Greenie definitely a pot stirer, so we wont bite..

- Be curious to know what most of you (as parents) feel about teachers after attending a parent/teacher interview evening. Do you come away feeling confident that your child is in capable hands, or come away scepticle???

I guess English wasn't a strong subject of yours Mr Jman

poor relative said...

I guess English wasn't a strong subject of yours Mr Jman

Ok Im bad at spelling I got some red thumbs, what did I say that was worth red thumbing.

anyway, pay government and union workers truckloads and give them heaps of entitlements and leave because they are the poor suckers stuck on the conveyor belt of job despair and boredom and having work rivals trying to climb over them.
day after day after day after day after day..............
"striking" one day of exitement! yay.

it's like being married really!

surfinchick said...

Curriculum documents are provided for you. You just have to come up with a few lesson plans and update them a tad each year. No wonder so many teachers stagnate.

Oh ouch. The curriculum documents are provided for you, they are called 'Essential Learnings' and are in the range of 'by the end of year 3', 'by the end of year 5', 'by the end of year 7' etc., so not only is there two YEARS worth of concepts for each KLA covered in each document, but it has to be planned what year level will coverer which area and when; so it is not repeated too often and just revised.

I'm sorry, but your idea of "coming up with a few lesson plans and updating them each year" in no way supports a teachers ethos on how to successfully plan for each year; remembering that each class is diverse, with different teaching strategies, students learning styles and goals. I am a little offended that you (if not a few others) think that as teachers, we use last years unit plans and just 'tweak' them each year.

Attached below is a Maths plan I created for my year 7s last year for teaching and handed in as an assignment once I taught the unit. Not one part of that was 'tweaked' from someone else and took more than several days and hours to complete; let alone worksheets that I CREATED and not photocopied from a book which are not attached. The plan contains not only successful strategies taught in uni, but refers to Bookers (2004), Norton and Nisbets mathematical texts to suppose my planning.

http://www.megafileupload.com/en/file/104095/Maths---Yr-7-docx.html
Click on link (wait 30 secs) and click download file now

I understand what you mean by you loosing a days pay because you have to look after your children, but I suppose the strike is done with the purpose of making an impact on the greatest number of people.

surfinchick said...

Mark _australia said...


Teachers: I'm told the most a teacher can earn in WA is $60K (unless they go to admin at head office and they can't all do that). Now what other occupation requires 4yrs at uni, then pays 60K after 15 yrs at the coal face?

Well geez...it's not rocket science!!!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Ever tried to keep 30 or so kids in line? Nup.. didn't think so. There is no need to advertise your ignorance.. Back inya box SC!

One of the more bizarre aspects of teaching (here in WA anyway) is the lottery they go into each year for a placement. There appears to be little in the way of logic, and more a blindfolded bingo game effect, on the schools/classes/positions the teachers are eventually placed in. Every year would p!ss me off.

Hey to those that wonder about completeing a uni degree to end up on checkout chick wages? Come work in the broadcasting industry. Thge wages are shizzle for a specialised industry and getting worse daily. Oh well - at least I enjoy my job (one powerball and..)

surfinchick said...

Liz, I'm not about to read your maths document, I don't feel it is necessary.
What concerns me is the amount of time and effort teachers put in to develop these resources, when it's all been done before. How many hundreads of 7th grade maths teachers have done exactly the same thing.
In my experience with both secondary and primary teachers, there is very little information sharing and moderation of delivery and assessment materials, which would certainly save a lot of reinventing the wheel and the poor time management which results in sitting up late at night marking assignments.
Once you've been in the system long enough you will realise that it doesn't really matter what you call your documents. Yes they evolve over time, but the basic concepts remain the same.
Work smarter, not harder, and do some 'tweaking'..


So you want mass production with no individual input? Odd??





Funky, the fact that a teacher needs to "keep the kids in line" is testament to long term failing behaviour management strategies in the schools. But how do you reform an incompetent bureaucracy? The lottery you describe is the result of a bumbling government department.

Actually I think it is a pretty common mistake you have made to blame the school/teachers for a child's behaviour. In my experience bad behaviour starts at home and is usually less tolerated at school. It is truly amazing how many excuses for parents blame the school but don't look at their own behaviour or the messages they give their kids. WAKE UP BOGUN/IDIOT PARENTS! You can whack/cane etc etc a kid as many times as you like but if the kn idiot parents have instilled bad vlaues and behaviour then you are pushing sh!theads up hill.

The fact is kids have mega attitude and they are a bloody handful to deal with. Ha ha - I was ready to throttle a couple of squids, umpiring a 'fun' footy game on the weekend with a dozen 8yr olds. No way would I let my kids talk/give attitude to an adult the way a few of these lovely little sh!ts did. Pain-n-the-butt-too-much-hair-product-bogun-smart@rses. [}:)] Hope they enjoyed sitting out whilst the other kids kicked on.

As for the lottery - it is just another of the more hidden unsavoury aspects of the job. Most people lose interest (I'm not about to read your maths document, I don't feel it is necessary)after pointing out the number of holidays teachs get. Yep - wouldn't we all love that part. I think we can at least all agree on that.

Trust me... my maths plan is worth the read; might make you realize I'm not the idiotic 22 y/o 'beginning teacher' some on here seem to think I am.

surfinchick said...

What concerns me is the amount of time and effort teachers put in to develop these resources, when it's all been done before. How many hundreads of 7th grade maths teachers have done exactly the same thing.

That is not the point!!! The point is that even if you use the same document with the same 'targets', the 10 week term plan is completely changed each year, and the assessment pieces and rubrics revised and changed to meet the current students needs.

surfinchick said...

In my experience with both secondary and primary teachers, there is very little information sharing and moderation of delivery and assessment materials, which would certainly save a lot of reinventing the wheel and the poor time management which results in sitting up late at night marking assignments.

You do realize that:

• A 30minute campus meeting every Friday morning


• A fortnightly whole campus/ individual campus meeting that goes for an hour Wednesday afternoons


• A 2 hour fortnightly meeting on Tuesday afternoons with your Year Level Teachers


• Weekly on Thursday afternoon the Mathematics Team meets for 2 hours


• Ohh yeah AND my 1.5 hour "beginning teacher induction" once a month on a Monday.


• Ohh yeh and I COACH Jnr and Snr Boys soccer Wed mornings 7:30-8:30

So sorry... *@^# your "very little information sharing and moderation"... PLUS the hours of QCAT marking, moderation and final moderation meeting.

I'm with Ian re: behaviour and a lot of it stemming from home. I can assure you that my severe behaviour problems at the beginning of the year, with a specifically noisy and poorly behaved class, are now the most respectful, well behaved students due to me setting in place routine, behaviour rewards, positive feedback, student support etc. You have to actually see it; to see how far teachers bring a class...

It just frustrates me how little parents are either told about what teachers do or what their children do at school!!!!
There's a reason I e-mail my kids parents weekly with their homework grids, the weeks events, what is coming up; otherwise some parents will never know!

2 cents worth:
I am astounded that some people believe that the average teacher’s wage is enough, especially when they are happy to pay a plumber or mechanic $100 per hour (no offence to you plumbers or mechanics, not having a go at you). Teaching is a complex job requiring unique abilities.

On a slight aside, I am also disappointed that secondary teachers are able to go from being a high school student, directly to university, and then be a qualified teacher. (Elizabeth, this is not an attack on you and I wish you a long and successful career). Surely students deserve the benefit of teachers with ‘real world’ experience. Of course for education to attract quality people who have worked in industry, the wages must increase dramatically. Whilst the pay is so much better in industry, why would you restrict yourself to the government education system? Problem is, the students end up with teachers at risk of being out of touch with industry and workplace needs.

Ok, by the time I finished writing that, inflation has kicked in and it ended up being 3.82 cents, I will round that to 5 cents due to the limitations of the Australian currency. Where do I pay the 5 cents though?

Cal said...

On a slight aside, I am also disappointed that secondary teachers are able to go from being a high school student, directly to university, and then be a qualified teacher. (Elizabeth, this is not an attack on you and I wish you a long and successful career). Surely students deserve the benefit of teachers with ‘real world’ experience.

Cal, I completely respect your opinion and do believe that those 'mature aged' teachers, or those who are at least 26 have far more 'real world experience' over myself.

However, I think one way to adjust who can enter into the teaching profession is to reduce the OP intake from around 10-14 to about 5/6 at the absolute worst. I find that technology education (manual arts/ graphics) students can enter into the degree at the age of say 17 (straight after high school) with an OP 14 (I nearly died when I found this out).

At least restricting those with OPs above a 5 is a better way to go. Thoughts?

getfunky said...


If you really want a private school for your kids - then pay for it (or at least the majority of it). Don't expect taxpayers to foot 60-70% of the running costs of elite schools with far better facilities etc than state schools. Bah humbug! (he says diving for cover).

Don't make the mistake of thinking that all private schools are elite schools.

First up Liz I'm right behind our teachers getting a fair pay, I can't believe people don't want to pay a decent wage to get the best teachers by attracting people with the smarts.

Funky I've been nodding my head all the way with you until the private school comment The way I look at it the money the Gov chucks into the private system is the same money they would have spent educating my boy in the public system. As for my family, I had a very sad boy who hated going to (public) high school because of some of the AHole's you referred to who were making life hell for him. He's not going to a fancy expensive private school and for a single income family I really appreciate the Gov contributing to his education the same as they do (should) for all kids.

Just my 2c and sorry if off topic.

Fair enough Bob and Cranky. I was generalising.

FYI I went to both public and (very low down the list) private. My experience was similar to your boy's and it was a good move leaving that school in general.

It was the elite level private schools i was thinking of. At the end of my street is one of Perf's most elite schools - the kind where money is not an object. It irrits me that taxpayers foot a large % of the running costs so these snooty dweebs can have the rolls royce of everything (ie the joint has possibly the best music auditorium in the state - not just schools I mean the whole state).

BTW I am not saying there should not be some taxpayers $$ go to privvies but covering 60% (on average) of the bills is too much i reckon. More public funds should be going to public schools so that better facilities/teachers/standards can be realised in the public sector - thereby reducing the need for private schools.

Anyhoo - whatever school you do send your kids too (even in sh!tty areas like the one I went to) they should be entitled to a decent, healthy education and comparable facilities. End of sermon.

Not a bad idea - not fool proof though as quite a few self employed can show little or no income. Win/win mostly though.

I will never forget Alan Bond's daughter (prior to his downfall) getting Austudy the year I was knocked back because both my parents worked!? WTF?! They weren't both working to buy an extra case of Moet!!??



BTW - your idea seems to be the work of pinko-lesbo-communists who probably enjoy kiddy p0rn and peddle pharmacuticals!! (just prepping you for the flack that usually follows decent ideas)



FOR THOSE THAT CAME LATE: (howdy Pat)

Liz - how did you go with the strike? Any outcome or just fobbed off with govt. rhetoric again?

elizabethb said...

getfunky said...

FOR THOSE THAT CAME LATE: (howdy Pat)

Liz - how did you go with the strike? Any outcome or just fobbed off with govt. rhetoric again?

Ahhh Ian... yadda yadda yadda something about it not working... yadda about striking again if it doesn't happen.

Although, I loved the statistic of 1 teacher for ever 1.1 students who were at school on Tuesday HAHA

I had my first pressured interview/ discussion with Ed Qld's employment people today so I have an idea if I will be at the same school/ year level next year or not! Ahh uncertainty is great

1 teacher for ever 1.1 students thats funny because in our school theres 1400 kids and on the strike the was going to be 12 teachers and only 6 kids turned up so thats 2 teachers for ever 1 student

p.s. i wasnt one of them