I have a question for administrators, especially those that decide on who teaches what.
I was hired to teach A-Levels but last year I was told that my one A-Level class would be taken away and I would be teaching only Key Stage levels and G12 and G2 for the 2018/2019 school year. I objected but I figured since this would be my last year here and I negotiated a reference with my head of faculty that would not mention that I was removed from teaching A-Levels, I resigned myself to the decision and let it.
Well, we got the A-level results and for the subject I'm teaching, my results were the best and head and shoulders above the other 3 teachers. My results were 12% higher than the students of the next highest scoring teacher. I then requested the results from the year before I started here and my results were even better in that comparison - nearly 20% better. With this data in hand, I asked the head to reconsider and the answer was basically no.
I'm certainly not the most popular teacher here but I'm the oldest in my department. I've been preparing students for tests my entire career - AP tests, IB tests and A-level tests - and I think I've learned a few things over the years.
My question is do heads really care about that? Do they or do they not consider that one teacher could better prepare students for an external exam than another teacher? I'm scratching my head as to what gives. If it was my decision, I'd look at external exam results and assign teachers based primarily on that.
How do heads decide who gets to teach A-levels and who has to teach key stage?
Teacher Assignments
Response
Its very simple, your asking the wrong question. Its not about who can do better, its who can be consistent over an extended period of time. Your leaving, so the IS has another year of better scores and then what? They need to move someone into that classroom who is going to be there a while, and they dont know how the new person will do, they might do better than you, they might do as well as you or they might do worse than you, but they are going to be there for several years and while there is a risk of lower performance they dont know that, and all they would be doing by moving you into that position is getting one more year of scores for you. You might even beat out your own performance and thus when the new IT takes over it could potentially be an even greater gap between your exam performance and the new ITs exam performance.
Your leaving, its known and its inevitable, keeping you in the SLL levels is just delaying the inevitable and the risks of what could happen with the new IT is a wash (they could be better, similar, or worse).
Your leaving, its known and its inevitable, keeping you in the SLL levels is just delaying the inevitable and the risks of what could happen with the new IT is a wash (they could be better, similar, or worse).
Re: Response
PsyGuy wrote:
> Its very simple, your asking the wrong question. Its not about who can do
> better, its who can be consistent over an extended period of time. Your
> leaving, so the IS has another year of better scores and then what? They
> need to move someone into that classroom who is going to be there a while,
> and they dont know how the new person will do, they might do better than
> you, they might do as well as you or they might do worse than you, but they
> are going to be there for several years and while there is a risk of lower
> performance they dont know that, and all they would be doing by moving you
> into that position is getting one more year of scores for you. You might
> even beat out your own performance and thus when the new IT takes over it
> could potentially be an even greater gap between your exam performance and
> the new ITs exam performance.
>
> Your leaving, its known and its inevitable, keeping you in the SLL levels
> is just delaying the inevitable and the risks of what could happen with the
> new IT is a wash (they could be better, similar, or worse).
Good answer!
I feel less bitter already!
> Its very simple, your asking the wrong question. Its not about who can do
> better, its who can be consistent over an extended period of time. Your
> leaving, so the IS has another year of better scores and then what? They
> need to move someone into that classroom who is going to be there a while,
> and they dont know how the new person will do, they might do better than
> you, they might do as well as you or they might do worse than you, but they
> are going to be there for several years and while there is a risk of lower
> performance they dont know that, and all they would be doing by moving you
> into that position is getting one more year of scores for you. You might
> even beat out your own performance and thus when the new IT takes over it
> could potentially be an even greater gap between your exam performance and
> the new ITs exam performance.
>
> Your leaving, its known and its inevitable, keeping you in the SLL levels
> is just delaying the inevitable and the risks of what could happen with the
> new IT is a wash (they could be better, similar, or worse).
Good answer!
I feel less bitter already!
Re: Teacher Assignments
There are also other factors, often far more intangible than exam results. Unique interplay between teachers and schedules, teachers in multiple subjects, approaches meant to bring fresh ideas to teams that are a little too stable, attempts to nurture younger teachers so they can be like you some day, a promise to a returning teacher, an understanding that the schedule has been built and cannot be redone without two weeks of effort. You name it, and it has to be factored in.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Teacher Assignments
But what great data to show to your next, better, school!
Re: Teacher Assignments
I'm stuck in the opposite position. I want to teach at IB, but each year there's "someone more experienced." The subject I do teach, I'm not actually qualified in (before I started teaching it a couple of years ago I hadn't even gone near it since I studied it at school in the mid-1980s!) Meanwhile, one of the subjects I am actually qualified in and have experience teaching at home is being taught by a (good) teacher who had never taught it before!
Right now, I don't actually mind too much (I happen to enjoy the subject) but there are elements of it I just don't have the knowledge for and I'd much rather get experience with my own subject.
Right now, I don't actually mind too much (I happen to enjoy the subject) but there are elements of it I just don't have the knowledge for and I'd much rather get experience with my own subject.
Discussion
@Doctor
I dont disagree with @Sid, all of those factors and more are true or can be true, however all of them are predicated by the factor that you are leaving. By moving a new IT into that classroom the IS gets to use you as a resource (trainer, mentor, etc.) for the new IT conducting the course, who then takes over with whatever benefit from that time they have. If they wait, give you the class for one more year, again, what do they do then? Move the new IT into the classroom and hope it works out. Moving you out is the forest choice over the trees.
I would suggest you talk to leadership and inquire if its possible to add a mentor, trainer or facilitator role or title to your resume if you are going to be used as a resource for the new IT. It will offset some of the marketability at losing the A* level courses.
I dont disagree with @Sid, all of those factors and more are true or can be true, however all of them are predicated by the factor that you are leaving. By moving a new IT into that classroom the IS gets to use you as a resource (trainer, mentor, etc.) for the new IT conducting the course, who then takes over with whatever benefit from that time they have. If they wait, give you the class for one more year, again, what do they do then? Move the new IT into the classroom and hope it works out. Moving you out is the forest choice over the trees.
I would suggest you talk to leadership and inquire if its possible to add a mentor, trainer or facilitator role or title to your resume if you are going to be used as a resource for the new IT. It will offset some of the marketability at losing the A* level courses.
Re: Discussion
PsyGuy wrote:
> @Doctor
>
> I dont disagree with @Sid, all of those factors and more are true or can be
> true, however all of them are predicated by the factor that you are
> leaving. By moving a new IT into that classroom the IS gets to use you as a
> resource (trainer, mentor, etc.) for the new IT conducting the course, who
> then takes over with whatever benefit from that time they have. If they
> wait, give you the class for one more year, again, what do they do then?
> Move the new IT into the classroom and hope it works out. Moving you out is
> the forest choice over the trees.
>
> I would suggest you talk to leadership and inquire if its possible to add a
> mentor, trainer or facilitator role or title to your resume if you are
> going to be used as a resource for the new IT. It will offset some of the
> marketability at losing the A* level courses.
@Sid gave other factors but I really think it has to do with stability and retaining teachers who want to stay. The other 3 teachers in my subject area were here before me and have no intention of leaving so you are right - why should the IS reward me for letting them know once my contract is done then I'm gone.
As far as marketability - I will be getting A-level training this year for PD and we negotiated a reference; no mention will be made that I was removed from teaching A-levels. Actually it could be a good thing because now I have solid experience teaching Key Stage, which I don't mind at all. I'd just like an A-level class to go along with it.
> @Doctor
>
> I dont disagree with @Sid, all of those factors and more are true or can be
> true, however all of them are predicated by the factor that you are
> leaving. By moving a new IT into that classroom the IS gets to use you as a
> resource (trainer, mentor, etc.) for the new IT conducting the course, who
> then takes over with whatever benefit from that time they have. If they
> wait, give you the class for one more year, again, what do they do then?
> Move the new IT into the classroom and hope it works out. Moving you out is
> the forest choice over the trees.
>
> I would suggest you talk to leadership and inquire if its possible to add a
> mentor, trainer or facilitator role or title to your resume if you are
> going to be used as a resource for the new IT. It will offset some of the
> marketability at losing the A* level courses.
@Sid gave other factors but I really think it has to do with stability and retaining teachers who want to stay. The other 3 teachers in my subject area were here before me and have no intention of leaving so you are right - why should the IS reward me for letting them know once my contract is done then I'm gone.
As far as marketability - I will be getting A-level training this year for PD and we negotiated a reference; no mention will be made that I was removed from teaching A-levels. Actually it could be a good thing because now I have solid experience teaching Key Stage, which I don't mind at all. I'd just like an A-level class to go along with it.
Reply
@Doctor
Thats your choice, but you never know in the future (near or far) when that A* level experience will be marketable and if you are utilized as a resource for the new IT who has the class, than there is no reason for you to hide your experience at A*, even if you were removed from it and scheduled elsewhere, it has nothing to do with your performance.
Thats your choice, but you never know in the future (near or far) when that A* level experience will be marketable and if you are utilized as a resource for the new IT who has the class, than there is no reason for you to hide your experience at A*, even if you were removed from it and scheduled elsewhere, it has nothing to do with your performance.