Unannounced inspections

delta_bravo

From now on there will be no advance notice given for subject inspections. What are your thoughts? I don't mind myself but I do wonder what happens if they show up on a day you planned to give a test or bring them to the computer as a reward for work in previous classes.

spurious

I'd carry on as normal.
All the better if they come to one of my classes with 12 children on IEPs and it's chaos without the supports we used to have.
Bring it on.

gaeilgegrinds1

Have you a link to this written anywhere? I'm no saying it isn't true, just want something concrete before I say it to anyone. I'm with Spurious on this one, our last inspection was great, kids acted as normal...which is not normal and the inspector had to leave. Nothing written in the write-up about that though.

mrboswell

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0616/1224299000394.html

implausible

Well, it's not exactly from 'now on':

The department will begin talks with the teacher unions shortly on the new inspection system that it intends to introduce later this year. It says the inspection process will run in parallel with the now established programme of unannounced inspections to evaluate teaching and learning in primary schools.

It's probably needed, but I don't know about completely unannounced. A day's notice or a few hours would be required. Classes could be away, teachers could be off sick and in a secondary school it is rare that each student is in all of his/her classes, being taught by his/her regular teacher.

doc_17

I hope they come when I'm away with the football team! That's reality.

TheDriver

remember it wold be rare if all the maths teachers would be away/in exams etc. Its only the minority subjects would be the problem

Fickidy

I have no problem with it in theory... My actual problem is with the inspectors themselves - many of whom were incompetent teachers themselves. Some of them were never teachers! Who are they to judge us?

I would love it though if an inspector walked in on one particular teacher in our school who is an embarrassment to the profession.

Kimmy-XxX

I think it's a fantastic idea and genuinely hope it's carried out in a fair and transparent manner. There were so many incompetent teachers working in my own secondary school and there is a massive number of passionate, able and qualified graduates looking for work. Hopefully inspections will weed out those that aren't capable and simultaneously create positions for those who are but can't secure employment.

mick kk

Its a great idea - whenever we get the two or three weeks notice, all you see are the relevant teachers stressed out, having meetings, correcting bundles of copies that they never normally correct, putting up silly posters in the rooms etc....this cuts out all of that nonsense and unnecessary worry... the inspector goes and then they go back to doing what they normally do...which is often fine I must say. I often think about this in relation to other sectors e.g. in a restaurant, do they get notice of a health and safety inspection...clean the place up....and then when inspector goes return to normal? I'm all in favour of it...now, if that crowd from the teaching council arrive at the door, that would be another story...

boogle

I wouldn't be against this to be honest. I plan and prep in advance so I'd have nothing to hide. I'd also like to see certain teachers who scramble around during the notice period getting clocked for that.

Also agree with spurious about the lack of classroom supports. I've a 5th year weak 'n wild bunch for maths at the mo, no SNA support and learning support maths being taught by someone who is not qualified to teach maths. (They do their other subject's homework). An unannounced inspection would throw a spanner in the works for management in this area, and highlight the effects of withdrawing supports.

implausible

boogle wrote: »

I've a 5th year weak 'n wild bunch for maths at the mo, no SNA support and learning support maths being taught by someone who is not qualified to teach maths. (They do their other subject's homework).

I love that phrase, I'll be robbing it! It sums up a lot of my classes, as does the rest of your post - LS is often a joke in our school, a dumping ground for teachers who aren't coping with mainstream.

rainbowtrout

delta_bravo wrote: »

From now on there will be no advance notice given for subject inspections. What are your thoughts? I don't mind myself but I do wonder what happens if they show up on a day you planned to give a test or bring them to the computer as a reward for work in previous classes.

I would say continue as normal. If they are going to show up unannounced and you have something planned why should you run around like a headless chicken trying to prepare something else for the inspector? They should see it as it happens, and like a few other posters have said, see it how the lack of learning support etc is effecting teaching and students learning.

doc_17

I don't mind on the spot inspections but if they ask for lesson plans I'll feel like punching them in the face! Does anyone actually do lesson plans for all their second level classes? I have schemes for all my groups but individual lesson planes are a complete waste of time.

Toto Wolfcastle

Having been through 3 inspections including a WSE, if they ask for lesson plans it will be a new thing. I wasn't expected to have any lesson plans for any of the inspections.

rainbowtrout

We had a science inspection this year and weren't asked for lesson plans. I can't see it happening to be honest.

B_Fanatic

Lesson plans can be quite silly in some cases. A lot of (good) teachers I've had just "carried on" from lesson to lesson. Others, however, pumped the notes into us, and as much as I hate to say it, it is pretty helpful once you're not learning first hand from them; only revision.

gaeilgegrinds1

I do weekly and termly plans and an IEP for each student, surely that is enough without doing lesson plans?!

jonseyblub

boogle wrote: »

Also agree with spurious about the lack of classroom supports. I've a 5th year weak 'n wild bunch for maths at the mo, no SNA support and learning support maths being taught by someone who is not qualified to teach maths. (They do their other subject's homework). An unannounced inspection would throw a spanner in the works for management in this area, and highlight the effects of withdrawing supports.

While I agree with your point I'd doubt if this would be mentioned in any report. A lot of the time a person is not teaching their own subject is because there is nobody else there to teach it and their hours need to be filled. Thats not really a management issue but a department one where they will not sanction another teacher for that particular subject.

boogle

If a subject inspector observed a subject being taught by someone with absolutely no qualification or experience in that subject, would they not have to say something about it? What would be the point of mentioning, for example, one teacher in the department doesn't assess often enough, while next door an unqualified person is teaching LS for the subject? It's like ignoring the elephant in the room.

jonseyblub

boogle wrote: »

If a subject inspector observed a subject being taught by someone with absolutely no qualification or experience in that subject, would they not have to say something about it? What would be the point of mentioning, for example, one teacher in the department doesn't assess often enough, while next door an unqualified person is teaching LS for the subject? It's like ignoring the elephant in the room.

It is but its a department made problem and as these inspections will be available on the web they will not want it highlighted. Any principal would be delighted to put a qualified teacher teaching their own subjects into the position but because of the cutbacks the only thing the department see are no of teaching hours needed in the school versus no of teachers in the school. If the teachers are not qualified to teach the subject the principal has to improvise and hence you will see more and more teachers not teaching the subjects in their degree. (obviously certain subjects like metal/wood /chemistry etc require for safety reasons a qualified teacher but believe me the rest can and will be given to any teacher who has spare hours left to fill.

gaeilgebeo

jonseyblub wrote: »

It is but its a department made problem and as these inspections will be available on the web they will not want it highlighted. Any principal would be delighted to put a qualified teacher teaching their own subjects into the position but because of the cutbacks the only thing the department see are no of teaching hours needed in the school versus no of teachers in the school. If the teachers are not qualified to teach the subject the principal has to improvise and hence you will see more and more teachers not teaching the subjects in their degree. (obviously certain subjects like metal/wood /chemistry etc require for safety reasons a qualified teacher but believe me the rest can and will be given to any teacher who has spare hours left to fill.

Completely agree with you.
Principals are hard-pressed enough to fill hours/timetables.
It is a department made problem.
With all the cutbacks, principals are left with little choice.

boogle

It's so frustrating that inspectors would ignore serious problems caused by the department, while picking out smaller issues in-school and post them on the internet, and ignore the bigger picture (because it's their own fault). It's just wrong.

rainbowtrout

boogle wrote: »

It's so frustrating that inspectors would ignore serious problems caused by the department, while picking out smaller issues in-school and post them on the internet, and ignore the bigger picture (because it's their own fault). It's just wrong.

Realistically it's just a pen pushing exercise, keeping these people employed and being seen to be doing something. They are not going to write anything very bad in a report - nothing that can come back and bite them on the arse anyway or that will cost the Dept money to fix, whether that be by improving physical infrastructure in the school or providing an improved teaching allocation to the school in question. So they will make suggestions about planning, and paperwork and department meetings - nothing they have to get involved in.