Teachers of P&B

[Boostin' Kev]

Bit ironic that I typed their instead there in my previous post.  At least I can pull correct grammar out of the bag when it comes to the important real life stuff. Would be pretty unhappy if I had a kid that I knew was getting taught by someone that couldn't manage a pass at higher English/Maths.  Surprised this happens with the apparent emphasis placed on cross curricular literacy and numerical skills.

[Lisa Cuddy]

It doesn't matter what you teach kids in primary 1-4, they'll only go home and tell their parents you've said something completely different anyway. 

[Sweet Pete]

All the teachers at my school were middle aged alcoholics. There's definitely a theme there.

[RH33]

I have higher English but only credit s.g in maths. Teacher totally put me off so decided not to bother with higher. 

[mike rankine]

Teaching undoubtedly has its ups and downs. However, I was approached by my former employer (in industry) to take up a job I had previously done successfully. It would have doubled my money...potentially trebled it once bonuses were added. I stayed in teaching. That would suggest there are more ups than downs.

[mike rankine]

Regarding colleagues...some are brilliant; really supportive, especially for someone like me who entered teaching late. However, too many spent 12-13 years as pupils then 4 years doing the BED degree. They have no concept of work/life outside the classroom and are easily drawn into petty squabbles. The atmosphere in some (primary) staffrooms is toxic.

[DA Baracus]

5 hours ago, DigOutYourSoul said:

I would say yes. I know some primary teachers who use they're, their and there interchangeably in texts. One of them has a complete lack of understanding over the use of apostrophes and commas. 

A couple of people I know who have gone into primary teaching would be much better with younger kids than with older, more able, kids. 

My girlfriend is a secondary teacher and she has said several time that it worries her when she speaks to some primary teachers that they seem to lack basic knowledge of maths, English and geography. I understand this is purely anecdotal evidence but I can see it being the same across the country.

Geography? Unless they actually were a geography teacher I fail to see why knowledge and understanding of oxbow lakes, aretes, pyramidal peaks, U-shaped valleys etc is essential

[AyrshireTon]

5 hours ago, Boostin' Kev said:

Are there really primary school teachers that don't have a pass in Higher Maths and English?

Higher English is a requirement for teaching. For Primary teaching you also need National 5 Maths (or an Int.2 or Credit pass). Higher Maths is not required - but it should be. I have been told of the primary teacher who, in an observed lesson, told the class that the 90 degree angle she had drawn on the board was called a "right angle" and that the one just along from it was called a "left angle".

[KnightswoodBear]

4 hours ago, Sweet Pete said:

All the teachers at my school were middle aged alcoholics. There's definitely a theme there.

I'd like to add a couple of paedophiles to this and that's pretty much my school. 

[DrewDon]

My mum is a primary school teacher, but she doesn't have Higher Maths. It hasn't regularly come up in conversations between us, but I don't think it has ever been much of a problem for her. Mind you, she primarily teaches P1 or P2 anyway. It might be more of a problem if she was teaching further up the school. 

I did briefly consider going into secondary teaching, but I decided quite recently that I would prefer to pursue a career in research and university teaching. I really just could not be bothered with the amount of disciplining that comes with being a primary or secondary school teacher. 

[Bigmouth Strikes Again]

When I attended, belligerent ghouls ran Dundee schools, it's still much the same now, but with more depression, and less violence.

[ayrmad]

1 minute ago, DrewDon said:

My mum is a primary school teacher, but she doesn't have Higher Maths. It hasn't regularly come up in conversations between us, but I don't think it has ever been much of a problem for her. Mind you, she primarily teaches P1 or P2 anyway. It might be more of a problem if she was teaching further up the school. 

I did briefly consider going into secondary teaching, but I decided quite recently that I would prefer to pursue a career in research and university teaching. I really just could not be bothered with the amount of disciplining that comes with being a primary or secondary school teacher. 

I had a 1st year teacher that used my answers rather than his in basic Algebra, hopefully we've moved on considerably from those days.

[NotThePars]

22 minutes ago, DrewDon said:

My mum is a primary school teacher, but she doesn't have Higher Maths. It hasn't regularly come up in conversations between us, but I don't think it has ever been much of a problem for her. Mind you, she primarily teaches P1 or P2 anyway. It might be more of a problem if she was teaching further up the school. 

I did briefly consider going into secondary teaching, but I decided quite recently that I would prefer to pursue a career in research and university teaching. I really just could not be bothered with the amount of disciplining that comes with being a primary or secondary school teacher. 

 

That was what caused me to leave. Teaching the Highers was a breeze cause they wanted to learn but below that I struggled too much and didn't have the enthusiasm to try and get people who weren't willing to engage. 

[Gaz]

6 hours ago, Boostin' Kev said:

Are there really primary school teachers that don't have a pass in Higher Maths and English?

Yes.

I have sat in CPD meetings with primary teachers who openly admit they are terrified of numbers and as a result, try to spend as little time on mathematics as is possible.

I've then had to explain that it's me who gets it in the can when they come up to high school barely being able to add single-digit numbers and I am expected to get them through exams in four and five years.

[Gaz]

This came up fairly recently on here, and I stand by my assertion that all primary teachers should be required to have a Higher in maths.

[Gaz]

10 minutes ago, NotThePars said:

 

That was what caused me to leave. Teaching the Highers was a breeze cause they wanted to learn but below that I struggled too much and didn't have the enthusiasm to try and get people who weren't willing to engage. 

I love my job but this resonates strongly with me. I love teaching a class who work hard, try different things and have a real willingness to learn. It doesn't matter if they're a good class, or a poor class, but as long as they try their best, that's all I ask for.

I have very little patience for pupils who have no interest in even trying anything and give up without even having a go.

[Mark Connolly]

53 minutes ago, mike rankine said:

Regarding colleagues...some are brilliant; really supportive, especially for someone like me who entered teaching late. However, too many spent 12-13 years as pupils then 4 years doing the BED degree. They have no concept of work/life outside the classroom and are easily drawn into petty squabbles. The atmosphere in some (primary) staffrooms is toxic.

I've been in some staff rooms where some of these folk see themselves as superior to those who "just have a PGDE". Invariably they are the ones with the underperforming classes, and state that they take these "difficult classes" because they are better teachers.

[Gaz]

40 minutes ago, KnightswoodBear said:

I'd like to add a couple of paedophiles to this

You say that about everything, though.

[KnightswoodBear]

9 minutes ago, Gaz said:

You say that about everything, though.

True. 

[sparky88]

10 hours ago, pandarilla said:

 

No politics will do.

I might be confusing you with someone else but are your politics not bat shit mental?

 

Not really.