Teachers

When all the schools (except private schools) have been forced to become academies as Gove intends, will the teachers become academics?

That's a good way of putting it, agapanthus – the distinction between being academic and being an academic .

I'm definitly not an academic!, Blimey I can hardly spell it!

But that aside, I agree that teachers can change lives for better or worse.I hated school,because of a bullying teacher,but may have said a few unkind things myself when at the end of my rope on a bad day.

Obviously...that would apply to anyone but there is a difference between saying someone is academic and AN academic.

People can approach subjects (anything) in an academic way, of course, even if they are not employed in universities.

It may be used like that but I think it really means someone who conducts research in a university.

Thought an 'academic' was a term normally .used to describe someone who teaches in a university

But, in any case, even if I am splitting hairs here, teachers and academics will have a similar proportion of common sense to any other motley group of the population.

Actually, many academics would probably say the main purpose of academia is research. Teaching students is a by-product!

I expect it is, but one wouldn't call other professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, academics unless they worked in academia, so why teachers? Schools are not academia, they are schools. I suppose the main purpose is education in both cases, but I hardly think primary and secondary school education counts as academic. Some aspects of the later part of secondary, yes, but not most of it.

Some teachers are very academic, but I've never thought it a proper description for most.

Ah, are they not academics? Went to a bit of a do at a friend's house with university bods and teachers and doctors and the rest of us who were retired whatevers and the teachers (high school and married to each other) definitely seemed to think they were in the academic group.
Thinking about it, I don't think friends who are teachers of primary age children would consider themselves academic. But their spouses are from outside teaching, perhaps that's an influence.

As with everything else human, they cover the whole range of possibilities from having no common sense at all to having plenty.

BTW, I've never thought of teachers, including headteachers, as academics. Having a degree and a post-grad professional qualification doesn't make you an academic.

The snow thing was just an example. Another is the son coming home wanting money for a school skiing trip. One week, £700 plus. Parents work in a fish and chip shop. The whole family could have a holiday for that money - if they had that much to spare. Unsurprisingly there weren't enough takers.

Perhaps it's true that academics are too clever to have common sense.

Round here it's just down to the school. I can see it's a difficult decision but perhaps if the school had to make up the time lost like the parents have to it might make them think again and teach the children a valuable lesson of how things work out of school. In the last 'big freeze' the list of school closures grew at speed. Only after parents, politicians and the media made it clear the heads were over reacting did it occur to the heads to simply shorten the school day.

It isn't the teachers who decide whether a school should close. Headteachers have some say, but quite often it depends on the local authority as well. If the HT decides to shut the school, s/he will have considered the reasons (such as teachers not being able to get there in bad weather, water being cut off, etc) for doing so carefully.

So you can't blame ordinary teachers for school closures is what I'm saying.

It's not the teaching ability I have a problem with. Most teachers are enthusiastic and do their best to pass on their knowledge to their charges. But - many are incredibly naive when it comes to the world outside academia.

If it snows, well, just shut the school. In one case locally all the teachers came in as there was a scheduled staff meeting, the school was heated and a path cleared to the door. Why close? Some children may not have been able to get there. No matter that a parent has to loose a days pay or have to make up the time, or a small employer looses business.

I think there are good and bad teachers just like there are good and bad doctors and police officers. It's great if your experience of any of these is a good one but what of those of us who have a bad experience?

Speaking from experience I hated school. I loved learning but most of the teachers were bullies. My son was taught by a teacher who called him by someone else's name right through primary school . When challenged he actually told me that my son looked like someone he remembered from another teaching post

I have to say my grandchildren love school and are both very bright children. The main concern I have is that my eldest granddaughters teacher seems to be off school more than she is there and my granddaughter is upset by never knowing which substitute teacher she will have from one day to the next.

merlot that is something to shout about. Having interviewed prospective Heads and Deputies I know the hard work that goes into their preparation for interviews and observed teaching. I'm sure she's delighted with her achievement and quite rightly so.

Congrats to everyone chez merlot, that's definitely worth a

Congratulations,Merlot. You must be very proud.
Teaching was hard when I did it in the 1970s and it is infinitely harder now.

We're celebrating chez Merlot having just heard some wonderful news. DD2 is now a deputy head (primary). I've been on tenterhooks all day but was told NOT TO PHONE as she probably wouldn't hear until this evening. We're very, very proud of her. She is an outstanding teacher and deserves her success.

That's me put in my place then J07.