OK, I admit it - I'm a teacher. It doesn't make me automatically pro-school, but I do know one or two.
But I just wanted to get out why I think schools these days can be pretty good places.
I have loads of bad memories of school. Being kept on reading grade 6 when I was in Junior 2 because I wasn't "allowed" to go higher: I was reading adult-standard books at home, but oh no, stupid teacher wouldn't let me up a level. (Junior 3, day 2, I was told to read whatever I wanted and could bring in books from home because I was off the reading grade standard for Primaries.) Yes, I am still bitter. Maths lessons that were copying from the board then solving 50 identical problems with just a couple of numbers changed. English writing lessons that gave no thought as to time for editing work. The fact that I have a thicker Yorkshire accent when speaking French than I do English these days. I had my students asking me about my exam grades yesterday, how come I could teach them without the top grades - well, as it happened, I was going to pass so didn't have teachers give up their lunch to help me get the top grades. I was going to pass - that was the key statistic. And yeah, knowing how much I do for my students, it hurts that no-one cared. I gave up wearing school uniform the last year it was compulsary - no-one said a thing. I wore 4" heels for the last two years. Jewellery, make-up, false nails, random scars - no-one cared.
So, schools today. I spot a student who is starting to go off the rails, I want to know why. I spot a child bursting into tears in a morning, I find out what's wrong. And it isn't just me - every single person I work with is the same. In fact, in the five schools I have seen behind the scenes, there has only been one teacher who behaved inappropriately about the children she taught. I check make-up and nail varnish not because of school policy, but because it's a sign of rebelling and I want to know why they want to rebel, what's going on. Young people are people, after all.
I have seating plans I agonise over. I don't sit students with their besties, not unless said bestie needs some emotional support from a friend. I sit them with a student with whom they'll get on, but haven't had much to do with before. I sit them with a student who will help their work, not pull them down. I don't sit the autistic child with the child that will trigger panic. I have extra support material for slower workers and keep pushing the higher workers, asking them to think about other dimensions to the work rather than the obvious. (And seating plans to make Molly sit with Johnny are no better or worse if Molly and Johnny are your two children and they're having to work together on a project because it's just them or because a teacher pairs them up.)
I have children who can get out their places. I teach science, but last week I saw Louis Pasteur argue with Joseph Lister on Jeremy Kyle. We considered growing giant hamsters we could ride like horses to teach artificial selection. We sang songs about anion tests. We tell bad jokes. Yes, I focus on exam results, but then you need good results at secondary level to be considered for some Uni courses these days. And I care about every single child I teach. Even that slightly annoying needy one who just won't let go - maybe that child just needs someone to care. You never know.
I love teaching. I love that we do get to be creative, have fun, laugh - and learn.
And I am also pro-homeschool, if that's best for the family. So long as the child isn't disadvantaged in any way, and that's unusual. You can teach the school day in just the morning with a motivated and focussed child, then have field trips in the afternoon. You can cover all the necessary parts of learning quickly then have a research project, even at infant school age (trust me, I did). The curriculum is pretty small, it really is bare bones of what is needed to have a full and productive life - it's up to the person running it how much is done of what, so long as the basics are there. You can start the school day at a different time each day rather than dragging yourself out of bed for a commute. You can learn school skills and life skills at the same time. OK so my son thrives by playing with other children his age and he is having a few social problems, but his current bestie is in another school year to him, they met outside of school. His last bestie now lives in another country, although they did meet at pre-school.
But I just wanted to put it out there that schools these days should be great - modern teachers have been through a revolution. I just wish people would realise how hard most teachers work to make it that way.
