Teacher Support

I read some data the other day that education makes very little difference on how much success you have in life...made me think but surely it is necessary to be able to add up and read to have success? I also read 90% of what children learn is from their peers - an interesting fact too...and makes sense too as my whole sex education was from my peers - much to my parents' relief.
So I am very happy that it's the end of term and I get some relaxation. I was enjoying the last couple of weeks of the Christmas curriculum. There is always the debate when the Christmas curriculum should start and some teachers ca not bring themselves to do anything that isn't a proper lesson. I chose to compromise and do a pass the parcel with maths questions between each layer. The kids were not very happy as they were expecting a sweet between each layer. However most of my Christmas maths questions involved counting sweets.
It was also nice the last day of term the children bringing me gifts. I got them all a small gift too, of course there was one brat who said, 'is that all we get?' I also had another gift: a nasty anonymous letter from one of the parents. I was upset at first as I was accused of doing things I didn't do but the other staff and head teacher were so supportive that it actually had the reverse effect of upsetting me on my last day of work, which had been its spteful intention. Some of the other teachers had had them to but I guess I just have to work harder at improving relationships with parents. Yet at the same time sometimes 'having a pop' at the teacher is just their way of covering up their poor parenting skills.
Its the holidays now - so time to relax! xx

Philosophical question: Is it ever possible to avoid hurting somebody?

After having my philosophy training, I couldn’t wait to teach it, as is often the case after a training session. As is also often the case, it went disastrously wrong and my enthusiasm bubble was instantly burst. I originally thought it went well. I shared the stimulus of the Father Christmas Coca Cola advert. Some children knew the history of it and I was proud of their knowledge. They then went on to develop philosophical questions such as; Is it right to use a positive role model to advertise something that can be bad for you? Are things ever as good as you expect them to be? Is it really better to give than receive? Are we really hoping to receive when we give? I was pleased with the kids. They all appeared to be enthused and engaged in the lesson. I raved about it in the staff room. Then my bubble was cruelly burst by a barrage of parental complaints. One of the children had developed the question: Does magic exist? I thought it was a good question. I didn’t offer any opinion of my own. The children discussed it and used all the vocabulary I had taught them. I was so pleased. I vowed to myself to teach philosophy more often. Until the head called me out, ‘I’ve had a complaint from one of the parents.’ Oh no!

It had come up in our discussion whether Father Christmas existed or not. I let the children have their opinions and reinforced there was no right or wrong opinion. One little boy told us how he had caught his dad eating the mince pies he had left for santa. The complaint from the parent had been that her daughter thought Father Christmas really did exist and I had burst her bubble. I hadn’t meant to. Now, I feel gutted for the kid. I feel her pain.

I remember that pain. I discovered gifts in the boot of my dad’s car. I didn’t say anything but it was obvious Santa didn’t exist when it was the gifts from my dad’s car which appeared in the stocking. Balls! Don’t you hate it when you’re full of enthusiasm with every good intention and it goes wrong???

xxx