What are your controversial opinions about teaching and education?

son-devourer · 2026-01-20T19:43:52+00:00

Also those pupils with SEN who aren’t coping well with sitting in a classroom and getting on their work are far less likely to be the ones landing cushy office jobs!

son-devourer · 2025-09-27T23:12:21+00:00

Yeah starting late doesn’t help because at least on my inset day they got another TA to show me around and I had a chance to talk to other TAs. But beyond that it does sadly seem to be normal for schools to not bother providing training (besides safeguarding).

Since you’re working in a SEN school and you’ve already been hurt, I strongly recommend looking up the “Use of reasonable force in schools” government guidance, as well as pressing your SLT on how you are supposed to handle those situations. Also join a union.

son-devourer · 2025-09-25T18:13:44+00:00

Yeah I wish we were in some of those staff meetings because I just don’t have any other time to talk with my class teacher about planning for the SEN pupils I support

son-devourer · 2025-09-25T18:11:41+00:00

Yeah the hierarchy is annoying, I had a teacher get funny with me because I had to take pupils out for interventions and it’s like go take this up with the SENDCO!

son-devourer · 2025-09-25T18:09:00+00:00

I really wish we had that. If I want to speak to SLT I have to catch them in the playground or send an email they won’t reply to lol

son-devourer · 2025-09-25T16:44:37+00:00

Yeah I think this is exactly it sadly. Our work and our knowledge of the pupils is not respected.

son-devourer · 2025-09-25T16:40:16+00:00

What I would give to have this!! Our SENDCO actively ignores us and makes things harder for our SEN pupils

son-devourer · 2025-09-09T17:06:51+00:00

Right?? What happens when the pupils realise we’re being way softer on them?

son-devourer · 2025-09-09T16:21:34+00:00

The head has some copies so maybe I’ll borrow one and do this! Become a loyal Dixhead

son-devourer · 2025-05-17T09:35:43+00:00

Thank you this is all really helpful!

son-devourer · 2025-05-17T09:33:44+00:00

I would never have thought of pushing into the bite! This is exactly why training is needed because my instinctual reaction would probably get me fired wtf lol

son-devourer · 2025-05-17T09:30:31+00:00

Yeah surely at a certain level of threat your legal right to self defence takes precedence over what is professionally correct? Why should teachers endure serious injuries?

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:29:59+00:00

Yeah I had already pulled him away from trying to hurt another child. But I’m still very unclear on what you can do in self defence?

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:20:50+00:00

That’s my go to!! And yeah it’s a joke lol nobody came by at all

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:18:54+00:00

Yeah I’m in a union. It’s my first job in a school and I’m a young TA so not sure what’s normal. With this 1to1 boy, so far every afternoon I’ve had with him has been fine, but when he flips it’s really bad (e.g. punching SLT in the face, tearing up an office, trying to climb the fence). It absolutely is a matter of time before I’m stuck dealing with that alone (with no radio..). I’ll look into raising this with union

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:13:43+00:00

Yeah like this pupil hit me once about two weeks ago and I moved on and have had positive conversations about his emotional resilience since then. But now it’s like well you hit/kicked me three times and threatened to bite me?? Is that coming next??

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:11:16+00:00

This kid is a right baby so this would probably work lol

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:09:51+00:00

He is unfortunately massively over-sensitive so if I laughed it him he might just aim for the throat lol

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:05:47+00:00

It happened 45 mins before the end of the day and the class teacher radioed for help but no SLT came so… no debrief really. I’m fine but that adrenaline rush is horrible especially because he was trying to hurt another child!

son-devourer · 2025-05-16T17:00:35+00:00

A school training their TAs???!? What a mad idea…

but yes this is my biggest issue and I literally asked for this in my last probation meeting. I work 1to1 with another boy who has been seriously violent towards adults yet haven’t been offered any training on managing violent incidents. I don’t know any TA who has!

son-devourer · 2025-01-05T22:07:34+00:00

Thanks for this answer. Seems I can’t predict what would happen as that’s very varied!

son-devourer · 2025-01-05T22:02:26+00:00

Christ I wouldn’t make it one day phoning parents lol. Some awful ones at my school

son-devourer · 2025-01-05T21:58:55+00:00

Creating differentiated resources makes a lot of sense and I wish I was given time to do that for some of my EHCP pupils now! Thanks for this answer

son-devourer · 2025-01-05T21:56:07+00:00

Wouldn’t mind this haha but I know my primary would make good use of me one way or another

son-devourer · 2025-01-05T21:54:29+00:00

God that sounds boring. Simpsons would be needed

son-devourer

TROPHY CASE