For 35 years I have had much satisfaction from primary school teaching. However here's my negatives....
AssembliesBoys Education lobby (they get too much attention and class interactions as it is
Cliques, staffroom politics and backstabbing
Ditherers and procrastinators (you know who you are)
Education Week smoke and mirrors/colour and movement - artificial situations to impress the customers
Flocking to the latest fad
Getting to school early for a meeting that could have been achieved through group e-mails
House sports
Inquiry Learning - it's been done to death
Jargon
Know-alls - graduates who view themselves as the fountains of knowledge and pedagogy
LO.T.E.
Meetings, meetings, more meetings, meetings about holding more meetings..... Usually a one-way affair.
NAPLAN
Older teachers viewed as relics from a bygone era. I went from Cuisinaire to computers. Sure, I can adapt!
Parent-teacher interviews that are structured and choreographed
Questionable practices - jumping on the bandwagon of every new trend, then realising it's not so new
Regimentation - everyone has to teach the same way - but we all have different personalities and strengths
Style over substance
Term reports
ULTRANET
VELS or the new National Curriculum implemenation
Wankers (educational consultants, guest speakers, teachers who blow their own trumpet)
eXcuses
Yard Duty
Zeroing in on the attention-seeking student rather than giving attention to the quiet child.
Ultrawhat? BAHAHAHA!
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