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this is so depressing!!

Last post 09/02/12 at 00:50 by ilovesooty, 20 replies
Post started by fanfouette on 30/01/12 at 18:25

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  • fanfouette avatar
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    Posted by: fanfouette 30/01/2012 at 18:25
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     Hi everyone,

     I am new to this so sorry if the 'topic' already occured before.! I obtained my PGCE at a master's level in French last June and am supposed to be in my first year, doing my induction year. Today, after more than don't know how many application forms, few interviews only, no supply work and lot of bad luck (laptop problems, viruses, fraud...) I am starting to feel really really really down and it is getting worse and worse.I then started to look at these forums on th TES and realised I was not the only one in this situation and..sorry about that but it feels good to think I am not the only one, it is not necessarily my application forms or my lette, the problem is not me.! I hope this will help feeling better just to share feelings and different experiences. 

    Without being too pretentious, I know I am a good teacher and just love this job. This is what I want. Tutors from Uni and mentors from school placements saw me teaching and keep saying I am a strong candidate and a good teacher but at this time you really start to wonder whether this is right or not! Why don't I get a job if I am so good??? not even a day of supply work?? This is so depressing! I try to keep positive and obviously keep applying but sometimes I just think this is just a waist of time. I am about to give but then...to do what?! I love teaching same as you!! why can't we give us our chance! 

  • stuart dann avatar
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    Posted by: stuart dann 30/01/2012 at 18:33
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    Once you have your legs under the table, you too can take a year off to have a baby, come back and go off and come back and go off and come back and go off, if you like. You can be totally crap at the job and as long as you don't irritate someone important and make them feel good about themselves so they don't performance manage yo' ass, you can be uninspiring, underachiving, slack off as much as you like, give them all B's with your marking, set supply work on paper so that when you pull one of your numerous sickies, you don't have to worry about extra marking. You can swing the lead and take the p!ss and there is very little they can do unless you hit or shag a kid.

    The problem is that the duty of care for the staff member comes before that of the students learning.

    I remember a science teacher called Dale who was in Plimurf. Bloody good bloke, really good attitude, brilliant in the classroom, thorough, dilligent, polite, fun, ambitious. I remember him worried sick about what he was going to do when his year contract was up. I also remember those who were totally incapable, but had their feet in a permanent contract.

  • spool avatar
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    Posted by: spool 31/01/2012 at 14:40
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    fanfouette:
    I obtained my PGCE at a master's level in French last June
    Which part of the country are you in? You should be OK with French, mfl in the UK seems to equal French!

    fanfouette:
    am supposed to be in my first year, doing my induction year.
    Well, you'll find that for some people it takes 3-5 years before they find a post where they can do induction, so the fact the you have not got one since June is nothing unusual.
  • rebeccafound avatar
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    Posted by: rebeccafound 31/01/2012 at 21:44
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    gosh yes why is it the incapable, loud people are sometimes always in a good job and are rubbish at actually doing the job for the right reasons, because they love teaching children/managing a school???? I know them folk too.
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    Posted by: rebeccafound 31/01/2012 at 21:45
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    sometimes Fan, you can be something called 'too good' for heads, schools etc. you will get there, good luck
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    Posted by: 576 01/02/2012 at 14:42
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    fanfouette:

     , it is not necessarily my application forms or my lette, the problem is not me.! I hope this will help feeling better just to share feelings and different experiences. 

    Without being too pretentious, I know I am a good teacher and just love this job. This is what I want. Tutors from Uni and mentors from school placements saw me teaching and keep saying I am a strong candidate and a good teacher but at this time you really start to wonder whether this is right or not! Why don't I get a job if I am so good??? not even a day of supply work?? This is so depressing! I try to keep positive and obviously keep applying but sometimes I just think this is just a waist of time. I am about to give but then...to do what?! I love teaching same as you!! why can't we give us our chance! 

     

    Your situation sucks.

    However - hopefully you will find this constructive.

    If the standard of spelling / quality of English in your post matches that of your applications - then possibly they are the problem.

    And if you're applying and not even getting interviews then the problem is likely to be in either your application or your references.

    You don't want to sound pretentious - but you over-confidence can come across as cockiness.

    You may be good - but good for an NQT is not necessarily the same as good for someone who's been teaching a decade or so - and the harsh reality is that at the moment the market is flooded - and you will be applying for the same jobs as people who have been teaching for some time - who can be given a full timetable - who can take on extra responsibility in the dept / school and who have a proven track record with exam results etc.

    You should keep applying - but ensure your applications are faultless, are tailored to the school and remembered that finding any jobs anywhere right now is hard.
  • jamespeach avatar
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    Posted by: jamespeach 01/02/2012 at 18:27
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    but you over-confidence

     and remembered that finding

    Hmmmm Surprised
  • pedigree avatar
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    Posted by: pedigree 01/02/2012 at 21:17
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    stuart dann:
    I remember a science teacher called Dale who was in Plimurf. Bloody good bloke, really good attitude, brilliant in the classroom, thorough, dilligent, polite, fun, ambitious. I remember him worried sick about what he was going to do when his year contract was up. I also remember those who were totally incapable, but had their feet in a permanent contract.

     

    Life is so unfair!
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    Posted by: 576 01/02/2012 at 22:30
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    pedigree:

    stuart dann:
    I remember a science teacher called Dale who was in Plimurf. Bloody good bloke, really good attitude, brilliant in the classroom, thorough, dilligent, polite, fun, ambitious. I remember him worried sick about what he was going to do when his year contract was up. I also remember those who were totally incapable, but had their feet in a permanent contract.

     

    Life is so unfair!

    But what makes you think that this person's perception of one teacher's competence is accurate. Unless you're their line manager with access to observations, exam results etc then you're not in a position to judge.
  • stuart dann avatar
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    Posted by: stuart dann 02/02/2012 at 10:26
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    I've had a peruse of a stats, as I am nosey. I'm not prepared to talk about the above situation specifically, as that would be very unprofessional... given some may put two and two together. However, I have been in various departments where differences in performance are glossed over with the usual excuses. "All classes are different" "Some staff excel in various areas and are wanting in others". Excuse, excuse, excuse.

    Some people in permanent positions are crap. Nothing more than that and the students would enjoy it more, do well, thrive on many levels if they were taught be someone more able on all levels.

    It's a combination of human nature and legalese getting in the way of the best job being done. I suppose it's their uman rahts.

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