Comments for Scenes From The Battleground

Comment on Health Versus Education by chestnut

chestnut — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:24:17 +0000

I’m a languages teacher and our FLAs (foreign language assistants) cannot get their head around positive marking let alone any of the other stuff – and our school is pretty strict by English standards!

Comment on A.P.P. by rob

rob — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:15:22 +0000

I’m so sorry to hear that. What a pity.
Are they asking for every child to be assessed using this format or merely a sample group of children instead?
If you thinks its unfair workload you could ask your union to get involved?
good luck anyway.

Comment on A.P.P. by mince

mince — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:48:39 +0000

My English Dept is asking its teachers to do all 4 optional tests a year (Reading + Writing) with each year group in KS3. Each individual test must be marked for each individual AF. They are also asking us to devise a new and exciting KS3 curriculum with which to energise and enthuse our students. Around these tests.
I always thought I was Briggs – turns out I’m Mother Hen Kay.

Comment on Health Versus Education by Lilyofthefield

Lilyofthefield — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:16:21 +0000

“stop trying and just entertain the students and raise their self-esteem instead.”
Oh yes please! I’m proper good at that!

Comment on Negative Correlations in Teaching by rob

rob — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:03:18 +0000

circumfrence of maternal ear ring vs likely academic achievement of child.

length of ludicrous and expansive mission statement vs quality of the school.

Comment on OFSTED Must Die by Old heads on young shoulders « The Local Government Officer

Old heads on young shoulders « The Local Government Officer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:24:08 +0000

[...] in a tactfully titled post – OFSTED must die - said blog set out the difficulties caused by inspection, and the extent to which the threat of [...]

Comment on Negative Correlations in Teaching by chestnut

chestnut — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:45:13 +0000

Loved this. Have been quite astounded as to how much ‘bigging yourself up’ gets results promotion wise.

Comment on Negative Correlations in Teaching by Mr Teacher

Mr Teacher — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:11:14 +0000

Very good- even better than your Venn diagram on in-service days.

I agree completely with Dave Higgins’ comments: Bullish, arrogant teachers who are verbose about their qualities tend to be bad practitioners whereas those who go quietly about their business with a modest intensity are often the best amongst us.

Our current headteacher could talk the talk all day long and always punctuates his conversations with the latest trendy buzz words yet is unable to do his job properly.

Comment on Negative Correlations in Teaching by rdk

rdk — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:06:29 +0000

Love it!

Comment on Negative Correlations in Teaching by Dave Higgins

Dave Higgins — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:20:46 +0000

Brilliant!

I’ve begun to notice my own trend in teaching: the more sure of themselves a teacher is, the worse they actually are.

Some of the best teachers I work with are very modest. Some of the worst are arrogant.

Unfortunately, in teaching, it’s not substance or evidence that counts, but arrogance and bull. My last boss could talk till the cows came home in meetings, peppering her speech with buzz words like “APP”, “AFL” and “personalised learning”. At the end of every meeting we scratched our heads, none the wiser about what she had spoken to us about for 1 hour or what we were meant to do. SMT loved her.