Sorry John but it is not all down to being born to teach. However that is an excellent point you make if a teacher is finding it difficult they should move on or be moved on for their benefit and the childrens .Unfortunatly some do not accept they are not up to the job even when their associates point it out to them or other agencies . But I believe the torys have got it spot on with this idea.

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“The Conservative leader stated he wanted the highest qualified graduates to be teachers.”

why would you need a 1st class graduate from a top uni to teach at GCSE level? Teaching is more about communication, interaction, and inspiration than it is about academic facts and figures.
And lets face it, if you were a “top graduate” and could demand a £50k+ salary in the private sector would you go into teaching for £18k?

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I think I would dispute the notion that people need a degree at all to become a good teacher.

Unfortunately it seems to be the case that in order to even embark upon training to become a teacher, a degree is a prerequisite.

I have former colleagues from the IT industry who have looked for possible entry into the teaching profession, only to find that despite 20 years or more of experience in senior technical and managerial roles in business, they cannot make a start in a new career, whilst a recent graduate, with any sort of degree – even in an irrelevant ‘McSubject’ like the ubiquitous media studies can.

Surely 20 years of work in a real job is worth the equivalent of a ‘noddy’ degree!

Having interviewed and employed graduates in recent years I can assure you that the people I’m talking about without degrees can run rings around most of the shiny new graduates in terms of intellect, literacy, numeracy, communication skills and above all general knowledge.

Looking back to my own schooldays, I can recall that two of the best teachers I ever had were both without degrees – you need the right aptitude – degree or not.

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Ridiculous idea – you have to have a degree to be a good teacher? So all those people who just cannot afford to fund their education to the higher echelons don’t deserve the chance of a good career in teaching?

You can have all the qualifications you like but without life experience you cannot be a good teacher – kids can’t teach kids

I suppose the conservative leader thinks I should be packing boxes for minimum wage for a living because I didn’t go onto college or uni because I couldn’t afford to.

Blatent discrimination is what this statement portrays

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I am currently undertaking my teacher training and in order to be a teacher you need to have a degree. I think what Andrew Finch said is wrong. I think to be a teacher you have to be a specific type of person. Not everybody is suited to be a teacher, neither is everybody suited to work in business ,i know i am not. I agree that you shouldn’t need a degree to be a teacher, it is more about communication skills, innovation, creativity and inspiration. However, it is a requisite to have a degree in order to get QTS( qualified teacher status). In order to get a degree in primary education, which i am doing, you need to be dedicated to the profession. There were people who joined my course who were clearly not suited to teaching and they have nto lasted this far. The intensity of the course and dedication needed ensures that only those with a real passion for teaching qualify.

I am not sayin that certain people will not succeed. As a teacher i obviously believe strongly that people can be what they want to be, i am just stating that people are suited to different professions.

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To be fare eve affording second homes and holidays abroad is off topic and their private finances.

However I do object to those who are paid off early to go when they are seen as poor ,they do exist I have met them , although the NUT say no no we have none of those sort.

Yes they are protected a little better than others ie mass redundencies but that is luck.

Holidays are good however it is not all holidays thats a bit of a myth but they are good.
Pay and lets be honest here no it is not brilliant primary school teacher average pay but not good enough for the man of the house hence why we have so few male primary teachers and the jobs are left to women not bad for the second home income.

Most people who are selfemployed and have a decent business earn far more than a teacher all depends what they do. But I know of employees such factory workers , line managers on 39k plus , I knew selfemployed brickies who once commanded 1k a week , I know carpenters now on 35-45k a year etc etc , So it is a myth they the teachers are well paid however for what they they are asked to do they are paid a decent wage that is the issue.

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Eva
“I do not see the special position that these particular local government employees enjoy being down to luck personally”,
By this i mean local government employees are not made redundent as often as the private sector.

“I do not know of any skilled chippie who would earn that sort of money working the hours that teachers do”
I think you need to get out more i know three carpenters all one man bands running their own business and they all earn in excess of what you say is an excellent wage and all do around a 45 hour week.

“As for the average primary school teacher not earning enough for being the man of the house, 60% of famillies in the UK do not have a parent who earns enough for them to live off one income” Well this one is a tricky one I think you will find that comment doe’s fall flat the reason they cant live off one wage is they have children and refuse to cut their cloth , they still want one or two holidays abroad still want to change the car every few years, still want the top gadgets etc etc .Before starting our own business we as a family with 2 children lived off 15k a year for 7 years quite happily people used to ask us how we did it well it was haveing the same old banger of a car for all those years, one holiday in 7 years but many many day trips now the children are 7 and 12 circumatances have inproved so now we cut our cloth to fit our current life style.

“Line managers and factory workers have very little protection and certainly nothing compared to the NUT”
Agree on that one and they work very long hours for their pay but most in general are happy, TheY have the new cars few holidays abroad etc etc and a very good lifestyle.

My main gripe has never been how much they earn my view on that is they earn what they are paid.My gripe is with the NUT who protect poor teachers, teachers who cant do the job being paid off ie rewarded for faliure a british curse at the moment in many walks of life.
We have many good teachers we also have bad ones who need cutting out, the pay and conditions as far as i can see are about average but as i said primary school teachers are women for that reason the pay is poor.That is why attracting the best graduates will not work as basically the pay is not good enough and also when you start attracting the best graduates you get staff who will compete to the extreme and they will not suffer, fools,going through the motions type , whingers, sick notes, etc or any individual who will pull them down .The we will i am sure see bullying in the staff room a little more active than it is now.

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To be fare eve the facts with regards the teacher doing the minimum will be addressed in the next 2 years or so poor teachers etc will hopefully be moved on.
I hope moved on and not paid off with tax payers money. Lazy teachers know who they are they take the money and do not give one jot about anyone other than themselves. However to complain about holidays/bragging etc by the teacher is silly they have know more than most people in work. As you i have worked around and in schools,i have friends who are teachers and school heads they agree with me in private that it needs to be addressed those that protest to much are the ones with things and issues to hide and they know very well who they are.

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