I enjoy teaching......

[jingo]

As a teacher with some 17 or so years of experience, I can honestly say that I enjoy teaching. The aspect of the job that is most rewarding is observing the student's progress.

Lately, however, I have become more and more disillusioned with the education system. I work at a private school, which, in itself is pleasant enough. Fine colleagues, on the whole, motivated students, supportive parents, etc.

The problem lies in the administration and continual quest from the powers that be to seemingly reinvent the wheel. The school is continually redesigning curriculum in the quest for further improvement. I am all for improving and continually refining my own teaching. However, I believe the powers that be (ie Director of learning and co) have lost sight of what we are really meant to be doing - ie teaching. The amount of administration involved in redesigning curriculum is actually taking our focus off the crux of our job. Meetings, more meetings, more discussion, presentations, follow up emails, etc, etc, etc, etc.....round and round in circles we go!!

Does anyone else have this problem in their own jobs - where the focus seems to be being taken away from from the main ball game??

Regards Jason.

 

[Graingrower]

Totally understand what you are saying. I have seen this with so many different organisations, school and kinder committees, community groups, etc. People get so exited by new ideas, etc that they bite off more than they can chew. Then they get burnt out. Much easier and better to stick with the boring old status quo and make suttle changes as you go.

In my own business we are basically re-designing our whole production system. It requires new equipment and new methods, plus a lot of learning. At times the adaption process can get in the way of the production process. I guess that we are trying to cram twenty years of change into five years. I am looking forward to the end of the rapid change, but at least we have a clear vision of where we are headed.

 

[pennyk]

often this arises from immature, but enthusiastic, managers.
One of the hardest things for me to learn as a manager was that I couldnt implement everything I wanted to, all at once. You have to take things one step at a time and take the people along with you, rather than trying to drag them kicking and screaming into the future you envisage, but havent consulted them about.
you also have to have a clear end point. As Graingrower said if you have a clear vision of where you are heading and why, then it makes it easier to change. if it just seems like change to "show off" or for the sake of change, its not so palatable.

But also, there is a time for any job.. and if you've been there for a while, you may find that its time to move on. I think if you dont share the direction and the managers are not people you want to follow, then its better to move early rather than waiting til you're bitter and angry about things.

 

[travelbug]

Hi Jingo, I hear you loud and clear.

I can't believe how things have changed in education in the last 10 years.

Preschool (3-5 year olds) used to be about developing the whole child-emotional, social, physical development etc. Now it's about which preschool teaches the sounds and gets kids to write their name etc.

It seems the goal is how young can we start teaching kids to read and write.
So over the years I've noticed a great decline in kids physical abilities. Preschool used to be about getting kids ready for school, not teaching school work. Gone are the activities that strengthen kids hands and fingers enabling them to hold a pencil correctly when they get to school. Instead 3yr olds are expected to hold adult implements (pencils) and write their name. It takes 6 months or sometimes forever to correct the poor grip children have developed in order to try to hold a pencil. Occupational Therapists are run off their feet.

I now teach in 1 year what I used to teach over 2 years, 10 years ago. Where will it end? There is so much pressure on kids starting at only 5 years old. There are an increasing number of young children being treated for stress related problems. I work in a high achieving school and the pressure for kids to be at the top is unbelievable (from school and home). Every year more and more is added. No time for social activities. Less time for fitness. Yes the kids are now reading at a higher level earlier in the year but at what cost? Are these kids any better off than when kids didn't read until the end of the year? What are the losses associated with these gains? Physical ability, reasoning, thinking skills, social skills? There are still the same number of hours in a day. What goes??? That's the question I ask and the answer I get "teach smarter" or "It's not quantity it's quality"..

 

[lizzie]

I feel your pain - years and years ago, when working for Telstra, every 6 months we'd get a new manager who was determined to change everything! Was incredibly frustrating and a waste of resources (endless meetings, training etc).

Personally I think it was an ego thing - having the stamp their mark on a system that doesn't need them.

Watch this - and read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. And get the movement to oust the timewaster started:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

 

[Aaron_C]

It's a real shame - bureaucracy is out of control in this country.

 

[pennyk]

Where will it end? There is so much pressure on kids starting at only 5 years old. There are an increasing number of young children being treated for stress related problems. I work in a high achieving school and the pressure for kids to be at the top is unbelievable (from school and home). .

I have a theory, which is that the kid who is Dux of Primary school will rarely be Dux of high school, and the Kid who is Dux of high school will rarely be dux at university, and the kid who is dux at university is rarely the ones who really makes it in the real world...

So, with my son particularly, my goal is that he doesnt peak too early!!
He's working along nicely with my plan right now. He's in Year 8 and is very bright, just hasnt quite worked out how to apply that to studying for exams or doing assignments.

My daughter got a very significant award last year, and I could feel the anger of the high pressure parents...... "but they dont do anything for her!
we are at coaching every 2nd day, why should she get the award!!"

But one thing i do disagree with you about is that most parents have their children in some sort of sports or physical activity.... or 3 or 4 or 5! I think kids get lots of activity time, but very little self directed activity. Some of them are out every night of the week. Its crazy. and I think a little boredom is good for kids..... it helps to develop their imagination and to find simple ways to amuse themselves.

 

[Dazz]

The problem lies in the administration and continual quest from the powers that be to seemingly reinvent the wheel.

Yes indeedy it does. I used to work for many oil companies in Australia, and the one consistency between the lot of them was the lack of focus on their core business.

Geology / Drilling / Production....this is the bread and butter of the company....the stuff that makes the money. If you will....the dog.

IT / HR / Finance / Contracting / Legal / PR / Accounting / HSE / Admin....these departments are common to all companies, they are the support roles necessary for the main activities of the company...doesn't matter whether that company is making jelly beans, tractors or paper clips. These are, if you will....the tail.


The trouble is, when the big chiefs get together, very often, the leaders of the tail....cos there is usually so many more of them in the room, end up wagging the dog. Especially so, if the head of the dog components are **** weak.


I've left at least 3 companies in my career over this very phenomenom.


Jason, it sounds as if teaching, although a Govt dept with it's own nuances, is similar, and you'd just like to get back to the dog component of teaching, that is teaching kids....but the tail is impeding you every step of the way.

 

[Aaron_C]

That's because, Dazz, the ones who actually make the money are busy making money for the company! Only the office workers (i.e. the support functions) have the time to meet the board of directors.

 

[weg]

IBut one thing i do disagree with you about is that most parents have their children in some sort of sports or physical activity.... or 3 or 4 or 5! I think kids get lots of activity time, but very little self directed activity. Some of them are out every night of the week. Its crazy. and I think a little boredom is good for kids..... it helps to develop their imagination and to find simple ways to amuse themselves.

My experience and observation with the concept that children who have free time will use it in a beneficial way in this day and age, is not quite like yours .

Most boys I know that aren't busy with activity outside of the house are spending a lot more time playing online games or are on facebook - many of these for 5 to 10+ hours a day.

I doubt many are doing more homework or reading either, let alone creative non computer activities.

Btw, I don't have a problem with online games or Facebook as such, but far too many children do get addicted to the computer with learning, social skills and fitness/personal development taking a back seat.

 

[kathryn d]

When my kids were small I refused to have them join sport activities. After school was our family time. Being stressed out and organising schedules didn't sound like my idea of a pleasant home life.
I hated the kids being required to do homework..stupid projects were the worse.
Mostly it was the parents doing them.

I do not miss school !!

 

[depreciator]

Jingo,
My first proper job was teaching - private high school. Most of my focus was on the kids and teaching them. There was very little other stuff to distract me from what I did in the classroom.
My wife, who has had a corporate career and taught at university, started teaching at high school last year. She added a Master of Teaching to her other four degrees and thought she would enjoy school teaching.
She'll toss it in soon. I would say she spends more time on admin and other crazy stuff than she does in the classroom. Teaching for many teachers has become incidental because their days (and nights) are filled with stuff that has nothing to do with the classroom.

 

[greedy2000]

When my kids were small I refused to have them join sport activities. After school was our family time. Being stressed out and organising schedules didn't sound like my idea of a pleasant home life.
I hated the kids being required to do homework..stupid projects were the worse.
Mostly it was the parents doing them.

I do not miss school !!

so you're saying that you didn't let your kids play sports and other things because in the end you couldn't be bothered.

Wow thats bad...

I loved playing sports as a kid and the only reason i played was because my parents signed me up for it. For which I'm thankful.

back on topic, I think schools are too soft now a days. speaking as someone under 30, even I can see how soft its got.

I say make it hard to pass yr 12. that way finishing high school and passing year 12 actually means something. it seems that today schools will let you coast right through and pass year 12 without any drama.

most likely schools KPI's are linked to how many students pass year 12....

 

[Corey Batt]

I hated the kids being required to do homework..stupid projects were the worse.
Mostly it was the parents doing them.

I do not miss school !!

Depending on the homework/project, you can make it quite fun.

I've assisted (took over ) many a project of my little sister when she was in primary school, to make it a little more fun. Her last year of primary she had to make something from ww2, most of the kids made a parachute etc (plastic bag, string, boring). Got out the power tools, went to the hardware store, picked up an ammunition case from Aussie disposals). Together we designed and built a scale bazooka. Another time in 'science' she had to design something which could 'fly' the furthest. All the children apparently stuffed around in there class, went home and went 'scrunched up ball of aluminium foil, that'll fly far!'. Decided that scrunching up pieces of foil isn't exactly academically rigorous, so we made a crossbow. But to be fair, the projects given had the ability to be fun. Those stupid 'make a poster on x' ones, jeez.

 

[weg]

Depending on the homework/project, you can make it quite fun.

Those stupid 'make a poster on x' ones, jeez.

Agree.

One of projects my just turned 13yo did last year was incorporate the 6 machines into a working model - lever, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, screw and pulley.

At first i thought jeez, a project for me, but he loved that one and required very little imput from us other than helping source some of the material (rummaged through the shed and cupboards together).

It's amazing what they can achieve when the interest is there.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

Jingo - I hear you! Earlier this year I left a very good job with a major global IT company because of this exact reason. We spent so much time indulging fat internal processes, endless consultation with executives, writing down crap that noone cared about or would ever read, and meeting, meetings, meetings, meetings... The company seemed to have forgotten about these funny things called clients, who might like to actually receive some service from time to time.

I now work with a contract consulting outfit that operates out of a guy's home with about 70 staff. We work on contract, and have zero process beyond basic QA and timesheets. The idea is to get experienced professionals, make sure they are getting paid a shedload, then get the hell out of their way and let them work with the clients.

Maybe you need to cast around for a job that gives you more of what you need. Is there a market for specialist tutoring?

 

[Ricky]

jingo, my husband is also a high school teacher (23 years) and he carries your exact sentiment.

 

[BayView]

I say make it hard to pass yr 12. that way finishing high school and passing year 12 actually means something. it seems that today schools will let you coast right through and pass year 12 without any drama.

I had a trainee working for me some years back who is one of the most intelligent humans I've met.

Passed year 12 at Kingswood College with good marks....but could barely spell.

In this day and age of spellchecker I guess it may not really matter, but how does this go undetected for your entire school life?

 

[wylie]

I had a trainee working for me some years back who is one of the most intelligent humans I've met.

Passed year 12 at Kingswood College with good marks....but could barely spell.

In this day and age of spellchecker I guess it may not really matter, but how does this go undetected for your entire school life?

It doesn't go undetected, but in my experience with my 15 year old, it is not of great concern, certainly in the early years. The teachers seemed more concerned with the overall picture, and the getting down of stories and ideas, rather than stopping the "creative process" by stopping the student and pointing out the poor spelling.

Very different to when I was at school.

Our 15 year old hates English, but has a good brain. Through primary school he didn't read a novel and that continued until he was forced to read one in grade eight. I believe reading is a huge help in being able to form sentences, and understand how our language works, and also helps with spelling and word usage.

We could not get him to read a novel for love nor money. He was happy to read books like the Horrible Histories series, and "small grab" books like the Guinness Book of Records, where he could read bits and pieces, but a novel.... no way!!!

We even bought a subscription to Mad Magazine so he was reading something... anything.

The other thing I tried for a long time was to get him to learn the "times" tables like I did, by sing-song repetition. He never was much good at it, but now at 15, somehow he knows his tables.

I believe teaching, like nursing, seems to be mostly paperwork and professional development work, and hardly any "actual" contact with patients/students. I know that is a bit of an exaggeration, but the paperwork in both professions seems to be so much that there is hardly time to do what they are meant to be doing.

 

[travelbug]

But one thing i do disagree with you about is that most parents have their children in some sort of sports or physical activity.... or 3 or 4 or 5! I think kids get lots of activity time, but very little self directed activity. Some of them are out every night of the week. Its crazy. and I think a little boredom is good for kids..... it helps to develop their imagination and to find simple ways to amuse themselves.

Without making this into a race thing. Some nationalities don't place a lot of emphasis on sporting prowess. This is the case in the area where I work. Academia (number on a test) is king.

We had one parent make the child repeat year 4 because he didn't get into the OC class. They wanted to try again the next year.