The FastDay Forum

I totally agree @callyanna in early childhood teaching we call it digital documentation. We can spend so much time doing observations and taking photos and later hours on the computer linking everything to our Early Years Learning Framework ( preschool curriculum) that you feel that you are not really connecting with the children. That's why i enjoyed casual teaching so much last year as I could embrace connecting with children and the essence of teaching. This year I'm trying to combine the two. Competently and professionally fulfill my expectations but foremost be there for the children in the moment of discovery and questioning otherwise what's the point?
Xxxx

Glad it's not just me then @julianna I retired just over 5 years ago but prior to that I had done a few years as 'supply teacher', similar to you , so I had the best of both worlds in that I could pick and choose when and where I worked and really enjoy the actual teaching without the burden of record taking, assessments etc.

My daughter is a first year teacher in a classroom of 29 native Spanish speakers, ages 9 - 11. She is fluent in Spanish, but teaches them (mostly) in English. @Callyanna and @Julianna, the extraordinarily excessive testing and the ridiculous conclusions that are drawn from the testing, and the fact that she is evaluated (and given raises, or perhaps fired) based on how these immigrant children with extremely difficult home lives do on the testing, all this combined make her wonder just how long she can last. It's very sad really. On the positive side, they are very sweet children and she does love them.

Can one of you please explain the English school system? Specifically when the school year starts? I am asking with regard to the Oxford area, (if there are differences from area to area?)

Hi Brian, the school year in the UK starts around the first week in September and runs till around the third week in the following July when most schools have the long 6 week summer break. The school year is divided into three terms, i.e. Sept to Dec with a two week break for Christmas/ New Year, Jan to Easter (which used to make the term length variable depending on the date of Easter but now most education authorities have adopted a more sensible approach and are fixing the term end to make them more equal), then a third term from Easter to July.
There is also usually a half-term break in the middle of these three terms, sometimes a week, sometimes just a few days. Most schools except the private sector open for 39/40 weeks with 12 weeks holidays during the year. Hope all that makes sense and helps you, probably made you even more confused!

Was just about to reply but see Callyanna beat me to it with a very good explanation. We have just had the dreaded Ofsted visit; two days last week. Thank goodness it happened before the Easter hols!

Thanks, that is great.
I am considering a job offer that would have me in the Oxford area for 3 to 5 years and of course my youngest would need a school. Just figuring out the best timing.

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/cont ... d-holidays

This link might be useful @brian1.

Thought I'd restart this tent as we're all back in! How is everyone finding their first week back? Currently sat doing seating plans ready for the little darlings to come back tomorrow...new school so terrified of meeting them all!

I've just seen the comments about assessments on here. I was reminded of the comments made to me by One of my old professional contacts who happened to both work in special educational contexts, and on the small livestock farm which he owned.

Pupil assessments? "Like weighing pigs; pointless, wastes a lot of time and money, and diverts attention from what really matters".

The image is a very rich one, and, for me, sums up so much.

Yes, it doesn't matter how often you weigh the pig, the pig still weighs the same.

Happy first term all you lovely colleagues going back to work this week. Pace yourselves. @Danielle21711, I know that terror! Do others have those dreams - nightmares - where you have an out of control class?

[carieoates]

Just dipping my big toe into the teachers tent. Today we get an email stating the new dress code. I expect my lab coat will hide most things but I can't wear jeans anymore. Such a shame about the flashy trainers not allowed also. The general discussion was: Flashy as in colourful or flashy as in expensive or flashy as in those ones with flashing lights in the heels?

Hope everyone is settling in ok.

We also had a timetable error in that the year sevens first science classes went out as alphabetical classes rather than sets. So one lesson with one teacher, the second with another in another room, with new class mates and those gorgeously decorated books with the now the wrong lesson timetable scrawled all over the fronts.
Sigh.

@carieoates flashy trainers would be so cool though! That's bizarre! I've found a lot of classes in my new school have splits. I went to one classroom for my Year 7s and my other year 7 class was coming out - I didn't even realise I split them one day a week! Also have some who have 4 different classrooms...it basically means I'm running around with their books constantly!

@Sallyo Yes I have those dreams! I had one that a student (it was a girl from my old school who was challenging but really lovely with me) whacked me! Absolutely weird.

My classes are a mixed bunch to say the least. Couple of top sets, but mostly really challenging ones behaviour wise, for some reason my HODs have this impression that I'm some sort of guru on behaviour management I was terrified but can't believe how quickly I've got them settled so far. Hopefully can keep it up!

How has everyone else's first few days been?

Just stopping by to report that daughter's class this year of 10 - 11 year olds has 16 kids, and she has a room twice the size of the one in which she had 29 last year!! Last year it was a mixed grade classroom - grades 4 and 5, and this year she has just last year's 4th graders, now in 5th grade. It's not all good news though, as they are all English language learners, and all way behind academically. But with 16 students, at least she has a chance to actually help them this year.

And on the subject of assessments, if you think you have it bad, I can almost guarantee that the US is worse.

@carieoatesDress Code! What will they think of next! What does the Union say?

@Wendyjane, that sounds amazing, 16 grade 5s who she has already taught for a year.

What annoys me about education in Australia is that we think that other countries are doing it better - and some of them are, but not the UK and the USA. Yet that's where they look to for guidance of what to do next, so all the bad ideas which you have to contend with over there, they can't wait to bring them in here. Instead of looking to Scandinavian countries, or even Asian countries, they bring on the universal testing, the league tables of schools. Next we'll have Dress Codes! I don't know if Australian teachers will stoop to that. But then they've caved in on the other stuff, so they probably will. And it seems that all these decisions are not made by anyone with any expertise in education. It's politicians wanting to make their mark who come up with these stupid ideas. Well, what would I know, I'm only a teacher.