How do you feel about this?
I read this article in the BBC’s Education section and it left me cold.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7371635.stm
Here is the opening lines….
“Teacher guilty of ‘incompetence‘
A teacher who failed to control disruptive pupils has been found guilty of professional incompetence.
Martin Reynish, who was held in “high esteem” by colleagues at Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive at Beddau, Rhondda Cynon Taf, is now a “capable” home tutor.
A hearing was told pupils disrupted his lessons, playing computer games. One even set off a firecracker in class.
The General Teaching Council of Wales (GTCW) ordered him to undertake more training within two years.”I believe that we MUST support teachers who are struggling and maintain standards, and if they are “incompetent” provide them with supervision and training or potentially deregistration. From this aspect I applaud the Welsh teaching council for their actions.
What does concern me is this is a private employment matter paraded in a public forum. Are teachers to be paraded on National and international media for their ability in the classroom? Would this happen in another industry? Certainly Medical professionals do recieve this treatment, and to an extent the police as well, but usually that is for criminal misconduct or gross incompetence that threatens lives or results in people deaths?
Does a teachers struggles with classroom behaviour warrent this level of publicity?
Or is this teacher a scapegoat or whipping boy?
May 5th, 2008 at 3:51 am
How do I feel about this. I share your concern. Of course I don’t know all the details of the case but my questions are:
1. Where was the administration before this got out of hand. Support needs to come early, not later.
2. Where was the professional association’s support. The association is there to support us during difficult times.
3. Why did the powers-to -be decide to make this public? It does give the appearance of doing something to improve the school system. But, there are other things that need to be changed in order to improve the school system. Many of which teachers have no control over.