Teachers TV Struck; Teachers To Strike?



I had wondered what might bring about a new blog during this Easter break. I hadn't particularly expected to have two things to talk about, although of course the ATL and NUT conferences were in the diary a while ago. As, it seems, was the closure of Teachers TV. I'll start with that.

When I first heard of Teachers TV back in 2006, I was a little sceptical about it. It was one of a lot of new channels that appeared on my first Freeview box, and my goodness there were (and still are) a lot of pointless experiments. But what I thought was an obscure corner of the schedules actually turned out to be quite the reverse. So often, education websites are limited to a subject or an age-range, but Teachers TV had something across every area of the sector, and was growing rapidly. Only TES Connect covered the same breadth of subjects and age-ranges while providing a community for teachers to share ideas and participate. Teachers TV differed from TES Connect, though, by having a specific purpose to raise standards and boost professional development, while also promoting the shared goal to save time for people working in the sector. It's also believed that it saved valuable money on Continuing Professional Development, and it certainly was increasingly frequently referenced on the CPD courses I attended since 2006.

But perhaps the most important thing about Teachers TV was that it was editorially independent from the government. It was a trusted resource, and a big one. It wasn't 'telling people what to teach', and its mix of output struck a good balance between celebrating the hard work and success of teachers and suggesting new ideas and approaches. The DfE pledges to make all the 15 minute programmes available for free, but will now pick and choose what it will continue to make new- if anything, leaving us without the self-renewing video-rich resource bank that was Teachers TV. TES Connect, for all its many positive points, has its flaws and it not quite as immediately accessible in many ways, and lacks the range of chances to see lessons in action visually rather than by reading accounts of them.

For various reasons, Teachers TV helped me a great deal in my early years as a teacher. I had a disrupted NQT year, and my first full year in class actually came after I'd passed the induction. Without the NQT support to provide extra space for creativity and advice on how to deal with the day-to-day aspects of being a class teacher, the programmes on offer helped me out a lot. In losing Teachers TV as we know it, the profession has lost another supportive pillar which shows no sign of being replaced. It is the latest in a concerning approach from the DfE, whereby rapid and straightforward decision-making (a good thing in principle) is being done far too casually in pursuit of a largely cosmetic vision by Michael Gove's department.



Finally, a word on the NUT strike ballot. I see that all it took was a decision to ballot before the phone-ins and media debates all kicked off again. Many of the general principles that apply here are explored in my Holidays post from a few weeks ago, but it's interesting that the NUT feel they've explored all other options but NASUWT don't. Are the NUT just being militant or are NASUWT being pushovers? That's a debate in itself. In the meantime, what is worth saying is that changing the way someone's pension works while they are in service is a dangerous precedent to set and should not be shrugged off as a necessary budget cut. This applies to every job. Teachers do not, contrary to the view of one Radio 5 Live caller the other night, believe themselves to be the only people who should take a stand. I would certainly support anyone who argued the unacceptability of this type of pensions change, regardless of their career.

So, now we await the outcome of the ballot. In the meantime, watch Teachers TV while you can- and let's hope TES Connect are able to pick up some of the slack it leaves behind.

And, of course, enjoy the rest of the holiday!

Monsieur Chips

Good is in the Detail

First of all, thanks to the people who have commented positively on the Holidays post. It's nice to know I'm not alone in feeling that strong.

Today was the first 'proper' day of the Easter break. Due to some clever wangling, which may or may not be down to the Head having an extended trip to a distant country, we have 3 weeks off- plenty of time to recharge the batteries. I took the chance to visit some family- none of them teachers, alas, but there are plenty of relatives who are a bit more realistic about what a teacher's life involves. During one conversation I explained my approach to the school holidays- particularly the 'in-year' ones, such as Easter and Christmas and the half terms.

My outlook was this; that for me the holiday is not about not doing work, but rather doing it at a more relaxed pace. I may still do some lesson planning or marking but I can decide to stop now and again, for hours at a time if I wish, to have a snack, watch a DVD or whatever. And don't get me wrong, I do occasionally drop all work for a few days while I gallavant off somewhere for a change of scene.

But even allowing for that inbuilt necessity a lot of us to feel to do some sort of work in the holiday, why are we quite so ready to do it? The answer was, in part, clear today, as I sat editing a video to use in class that is not really necessary but will definitely engage the kids and get them keen on the lessons upon their return.

As I finished the video, I wanted to include some photos from a Science lesson we'd done. As I added them in, I was struck by the expressions on their faces- particularly those in the backgrounds, who were no longer posing cheesily but getting on with trying to construct circuits. Now, my memory of that leson was one of a raucous din in which I wasn't fully sure the class were really on form. We've all had those days, of course, so I didn't worry about it at the time, but on closer inspection of the evidence, it was clear to me that the noise was excited talk about Science and electricty. The eyes sparkled; the 'impressed look' was there.

It strikes me as a little sad that I couldn't see that the lesson was going so well at the time. Perhaps I've become too used to thinking that calm, orderly classrooms are the only kind to have- but then again I've never believed that to necessarily be the case. Has the current box-ticking, scrutinising culture got the better of me? Maybe, maybe not. The point is, the children were looking at those batteries, wires and bulbs with the same enthusiasm I've seen them apply to books, DVDs and computer games. Children never stop learning, and for the most part never lose the ability to be enthused. As teachers, we know this inherently, and as they are always ready to learn, we are always ready to help them do so. Teaching is not just a job, it's a vocation, after all.

Yes, it's seriously hard work and we don't always get the credit from on high or other adults. But it is there to see in the faces of the kids we teach if we just remember to put down that Assessment Grid for a moment and look for it. I'll happily spend time planning some creative and fun lessons this holiday- it's money in the bank, after all, for a busy Summer term, and the space to think is woefully lacking in term time. But I have, at least, learned not to feel guilty for the inevitable day or two where I will slump on the sofa watching terrible TV while the books I meant to mark gather dust on the armchair opposite!

Site update

I've spent the morning moving some bits around, so one or two bits are in the wrong order to original publication. The most recent is my Holidays post, which is below the Hogwarts Ofsted, or follow the link on the right.

More regular udpates to come in the near future...

Monsieur Chips

Hogwarts Ofsted Report

OFSTED REPORT 
School: HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
LEA: HOGSMEADE
Head Teacher at Time of Inspection: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE. SORT OF.About the School

Hogwarts is a larger than average, and slightly more eccentric than average, secondary school for boys who act like girls and girls who act like boys, aged 11-18. It is a boarding school, occupying a fine medieval building in large grounds. The school has a long history of which it is proud. Hogwarts is situated in an area of mainly private-owned accomodation. Parents tend to be professional in a flexible definition of the word.Inspector’s Findings Since the Last Inspection
The school has spiralled downwards since the last inspection. At that time it was deemed to be satisfactory, on the basis that the number of fatalties caused by jinxes and spells amongst the grounds was always offset by the number of corpses brought back to life as part of the Necromancy course in the Sixth Form. Since the arrival of a particularly disruptive pupil in 1997, fatalities have increased dramatically.

The school is generally led well, although at the time of inspection some exceptionally poor staffing decisions have led to pupils experiencing much instability. This culminated in a particularly tragic incident last year which will no doubt leave the school in turmoil. In one subject, there have been five teachers in as many years. Staff turnover is otherwise stable.

The premises itself is in need of urgent renewal. Space is not well-used, and in one case an entire floor was unused due to the presence of a 3-headed dog. Indeed the general attitude to Health and Safety is extremely lax. Inspectors were particularly concerned when using the stairs, finding their constant motion to be a severe hazard to children and adult’s welfare. Matters are further complicated by the presence of a number of poltergeists, who routinely smash windows, leaving broken glass strewn across corridors. In addition, the school has chronic trouble in keeping pupils safe. Escaped murderers and beings that suck all happiness out of souls have all been present. In particular, having your joy sucked out of your soul is not condusive to a positive learning environment.

The school provides barely adequate value for money.CURRICULUM PROVISION
Literacy, Numeracy, Science
None of these subjects appear to be taught in their own right. There was no evidence found to indicate use of the Primary Strategies, and when the topic of ‘Time’ was taught, pupils were mistakenly being taught that it was possible to go back in time and view your own arse from a different angle. In Literacy, pupils were seen to be writing diary entries in blank books. In Science, the teaching of reflection incorrectly teaches pupils that amongst the things one can see reflected in a mirror is one’s wildest dream. One pupil was seen to be seeking his future in a mirror- a major misconception. Pupils are also taught that it is possible to cause a feather to levitate and that stone contains life-extending properties. Subject knowledge of staff is highly questionable and the National Curriculum needs to be implemented.History, RE, Geography
Although the school’s own history is referred to at interminable length on a great many occasions, the teaching of world history is extremely limited. The only awareness of other countries seems to be derived from Quidditch teams. Pupils often visit the local village of Hogsmeade. Although in principle this is a positive experience, Hogsmeade itself is the magical equivalent of a Bracknell backalley and is of no educational merit whatsoever. Inspectors found that the only stimulating thing to do was get plastered at the local tavern, then high on sugar at the local sweet shop. This is of course not in keeping with the Healthy Schools Initiative. Not that the school has actually adopted it.

RE is poorly taught. Instead of being taught about other faiths, pupils are more often encouraged to think of themselves as God. At the other extreme, the Potions teacher clearly models himself on Satan. There is a balance lacking here.PE

The school has attempted to implement a new initiave for PE, called TopSpells. This has had limited success, however, due to the school’s extreme bias for the sport of Quidditch. There is no Gymnastics, no Dance and no Athletics. Quidditch itself is a poor game physically, as children are not required to run. The Health and Safety implications are significant, as the game is played at a high altitude and involves posessed balls pursuing children on broomsticks. Several players have injured themselves, and one had to have an arm regrown.ICT
Inspectors were forced to admit that in a school of wizardry and witchcraft, computers look somewhat pointless. Nonetheless, as a core subject, inspectors expected to find evidence of an ICT suite, which they did not. However, this also meant that there were no mobile phones playing incessantly irritating ringtones, which is something to be thankful for. We would recommend that the school’s ICT Co-ordinator (once one is actually appointed) liases with BECTA for advice on including ICT in Magic.DIFFERENTIATION
No provision was made for the less able. Those who did not attain high levels in lessons were insulted and ostracised. In the case of Transfiguration this did indeed involve being turned into an ostrich. However, challanges for the more able were certainly in evidence. In one excellent case, gifted and talented children were entered for a competition in which death was a high possibility. By involving able children in mortal games that risked drowning, asphyxiation and murder, motivation remained high.SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
SEN provision is on the one hand excellent. Given the range of powers that all children have, they are technically all SEN. However, by selecting only wizards and witches and not allowing ‘muggles’ to enter, the school is over selective and does not provide a fair education to all who apply. It is also highly ironic that although access to the school can be gained by boat, broomstick, flying car, non-existent train, poltergeist activity and time travel, there is no wheelchair access. Given the excessive rate of injury, this seems surprising.EAL

Provision for English as an Additional Language is again extremely uneven. While not one child has learned French, German, Spanish, Punjabi, Italian, Gaelic, Welsh, Danish, Dutch etc, many children can speak Latin, and in one case Parseltongue. OFSTED do not stipulate that speaking to reptiles should be compulsory and though is a damned useful skill, we recommend more emphasis on more common modern foreign languages.OVERALL SCORE: 4 (POOR) 


This originally links back to an article I found on the TES forums- see http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/p/87577/87577.aspx

Holidays

Okay, so I never got round to posting my second part of review of the year. Basically, it was frantic with nice bits and bad bits and generally ok. There. Done. Now back to 2011.

And it's the holidays! What, again? I must admit, I can't say I've noticed. Teaching is like one big long holiday after all.

I was informed (admittedly, as a joke, or so I hope) by a friend recently that because of the length of my holiday I would have no right to make any sort of complaint about the difficulty of work upon my return. But he wasn't being overly funny when he said it.

And he couldn't be more right.

What possible cause would I have to let off any sort of steam at, say, taking care of thirty young children for 6 hours a day, usually without any help? After all, parents have often been keen to point out that looking after one child is quite easy, with two or three or even more also being quite a stroll. Thirty is only about 27 more than the average parent has, so it can't be hard. I mean, if you had 3 pence, then got 27 more, it wouldn't make a big difference to your life savings, right? Right.

And it is cheeky in the extreme that teachers suggest that being responsible for these children's education is in any way a pressure. It's not like they get inspected, or assessed by the local authority or anything. It's not like teachers are held responsible for every mark or level their children do or not achieve. Maybe if we lived in a world where schools and their staff were judged by an organisation that could shut a school down, remove lots of its staff, or brand it 'inadequate' based on test results, teachers would have a case. But what would you even call an organisation like that? Ofsted? Don't be silly!

Even if teachers did have any sort of pressure, the holidays do of course make everything right. With 13 weeks a year only a fool would fail to see that having 13 weeks out of 52 out of the classroom means that anything that happens in the other 39 must be just lovely.

I really ought to have considered this last month as I filled in a mental health assessment for an 8 year-old child. Being a weak-minded character (no doubt brought on by the easy nature of the job I do), I found the prospect of a child having severe learning difficulties, schizophrenia and an unsupportive family vaguely upsetting, particularly after a day of being the listening ear to all sort of trivial worries from the other children, such as how to read, write and count. I was even soft enough to feel some emotion towards the girl who missed her dead sister, and the boy who had witnessed some domestic violence on the eve of the birth of his sibling. Obviously I should have just thought about how everything was fine because ultimately I'd have 13 weeks to forget about all this stress. And we do. The idea that teachers give their pupils any thought outside the school term is ludicrous. To express any sort of feeling about such small matters is churlish.

It's true that we should show more humility for our time off. Teachers do, of course, have a reputation for winding up everyone else by bragging endlessly about their holidays. Just the other day I walked into the local coffee shop and, upon looking at the business hours listed on the door, announced casually to the barista that I envied him his 5pm finish. A cosy little shop with coffee and pastries on demand, I thought to myself. Cushy indeed.

"But I have to get up at 4.30am to prepare the bakery and open at 6.45am," he said.
"Piffle," I replied. "You have those precious evening hours."

Teachers, unlike all other workers, have genuine time off in those 13 weeks. When was the last time you heard a teacher say they were spending any of their holiday marking books? What do you mean you haven't asked? What do you mean you don't know any teachers? Obviously that can't be the case or you wouldn't be so qualified to speak about how nice their job is. What's that? You know because you remember being at school? Well yes, that is the exact same thing. I too remember my teacher arriving at the same time as me in the mornings, setting up the classroom while also doing the register, preparing all the resources on the spot without even leaving the room, and then going home with us at 3.15pm, while the books- and the 270 or so pieces of work we created each day marked themselves. There were no meetings I was aware of; no forms to fill in.

These teachers who claim to have marking and planning to do in their spare time are simply fabricating. It's all a big con to try and justify their nice holidays while the rest of the population actually do some work. We should be ashamed of ourselves and the way we believe nobody else works hard or deserves more holiday. Any member of the profession who claims not to have time to read books or live their life is obviously plain disorganised- yes, even that 59 year-old teacher with the excellent record and reputation. Just doesn't know how to use her time- a disgrace.

We are sinners and should know our place. Thank goodness we've got 13 weeks a year to reflect on the easy, morally questionable lives we lead.

Bonjour Monsieur Chips

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