Does this constitute snobbery?

[greenilex]

This is one way among many that we are being returned to the education system in force in these islands a century or more ago. Pupil teachers were there to keep order while facts were transmitted from on high to be learned by rote. No need for expertise, just class control and a nice smile for the inspectors.

Nineteenth century capitalism is alive and well and living in the midlands...

[Conchis]

This is one way among many that we are being returned to the education system in force in these islands a century or more ago. Pupil teachers were there to keep order while facts were transmitted from on high to be learned by rote. No need for expertise, just class control and a nice smile for the inspectors.

Nineteenth century capitalism is alive and well and living in the midlands...

Why emphasis the midlands? It's the same in academies throughout the country.

[french frank]

From practically every teacher - and I know about 12 - who has taught in a school that has become an 'Academy'. It is part of government policy to remove qualified and experienced (ie, expensive) teachers from the state system and replace them with NQTs who will be work long hours for less pay. Qualifications are not considered important - just being a 'class-room presence' is all.

As I understood it, the government relaxation for Academies (and Free Schools?) was that non-qualified teachers meant that they had no teaching experience, not that they were unqualified in the subjects taught?

[Conchis]

As I understood it, the government relaxation for Academies (and Free Schools?) was that non-qualified teachers meant that they had no teaching experience, not that they were unqualified in the subjects taught?

NQT='newly qualified teacher'.

[Bryn]

It's now more than five years since the ATL highlighted their survey of classroom assistants, which revealed that approximately a third found themselves taking (teaching) classes for absent teachers. With more and more qualified teachers leaving the profession, what is the role teaching assistants are playing today?

[LMcD]

Our two local secondary schools were merged to form an academy and it has received a succession of critical Ofsted reports, accompanied by a succession of principals/head teachers. It therefore came as no surprise to learn that a substantial number of prospective pupils therefore leave town every school day for schools elsewhere in the county. Our local MP, who welcomed the new trust with open arms, subsequently organized a petition which, together with other forms of pressure, resulted in the trust in question deciding it was time to leave town. The primary school which it also ran in the town has fared no better. Both schools have been producing results beneath both the national and the county average.

[french frank]

NQT='newly qualified teacher'.

NQTs are presumably one step up on non-qualified teachers?:

"In 2012, Michael Gove and the Tory government removed the requirement for all teachers to have teacher qualifications. "

That isn't the same as what you describe - a teacher qualified to teach History and Classical Civ. being required to teach Spanish, which is an absurdity, not to say an impossibility if 'she doesn't speak a word of the language'.

[Dave2002]

There are many problems with education at secondary school level. Heads of academies have often become managers, and then move on to manage Academy chains etc., and there can be links to developers. It's a mess. Appropriate funding gets withdrawn - and there are "compromises" to be made.

Funding for some schools is now so poor that "non essential" teachers, or even teaching assistants are asked to leave - which affects some subjects perhaps more than others - music especially. While I do believe that teaching the basics - reading, riting, rithmetic is essential, arts and music can be very motivating for many students, and give them real opportunities for the future, apart from giving them stimulation.

There continue to be big problems in the teaching profession, and I note that in Scotland teachers have recently decided to back strike action - though how that will work out is difficult to be sure, given that many authorities are under severe financial pressure. The UK government(s) seem to have lost sight of the ball - if indeed they ever knew where it was in the first place.

[eighthobstruction]

There are many problems with education at secondary school level. Heads of academies have often become managers, and then move on to manage Academy chains etc., and there can be links to developers. It's a mess. Appropriate funding gets withdrawn - and there are "compromises" to be made.

Funding for some schools is now so poor that "non essential" teachers, or even teaching assistants are asked to leave - which affects some subjects perhaps more than others - music especially. While I do believe that teaching the basics - reading, riting, rithmetic is essential, arts and music can be very motivating for many students, and give them real opportunities for the future, apart from giving them stimulation.

There continue to be big problems in the teaching profession, and I note that in Scotland teachers have recently decided to back strike action - though how that will work out is difficult to be sure, given that many authorities are under severe financial pressure. The UK government(s) seem to have lost sight of the ball - if indeed they ever knew where it was in the first place.

....all that and more, when it comes to special needs teaching [coping]....now right at the bottom of the pile....

[Zucchini]

Yesterday, I worked with a woman in her late fifties who had never heard of Kafka … I found this absolutely horrifying …
After learning this, I'm afraid I cold-shouldered her for the rest of the day. I just found it embarrassing to be in the same space as someone so casually ignorant.

Does this make me a snob and/or a 'bad person'?

Yes. Both. Disgraceful to think that way and even more disgraceful to take action against her over something so trivial.

[Dave2002]

....all that and more, when it comes to special needs teaching [coping]....now right at the bottom of the pile....

I know, I know .... I'm not a teacher, but I know a lot about the situations from several different angles.

[doversoul1]

More than 600,000 pupils in England taught by unqualified teachers, says Labour

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jul/25/more-than-600000-pupils-in-england-taught-by-unqualified-teachers

[greenilex]

I was wondering if anyone would pick up the Gradgrind reference which was haunting me.

[Conchis]

Yes. Both. Disgraceful to think that way and even more disgraceful to take action against her over something so trivial.

Did I say I 'took action'? I said I 'cold-shouldered' her, but in practice this meant little more than avoiding talking to her whenever it wasn't necessary (which, most of the time, it wasn't).

[Conchis]

NQTs are presumably one step up on non-qualified teachers?:

"In 2012, Michael Gove and the Tory government removed the requirement for all teachers to have teacher qualifications. "

That isn't the same as what you describe - a teacher qualified to teach History and Classical Civ. being required to teach Spanish, which is an absurdity, not to say an impossibility if 'she doesn't speak a word of the language'.

The difference between an NQT or non-QT and an experienced teacher would be that the newly-or non-qualified variety would see nothing much unusual in being required to teach a subject they knew nothing about. That's par for the course in the environment they're familiar with - they are 'managers', or somewhat elevated class-room assistants, not teachers as most of us would recognise the term.

Mrs. Conchis has made the point that in any civilised country (can we still call Britain a 'civilised country'? It's debatable) there would be widespread public outrage about the collapse of state education which began (tentatively) under New Labour and has proceeded apace under the Coalition and the Conservatives. The worst of it is, these institutions are presided over by so-called 'Executive Heads', non-academics parachuted in from the nebulous world of 'business' and paid astronomical salaries for basically trashing the legacy their predecessors had built up.