Teaching the Teachers

Ofsted put my GC's school in special measures after their visit, the report said that bright children actually regressed during the time in the school. The head used to shout "yous lot", she was removed suddenly.

My GC are at a good secondary school, improving exam results etc. However one poor teacher is responsible for them both dropping a subject which I would have thought essential. This could well impact their options later in life. I can only imagine that a lack of recruits is responsible for the teacher staying post. The lesson that Ofsted the inspectors witnessed was in no way typical.

True story! Honest!!

?mcem !

As an experienced primary teacher I was often mentoring students on placements.
I remember only 2 students with real problems.

One was asked to correct a simple grammar exercise and was concerned that so many pupils were making the same mistake. She conscientiously changed the word 'shining' to 'shinning' at least 8 times before questioning it.

The second was when a student teacher called out
"Are yous gonna stick your work on the desk?"

Serious discussions followed!
One decided that reaching was not the career for her and the other took up the uni's offer of language support classes.
Both were following post grad courses in education.

One had a degree in art from an English uni while the second had graduated in economics in NI.

The selection process is not always effective at the initial stage.

However, all the right things that make a good teacher have to go along with attaining a good level of education, it’s a balance.

I agree with trisher high intellect and a wonderful education and first class degree are great but not enough on their own to make a good teacher.

However, I have heard a comprehensive school headteacher bemoan the standard of new recruits and their levels of literacy and knowledge. As for supply staff, she says some agencies send people who have little experience or expertise. If they have a pulse they can stand in front of a classroom full of children/teenagers and get paid for doing it. She and senior staff have to mop up the messes/mayhem caused by inexperienced rookies who should never have qualified as teachers.

We really do need hidden cameras in schools. I think we might be horrified at what goes on.

When I was at grammar school we had a physics teacher with loads of the highest qualifications, his lessons were rubbish and he was hopeless at controlling the class. He left after 1 year and went to work for NASA.

Having attained the educational requirements is one thing. The ability/aptitude to pass on knowledge is something else. .

A child's educational standard is only as good as the teacher/s who've taught them.

You must pass these before starting your teacher training course
Anja; Thank you for your very detailed account of the UK teacher training requirements. I posted the OZ reference thinking it could make a useful comparison; I'm not competent to comment either way, other than to say that the OZ focus appears to be questioning the current standards of the professional skills type of tests for student teachers. Thanks again.

I agree trisher teachers are expected to take on all sorts of other roles now, no wonder the levels are low.

It might Rufus but as teacher recruitment and retainment is at it's lowest level ever you wonder who will want the job!

OK Rufus

To qualify as a teacher in England you must meet the following requirements:

1) GCSE grade C/4 or above in mathematics and English: for primary teaching you also need GCSE science grade C/4 or above.
2) Professional skills tests: in literacy and numeracy (if training in England). You must pass these before starting your teacher training course.
3) A degree: for primary teaching some ITT providers prefer you to have a degree in a national curriculum subject. If you don't, you should talk directly to the training provider to see if they will accept your degree. For secondary teaching you'll need a degree in, or closely related to, the subject you would like to teach.
Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses: if you want to teach a shortage subject and your degree is not closely linked to it, your training provider may decide that you need to take an SKE course to boost your subject knowledge. These courses vary in length according to your need and may be done full-time or through part-time study or distance learning, either before or alongside your initial teacher training course.
4) Declaration of health questionnaire: you may be asked to complete a declaration of health questionnaire before starting the ITT course. Any information you provide about disability is protected by the Equality Act 2010. If you have a disability it is advisable to make early contact with the training provider.

5) Declaration of criminal convictions: the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which allow convictions for criminal offences to be regarded as 'spent' after a period of time, don't apply to the teaching profession. You're required to declare any previous convictions. All trainee teachers undergo a criminal record check before starting school-based training

For many, many years Scotland's teachers have been educated to degree standard whether in primary or secondary schools.
A Bachelor of Education degree takes 4 years.
The other route is via a 3 or 4 year university degree followed by 1 postgrad year of teacher training, giving a postgrad diploma or certificate in education.
How much more could reasonably be asked?