Saturday teaching?

[DaisyNonna]

So Michael Gove wants teachers to work on Saturdays to raise standards.
Teaching-Learning is a two way process. Not all pupils are capable of obtaining the exam pass rates wanted by the government. One size does not fit all.
Does he envisage this to be voluntary for teachers and pupils? If so he should check around. Many teachers and pupils give up time after school and at weekends for sport and interest clubs. Extra classes? Who would support these? Not the pupils, possibly not the parents and not the teachers already overburdened with paperwork which is only filed and rarely referred to. More classes, more paperwork, more stress for pupils and teachers. Fewer learning possibilities.

[Zacs-Master]

More stress for teachers.....give me a break.

[DaisyNonna]

Break

[sandyRoe]

BUt no running in the corridor

[Zacs-Master]

Very witty. But seriously.......

[zebo]

Your point is well made, learning requires one to teach and one to learn. Until many pupils stop thinking that learning is like measles, you can catch it by exposure to a carrier, we'll never raise standards. For many years rote learning of certain facts was unfashionable and this is one of the greatest problems to progress. Not only do the lazy non-participants prejudice their own future, more importantly they stop others from learning.
When I used to run revision sessions in the Easter holidays, it was the willing and able who turned up, which suited me fine, I wasted enough time during the term on the ne'er do wells!

[plautus]

In my first teaching job at an independent boarding school I taught on a Saturday morning. No real problem, because we had Wednesday afternoon off instead.

[craft1948]

French schoolchildren used to have school on Saturday mornings, don't know if they still do.

[Baldric]

As an Old Alfredian my 60s school week always included Saturday mornings, no choice.

[plautus]

They do, but they have Wednesday afternoon off, much modelled on the English boarding school system.

[thenry]

I feel sorry for you when you have your summer break ! Bet you wish you were working !

[plautus]

Teachers do not get long summer holidays; it's called convalescence.

[sophie_1003]

I already work on Saturdays, it's just not directly with the children, I'm planning, preparing resources and filing all the assessments! I think Gove is a bit clueless about teaching really, as are people who think teachers have the easiest life ever!

[sherrardk]

I would rather stick wasps up my arse than go back to teaching. Majority of people seem to think it is a cushy job, akin to some sort of child minding. You can have a class of thirty fifteen year olds, some who want to learn, some who want to disrupt envy thing and some who aren't capable of learning. The is coupled with being called to account about every predicted grade given (compared to other grades give and predicted grades from national tests)

[thenry]

You choose your career (with the long holidays) and then you bleat about it !

[craft1948]

My nephew is Head of Media Studies (whatever that is) in a large comprehensive down south................he doesn't seem over-stretched.

[sherrardk]

Ps - my children won't be going to school on a Saturday either. They start far too young as it is.

[sherrardk]

Thenry - seriously, it is not all its cracked up to be. I chose it for the long holidays but it is stress on a plate. It is a Sugar job and a waste of a four year degree.

[sophie_1003]

I'm not bleating about it, I love my job and work damned hard at it, through the holidays too I might add so yes I resent people who think it's easy; I would never assume to say anything I've never done is easy.

[sophie_1003]

Also, very true platus, for the teachers and the children!

[thenry]

I was a schoolteacher for seven years before I went into business ! I miss the holidays ! Don't tell me you spend your life lesson planning !