The best teachers in my mind are the experienced ones. Having tried it myself on a stint in Korea for a year, it's tough going. Thoroughly enjoyable and at the same time thoroughly infuriating. One of the worst things I came across, other than the hair-pulling levels of stress, was meddling.
People that don't know what's happening inside the classroom getting involved, changing things round and standing back to watch what happens.
What happens? You teach worse. Why? You've just had your experience taken away.
Getting comfortable with a job role can be a curse in that some things become stagnant, potentially boring. Surely the risk is higher that the teacher isn't familiar with what they are supposed to be doing. Give the teachers cause to doubt and the children will soon realise/capitalise.
They can smell fear...
So what makes me think of this now, two years after my adventure in the classrooms of South Korea. A certain Education Minister the UK has that goes by the name of the Right Honourable Michael Gove. His name reminds me of the Right Honourable Sheriff of Nottingham.
I saw my mum and her coworkers driven from their primary school as the result of government strategies to downright embarrass the experienced teachers into leaving their school. Take them out of their comfort zones, change teaching procedures and styles. Wait until they inevitably get worse at teaching and then shove it in their faces and watch them leave. Replace with younger teachers. Rinse. Repeat.
I'm sure somewhere out there they realise how important our teachers are and will show them the respect they deserve after years of service. Some of those classrooms are worse than warzones.
Be careful if you mention his name within the corridors of your local school. The D+T Teacher may just show you the voodoo doll they've been sculpting.
~Fraser
No comments:
Post a Comment