Six-month teacher training plan

**Maggy** · 10-03-2009, 09:20

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7933690.stm

Quote:

People could qualify as a teacher in England in six months rather than the usual year, under new government plans.

More short termism.

So we have gone in 30 years from 2-4 years training as a teacher with 2 years probation to 1 years training and now down to 6 months..

Well stand by for education standards to drop even further...and discipline.

Saaf_laandon_mo · 10-03-2009, 09:36

MAggy I don't know how long you have been a teacher (or indeed how long it took you to qualify) but I am assuming the answer to both questions would be years. I would be well peeved off if I were you, this latest move demeans the work teachers have previously put in to qualify, and I agree, education standards will only drop as a result.

I think you need to be a special kind of person to teach, but lately I see a lot of totally unsuitable people go into teaching. This will only increase these numbers.

**Maggy** · 10-03-2009, 10:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

MAggy I don't know how long you have been a teacher (or indeed how long it took you to qualify) but I am assuming the answer to both questions would be years. I would be well peeved off if I were you, this latest move demeans the work teachers have previously put in to qualify, and I agree, education standards will only drop as a result.

I think you need to be a special kind of person to teach, but lately I see a lot of totally unsuitable people go into teaching. This will only increase these numbers.

It also demeans the actual knowledge that was once deemed necessary to understand the students one is teaching..children are not components in some assembly line.They are future generations who deserve the best not what TPTB think they can get away with.

I know there are shortages of maths and science teachers but this is not the way to remedy the matter...It might be better to remove subjects like Media Studies and Personal Development and Drama from the timetable and degree syllabus and then maybe more youngsters can be persuaded to take up the subjects the country really needs.

The other day I looked through the Times education supplement and found there was one page for media studies,2 for drama vacancies but 23 pages for maths teachers...I lost count of the science vacancies..

However unless you have some understanding of HOW and WHY a child learns then it matters not how good an understanding you have of a subject..and this is not something you learn in a year let alone 6 months. Psychology and physiology are an important component in understanding how children learn.

Maybe a few sessions of Lord Winston's tv programmes on how children develop/learn may help but aren't really a substitute.

Pierre · 10-03-2009, 10:21

Well their not cutting it down to six months across the board, this is for people switching careers that will probably have had a lot of experience in the work place.

Possibly people that might already provide adult training.

I don't think getting in experienced people that have actually had a life and experience in the workplace is a bad idea. Rather that then take on someone straight out of university and straight out of teacher training.

When I was at college and university all the lecturers were ex-trade, and all the better for it.

**Maggy** · 10-03-2009, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pierre

Well their not cutting it down to six months across the board, this is for people switching careers that will probably have had a lot of experience in the work place.

Possibly people that might already provide adult training.

I don't think getting in experienced people that have actually had a life and experience in the workplace is a bad idea. Rather that then take on someone straight out of university and straight out of teacher training.

When I was at college and university all the lecturers were ex-trade, and all the better for it.

I don't object to the above..I merely question the length of the time...

Halcyon · 10-03-2009, 19:51

On one hand I understand that new teachers may miss out on developping better classroom class management skills and overall teaching experience, hower I can see it as a good thing for people who already work with children in schools who want to now progress into teaching.

CHiLL · 10-03-2009, 19:53

So the teachers are learning less in their specific area, meaning they teach less in classes? Makes sense.

10-03-2009, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHiLL

So the teachers are learning less in their specific area, meaning they teach less in classes? Makes sense.

Sure does.
A dumbed down nation is an obedient nation with less chance of asking awkward questions.

Flyboy · 11-03-2009, 11:46

The "six months" are for the time spent in college training. There will be a probationary period and on the job training. They will be something akin to LSAs, with achieving full qualification within a prescribed period. They will already have relevant qualifications in their chosen fields and already have some teaching/training experience.

I echo Pierre's sentiment about having experienced and relevantly qualified people teaching, as this brings a unique perspective to education.