Teachers

[Dr_Ice]

I was in education for 75 years, as a kid, at teachers' college, a school as a classroom teacher who completed two degrees at night, as a principal and as a supervisor of students on prac from 3 different universities. I appreciate and hear all the great comments about teaching. Fraze23, years ago I ran a unit of work, designed by parents, implemented by me with the help of parents running groups. I asked if any parent would like to actually teach a lesson. One parent, a confident business woman in her late thirties, put her hand up. I gave her all the resources that she needed, she watched me teach a couple of lessons then it was her turn. She didn't do a bad job for her 30 minute lesson but afterwards, perspiration running down her face, she told me that it was the hardest thing she had ever done - one lesson!
So my advice to any parent telling you that she/he is better qualified to prepare lessons, effectively present lessons and to professionally assess students' work, that he/she would be an outstanding candidate to be a guest teacher for a day in your classroom. I bet that the string of excuses would be a mile long.

Your parent strategy reminded me of a day I went to a work touch football charity day. During the day the organisers said each team had to put up someone to referee a game.

After everyone else stepped back, I was volunteered. It took me about 2 minutes to realise I was out of my depth. At one point a player scored while another called touch and I had no idea what had happened!

You have to experience things to understand how hard some things can be and the skill required.

 

[dthummler]

Your parent strategy reminded me of a day I went to a work touch football charity day. During the day the organisers said each team had to put up someone to referee a game.

After everyone else stepped back, I was volunteered. It took me about 2 minutes to realise I was out of my depth. At one point a player scored while another called touch and I had no idea what had happened!

You have to experience things to understand how hard some things can be and the skill required.

Exactly! Remember everyone has been to school so everyone is an expert!

 

[Fraze23]

I was in education for 75 years, as a kid, at teachers' college, a school as a classroom teacher who completed two degrees at night, as a principal and as a supervisor of students on prac from 3 different universities. I appreciate and hear all the great comments about teaching. Fraze23, years ago I ran a unit of work, designed by parents, implemented by me with the help of parents running groups. I asked if any parent would like to actually teach a lesson. One parent, a confident business woman in her late thirties, put her hand up. I gave her all the resources that she needed, she watched me teach a couple of lessons then it was her turn. She didn't do a bad job for her 30 minute lesson but afterwards, perspiration running down her face, she told me that it was the hardest thing she had ever done - one lesson!
So my advice to any parent telling you that she/he is better qualified to prepare lessons, effectively present lessons and to professionally assess students' work, that he/she would be an outstanding candidate to be a guest teacher for a day in your classroom. I bet that the string of excuses would be a mile long.

I absolutely love that. It's great to hear that there are principals out there that go to that extent to protect and support their staff.

I've been in International schools for the majority of my career and they tend to be a bubble of powerful and wealthy people. On most occasions management will back in parents over staff. It makes classroom management so much more difficult.

I had one student a few years ago who was known to come to school under the influence of drugs. He went to walk out of the lesson one day and I was like where are you going? To the toilet... could you ask next time?

He then got physically aggressive, shouting F you this and that, up in my face with fists up.

When I spoke to our principal about it, he asked what I did to provoke the student. Not much other than maintain general expectations.

Unfortunately most schools don't have supportive and grounded leaders like you have been. I hope this changes in the future, but I also think for this to happen there needs to be a substantial shift in the attitudes and value society holds on teachers.