Are schools closing TUESDAY!?***Update Answer= Yes***

Powerhouse

acequion wrote: »

I think it's the "get on with it mentality" that is the downfall of front line workers.

No matter how unreasonable the demands and expectations, no matter how badly working conditions are cut, no matter what minor or major event interferes with their work, mugs like teachers and nurses will always "get on with it." You guys seem to see this stoic taking everything on the chin as something to be proud of. Well I very much beg to differ.

While there will always be unforeseen circumstances like yesterday, a lot of the minor stuff could be minimised. I don't think it acceptable that a teacher misses quite a number of classes due to events such as assemblies,trips extra curriculars. Such events should be organised with a view to minimum disruption to classes. They frequently are not because most teachers say nothing and "just get on with it." But don't forget that when it comes to covering a course and getting results, the buck generally stops with the teacher. This isn't fair either as there are so many variables but that's how it is.

I well remember the snow disruption of 2010 and I also remember making up some of the time with LC English in after school classes. I will do something similar now because three 40 min classes is exactly two hours of lost tuition which in my opinion is huge. So you're right that the work always gets done but that is because most teachers,by their nature, will put themselves out on a limb to do so. Such goodwill should not be so taken for granted, but unfortunately it is.

But this is where I differ from you. I think being asked to survive the loss of two days school due to unforeseeable circumstances is not unreasonable.

As for assemblies - I presume they are organised to minimise class disruption. I can't imagine any Principal or Year Head who wants to disrupt. But unless they are held outside class time that's what will happen. Every teacher knows that such events occur over the course of the year. Allowing for that is hardly extreme scoicism or even goodwill.

In my view there's a fair element of Parkinson's Law involved in teaching anyway. I had six classes a week with my Sixth Years last year but this year I have them for just five classes. I would expect largely the same output in real terms and don't regard it as going out on a limb. But whatever the broader arguments of the matter the loss of two classes over the course of the year..............really? Allowing for a class per day this amounts to .017% of total tuition time. That might in your opinion be "huge" - to my mind it's not.

acequion

Powerhouse wrote: »

But this is where I differ from you. I think being asked to survive the loss of two days school due to unforeseeable circumstances is not unreasonable.

As for assemblies - I presume they are organised to minimise class disruption. I can't imagine any Principal or Year Head who wants to disrupt. But unless they are held outside class time that's what will happen. Every teacher knows that such events occur over the course of the year. Allowing for that is hardly extreme scoicism or even goodwill.

In my view there's a fair element of Parkinson's Law involved in teaching anyway. I had six classes a week with my Sixth Years last year but this year I have them for just five classes. I would expect largely the same output in real terms and don't regard it as going out on a limb. But whatever the broader arguments of the matter the loss of two classes over the course of the year..............really? Allowing for a class per day this amounts to .017% of total tuition time. That might in your opinion be "huge" - to my mind it's not.

I didn't lose just two classes, I lost three as one was my double. However you are right that .017 is tiny,if only it were just that. And in an ideal world that's how it might be. But we don't live in an ideal world and as you've pointed out over your posts there are all sorts of disruptions from all sorts of things, so when you look at the amount of tuition time that does get missed, a further two hours in one go is indeed huge. It's the difference between finishing or not finishing a chunk of work before mid term. We all have sections of work planned out per term, that's good practice and when there is a lot of disruption to tuition it really interferes with the calendar and ultimately puts more pressure on teacher and students.

No principal or no year head wants to disrupt but again in the real world they too are under pressure so ultimately they will do what suits them. There's so much happening in schools nowadays that it's inevitable that tuition gets eaten into.Some teachers say nothing and get on with it,suffering quietly when they're under pressure. I, personally flag it when it gets excessive. It's got to the stage where we have to guard our own corner.

But if you're ok with disruptions accepting them as Parkinson's law, well that's good for you. Just be aware that not every teacher sees it as you do.

Powerhouse

acequion wrote: »

But if you're ok with disruptions accepting them as Parkinson's law, well that's good for you. Just be aware that not every teacher sees it as you do.

If every teacher thought the same as me there wouldn't have been a need for this exchange would there? But at the same time I don't notice a clamour to do catch-up by teaching extra days during the holidays instead so I might be in a slight majority I'd say! I'm not okay with disruptions, never said I was - I just seem them as inevitable and unavoidable and plan accordingly.

acequion

Powerhouse wrote: »

If every teacher thought the same as me there wouldn't have been a need for this exchange would there? But at the same time I don't notice a clamour to do catch-up by teaching extra days during the holidays instead so I might be in a slight majority I'd say! I'm not okay with disruptions, never said I was - I just seem them as inevitable and unavoidable and plan accordingly.

Look this isn't a contest about who agrees with me and who agrees with you. You've made your point, I've made mine. Can we now please agree to disagree?

TheDriver

I'm locking up things here as thread is no longer relevant

evolving_doors

TheDriver wrote: »

I'm locking up things here as thread is no longer relevant

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Off topic + trolling attempts also deleted.
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