mental snobbery and lack of trust in the profession is to blame for so many quitting,says Liz PalmerI am an outstanding teacher. I'm one of those meant to be thoroughly able to weather the storm of constant change to the education system. If you believe much of the media, the 40% of teachers who leave the profession in their first five years are failing as the coalition's education policies pick off the weak and the lazy from the back of the herd. Yet, or here I am,a 30-year-ancient outstanding teacher, and I've just left the profession.
According to all the different criteria against which I have been judged, and despite the constant shifting of goalposts,I have been outstanding. I worked tough; I delivered engaging yet academically challenging lessons – despite us all being told that these two concepts were mutually exclusive; I assessed pupils in rigorous detail against ever-changing marking schemes; I completed fatuous administrative tasks within all deadlines. I was at the top of my game. I should have been seeking promotion opportunities. Instead I found myself, along with my pupils, or fitting increasingly insignificant. Now the school to which I gave my twenties is haemorrhaging edifying and outstanding teachers. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com