to promise anything when you're not likely to ever have the power to put them into practice? They do seem genuine though, in my experience.


Atleast it is a step in the right direction- that's all we can ask, I think. :smile:
Original post by llys
I was curious about Sands school so I checked their curriculum, particularly English and Mathematics, as I think those are important subjects. I found this quite funny:



In other words, they nag and bully them into it. :lol: TBH I think that's even worse / more patronising than a normal school.


I do see what you mean. To be honest, I am unsure where these particular schooling methods stand with qualifications- some can be quite contradictory. From what I've seen, they still expect qualifications from their students- as to progress into the current world, it's standard to have atleast a few certificates (it would be unfair to not provide them with the next stepping stone to their lives). I think the teaching methods, and the consequential philosophy makes the education at that age (14-16 and 16-18) different to regular schools.
Correct if I am wrong, I may just be babbling on nonsensically. :smile:
Reply 27
Original post by Spiderman
https://thebraindumpsite.wordpress.com/2014/08/03/why-i-have-not-become-a-teacher/

This is quite a long post so it's best to just post a link. With this being a student forum, with presumably most people here being in the education system at some level, I hope it will be of interest to most of you.

Any feedback, questions, arguments, criticisms etc more than welcome. Knowledge is power etc so if you think i'm talking ****, come at me :biggrin:


Very interesting.....

I am a 2nd year teacher. I have chosen to teach at SEN schools as i dont agree with the amount of pressure and targets aimed at mainstream children. However, I still am bound by the curriculum and 'norms' of the school. For my kids, learning to read, write and use maths enough to get by in life + independence skills is what is important to them. As i have some bright autistic children in my class, i have to use the national curriculum- some of it is ridiculous. I cannot spell some of the year 4 spellings- example; arachnophobia, condescending, etc (spellchecker used) so do we expect 8/9 year olds to spell these? I would hate to teach mainstream KS2, not because of the kids- mine are year 5/6 and i love them to bits, but because of the pressure to get them to pass exams to 'make the school look good'.

I 'achieved' a low level 3 in my yr 6 sats (below average) and I got an F in my mock GCSEs. However, i managed to get all Bs and Cs in my actual GCSEs, and Bs and As at A level, then a 2:1 at degree level.

Some kids take longer than others to achieve their potential, dont write them off.........

Primary education should mirror the early years curriculum, this is wonderful. Teach this way throughout primary school (just like Scandinavian countries- the best education in the world) and children would learn so much more.

If only it was that easy.......................
An interesting post but the issue I have is your limited view of education and how that has skewed your thinking

I teach the following groups of students

1. Bright mathematicians who enjoy the subject and fill the room with their enthusiasm
2. Mediocre students who can get a B or a C but lack interest
3. Young people whose lives I change by supporting them in their quest to gain a grade C
4. Kids who have no interest in school and are pains
5. Student who really struggle with mathematical concepts and who benefit from appropriate work on maths life skills

As you can see ... I have far more opportunities for job satisfaction in the week than your article suggests ... I would agree that a student in group 2 would find education somewhat futile but they are not all that teaching is about
Original post by Spiderman
https://thebraindumpsite.wordpress.com/2014/08/03/why-i-have-not-become-a-teacher/

This is quite a long post so it's best to just post a link. With this being a student forum, with presumably most people here being in the education system at some level, I hope it will be of interest to most of you.

Any feedback, questions, arguments, criticisms etc more than welcome. Knowledge is power etc so if you think i'm talking ****, come at me :biggrin:


Very interesting read. Thanks for sharing.

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Reply 30
Original post by TenOfThem
An interesting post but the issue I have is your limited view of education and how that has skewed your thinking

I teach the following groups of students

1. Bright mathematicians who enjoy the subject and fill the room with their enthusiasm
2. Mediocre students who can get a B or a C but lack interest
3. Young people whose lives I change by supporting them in their quest to gain a grade C
4. Kids who have no interest in school and are pains
5. Student who really struggle with mathematical concepts and who benefit from appropriate work on maths life skills

As you can see ... I have far more opportunities for job satisfaction in the week than your article suggests ... I would agree that a student in group 2 would find education somewhat futile but they are not all that teaching is about


I think there are definitely opportunities for job satisfaction. My point was mainly though that, for example, those 5 groups of children you listed have very different needs and by focusing on one particular group you relatively neglect the progress of the other groups. It's the lack of flexibility that has bothered me. In a class I work with at the moment there is a child who I feel would benefit from focused support and attention on her skills in Maths and English, but my job prevents me from being able to give her that because I do not have the time of day and cannot justify it to the management (who themselves are under pressure from those above them to do things in a certain way).

I don't for a minute think she is naturally unintelligent though. She is just behind everyone else and as zero self-esteem as a result of that, which itself effects her learning further. She is very far behind and I don't think it is as simple as 'she might catch up' though, or that I am being morally neutral by 'doing my bit' to help her. I think her being so far behind and knowing it is likely to do long-term damage to how she sees herself and I have felt as though by not being able to give her what she needs I am contributing to the damage being done to her. I have spoken to teachers in similar circumstances who are able to cast children like her off as stupid and wash their hands of her. I am not able to relinquish that responsibility, and yet I am unable to cater for her effectively.

What do you mean by my 'limited' view of education? Not annoyed, just curious by what you mean by it :smile:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Spiderman
I think there are definitely opportunities for job satisfaction. My point was mainly though that, for example, those 5 groups of children you listed have very different needs and by focusing on one particular group you relatively neglect the progress of the other groups.



I do not believe that I neglect the progress of any of those groups - which group did you think I focussed on?

What do you mean by my 'limited' view of education? Not annoyed, just curious by what you mean by it :smile:


You are still quite young

Your experience of secondary schools and secondary level teachers is limited by that

You will have experienced school from the perspective of a child of your ability and inclination
Reply 32
Original post by TenOfThem
I do not believe that I neglect the progress of any of those groups - which group did you think I focussed on?


I didn't make any guesses. I would say that the needs of some of the children need to be neglected so that others can be attended to, inevitably. It's always going to be a balancing act in which some of the kids benefit more than others.

Original post by TenOfThem
You are still quite young


How old do you think I am? In any case, using someone's age against them is ridiculous unless you explain in detail what you're actually talking about.

Original post by TenOfThem
Your experience of secondary schools and secondary level teachers is limited by that


That's a huge judgement call and one that you're not really in a position to be making. It's not relevant to what i'm saying either, especially as I qualified as a primary school teacher, not secondary.

Original post by TenOfThem
You will have experienced school from the perspective of a child of your ability and inclination


...and also as a qualified teacher. In any case, the point of the story from my childhood experience is that I am not a special case - that many others experience things similarly. That was the point of that section of the article and was written in the hope that others would relate to it. From conversation I have had with people in real life - friends, colleagues and so on - and many more online as a result of the article, it turns out very many people do relate to it. I've also have a BA in Educational Studies and have visited dozens of schools in the UK and abroad. So, yeah. I don't know how you've come to that conclusion.

My guess is that you haven't read the full article and have assumed that i'm still at school myself, or have recently left it.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Spiderman
I didn't make any guesses. I would say that the needs of some of the children need to be neglected so that others can be attended to, inevitably. It's always going to be a balancing act in which some of the kids benefit more than others.


We will have to agree to disagree with this one

My guess is that you haven't read the full article and have assumed that i'm still at school myself, or have recently left it.


I did read the article
Perhaps I mis read
I understood you had completed a degree and the a PGCE


Clearly I have offended - this was not my intention - when I was talking of your limited view it was a relative comment



My entire comment was to point out that teaching can be a very satisfying and rewarding profession - I was trying to explain why by commenting on the range of experiences that I have on a daily basis

I spoke of Secondary school because your article talked about the feelings you had when taking exams at GCSE and beyond
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
I worry that the only thing I am half good ta is passing exams :frown:


Hello past self.

You are also good and extremely capable of assembling boxes and putting things inside them.

To future self. I really hope you are not still doing this in a years time.
Reply 35
Original post by TenOfThem

Clearly I have offended - this was not my intention - when I was talking of your limited view it was a relative comment

My entire comment was to point out that teaching can be a very satisfying and rewarding profession - I was trying to explain why by commenting on the range of experiences that I have on a daily basis

I spoke of Secondary school because your article talked about the feelings you had when taking exams at GCSE and beyond


Fair enough.

I'm not saying it can't be satisfying and rewarding. I wrote it from a purely personal perspective because I know it is only my experience, and I figured there would be others who have experienced things similarly. I'm not denying that it can be rewarding though - my partner is a teacher in a mainstream school and is loving it.
Original post by Cattty
Very interesting.....

I am a 2nd year teacher. I have chosen to teach at SEN schools as i dont agree with the amount of pressure and targets aimed at mainstream children. However, I still am bound by the curriculum and 'norms' of the school. For my kids, learning to read, write and use maths enough to get by in life + independence skills is what is important to them. As i have some bright autistic children in my class, i have to use the national curriculum- some of it is ridiculous. I cannot spell some of the year 4 spellings- example; arachnophobia, condescending, etc (spellchecker used) so do we expect 8/9 year olds to spell these? I would hate to teach mainstream KS2, not because of the kids- mine are year 5/6 and i love them to bits, but because of the pressure to get them to pass exams to 'make the school look good'.

I 'achieved' a low level 3 in my yr 6 sats (below average) and I got an F in my mock GCSEs. However, i managed to get all Bs and Cs in my actual GCSEs, and Bs and As at A level, then a 2:1 at degree level.

Some kids take longer than others to achieve their potential, dont write them off.........

Primary education should mirror the early years curriculum, this is wonderful. Teach this way throughout primary school (just like Scandinavian countries- the best education in the world) and children would learn so much more.

If only it was that easy.......................


Well, if you cannot spell those words it might say something about your writing skills (and it might not necessarily say something about the writing skills of other people). :redface:
Reply 37
Original post by Juichiro
Well, if you cannot spell those words it might say something about your writing skills (and it might not necessarily say something about the writing skills of other people). :redface:


The point I was making was that most children of that age wont know what those words mean and so will be unlikely to need to learn how to spell them........................

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