I really think this is so sad. - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

greeborunner.bsky.social • 243 days ago

I really think this is so sad.

Most primary teachers would not consider switching to secondary school amid perceptions of an 'us and them' culture, according to government research

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morgsedu.bsky.social•243 days ago

The horror stories of behaviour have always put me off. Didn't consider it for a second when choosing to do my teacher training.

poppywat.bsky.social•243 days ago

It also works the other way. Plenty of Secondary teachers, me included, who wouldn't want to teach primary. Main reason is primary you have to teach all subjects, instead of the specialism you bring to your own subject.

poppywat.bsky.social•243 days ago

Not sure about this. "Some thought it might be easier to achieve a better work-life balance in secondary because “they felt secondary teachers have more non-contact time for lesson planning, marking and other admin”.

greeborunner.bsky.social•243 days ago

Grass is always greener . . .

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

What is sad about it?

greeborunner.bsky.social•243 days ago

The them and us of the headline.

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

I didn't perceive the headline that way at all. Just read it as a statement of fact based on what primary teachers have said?

What makes you think it is divisive in a them/us way?

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

Oh, I see the them and us bit you are referring to now. I think my tes sub has lapsed as I can't seem to sign in to read the whole thing!

greeborunner.bsky.social•243 days ago

It’s the danger of TES headlines and snippets now. They know what they are doing as they got us talking about it 😉

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

Yep (without reading in my case - worst crime!)

madeupteacher.bsky.social•243 days ago

Peps Mc talk at rEd and it took all I had (I hate this sort of thing others seem to find easy) to turn around to “Talk to colleagues you don’t know something something attention.” I turn, intro myself as EY tchr, they stare, briefly intro as secondary*subject* then proceeded to continue their chat.

historytastic.bsky.social•243 days ago

we need to get better at this learning from each other. I loved talking to early years and primary teachers and it benefited me massively when teaching secondary.

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

Yes! There is so much to learn from each other.

But I still don't think it's sad that a primary teacher wouldn't want to teach in secondary (I know you haven't said this is sad).

historytastic.bsky.social•243 days ago

I don't mind that there's a preference for one or the other, but I am sad about the us and them meaning they aren't sharing and learning from each other.

madeupteacher.bsky.social•243 days ago

Thanks Jenny.

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

That's really sad and I'm sure is not representative - at least I hope it isn't.

There is so much we all can learn from EY practitioners, and indeed from anyone who teaches any age pupil.

madeupteacher.bsky.social•243 days ago

I felt embarrassed and didn’t seek to connect with anyone else. The teachers I was with managed to chat to others no problem. It was just for five minutes but it felt much longer. Maybe it was just me, but I won’t be doing that again in a hurry.

aidansevers.bsky.social•243 days ago

Shouldn't be made to feel like that in a professional environment at all 🙁

learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social•243 days ago

I’m not sure it’s that surprising though, is it? Working with 6 year olds is vastly different to working with 13 year olds, structural stuff aside.

greeborunner.bsky.social•243 days ago

That isn’t surprising. It is the ‘them and us’ element. I’ve already seen someone say in response to the article that it is because primary schools are wonderful & nurturing & secondaries are controlling.
There is such a lack of understanding across phases & it is not as one sided as some think

learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social•243 days ago

I think there are unhelpful extremes of opinion but the basics of it are sort of true - there is a level of ‘crowd control’ that is needed in a secondary that is more relaxed in a primary, just due to the size and complexity and age of the pupils.

missmc.bsky.social•243 days ago

If you asked most secondary teachers would they completely change subject, though, my hunch is most would say no.

learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social•243 days ago

Tbh I was surprised 40% of primary teachers _would_ consider secondary. I wonder how much it skews by age they teach (eg y5/6 teachers more likely to?)

mralmonded.bsky.social•243 days ago

But the Year 9s on a Friday afternoon…

mrsp-x.bsky.social•243 days ago

I think there’s so much to be gained by building closer relationships between primaries and secondaries. Transition aside, the sharing of resources and knowledge such as early reading for struggling readers or hist/geog subject and disciplinary knowledge would be so useful. There’s just no time!

covrules.bsky.social•243 days ago

I work across our Trust schools, including secondary. Too many of them are dismissive of the work in primary - which I think doesn’t help the situation.

loulordsmith.bsky.social•241 days ago

Having worked in both, I’d agree Jamie. I changed to primary as at the time my science skills were much needed. Later, I stayed in primary even though I was not needed for science, but I could teach primary languages (thanks to excellent training thanks from Northants LA).

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