to conclude...

there are too many PE teachers in guidance

what can be done sbout it now??

 Just discovered this thread which seems to have being going on for some time. Very emotive issues raised throughout. In agreement with a number of others, the question should be more about the skills and experience that PTPC (guidance teachers) can bring to the job and indeed if they fulfill any meaningful role in todays secondary schools, regardless of subject background.

In my school the PTPCs consist of six £45k members, with three of these having less than five years teaching experience in their subject. I was recently present at a training course for potential PTs and more than half of the 15 or so people there professed to be heading in the pastoral care direction. (Some openly stated that PT curricular was far too much hard work and that PTPC would take them out of the classroom!!) Most of the group had less than 6 years of teaching experience!

Pastoral Care is, to my mind, seen as an 'easy climb' by many young teachers, some of whom view it as a way out of the difficult enviroment of the classroom (I refer to the description given by one post of a typical PSE class 'Grange Hill' was mentioned! Perhaps due to the lack of classroom skills of the PSE teacher...)

There are of course the others who entered the Pastoral Care team for the right reasons - with sound teaching and life experience and the best interests of the pupils - not the bank balance - at heart and I applaud them for the support and direction they give both the pupils and in making my job at the chalkface a little easier - just as the job of PTPC should. However, this breed are becoming less and less present, in favour of the 'bright, young, popular things' who can talk all the right teacher-speak in interviews and are bezzy mates with the kids.

Incidentally, half of our SMT came through the Pastoral Care route as opposed to curricular route...

Off subject a wee bit, but

Sadowitz:

- arrange appointments/ mediate interviews/meetings etc

why don't they (PSE PTs- won't tell you what I think those initials stand for ) tell us mere subject teachers when Little Jessie has an appointment?

S5 girl told me today she had to go to a confidential appointment at 5 mins into the lesson- bang goes her prelim revision and bang goes lesson continuity -  but hey,it's confidential so can't be rescheduled, postponed or the importance of it (or not) debated.

morrisseyritual:

three out of eleven people that are worth their paygrade

funnyandfree:

jonowen:

Stop stirring -

bpff:

what can be done sbout it now

nothing!

Maybe they're better at talking and being matey than they are at writing stuff?

My husband is training to be a PE teacher and had to complete a 4 year undergrad and will be doing a PGDE so will be very experienced in "writing stuff" by the time he graduates.  Just because he may not necessarily have as much paperwork or written work to do as other teachers does not mean that his quality of writing will be any less good.  If you go through the qualifications and get the job, surely the examiners and people who hire you think your standard is good enough?! His degree is not only about sport and fitness but about nutrition and physical and emotional well being, which I think is why PE teachers are most likely to become guidance teachers. Although I do believe that anyone who posses the necessary qualities should become one. PE teachers just have the issues taught as part of their degree.