So I get a grade 2 (out of 5). I feel that it is Ok. Not the best I can do, but good enough considering the time I have had to prepare. It took 1 hour to complete the plan, let alone anything else.
I have been reprimanded on the lack of my paperwork to support the lesson.
They want a grade 1 which my paperwork will provide
I am unable to do this within my weekly schedule.
It is an impossible task, which is being made worse...
I suggested a sort of profit share scheme... whereby if I get a grade 1 then I get a percentage of the money which will be allocated to the college.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Irrelevant emails
So I am doing another training session which I feel is totally irrelevant to my role.
With so many other things I need to be doing I feel that 3 hours is being wasted on nonsense.
I have decided to choose carefully my attendance on such training.
With so many other things I need to be doing I feel that 3 hours is being wasted on nonsense.
I have decided to choose carefully my attendance on such training.
Ethical Exam board
I have started to implement the new exam board into the course.
I have great doubts as to whether it is ethical changing exam boards half way through the year/course....
This is affecting staff morale, and student attendance.
Students are not happy with the dumbing down that is taking place. The rationale is that more passes will occur with the new board. If there are more passes, it surely means that the exam is easier.
With students unhappy and teachers unhappy what does that tell us about the state of affairs?????
I have great doubts as to whether it is ethical changing exam boards half way through the year/course....
This is affecting staff morale, and student attendance.
Students are not happy with the dumbing down that is taking place. The rationale is that more passes will occur with the new board. If there are more passes, it surely means that the exam is easier.
With students unhappy and teachers unhappy what does that tell us about the state of affairs?????
Ocupational Health
The occupational health team have been down to ask us to fill out a questionaire about stress.
I was so stressed it took me ages to sort it out. In fact once I have filled it out I lost it!
It is interesting why they are there. The list that was read out about the type of person that gets more stressed that others reminded me of my line manager
I was so stressed it took me ages to sort it out. In fact once I have filled it out I lost it!
It is interesting why they are there. The list that was read out about the type of person that gets more stressed that others reminded me of my line manager
Endless Spam
It seems that there is a trail of spam in my work mail mailbox.
Most of it has been sent by administration systems and managers, who 'want this' and 'need that' by a certain date.
I spend time filtering out what is useless info.
If they want me they can come and find me.
I hate to be this way but it is the only way I can keep sane.
Most of it has been sent by administration systems and managers, who 'want this' and 'need that' by a certain date.
I spend time filtering out what is useless info.
If they want me they can come and find me.
I hate to be this way but it is the only way I can keep sane.
Had enough
AT least three people in the department have said that they have had enough!
This is after the departure of two colleagues recently.
Quote from GG " I have had enough, I'm leaving" Normally a chilled out, head down kind of colleague.
AH " As she was crying at her desk, shouted it's too stressful here. I can't take it anymore!"
KT " I don't know if I really want to do this job. There is so much paperwork"
A trainee teacher already considering exiting before the real task gets under way.
I myself have already made plans for my escape.
I dont know how I will do it....
but I really need to do something new.
These people are excellent workers. Skilled in language , numeracy and IT teaching.
They/we are being pushed out of the profession.
It reminds me that I am not a practicioner, but a technician. A glorified Administrator.... not something I signed up for!
This is after the departure of two colleagues recently.
Quote from GG " I have had enough, I'm leaving" Normally a chilled out, head down kind of colleague.
AH " As she was crying at her desk, shouted it's too stressful here. I can't take it anymore!"
KT " I don't know if I really want to do this job. There is so much paperwork"
A trainee teacher already considering exiting before the real task gets under way.
I myself have already made plans for my escape.
I dont know how I will do it....
but I really need to do something new.
These people are excellent workers. Skilled in language , numeracy and IT teaching.
They/we are being pushed out of the profession.
It reminds me that I am not a practicioner, but a technician. A glorified Administrator.... not something I signed up for!
Happy at Mayflower
Two collegaues have decided to leave the department an 'actually teach'
They have gone to a private language school, where they get less money. But they actually enjoy it there as they can teach. A novel idea in the realms we have been used to.
I am starting to wonder if all of this bureaucracy is healthy for me.
I am beginning to think not!
I keep feeling that it is time to do something different.
Although I really like my job..... the headache of the paperwork gets in the way.
I also want to be happy, but not at Mayflower.
They have gone to a private language school, where they get less money. But they actually enjoy it there as they can teach. A novel idea in the realms we have been used to.
I am starting to wonder if all of this bureaucracy is healthy for me.
I am beginning to think not!
I keep feeling that it is time to do something different.
Although I really like my job..... the headache of the paperwork gets in the way.
I also want to be happy, but not at Mayflower.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
TENSION
I decided finally that I needed to move out of the office upstairs. I no longer share with my line manager. I am not able to do my job and feed information to her constantly. I feel like I can breathe now! Her reaction was that she said she was going to miss me.
Although the students have noticed her reaction. PD said that he could see she was angry. I asked another colleague what it was like in the same office. She nearly started crying!
A further colleague has said that she feels management just fire off emails all day and expect orders to be carried out! Unfortunately lack of human contact has meant a more technocratic management style across the college.
Although the students have noticed her reaction. PD said that he could see she was angry. I asked another colleague what it was like in the same office. She nearly started crying!
A further colleague has said that she feels management just fire off emails all day and expect orders to be carried out! Unfortunately lack of human contact has meant a more technocratic management style across the college.
What makes a good leader?
I met a member of my admin team in my office by chance.
She declared that what makes a good manager does not always make a good leader.
She explained that our line manager tries to dumb down to the whole team. Making
everyone feel inadequate.
I cant help notice that a leader who has no faith in her workers, needs to assess the situation better. And that her only goal is achieving a grade 2 or higher for her section. Nothing about the well being of her team matters. This perception is echoed further up the hierarchy....
She declared that what makes a good manager does not always make a good leader.
She explained that our line manager tries to dumb down to the whole team. Making
everyone feel inadequate.
I cant help notice that a leader who has no faith in her workers, needs to assess the situation better. And that her only goal is achieving a grade 2 or higher for her section. Nothing about the well being of her team matters. This perception is echoed further up the hierarchy....
I want to give you a grade 1
So I was observed and managed to get my paperwork done (well lesson plan anyway) with a few minutes to spare. I actually had to have an extra hour to prepare for the ordeal.
I decided that my class profile and course planner should remain on the shared drive. As a member of the sustainability committee I feel that I should not needlessly print out sheets of paper that will only get looked at for a few seconds.
So during the observation I showed off a few of my tricks that I can so easily do. My line manager left the session smiling and the students were laughing and smiling, so I thought this must be a good thing.
During the feedback (which ironically was over the phone :) due to both of us being so busy with other stuff) I was told I had a grade 2 easily but that my line manager wanted to give me a grade 1. However it was because the rest of my paperwork was not there. I gave my reasons behind it. I was also quizzed on where my Individual Learner Plans were. The college and department want to use shared drives to store information and use electronic versions of ILPS, however they want to see paper based stuff wherever they can. I am sadened by the bizarreness of this bureaucracy. I have decided not to partake in it. I am not a technocrat! Unfortunately if the college wants all this paperwork they will have to free up my time more.
I decided that my class profile and course planner should remain on the shared drive. As a member of the sustainability committee I feel that I should not needlessly print out sheets of paper that will only get looked at for a few seconds.
So during the observation I showed off a few of my tricks that I can so easily do. My line manager left the session smiling and the students were laughing and smiling, so I thought this must be a good thing.
During the feedback (which ironically was over the phone :) due to both of us being so busy with other stuff) I was told I had a grade 2 easily but that my line manager wanted to give me a grade 1. However it was because the rest of my paperwork was not there. I gave my reasons behind it. I was also quizzed on where my Individual Learner Plans were. The college and department want to use shared drives to store information and use electronic versions of ILPS, however they want to see paper based stuff wherever they can. I am sadened by the bizarreness of this bureaucracy. I have decided not to partake in it. I am not a technocrat! Unfortunately if the college wants all this paperwork they will have to free up my time more.
Every student doesn't matter
The vice principal has pushed forward the initiative to deliver a new exam board half way through the year. It is supported by the management of the ESOL department.
The students are not happy. They have not been consulted and many of them have paid for their courses. In fact the students have decided to write letters of complaint to the principal. We will see if students really do matter! This shows that the students are not happy with the managemengt of their course.
The pressure is not on students, but on teachers to implement a new style of exam. Which requires extra paperwork, training and understanding of how the exam board works.
The morale from this decision is low. With two staff members handing in their notices in the past three weeks. Even the tutors KV who were reasonably happy earlier in the year are becoming crazy with the extra paperwork. Reams of it! It seems that it is a desperate state to drive up pass rates. Though I am sure that it will mean that the quality of the teaching will go down.
The students are not happy. They have not been consulted and many of them have paid for their courses. In fact the students have decided to write letters of complaint to the principal. We will see if students really do matter! This shows that the students are not happy with the managemengt of their course.
The pressure is not on students, but on teachers to implement a new style of exam. Which requires extra paperwork, training and understanding of how the exam board works.
The morale from this decision is low. With two staff members handing in their notices in the past three weeks. Even the tutors KV who were reasonably happy earlier in the year are becoming crazy with the extra paperwork. Reams of it! It seems that it is a desperate state to drive up pass rates. Though I am sure that it will mean that the quality of the teaching will go down.
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