Meeting Inspector post Class observation

bobbyss

Seeing recently advertised jobs for Inspectors set me thinking of what kind of job they have and the contact they have with teachers. I have had largely positive interactions with inspectors who, I have to say, have largely been nice and supportive and so on. But probably forgotten or ignored any suggestions or advice given to me within hours and just continued on my merry way.

Has anyone had a bad experience with an inspector in this situation?

mtoutlemonde

bobbyss wrote: »

Seeing recently advertised jobs for Inspectors set me thinking of what kind of job they have and the contact they have with teachers. I have had largely positive interactions with inspectors who, I have to say, have largely been nice and supportive and so on. But probably forgotten or ignored any suggestions or advice given to me within hours and just continued on my merry way.

Has anyone had a bad experience with an inspector in this situation?

I know of one inspector that conducted a subject inspection, told teachers they were doing a good job - then went to slate them on feedback session with department and principal.

I don't know about feedback after inspection... I have escaped them throughout my career

There are a few vacancies... wouldn't do it for a day.

bobbyss

mtoutlemonde wrote:

I don't know about feedback after inspection... I have escaped them throughout my career

Well done! An art in itself!

But how did you manage it? Even whole school evaluations?

mtoutlemonde

bobbyss wrote: »

Well done! An art in itself!

But how did you manage it? Even whole school evaluations?

Have planned for two whole school evaluations and have had incidentals but they never visited me .... maybe I'm too good

I've worked in a lot of schools on fixed term contracts and I think they go for the CID teachers first.

TheDriver

It's a very different job. Teachers are naturally suspicious and cautious of you plus you will be taken on about most things you say unlike years ago when people were afraid to interact. Make sure u go into it with your eyes wide open. Also note you no longer have a school or students to interact with.

bobbyss

TheDriver wrote:

It's a very different job. Teachers are naturally suspicious and cautious of you plus you will be taken on about most things you say unlike years ago when people were afraid to interact. Make sure u go into it with your eyes wide open. Also note you no longer have a school or students to interact with.

No. Not enquiring about the job of an inspector. Am enquiring about how teachers respond to feedback from inspectors be it positive or negative

evolving_doors

bobbyss wrote: »

No. Not enquiring about the job of an inspector. Am enquiring about how teachers respond to feedback from inspectors be it positive or negative

Well I've 'heard of' one teacher who had been criticised by an inspector in the preliminary findings (before they leave the school and publish).

The teacher maintained that it was grossly unfair as the inspector never even did a debriefing with the teacher.

Inspectors said that it was tough luck and they were proceeding with their findings.

Teacher advised them he had gotten legal advice from the union and would take the matter further if necessary.

Findings were altered.

Teachers often forget that they are entitled to the same legal rights as any other employee.
So if someone is going to publicly pass judgement on your work you have a right to defend your name and a right to due process. Think about it, you'd never get the likes of google or kpmg publicly publishing their employee evaluations!!

Even though reports never mention names of teachers, it's pretty clear to everyone who it is if it's a small department etc.

Anyway the devil is in the detail and back handed compliments "some evidence of excellent teaching".

So if they do meet with you afterwords record everything they say.

Edit: Just realised op meant College Inspectors as opposed to the Dept. variety.

r93kaey5p2izun

I was inspected 11 times while I was teaching (not including during training). I had a bad experience with two inspectors. One was very critical of me in feedback and very hostile. I accepted the criticism but when I asked for clarification or examples of what he meant in relation to the class he observed, he couldn't give me any and became flustered. He was very blunt and also questioned my subject qualification. I was upfront with my principal about the feedback and the inspector later contacted me to apologise for how the feedback was delivered. I later discovered the inspector was related to a student with whom I had an issue in the past and I'm still suspicious of his motivations during the inspection. In hindsight, and with a lot more experience, I think some of his criticism was valid on the day, but a lot of it was unfounded and his conduct was unacceptable. I'm sorry I didn't make a complaint.

The other inspector was not actually critical of me at all beyond the usual box-ticking pieces of advice you always get, but she was rude and upset the students when speaking to them. She was in the school for a few days and was rude to everyone she spoke to. She actually seemed unhinged tbh.

All of the others were reasonable and courteous.

mtoutlemonde

Alina Flat Saucepan wrote: »

I was inspected 11 times while I was teaching (not including during training). I had a bad experience with two inspectors. One was very critical of me in feedback and very hostile. I accepted the criticism but when I asked for clarification or examples of what he meant in relation to the class he observed, he couldn't give me any and became flustered. He was very blunt and also questioned my subject qualification. I was upfront with my principal about the feedback and the inspector later contacted me to apologise for how the feedback was delivered. I later discovered the inspector was related to a student with whom I had an issue in the past and I'm still suspicious of his motivations during the inspection. In hindsight, and with a lot more experience, I think some of his criticism was valid on the day, but a lot of it was unfounded and his conduct was unacceptable. I'm sorry I didn't make a complaint.

The other inspector was not actually critical of me at all beyond the usual box-ticking pieces of advice you always get, but she was rude and upset the students when speaking to them. She was in the school for a few days and was rude to everyone she spoke to. She actually seemed unhinged tbh.

All of the others were reasonable and courteous.

Well if I were in your place during those inspections, I would have reported them. In scenario one, inspector had a conflict of interest and in scenario two, inspector upset students and was obviously dealing with people unprofessionally which goes against the Teaching Councils code of ethics.

Any inspectors I have seen in schools, seemed to be easy enough to deal with.

bobbyss

You would wonder where you would get with a complaint process. And what repercussions for the inspector if upheld.
When the inspector was there for a few days did she have breaks in the staff room and interact with staff there? Or talk to kids in the yard?

r93kaey5p2izun

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Well if I were in your place during those inspections, I would have reported them. In scenario one, inspector had a conflict of interest and in scenario two, inspector upset students and was obviously dealing with people unprofessionally which goes against the Teaching Councils code of ethics.

Any inspectors I have seen in schools, seemed to be easy enough to deal with.

In the first case I had no job security so I didn't feel I could do anything. I also only learned of the conflict of interest around a year later - the student in question told me.

A complaint was made in the second case, by the school.

r93kaey5p2izun

bobbyss wrote: »

You would wonder where you would get with a complaint process. And what repercussions for the inspector if upheld.
When the inspector was there for a few days did she have breaks in the staff room and interact with staff there? Or talk to kids in the yard?

A complaint was made about the second inspector I mentioned - not by me personally, but by the school - based on the collection of her behaviour, not my personal interaction with her. I don't know what came of it. We were never updated, so presumably nothing. Yes, she was in the staff room and spoke to students during breaks too. She was there from 7.45am, she went to breakfast club, and stayed til 6pm for evening study and she spent lots of time at clubs and sports interacting with the students.

deiseindublin

I'd bet I could guess the inspector, but obviously won't here on boards!

mtoutlemonde

deiseindublin wrote: »

I'd bet I could guess the inspector, but obviously won't here on boards!

Ah go on ....

You could do what the department do ... it's all anonymous but if you're in a small school/department, you can be easily identified.

We could play guess who????