Teacher Strike

[Working class pride]

So you base your judgements on the people you see around you in canary wharf ? Please tell me how you would change the education system.

No mate, it is one example. Education is not run for you as a teacher but should be run for the educational standards of the future workforce. China knows that very well. Things have to change and clinging on to a long summer holiday (initially in place because of harvest time when most of the country worked in the countryside) because it suits the workforce rather than the kids is one example of change that will happen despite a protectionist objection from the NUT. English kids speak one language (often badly), and are not as a rule numerate. Trust me international kids are. just think its time the teaching profession understood change is needed and so do many many people. You dont have our sympathy and you dont deserve it either.

 

[Working class pride]

Please read this.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20498356

How are we failing when we are ahead of USA and Germany? The best education state. In the world is in Finland where they have NO POLITICAL INTERVENTION.

I would love that to happen. We would move onwards and upwards. We are teaching for tomorrow not today or the 1950's. 80% of today's jobs didn't exist 20 years ago. This is what challenges and motivates us. How do we address it? By going back to 1950's standards? I don't think so.

I dont want education of the 1950's, nor school terms of the 1950s. Some teachers do tho'. Look to the students in Asia, they are your competitors. Less political intervention I would agree with, private school competing with each other and the state paying the fees is something that needs to be and is I think being looked at. But one thing is for sure, standing still is not an option.

 

[Soulman]

We can all change our careers if we are not happy. If i am not happy in my job i stick it out until i can find another. Working for the same rate as in 2004.
I love leaving the house at 6-30 am and getting in at 6-30 pm. I especially love being trussed up like a turkey in safety helmet, goggles, gloves, hi viz vest/jacket, safety boots etc, getting freezing cold and often wet in the winter and cooking in the summer.......i love it.
I'm really looking forward to my unpaid two week annual holiday and hope that by the time i retire they have put the retirement age up a couple of years as my private pension that i have paid into since 1987 is going to be worth £1900 a year in 2025......i shall be able to afford to do what i like then.
I shall miss walking up flights of stairs though, because the lifts have yet to be installed, miss climbing up scaffolding, miss the quiet early mornings when my house is the only one in the street with the lights on, and is the only one with the lights off when i arrive home.
If my trade went on strike there would be no heating or power in schools, offices, GP practices etc......but then why would i go on strike, i do it for the love of my job.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

No mate, it is one example. Education is not run for you as a teacher but should be run for the educational standards of the future workforce. China knows that very well. Things have to change and clinging on to a long summer holiday (initially in place because of harvest time when most of the country worked in the countryside) because it suits the workforce rather than the kids is one example of change that will happen despite a protectionist objection from the NUT. English kids speak one language (often badly), and are not as a rule numerate. Trust me international kids are. just think its time the teaching profession understood change is needed and so do many many people. You dont have our sympathy and you dont deserve it either.

You haven't answered my questions. You say that education was better in the 50s and base the ability to speak 2 languages as your yardstick for education. A greater % of the population speak several languages than in the 50s (and English is the international business language hence the greater curriculum commitment in European countries). I am not sure if you believe the Gove propoganda - do you think that education should be by rote ?
You also have no respect for teachers, that teach a curriculum that is decided by the government, so when results go up year after year it must be our fault?

 

[wellquickwoody]

No mate, it is one example. Education is not run for you as a teacher but should be run for the educational standards of the future workforce. China knows that very well. Things have to change and clinging on to a long summer holiday (initially in place because of harvest time when most of the country worked in the countryside) because it suits the workforce rather than the kids is one example of change that will happen despite a protectionist objection from the NUT. English kids speak one language (often badly), and are not as a rule numerate. Trust me international kids are. just think its time the teaching profession understood change is needed and so do many many people. You dont have our sympathy and you dont deserve it either.

: clap: spot on.

Now where is that smiley? .....Bozza!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

We can all change our careers if we are not happy. If i am not happy in my job i stick it out until i can find another. Working for the same rate as in 2004.
I love leaving the house at 6-30 am and getting in at 6-30 pm. I especially love being trussed up like a turkey in safety helmet, goggles, gloves, hi viz vest/jacket, safety boots etc, getting freezing cold and often wet in the winter and cooking in the summer.......i love it.
I'm really looking forward to my unpaid two week annual holiday and hope that by the time i retire they have put the retirement age up a couple of years as my private pension that i have paid into since 1987 is going to be worth £1900 a year in 2025......i shall be able to afford to do what i like then.
I shall miss walking up flights of stairs though, because the lifts have yet to be installed, miss climbing up scaffolding, miss the quiet early mornings when my house is the only one in the street with the lights on, and is the only one with the lights off when i arrive home.
If my trade went on strike there would be no heating or power in schools, offices, GP practices etc......but then why would i go on strike, i do it for the love of my job.

Somewhere in there I bet you got some qualifications as well. Thought so, its called the real world.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

: clap: spot on.

Now where is that smiley? .....Bozza!

I have a feeling you were never in the education system.

 

[Working class pride]

You haven't answered my questions. You say that education was better in the 50s and base the ability to speak 2 languages as your yardstick for education. A greater % of the population speak several languages than in the 50s (and English is the international business language hence the greater curriculum commitment in European countries). I am not sure if you believe the Gove propoganda - do you think that education should be by rote ?
You also have no respect for teachers, that teach a curriculum that is decided by the government, so when results go up year after year it must be our fault?

I say that for working class kids who got into Grammar school because they were bright, education was better than now. I also disagree with tuition fees, and no I dont think the 1950s is the benchmark for today, as that also was poor compared to what we need today. You have international competitors, or more importantly, the kids do, and when this country wakes up to that, then people really will start to get scared, as the kids leaving our schools are frankly lacking in social, numeracy and language skills. It cant go on, well it can, and maybe it will, but the losers will be the kids as China, and the Asian Pacific is not standing still.

 

[Soulman]

Somewhere in there I bet you got some qualifications as well. Thought so, its called the real world.

Yes i have, and a 5 year apprenticeship as well.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

I say that for working class kids who got into Grammar school because they were bright, education was better than now. I also disagree with tuition fees, and no I dont think the 1950s is the benchmark for today, as that also was poor compared to what we need today. You have international competitors, or more importantly, the kids do, and when this country wakes up to that, then people really will start to get scared, as the kids leaving our schools are frankly lacking in social, numeracy and language skills. It cant go on, well it can, and maybe it will, but the losers will be the kids as China, and the Asian Pacific is not standing still.

What are you basing this on ? Yes some kids are let down by the education system, but they tend to be the ones let down by society. Just because there are more asian/eastern europeans in the UK workforce is due to a change in the global economy/migration. Of course there are going to be well educated chinese competing for top city jobs - does it mean that the chinese education system is better ? (or is it that there are over 1 billion Chinese).
Your arguments and ideas are not based on real evidence.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Hypocities the lot of them, I will only change my mind if somebody can justify why it is better to have a teachers training day the first school day after a holiday rather than the last day of that holiday

Well, training days are pretty crucial. Do you reckon it is better to do some training and have an ×week holiday or do some training and put it in to practical use immediately?

 

[elbowpatches]

No mate, it is one example. Education is not run for you as a teacher but should be run for the educational standards of the future workforce. China knows that very well. Things have to change and clinging on to a long summer holiday (initially in place because of harvest time when most of the country worked in the countryside) because it suits the workforce rather than the kids is one example of change that will happen despite a protectionist objection from the NUT. English kids speak one language (often badly), and are not as a rule numerate. Trust me international kids are. just think its time the teaching profession understood change is needed and so do many many people. You dont have our sympathy and you dont deserve it either.

This is what is wrong with the education system. Those that don't believe teachers want change.

New primary curriculum in 2009 was welcomed by many including myself only to be thrown out of the window by Mr Gove.

I don't object to changes in term times but children DO need a break. Other countries have longer summers. Why are children not allowed to be children anymore?

8 week half terms are detrimental to children, particularly when they are younger. My year two class were desperate for the October half term only to be faced with a seven week half term after that. And then four and half weeks after Christmas!! Nonsense.

Term times do need changing and thought put into them but lengthening school days and shortening holidays? I cannot see the benefits for children who are 6, work hard at school and just want to be children and play after 3.30. Why shouldn't they?

 

[Working class pride]

Well, training days are pretty crucial. Do you reckon it is better to do some training and have an ×week holiday or do some training and put it in to practical use immediately?

Of all the weak arguments this really has to go to number 1. If you really do believe this clap trap then god help the kids, they really do have no hope of competing with their international competitors in the job market. None whatsoever. Just incredible.

 

[Working class pride]

This is what is wrong with the education system. Those that don't believe teachers want change.

New primary curriculum in 2009 was welcomed by many including myself only to be thrown out of the window by Mr Gove.

I don't object to changes in term times but children DO need a break. Other countries have longer summers. Why are children not allowed to be children anymore?

8 week half terms are detrimental to children, particularly when they are younger. My year two class were desperate for the October half term only to be faced with a seven week half term after that. And then four and half weeks after Christmas!! Nonsense.

Term times do need changing and thought put into them but lengthening school days and shortening holidays? I cannot see the benefits for children who are 6, work hard at school and just want to be children and play after 3.30. Why shouldn't they?

Really mate, I work with a fair proportion of people brought up in the Chinese education system. If you speak to them then our kids are on a 12 month holiday by comparison. OK there is a balance but there is no reason why state schools cant look to international schooling. The choice is simple, change or the kids will fail. I'm not sure if the penny has dropped with your colleagues. It has not in the NUT hat is for sure. Now I must end my hobby horse!

 

[wellquickwoody]

Well done sir, great repartie, banter, abuse, insults, however you clever people put it.

Well done.

 

[Soulman]

Looking back i suppose i was lucky at my high school. In the dinner hour the Maths teacher used to open up the class and we could play games, and in the summer there was a bike track over the back of the school field where we would race our bikes, everyone welcome and supervised by a teacher or two.
After school some teachers would stay behind to teach Cricket or Football or Athletics. After going home we would return to the school for the Youth Club which was on 3 or 4 nights a week and supervised, once a month on a Friday there would be a Disco and most of the 600 in the school turned up.
The area ended up with quite a few school members representing the county in sports, few youngsters hanging around the streets and quite a close knit school.
Happy Days, when the teachers fitted in all this extra work and inset days i'll never know.

 

[BrickTamland]

Edit

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Social mobility for working class kids in the 1950's was greater. True less went to university but if working class you could get to university if bright as there was selection. Agree if you sa there are many factors that go to social mobility. Bottom line is that you just look at English kids then compare them to Eastern European (at least 2 languages plus a sense of maturity), Asian kids (at least 2 languages, and very well educated) and you just look at the workforce of Canary Wharf. There is a new international class that has developed, the current educational product is failing English kids in a more competitive worlf. If you cant see that then you are blind or you have never worked in London. Education will change, and for the better with better standards, or the future for English kids is very, very bleak.

You are incredibly tunnel visioned. Social mobility is not just defined by education. There are also other aspects to consider. Back in the 50's parents and people in authority were always right. Kids had respect and listened and learnt. Now, that is very much not the case. In the 50's kids had the basics of reading etc before they started junior school. Noe there are kids who cannot read and right properly when they reach secondary school!

Teachers have a significant role to play in helping a child achieve their potential however it starts at home. I read with my parents as a child and they ensured that I developed sufficient skills to start school with. Now, financial situations have changed which have led to both parents (or in a lot of cases one parent) working longer hours and having less time to bring up their children properly. The failure of English working class kids to compete is not purely down to the education system.

 

[BrickTamland]

Pogue Mahone. You misunderstand completely. I dont care what you get paid, or what holidays you take. You as the teacher are not important, the children and their standard of education is. The fact is that the current standard of education of working class kids in this country is simply a disgrace and working class kids had a better chance in the 1950's than now. Education needs root and branch reform (as do the police and fire service), the fact is that teachers are more interested in their holidays and they show the public sector protectionist self interest that is oh so transparent. Our kids now have to compete in London for the best jobs with international kids, a rising very well educated Asian workforce, as well as a very hungry Eastern European workforce who speak at least 2 languages. English kids, well they are just not cutting it, so change or fail.

That's got nothing to do with the kids/teachers. Education IS better now, I have more qualifications than my parents and any of their friends and they've admitted that I've learnt more than they ever did at school. The reason there are less opportunities now is that your generation ie those who went to school around the 60's have screwed this country up more than any other generation could possibly do so. Is it kids/teachers faults more and more immigrants are moving here and making the job market more competitive? Stupid comments. Yours sincerely a poorly educated teenager.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Of all the weak arguments this really has to go to number 1. If you really do believe this clap trap then god help the kids, they really do have no hope of competing with their international competitors in the job market. None whatsoever. Just incredible.

What about driving tests? Should we now have a 6 week break between your final driving lesson and the actual test? If BoF's argument is "claptrap" logic dictates you would see no problem with my driving test example.