003 - PCET: What’s wrong with our sector?

This post forms part of something larger that I've been scribbling away at over the last few months..


To the powers that be,

Before you read and ultimately consign the following article to the cylindrical ‘filing cabinet’ under your desk, consider that this is (albeit granted an opinion), an opinion garnered from months of careful consideration and much conversation with various other teachers of both little and much experience alike from a variety of teaching institutions.

Allow me first to introduce myself. I am a trainee teacher of 22 years of age. My subject specialism is Psychology (which has been significantly valuable in assisting my teaching methods and approach to students, given that I look younger than some of them..) I am now fast approaching the end of my PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training, and figured that at such a concluding point of the academic year now would be a valuable opportunity to commit to writing one of the long running debates I have grappled with over the duration of what has been one of the most eye-opening years of my somewhat short existence.

It would be hardly a sweeping or controversial statement to say that our sector is at least to some extent led and ruled by the influence, targets and fear-inducing power that is OfSTED. The inspection results from each of their reports can massively influence the next few years of an institution’s existence, from funding to reputation, to marketing and curriculum design, and ultimately staff and student numbers. Though it isn’t to say that OfSTED are single-handedly to blame, such an environment has almost inevitably born out a culture of Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement, which leads me to the main point of my argument. As a sector, we define our success or failure in these areas by the reams of forest-munching paperwork that aims to tick all the relevant boxes to provide adequate proof that we have done all in our almighty power available to ensure that our job has been completed to its best. The main focus of my main argument, is that do we now concentrate so heavily on the statistics and marketing and QA/QI due to the pressures of our organisations and ultimately wider pressures that the paperwork begins to detract from the teaching itself, putting our students ultimately at greater risk of becoming one of the aforementioned statistics?

Now I have no qualms about admitting that such bureaucracy has to some extent at least played a pivotal role in improving the quality of my teaching. For instance had I not planned all my lessons on lesson plans, written schemes of work and involved myself in the deeper runnings of the institution in which I am placed, I have little doubt that I would have shown little if any progress from the moment I began my PCET course in September last year. Completing the necessary evil that is the ever growing mountain of paperwork has undoubtedly provided me with both the time and space to consider all elements of my teaching practice such as variation of methods and teaching strategies, safeguarding procedures, differentiated and personalised learning and so forth. This coupled with the mandatory lesson observations I have undertaken have significantly aided my development. However I also have equal as little doubt as to the issue that such quality assurance and quality improvement paperwork (which requires alterations per different group of students taught), along with other ever-growing tick-box strategies now lie in such a great volume that they are beginning to cause harm to the teaching quality that they set out to protect. I find myself perched in the staffroom of my institution not only debating how to separate the fast dwindling amount of time I have to work on my teaching strategies and create a solid and interesting lesson whilst completing all the necessary admin, but hearing such an argument being played out by my colleagues around me as if it were a perfect echo. I can only repeatedly feel a sense of disappointment to see the majority (myself included) as a result of the previously mentioned pressures eventually consign themselves to the paperwork as opposed to the Teaching and Learning strategies that would ultimately improve the Quality such forms place great importance on. It isn't helping either that the University teacher training courses like the one I am currently undertaking are doing little more than 'adhering to the rules' and perpetuating this issue by reinforcing the importance of a heavily tick-box orientated approach (bar one or two honest moments from lecturers and members of staff when such a debate as this arises). Our observations for example can only score highly if we take the time to clearly highlight various issues which may have been recorded elsewhere, but not on University paperwork. This isn't to say that I view my university or college institutions personally in a negative light, more that I'm more and more beginning to recognise the pressure they feel in turn from powers of higher being to 'prove their worth'.

I don't know where I'm going with this.. Chances are this argument could diverge down several paths highlighting several areas I've ever become disillusioned, confused or surprised by whilst undertaking my PGCE, though I stand by my points. Our sector needs to take a good look at itself, before the measures and snowballing bureaucracy we employ to ensure quality actually end up causing us more harm than good.

'Despondent yet with a vision of clarity'
Sandlefish


EDIT: I'm also promising something non-teaching related for my next post..

001 - The Blind Leading The Blind..

OK, so here's the deal. What you're about to read is nothing short of a pointless and at most points rant-esque brain-fart designed solely with the intention of keeping me away from my uni work for a little while.

It's probably fair to say that I've not exactly felt constructive today, to be honest even my most avid attempts at uni work and lesson planning make George W Bush look like a candidate for Mensa. So far today I've found myself distracted more times than Tiger Woods at an Ann Summers do. I've taken an extra long shower (though living in Bury that's almost a daily necessity), played GTA4, lounged around a bit then taken the single longest lunch break since the creation of builders.

So why can't I just crack on like a good student and finish my damn work? Well, it's been half-term this week and everyone knows that half-term is both a blessing and a well disguised curse. It has been nothing short of awesome to get to spend some time relaxing, visit my girlfriend down in the Forest of Birmingham (Shropshire), and hook up with my bandmates, without worrying about the ever growing mountain of paperwork just sitting on my 'desk' at home. (I say desk, it's more like a corner unit.. OK, it's the floor). However, this past week has also reminded me of just what I've been missing out on the past few months. For sure, I didn't get onto the course I'm doing now by slacking and I've definitely no aversion to putting in some hard graft when it's called for, but just how many times must I write the same thing in different assignments or tick the same boxes on a lesson plan form just for the sake of some Stasi-esque drone with a slightly unhealthy obsession for precision-filing..

I'm a student teacher (Note to self: Write blog properly next time), which is widely regarded as being one of the most difficult years of a teaching career. First of all, you walk in knowing virtually nothing about the profession or journey on which you are about to embark. Second, for each lesson you have to go out and find/edit/tweak/re-find/re-edit/re-tweak any resources/handouts etc you want to use whereas in future years you will have built up a good collection. Thirdly, and possibly the most frustratingly is that this year's success relies heavily on the successful communication between your university of choice and the placement in which you are situated, to ensure that both sides know the deal and can guide you through the year.

Now Step 1 and 2 are what you walk in and expect, because let's face it, there's no free ride in life. That much I can accept, so I got into this year knowing for sure that this was gonna be a hard 12 months or so. However, what I didn't expect is the total lack of communication between my uni and my placement. It's like the two are completely oblivious to each other's existence. My uni only provided training for my mentor the evening before my first observation (which my uni tutor turned up late to, though that's another story) as they neglected to email the previous training dates to him until AFTER the date had passed...for reasons that I'm sure are very valid), my placement only found out I was staying for the rest of the year the last day before half term, I'm STILL waiting on feedback from my last observation to be posted to me so I can complete my assignment for the ever looming deadline (the tutor concerned has now stopped replying to my emails asking...OK telling her to hurry the fuck up). I'm applying for jobs for next year now, and said tutor also offered to help me with the vital personal statement..so far those emails appear to have disappeared into the ether as well...it's almost endless.

When I arrived on the course I quickly overheard that there would be too many students for the number of placements available, hence why I hopped on my placement off my own back..because that's the only way I was ever getting a placement. However it would have been nice for them to have been sent all the paperwork from my university explaining who I was and why I was there. Luckily I got round this because I attended the college myself as a student, so one of the members of staff knew me personally, but what the hell was I meant to do otherwise? Convince them I was actually here to learn to teach and not some sort of paedophile with an unhealthy interest in Psychology students in particular..? All this has led almost inevitably to me becoming more disillusioned with the profession than I ever thought possible.. before I get any responses (pfft...like I'll get responses) about paperwork being a part of the teaching job, let me remind you I'm not averse to that at all. My main issue with the paperwork involved is that most of it is university based (OK, still no problem..) and essentially repeats itself to different assignments (reason? *shrug*). I never once got onto this course thinking it would be anything other than one of the most difficult academic years I've ever done, but never once did I think I'd feel so let down by the university establishment supposedly 'providing training for my future'..

Right, rant over. Hence why half-term has been so much of a culture-shock.. It's been an amazing feeling to be surrounded by competency once more, and people who genuinely show not only some interest but don't appear to be some sort of epic mental meltdown. (The days that stand out are a trip to Leeds, surprise-visiting Bec for Valentine's Day and Wednesday's awesome band practice). I guess my procrastinating today stems from the sheer hatred of the thought that I'm about to embark on another 5 weeks of the above situation, knowing that though several complaints have already been filed any murmur of distain will only be granted a 'We're looking into this. Thanks for your concern..'

Surely it has to be easier to make it as a musician somehow...

'Signing out'
Sandlefish


Next Blog: Something more constructive..

EDIT: Uni tutor actually rang just a few minutes after posting this (coincidence?), though is now embarking on a search of her office for my observation feedback (guess that would explain why I didn't get it in the post then..)

SECOND EDIT: This is now my email inbox post-Blogger rant. =D