It's no wonder that parents, pupils, and even teachers get confused. So many words for so many things. And really, no-one seems to know what they're talking about.
Take MEGs (Minimum Expected Grade) and VAGs (Value Added Grade) for example. After a 90 minute session, I still have only a very vague appreciation of these (mainly stemming from how funny it is to say MEGs and VAGs, MEGs and VAGs, MEGs and VAGs...hahahaha).
Back when I was at school, things were much more straightforward. I'm convinced that jargon is what is holding back the state sector. Get rid of all the hyperbranding and ridiculous terminology and just tell people what you really mean. It's not that hard.
On the plus side, I now have concrete proof I am gifted with diplomacy (and a huggggge ego, fair enough). I managed not to rise to the teeny tiny TF related provocations being thrown my way. It's weird, I never thought people would actually feel threatened by the TFTs, but clearly they are. Well, if trying to make us look stupid/attacking our training helps them feel better, I hope they keep on going.
Bonus points also for keeping my mouth shut instead of talking about things I didn't know about (school procedures on reporting and assessment...sure I don't know about them, but an Oxford education equals the gift of the blag...although in fairness I probably would never have been able to blag the MEGs and VAGs...still so funny!).
And finally, I learnt a lot today about how the WA's pupils "don't like change" so we should be prepared to be treated with suspicion. They will test the waters; test us out; not trust us until they know it's worth the risk. A PE teacher told me that when she came back after Christmas in her first year, her students were gobsmacked. "They're used to people leaving; they're used to being let down" she said. Attachment syndrome. School is the most stable thing in some of these kids' lives. Interesting.
Take MEGs (Minimum Expected Grade) and VAGs (Value Added Grade) for example. After a 90 minute session, I still have only a very vague appreciation of these (mainly stemming from how funny it is to say MEGs and VAGs, MEGs and VAGs, MEGs and VAGs...hahahaha).
Back when I was at school, things were much more straightforward. I'm convinced that jargon is what is holding back the state sector. Get rid of all the hyperbranding and ridiculous terminology and just tell people what you really mean. It's not that hard.
On the plus side, I now have concrete proof I am gifted with diplomacy (and a huggggge ego, fair enough). I managed not to rise to the teeny tiny TF related provocations being thrown my way. It's weird, I never thought people would actually feel threatened by the TFTs, but clearly they are. Well, if trying to make us look stupid/attacking our training helps them feel better, I hope they keep on going.
Bonus points also for keeping my mouth shut instead of talking about things I didn't know about (school procedures on reporting and assessment...sure I don't know about them, but an Oxford education equals the gift of the blag...although in fairness I probably would never have been able to blag the MEGs and VAGs...still so funny!).
And finally, I learnt a lot today about how the WA's pupils "don't like change" so we should be prepared to be treated with suspicion. They will test the waters; test us out; not trust us until they know it's worth the risk. A PE teacher told me that when she came back after Christmas in her first year, her students were gobsmacked. "They're used to people leaving; they're used to being let down" she said. Attachment syndrome. School is the most stable thing in some of these kids' lives. Interesting.
