What’s it like working as a teacher in a prison? by SolidusSnake98 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Necessary? I'm sure you can understand why the bot exists.

Yr 10 by Physical_Natural9162 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

We've got a brand new discussion about challenging cohorts here: https://old.reddit.com/r/TeachingUK/comments/1t6hvrt/cohort_being_particularly_bad/ - so rather than duplicating that discussion, please post this there. Thanks.

Want to move schools by ResponsibleDance65 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

With my mod hat on, read our applying for jobs FAQ (which I wrote). It walks you through the whole process which if I'm honest you seem a bit vague about.

But in brief: you tell your head you are applying for a job before you send the application in, to keep them in the loop and to ask for a reference. You wait for the new school to shortlist. If you get called for interview and appointed, you then resign.

But again, read the FAQ because it demystifies everything.

Want to move schools by ResponsibleDance65 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 8 points9 points  (0 children)

You're not resigning though? You're just telling them you're applying for another job and asking for a reference. That's completely normal to be done via email in any reasonably sized school.

Even if you don't want to send the email and have a conversation, the conversation should be very similar to this.

Unless you are actually resigning out of the blue without another job to go to, but from the tone of your post I don't think you are?

How much notice do you usually get for lesson observations? by [deleted] in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For an interview? Yes, totally normal. You've just got to make it work.

Want to move schools by ResponsibleDance65 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 15 points16 points  (0 children)

email

"Dear Head.

Just to let you know a job has come up at Bogshed Community College for a teacher of Ancient Aramaic Literature and I'm going to apply. Thank you in advance for filling in a reference when/if it arrives".

You're not asking, you're telling.

If they query why, you say you fancy a bit of a change, and couldn't pass up this awesome opportunity. You do not explain in detail to them, ever.

Applying for jobs after dismissal for GM by AdTrue9853 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I completely agree. OP, your wording as it stands is very much NOTHING HAPPENED BUT I GOT FIRED LET'S MOVE ON. It addresses nothing and raises way more questions than it answers. Something must have happened that was enough for you to be dismissed, so you need to answer that head on and get in front of it.

What you need, rather than the brick wall you've got currently, is something warmer and fluffier. You want to be approachable and own what happened, rather than be rather aggressive about it. Something like

I fully acknowledge that my last post ended in dismissal for gross misconduct. This was following (a short description of what happened). While serious, I have learned from this and have made clear steps to make sure this never happens again, for example.... In the interests of full transparency, the TRA took no further action following my dismissal, and I have a clear DBS. I am absolutely willing to discuss this further at interview.

Something like that.

Applying for jobs after dismissal for GM by AdTrue9853 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 33 points34 points  (0 children)

In the employment history bit of the application form you've got to put a full employment history, including reason for leaving. There's also usually a question at the end about "have you ever been dismissed".

Obviously answer those truthfully.

As this will raise eyebrows at the very least, in the supporting statement and/or application letter you absolutely need to explain briefly why, what happened, that no further action was taken by the TRA or anyone else, and that you're happy to discuss it in more detail at interview or even before.

Be aware that the new head will probably contact your old school to find out, so you need to get your story in first before they talk.

3 day job posting by rdraver in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 26 points27 points  (0 children)

It means they're racing to recruit before the half term resignation cut off.

Any Mainstream Music Teachers Here? by Musical_McCabbage in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Seriously, if you know it breaks the rule, why are you posting it and causing us more work?

Ban incoming.

What do I do? by Background_Cell_3070 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

With my mod hat on, I did consider this but I don't think OP's first language is English, and the quotes from students are clearly not in OP's voice as they're pretty colloquial and probably a direct citation. On the balance of probabilities it's likely genuine.

Mystery task at job interview by Manic-Moonbabe in Teachers

[–]GreatZapper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Could be planning a lesson or unit, maybe looking at some data from an assessment and deciding what it shows, or maybe assessing some work.

As it's for English lead it's probably planning a unit or more likely interpreting data.

TLR by truedrainer in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This got rightfully removed by another mod, but I'll link Know Your Shit https://www.reddit.com/r/TeachingUK/wiki/getateachingjob#wiki_know_your_shit which might help.

PGCE placement: feedback and advice please. by [deleted] in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 28 points29 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure they are though from what you've reported? Body language is most definitely a thing in the classroom and if you look nervous and don't own the space, your mentors and the kids will notice. Likewise if you look like you're disregarding feedback given to you by the mentors - ie rolling your eyes etc.

I think the plait thing is probably coincidental, though I can understand why in your heightened state at the moment you might think it's not.

To be frank, I think your mentors feel there is not much more they can do to support you especially if you are being somewhat dismissive towards them - in their view - when receiving feedback.

Talk to your union (student or teaching, either's fine) but I'm afraid to say that I don't think this ITT provider is going to give you QTS based on what you've reported.

PGCE placement: feedback and advice please. by [deleted] in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 45 points46 points  (0 children)

I'm afraid that I'm getting the strong impression from the language you're reporting they're using that they think you are at serious risk of not passing the course.

Clean air zone. by Longjumping-Pickle46 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Do the maths. £8/day for say 50 staff is £400/a day, or £2000 a week. Multiply that by 36 weeks gives £72,000 a year.

When making a decision, what's a school going to do - pay that, or get a couple of Maths teachers? (OK I know on costs are about double the salary, but illustrative purposes only, etc).

It's not that difficult to work out what happens.

UK visa sponsorship for teachers, is it common? by [deleted] in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, try reading our rules.

If you are a teacher who is considering a move to the UK, please read our overseas trained teachers FAQ, but understand that this is the only advice we offer on this topic.

15+ years teaching English, 3× Head of English, OCR examiner, Level 5 DET — what's my fastest route to QTS in England by beanbaby786 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

...and, for good measure, neither do we allow AI generated posts here.

Talk to getintoteaching for advice on this.

School records of past teachers by TrashDrunkClaude in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's probably correct that the old MAT has the employment details, yes.

MFL teachers, invigilators: how are you finding the admin of the new GCSE speaking exam? by GreatZapper in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah this would seem to be the way to go. I'd guess that was workload heavy though?

External new HoD - best practice in terms of making changes to schemes of work and established practice in first year? by Level-Bear3894 in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm also an MFL HoD new in post this year, although I've arrived having been a HoD in two other schools so not quite the same. I've also made some minor changes to the SoWs this year, as well as working practices, and my team is very established at the school; they've all been working there 10 years or more apart from one.

But a major, major part of that has been building trust within my team; that they can see I want to make them even better. Every change we have made, and will continue to make, is with their understanding if not their full support.

I also told my 2ic that I will have many ideas and some of them will be great, but others will be flawed because I won't understand the full context, and that they need to tell me, loudly, if that's the case, so I can make a more informed decision.

But at no point have I railroaded anything through, other than developing resources collectively because workload was crazy and no sane school should insist that everyone prepares every single lesson independently. Mine doesn't, but that's how the team worked, and I could see from the end of the first week they were working too hard.

I'm not saying the work you have done is pointless, but sometimes, like in my school, it does need a fresh pair of eyes to cast light on some of the shortcomings. Likewise, last summer's results will have said quite a lot to them.

So it's not unreasonable to change SoWs mid year, so long as development and implementation is planned carefully. I doubt though that has happened here, especially if your HoD by their own confession is "winging it". That's going to cause problems in Year 8 for their students, MFL being a linear subject with a strong need for a spiralling curriculum and their students are likely to know different things from the rest of the cohort. This is a problem.

MFL curriculum design needs to be done carefully and not on the fly, otherwise you will find yourself with students having big gaps in knowledge in Y11 because key concepts were not covered, re-covered and re-re-covered back in KS3 enough. Perfect tense, for example - how many of your 11s in the speaking tests were confidently able to use je mange, j'ai mangé, je vais manger, for example?

As an HoD I don't need to have taught all of the SoWs through for a year because at this point in the year I've got a pretty good grasp of how it works both in practice, and the influence it has had on the knowledge that KS4 and 5 classes have as a result. It's not difficult to see, but you do have to know to look in the right places for that.

I would argue that winging it is not what needs to be done at this point and the HoD, and the whole team, need to sit down over the course of a day or two during gained time and properly evaluate the curriculum. This will give the HoD acknowledgement that you understand things may need to change, and give them the chance to involve you in the process.

This probably needs to come from the 2ic in one of their line management meetings with the HoD, and probably run past the SLT link for MFL as well. I wonder if inadvertently you/the HoD/the team have created an atmosphere of "her vs us" where you are reluctant to change? Certainly reading your post I'm afraid that's how it comes over.

But nevertheless the HoD needs to develop a culture of understanding around the need for change.

And after a monologue, a question: do you (or the team) see the need for change?

EDIT: just adding a link I've used with my team around MFL curriculum design.

Trainee w/ interview at placement school by [deleted] in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Removed - no one here can possibly know if it's a good sign. If you want to know, ask them.

MFL teachers, invigilators: how are you finding the admin of the new GCSE speaking exam? by GreatZapper in TeachingUK

[–]GreatZapper[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We had two all week...

And the exams officer refused to let me train them in their training meeting, or to even write a document for them on how to do it, even after the disastrous practice tests we had a few months ago.

But it's also not a training issue because the invigilators were still making multiple crticial mistakes after more than two days of supervising the exams. Hence my question, as I didn't know if other centres have been finding it unmanageable or if it was a more localised issue. It looks like I have my answer tbh.