Last night I realised it's been about 3 months since I officially started hating my job. The drain of work is still nice and strong, sigh. Despite only being properly back for one day, and not even having to teach my own classes today (just team teach), it was still pretty hard to bear. Signs that I am slowly giving up the fight include a Y10 waving her phone in my face to deliberately wind me up, and me just ignoring her; a Y7 boy kissing his teeth at me, and me just ignoring him; the usual complaining and bitching in school, and me joining in; and, best of all for last, me fantasising about deliberately sabotaging my application for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) so that I can get out of my contract. What on earth has happened?
Assuming I just plod through these next 6 weeks to the summer, then come September I think I will be teaching 5 classes of maths, 18 periods a week. This isn't too bad I guess, but I don't really like teaching maths and now this is just more of it. Boooo. I am entirely jealous of the '05s - being the final straight is just so distant.
I don't think it helped that I read an article published by the Mathematical Association about problems recruiting and retaining maths teachers. In his 2004 report, Making Mathematics Count, Professor Adrian Smith estimated that the current shortfall in mathematics teachers is around 3500; that over 30% of those teaching maths had no post A-level qualification in the subject; that the turnover rate doubled between 1991 and 2001; and that a higher proportion of mathematics teachers are reaching retirement age in comparison with teachers of other subjects. Worrying signs for maths education.
Based on this report, researchers from the Institute of Education wondered if there was something specific in maths teaching that was causing the problem. So, between 2004 and 2005 they carried out interviews with a range current and former maths teachers (old teachers, young teachers, from all regions, holding all kinds of positions of responsibility, with varying degrees of teaching experience, and from a variety of backgrounds) to determine reasons for joining and staying in/leaving the profession.
Some key stats from the report include: that 50% of current Heads of Departments do not intend to continue in the role, and 33% intend to seek promotion outside of the department. Of the former maths teachers, 67% are now employed entirely outside of education. One-tenth of the sample of current teachers, and one-fifth of the sample of former teachers reported detrimental effects on their health caused by their jobs, in the forms of stress, anxiety or both.
Main reasons for joining the maths teaching profession: good at maths, had a maths degree, enthusiasm for or interest in maths, practical reasons (e.g. changing from PE teaching when older, availability of maths teaching posts, teaching following redundancy, dislike of current occupation, financial incentives to train), interaction with young people, being a role model, teachers in the family, stability/security/prospects.
Main reasons for leaving: excessive workload, inadequate facilities, lack of collegial support, admin tasks associated with teaching, conflicting responsibilities/overburdened with responsibilities, changes to the curriculum, negative attitudes toward the subject, high-stakes testing, pressure, whole-school issues such as SLT style and pupil behaviour.
The most common reason for staying in maths teaching concerned the enjoyment obtained from work. The second most common reason for staying concerned difficulties with changing careers. Aaaaaaaaargh, this does not bode well.
In other news, yesterday we had our last subject studies day, which is a pretty big hurdle. Next year we will have to teach 6 more days since we will have no subject studies days. We will also have to do cover. Grrr. Anyway, we went on a maths trail in the morning in Westminster - 3.5 hours of unsupervised time, excellent. The trail was reviewed, some new ideas for the four sections (roman numerals, shapes, numbers, calculations) were jotted down, and then the pub was swiftly found. A nice pint by the riverside in the middle of London on a sunny day - beautiful. After that we returned to our Tower Hamlets training venue and discussed WA4 (high expectations...hmmm), the return to Canterbury, resources and sessions for the '07s, and things we wished we had known at the start. Then a lady from NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics) turned up to chat to us about it and why we should join. This was a bit pointless - our tutor had already raved a fair bit about it, so why do more? Those who wanted to join, have by now, so no need to keep on at it. At one point the lady said something about "wearing two hats", which is our tutor's tag-line. This made me laugh out loud, I had to break into a fake cough to disguise it.
Well, that is enough rambling for now. I hope your jobs are more enjoyable :)
Assuming I just plod through these next 6 weeks to the summer, then come September I think I will be teaching 5 classes of maths, 18 periods a week. This isn't too bad I guess, but I don't really like teaching maths and now this is just more of it. Boooo. I am entirely jealous of the '05s - being the final straight is just so distant.
I don't think it helped that I read an article published by the Mathematical Association about problems recruiting and retaining maths teachers. In his 2004 report, Making Mathematics Count, Professor Adrian Smith estimated that the current shortfall in mathematics teachers is around 3500; that over 30% of those teaching maths had no post A-level qualification in the subject; that the turnover rate doubled between 1991 and 2001; and that a higher proportion of mathematics teachers are reaching retirement age in comparison with teachers of other subjects. Worrying signs for maths education.
Based on this report, researchers from the Institute of Education wondered if there was something specific in maths teaching that was causing the problem. So, between 2004 and 2005 they carried out interviews with a range current and former maths teachers (old teachers, young teachers, from all regions, holding all kinds of positions of responsibility, with varying degrees of teaching experience, and from a variety of backgrounds) to determine reasons for joining and staying in/leaving the profession.
Some key stats from the report include: that 50% of current Heads of Departments do not intend to continue in the role, and 33% intend to seek promotion outside of the department. Of the former maths teachers, 67% are now employed entirely outside of education. One-tenth of the sample of current teachers, and one-fifth of the sample of former teachers reported detrimental effects on their health caused by their jobs, in the forms of stress, anxiety or both.
Main reasons for joining the maths teaching profession: good at maths, had a maths degree, enthusiasm for or interest in maths, practical reasons (e.g. changing from PE teaching when older, availability of maths teaching posts, teaching following redundancy, dislike of current occupation, financial incentives to train), interaction with young people, being a role model, teachers in the family, stability/security/prospects.
Main reasons for leaving: excessive workload, inadequate facilities, lack of collegial support, admin tasks associated with teaching, conflicting responsibilities/overburdened with responsibilities, changes to the curriculum, negative attitudes toward the subject, high-stakes testing, pressure, whole-school issues such as SLT style and pupil behaviour.
The most common reason for staying in maths teaching concerned the enjoyment obtained from work. The second most common reason for staying concerned difficulties with changing careers. Aaaaaaaaargh, this does not bode well.
In other news, yesterday we had our last subject studies day, which is a pretty big hurdle. Next year we will have to teach 6 more days since we will have no subject studies days. We will also have to do cover. Grrr. Anyway, we went on a maths trail in the morning in Westminster - 3.5 hours of unsupervised time, excellent. The trail was reviewed, some new ideas for the four sections (roman numerals, shapes, numbers, calculations) were jotted down, and then the pub was swiftly found. A nice pint by the riverside in the middle of London on a sunny day - beautiful. After that we returned to our Tower Hamlets training venue and discussed WA4 (high expectations...hmmm), the return to Canterbury, resources and sessions for the '07s, and things we wished we had known at the start. Then a lady from NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics) turned up to chat to us about it and why we should join. This was a bit pointless - our tutor had already raved a fair bit about it, so why do more? Those who wanted to join, have by now, so no need to keep on at it. At one point the lady said something about "wearing two hats", which is our tutor's tag-line. This made me laugh out loud, I had to break into a fake cough to disguise it.
Well, that is enough rambling for now. I hope your jobs are more enjoyable :)
