Waaay more behavioural problems... country kids are just very different as well, I found it challenging the relate to city kids especially from multi cultural schools where we have a lot less in common.
Secondary Thinking about becoming a teacher
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A lot go into their family business but not many at all take over the farm, which is funny because they are so expensive now you basically have to be born into it to be one now.
Dogs_R_Us
Space Traveller
This restores your faith
Look at this post on Facebook 'It's magical': This musical with 87 Australian children was rehearsed almost entirely online
Look at this post on Facebook 'It's magical': This musical with 87 Australian children was rehearsed almost entirely online
Yep. This year I had grade 3/4:
5 kids with severe trauma and behaviour issues
1 living in out of home care due to domestic issues
3 non funded asd kids.
Trying to split them into 2 classes next year was a headache. Trying to juggle behavioural issues coming up from the class below and sorting the grade 4 kids to go into grade 5 with the grade 6 behaviours.
We also dont have the resources and rely on good faith of parents with fundraising. Next year we are focusing on trying to fix our heritage school building which is in dire need of repairs.
What happened lol?
Ive only been rural for 6 months.
Funding is drastically needed for resources like digital technology. We have no $$$ due to paying for repairs and utility bills. Classrooms are putrid as our cleaner is useless.
Dogs_R_Us
Space Traveller
My niece is transferring to another school next year after the year from hell in her Prep class. Fifteen kids all up but one of them had severe problems which manifested in violent outbursts towards herself and the other kids. My niece took the brunt of it, being kicked, punched in the chest, hair pulled and so forth. There was a support aide who only came 3 days a week for limited hours. The Head filed the incident reports in the bin.
Disgusting. My behavioural student has put teachers on work cover with 1 losing feeling in her hand and still hasnt got it back..
Parents refuse to acknowledge it and says we are paid to deal with it.
Forward Press
Hall of Famer
One of the most accurate posts I've read on here.
It's a slog in the beginning (aren't most jobs?) but once you've put a few years into the system you know what is important and what is not. I also am often out the door within half an hour of school finishing and do minimal work during the holidays - but this wasn't the case in the first few years. Underpaid and overworked in the first two years as a graduate teacher, in particular. Graduate teachers still are imo, although that is changing.
There is an increasing proportion of turd kids - it's probably a reflection of turd parents tbh. However, some of the sweetest and loveliest kids I had came from dysfunctional backgrounds. As always, it highly depends on the socio-economic area and how education is valued within their families but that's not always the case. Building a relationship with the kids is the best way to manage them imo.
For those thinking about it - please for the love of god (or whatever deity you worship, if any) do NOT enter the profession if you see it as a cruisy pay-cheque and only barely tolerate kids. We already have enough of those in the system.
Yep. Too many of these that are only in it for the holidays and pay cheque.
Forward Press
Hall of Famer
Been guilty of 'phoning it in' more than a few times - who hasn't over a long career - but when you consistently lose the energy in the morning and even the good kids react negatively to your classes it's time to reassess. Yeah, shitty kids will always think you're crap or moan when you ask them to do things, but when the decent kids are struggling with engagement then maybe you should move on.
I have nfi when it comes to the latest TikTok trends and don't even ask me what you can buy with V-Bucks on Fortnite or what a Doja Cat is - but at least make some attempt to build a rapport with the kids you teach. They do genuinely appreciate a learning environment where they feel understood and supported by the adults.
Maybe it's where I teach as well, but by and large I think today's kids generally have their heads on right (they barely bat an eye when a peer comes out of the closet, for example) and it's really not that much worse than when I was in high school. We're just blinded by nostalgia and forgot that there were plenty of f***ed up things back then too. However, I do agree there seems to be proportionally more prospective dickheads and bitches - but again, maybe that's nostalgia too.
Anyway, that probably went on for too long. Onwards to being bored for the next six weeks...
I think kids these days generally are very tolerant of any classmates that are different to them, it's fantastic really and it definitely wasn't like that when I was growing up. This is where there is a lot of 'bad' students as well.
What's 'phoning it in'?
I agree to some extent but to say move on if decent kids struggle with engagement is a bit far fetched. If you have a class of 23 it's hard to engage all.
IMO I think its time to move on to other schools when you feel like you're part of the furniture. At my school we have staff that are 20+ years there. Some were students there and now teach there (have never been anywhere else).
Maybe leave the profession if don't find excitement and joy in what you do.
I love seeing the students eyes light up when they learn something new. Yes I can be known as the grumpy or tough teacher, but its because I demand high expectations of my students and good manners.
- line up outside in 2 lines
- come to the floor quietly
- writing is silent time (there is always discussion time allocated in explicit/whole class discussion)
- if expectations are explicitly stated, they must be followed
- clean up after ourselves.
I have 4 class rules:
- We show resilience and persistence
- Care for our ourselves and focus on us
- Show respect to our teachers and peers
- Keep our classroom, property and school tidy.
For sure. I have seen some very great interactions with these types of students.
In regards to 'bad' students. Many are those with some form of trauma or don't have those types of parents who have shown them how to behave and show gratitude, Empathy and kindness or Mindfulness at home. That's why programs like The Resilience Project is so important.
Also why Respectful Relationships programs need to be implemented correctly and followed up.
Sadly if it's not being instilled at home and much more difficult to try and do at school as students need to know how to 'flip the switch' to what show what is acceptable at home and what isn't when out in public or with other people.
Shell
Premium Platinum
Same. Or just having a really interesting discussion with them about something completely off topic idk, like a kid who wants to be a pilot, so talking planes and sharing that my brother is a pilot. Or any events in history (recall basically explaining 9/11 to some students who'd never heard of it before). Or their plans for the future.
Sometimes it's not always about the classroom work. (altho I do keep in mind not to be too distracting)
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How is everyone's start to the year going now we are around 5 weeks in
Dogs_R_Us
Space Traveller
Any comments, teachers?
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’
todayspaper.theaustralian.com.au
Secondary here so can't comment on the suspensions at a primary level (although I do struggle to get my head around suspending a prep student). We've had students suspended over the past few years, but they are all related to physical violence (or threats of) towards others. They are suspended due to safety concerns for other students.Any comments, teachers?
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’todayspaper.theaustralian.com.au
What is the solution? We either get looked at negatively for suspending a student and restricting their right to an education for 1 to 2 days (most common suspension length at my workplace), or we're negligent because we didn't do enough to prevent a student getting attacked. It's lose/lose.
I reckon properly funding alternative contexts is an important piece of the puzzle. Tafes, more hands-on learning environments for secondary-aged students with clear pathways into the workforce. More hybrid services with the capacity to make connections between home and school when mental health or socioeconomic disadvantage is a contributing factor to not fitting with mainstream (Navigator is a great investment, as are tutoring programs - maybe this is Vic only, I dunno).
I've heard enough stories about youth detention schools to know that youth justice / detention environments are terrible places in general, let alone for learning. No good way to do it by that point. A lot of interventions need to come in the earlier sectors.
I think folks working in all contexts here would agree that mainstream schools are asked to do too many things, be everything for everybody
Wormkilla
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Teachers, like everyone else, have a right to safe workplace.Any comments, teachers?
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’todayspaper.theaustralian.com.au
I've had prep students suspended.
One was suspended 16 times in a semester. We had a lot of intervention go in before suspension such as reduced times at school, alternative program etc. Even the Cheshire Behaviour school who would have taken one on a full scholarship but parents said no as it was too far to travel.
All suspensions have been due to physical violence and threatening behaviour that resulted in lockdown.
One teacher was bitten so bad they have permanent teeth marks and nerve damage.
Agree to this.
By saying parents can challenge, it is showing that the department care less for teachers.
Dont get me started on the amount of EduSafe stuff that never get investigated or looked at by the department.
I know or Prins who have come and gone and never looked at the claims. Just close the cases as "completed".
At my previous school I was spat on, scratched and kicked at by an unruly student. Logged and took photos to upload on Edusafe. Not once looked at by leadership or someone from the department.
I guess I now can get my head around the suspension of a prep student. What a horrible situation.
Wormkilla
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Someone close to me was attacked by a student recently with a cricket bat, along with several other staff members. The school is petrified of this kid returning now - students and staff. But they are being forced to have him back at school.
It's literally less of a burden for the department to deal with resignations from principals and staff than for them to go through the bureaucratic hoops to have the kid expelled. And they take the path of least resistance.
Its an absolute farce.
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Any comments, teachers?
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’
SCHOOLS ‘BREACH HUMAN RIGHTS BY KICKING OUT KIDS’todayspaper.theaustralian.com.au
My opinion is make the parents home school the violent and disruptive kids. Their individual right for an education doesnt trump the right for the other 25 kids to get an education or for the teacher to work in a safe environment.
We waste so much time, energy and money on the 1% who we all deep down know wont end up achieving and end up costing the 99% who may.
Public education system prevents this as every kid has the right to learn.
I have 5 tier 3 kids:
1 High behaviour
2 working 18months below with learning disorders
1 severely disruptive and behavioural
1 very low academic (parents wont assess but I reckon ID).
These kids take most of my time and I am only funded for my high behaviour. When he goes home at midday, I have no one.
