What are teachers teaching

[alecstone]

It's been a while since I was last in school (and possibly the same for a number here).

But it sticks in my craw when I see some of the things that come from teachers that our kids/grandkids/etc are supposed to follow.

No wonder kids cannot spell when some teachers have difficulties themselves.

Anyone else feel the same or have experienced similar?

[Bravus]

1. What are parents teaching?

2. Check the 'New Rule Tweaking' thread and Crank's recent post: you might be on a hiding to nothing starting a teacher-bashing thread around here!

[Redneck]

Alec is on a hiding to nothing whatever he does, havent you noticed!

 

[tilly]

It is happening in every part of life....I have picked up alot of bad habits just through texting and participating on forums etc...

A couple of weeks back I was listening to the news on radio and the news announcer mentioned Julian Assange's surname twice....each time she pronounced it differently....
 

[alecstone]

1. What are parents teaching?

2. Check the 'New Rule Tweaking' thread and Crank's recent post: you might be on a hiding to nothing starting a teacher-bashing thread around here!

It was an opinion and a question.

Sadly, you mentioned "bashing".

[alecstone]

Alec is on a hiding to nothing whatever he does, havent you noticed!

 

Too true - looks like a bit of alec bashing?

[Bravus]

1. What are parents teaching?

2. Check the 'New Rule Tweaking' thread and Crank's recent post: you might be on a hiding to nothing starting a teacher-bashing thread around here!

It was an opinion and a question.



Sadly, you mentioned "bashing".

it sticks in my craw when I see some of the things that come from teachers that our kids/grandkids/etc are supposed to follow.

No wonder kids cannot spell when some teachers have difficulties themselves.

  Riiight. If you wanted to start a neutral discussion of teachers and teaching, that would be very easy to do. The whole tone of your post was negative toward the profession: I might have named the 'bashing', but you had already started engaging in it...

But I'm keen: let's give it a go. How about an open-ended question: "What do forum members think of the general quality of teachers in Australian schools at the moment?"

I know quite a few people would be keen to participate in *that* discussion.

[bambu]

It is happening in every part of life....I have picked up alot of bad habits just through texting and participating on forums etc...
 

LOL

Fear not, texting "English" is now a language or something like that, officially recognised.
You're sweet...keep on texting.
"C u @ mall 4pm"  ..."C ya: 

Of course today, you can basically write, and spell things however you like,...[the people reading it will likely be none the wiser]...unless you're applying for an 'elite' job that is.
'Half' the country doesn't even speak English, let alone properly.

The 'whole' country and world are run thru social networking sites today.

"The Secretary of State tweeted this:....."

"The Premier tweeted this 10 minutes ago"

[Crankenstein]

But I'm keen: let's give it a go. How about an open-ended question: "What do forum members think of the general quality of teachers in Australian schools at the moment?"

I have a very high opinion of Australian Teachers. Our education system is up there with Finland, the worlds best. Our Education system wouldn't be anywhere near that high in the rankings without some world class teachers behind it, and I mean that, world class. Australian teachers are the most sought after teachers worldwide.

Curriculum wise, I believe senior English is lacking quite a lot, I feel like I learnt nothing in English from about grade 8 or 9 onwards... And that wasn't because I had bad teachers, my senior English teacher was the Head of Department, It was the content itself. However English has evolved somewhat from what it use to be, it's not just spelling and grammar any-more. It's morals and ethics (I forget how many times we had the "Is it okay to steal medicine for your dying spouse?" debate) world issues, morals and ethics, to some extent social studies and so on... considering how much they have to teach I guess it's okay... But I definitely think It could be improved.

As for other senior subjects, I believe them to be quite good... It's no longer "talk and chalk " like it use to be... Senior science is amazing.

As for primary school... I think teachers are doing excellently there as well, however senior is more of my speciality. I think it would be nice for primary teachers to learn a little more science as part of their teacher preparation, but honestly, they are still pretty good. I don't think primary teachers get enough credit. It's not just Maths and English that they have to pass on to the kids... It's a whole bundle of goodness.

Venturing down this road I can see a Australian History debate emerging... I'll just say this: I think it is good that they are teaching 'both sides of the story now'

I think if the people who criticise teachers so readily spent a day in a classroom they would change their mind quick fast... but we have the media screaming every time teachers go on strike... but if something good happens, who cares?

[bambu]

1. What are parents teaching?

2. Check the 'New Rule Tweaking' thread and Crank's recent post: you might be on a hiding to nothing starting a teacher-bashing thread around here!

It was an opinion and a question.



Sadly, you mentioned "bashing".

it sticks in my craw when I see some of the things that come from teachers that our kids/grandkids/etc are supposed to follow.

No wonder kids cannot spell when some teachers have difficulties themselves.

  Riiight. If you wanted to start a neutral discussion of teachers and teaching, that would be very easy to do. The whole tone of your post was negative toward the profession: I might have named the 'bashing', but you had already started engaging in it...

But I'm keen: let's give it a go. How about an open-ended question: "What do forum members think of the general quality of teachers in Australian schools at the moment?"

I know quite a few people would be keen to participate in *that* discussion.

I only know 'personally' one teacher...and she's a good one.

I know of a few in rural Qld who should be sacked...starting with the teacher and principal responsible for "Osama bin Teddy" being in the fete display at a primary school.
Another female one who told a girl: "Your mother's nothing but an unemployed feral".
Another female who allowed her friend's children and their friends to bully a thin boy aged 7, 8 who was then removed from the school.
Other females who weren't going to give the Aboriginal girl who won a bike in the beach 'lucky treasure dig' because she was searching in the wrong roped off area for her age.
White kids were all doing the same thing.
"No, you cannot have the prize" they said, as the little Aboriginal girl presented the winning token to them.
...until the "unemployed feral" Irish Catholic woman from the Bronx and mrs b at the back who'd been watching it all, hoping the "feral" children would win the bike...screamed in protest at the teachers' actions.  

[bambu]

What are teachers teaching?

PC Left-wing politics?...in the Left "Brainwashing factories", one radio caller woman said.

[Bravus]

I'll let that one go through to the keeper... 

In general I think the quality is good. I think it's true that perhaps teachers might be less correct on the precise mechanics of grammar - along with most other members of society - since there is less emphasis on that and more on other things now. (I also think people learn to spell and use correct grammar by reading for pleasure, and that too few people in all walks of life, including teachers, do enough of that, but that's a different topic.) Gotta remember that knowledge has exploded, and the list of things schools are expected to be responsible for in raising children (many of which used to be the responsibility of parents) has likewise exploded. It's not just English, Maths, Science, Social Studies and maybe Latin any more, and there is not the time devoted to teaching grammar.

But two points on that before I leave it:

1. Would you prefer a teacher with perfect grammar who bullies and abuses your kid, or one who splits the occasional infinitive but teaches your child to be a good and moral person by example? Of course perfection in all areas would be nice...

2. I actually agree that poor methods have been chosen and used in teaching reading and literacy, and there is work to be done. The 'literacy wars' between different factions have left teachers frustrated and kids confused. Having said that, the NAPLAN literacy tests are making things worse, not better.

As Crank said, our students constistently rank in the top 3-4 countries in the world in international comparisons, well above the US and UK, so our teachers can't be all *that* bad.

As I said in the 'Trusting Teachers' thread, I think there's also work to be done by schools, governments and teacher unions in terms of getting bad teachers - and there are some - out of the profession. I don't have a Pollyanna view that all teachers are perfect and teachers can do no wrong. There's work to be done, as there is in every profession. But *on balance*, looking at all the evidence, I think the teacher workforce is very good. (And I conduct my research in classrooms, and sit in a lot of them, so I'm not pulling this from anywhere the sun doesn't shine...)

Couple of other things:

1. I suspect that the 'golden age' some hark back to never existed, and while teachers may have been better in some areas they may well have been worse in others. On balance I think teachers are better informed and just better now than they were when I went to school, let alone the generation before that.

2. If I had one wish for teachers it would be for education bureaucrats to leave them, and the curriculum, the heck alone. New bright ideas from government departments every couple of years have no appreciable effect on teacher quality or student outcomes but dramatically increase teacher paperwork... and then another one comes along. Or the curriculum is monkeyed with yet again. A moratorium for 10 years in which all the rules stay the same and teachers just get to get on with teaching would be bliss.

[mutation]

1. What are parents teaching?

2. Check the 'New Rule Tweaking' thread and Crank's recent post: you might be on a hiding to nothing starting a teacher-bashing thread around here!

Surely you are not suggesting that one of our moderators would make decisions based on personal feelings and grievances?


Mutation

[mutation]

  Riiight. If you wanted to start a neutral discussion of teachers and teaching, that would be very easy to do. The whole tone of your post was negative toward the profession: I might have named the 'bashing', but you had already started engaging in it...

But I'm keen: let's give it a go. How about an open-ended question: "What do forum members think of the general quality of teachers in Australian schools at the moment?"

I know quite a few people would be keen to participate in *that* discussion.

My problem is not with the teachers I think the quality of teachers has improved dramaticall since i was at school . My objections is with what they are asked to teach and those who decide what that will be.
"Bashing" the teachers is as pointless as bashing the cops for enforcing a stupid law!


Mutation

[Bravus]

My problem is not with the teachers I think the quality of teachers has improved dramaticall since i was at school . My objections is with what they are asked to teach and those who decide what that will be.
"Bashing" the teachers is as pointless as bashing the cops for enforcing a stupid law!

Two thumbs way up.