It made me consider my own school days and what I would have thought of some of the teachers had I been an adult, and among their number. The psychotic bullies (a few), alcoholics (a good few) paedophiles (at least four, and probably more), the (now I realise) traumatised WW2 veteran (who we were genuinely terrified of, but I suspect he was the best of them all, as both a teacher and a man - despite the temper and willingness to indulge in physical violence), the weaklings incapable of running anything (lots), the weakling that we tormented so mercilessly he had a breakdown and left. And on and on. But thankfully not an activist trying to indoctrinate us among them, thus we were lucky. And there were some splendid nicknames too! Mr. ‘Suck’ Mecock perhaps being my favourite.
The woke indoctrination, numbers of man- hating feminists, dead eyed managerialism, and teachers who know nothing other than education is very depressing. It does not augur well for the country and our future. I take my hat off to you for sticking it out so long and for being a classroom insurgent, rebelling against all this - you did those children a huge service.
Yep. We can see the catastrophic effects of the liberal experiment on education. Between targets and do-gooders, the absence of consequence and the inability to grasp the nettle, education is failing. As a classroom teacher of twenty years, I would urge parents to home school.
I resigned my FT post in 2014, did some contract work, supply, and tuition, to keep the wolf from the door but I haven’t been in a classroom in five years. You couldn’t pay me enough to go back.
When I resigned, so did two of my departmental colleagues, all of us experienced and capable, and none of us had a job to go to, but no one thought to ask why. The school nosedived into special measures around 2016 and hadn’t really recovered.
Sounds so typical! I lived through us in Special Measures (2012-2014) and - insanely - it was enjoyable! But, like you, I'd never teach now. It's the other teachers!
Thank you for your observations. Your pupils were fortunate. In perhaps far too gentle a manner I offer an unpopular suggestion about the fundamental cause of these follies in https://www.hughwillbourn.com/book ..
It's also on Amazon as audio book etc. And some of the points are made on my blog - although in a more politically forthright tone: https://www.hughwillbourn.com/blog-1
This was well worth the time reading, read 50% at work (in a Scottish state school) the rest at home. I would find it difficult to find anything contentious in what you’ve written - absolute clarity on the current state of our “comprehensive” education system.
I was enjoying reading, laughing along - then I got that nagging feeling I get when enjoying anything music , literary, or culture related: is the author of this a co(n)vid sceptic? You didn’t disappoint!
I’m sure I read your articles for the Daily Sceptic, an outlet i immersed myself in for hours, while attempting to make sense of the insanity that unfolded in Scottish Schools. I can safely say I only knew of three other genuine sceptics, who worked in eduction during that miserable period - neither of them worked in my school!
Scotlands illiberal teaching class must be up there, as the most easily manipulated group on the planet! Even before “covits” a friend described the entire SLT as having “the collective spinal fluid of a school of jellyfish” - this only spread to the lower orders once the arbitrary daily “briefings” from Scurgeon and co got into “advising” schools on the next perverse torture for Scottish children - which everyone appeared to see no problem with. Many of them more concerned about the new hobby they’d taken up in lockdown (#bananabread) or teaching “learners” being an inconvenience to their “new normal” not being able to walk their dog on the beach was one particularly distasteful example.
Co(n)vid scepticism is now my ultimate litmus test, for taking anyone serious, on any “current” issue post “the great panic” of 2020.
I will attempt to encourage other teachers to read this and will definitely forward it to the Scottish Union of Education.
Great to meet a rare fellow sceptic teacher (well, I'm now retired)! I agree about Covid - how it crystalized so much! Also good to hear you'll forward to whoever.
Good luck, Chris, if you're still at the 'coalface' - would love to hear of your current experiences, and publish them here! So feel free to send - use a pseudonym if you want (I'd understand).
Corporate news ie BBC CNN etc are brainwashed into insanity SHEEPLES that argue weak propaganda given them by a horse faced news reader against solid evidence or a even more believable narrative ..
Horse faced news reader Barks conspiracy theory at a whistleblowers claim of corruption in govt etc .. sheeple instantly look the other way .. corruption and conspiracy runs rampant in govt thats my theory ..
Heroic whistleblower gets publicy attacked de banked destroyed often murdered… sheeple graze on BAA BAA
This is brilliant Paul, I loved reading it.
It made me consider my own school days and what I would have thought of some of the teachers had I been an adult, and among their number. The psychotic bullies (a few), alcoholics (a good few) paedophiles (at least four, and probably more), the (now I realise) traumatised WW2 veteran (who we were genuinely terrified of, but I suspect he was the best of them all, as both a teacher and a man - despite the temper and willingness to indulge in physical violence), the weaklings incapable of running anything (lots), the weakling that we tormented so mercilessly he had a breakdown and left. And on and on. But thankfully not an activist trying to indoctrinate us among them, thus we were lucky. And there were some splendid nicknames too! Mr. ‘Suck’ Mecock perhaps being my favourite.
The woke indoctrination, numbers of man- hating feminists, dead eyed managerialism, and teachers who know nothing other than education is very depressing. It does not augur well for the country and our future. I take my hat off to you for sticking it out so long and for being a classroom insurgent, rebelling against all this - you did those children a huge service.
Many thanks R - it's long, as a memoir really - not just an article.
Great nickname! Where was your school?
I reckon I met one other non-left liberal teacher, in - what - seventeen years!
You’re most welcome Paul, very good indeed.
North Devon. It was a weird combination of strangely idyllic yet a brutalising Victorian nightmare.
One other in seventeen years?! No wonder we’re in the mess we’re in.
Yes - and he was the nice Sikh maths teacher who also voted Brexit.
He sounds like a good egg! That there was only one is very depressing.
As I say, it got WORSE - much worse - in 2016 and with the new cadre of woke idiots. Now even speaking is impossible, if you're not left-liberal.
Incredibly depressing. There’s probably no way back now is there.
Well written. Great read
Thanks - nice of you to say so.
Absolutely concur. Teachers are expected to firefight a conflagration armed with metaphorical water pistols.
As I said in my restack, the liberal experiment has failed.
https://jazzpunk101.substack.com/p/must-try-harder
A fellow realist! Pity we weren't in contact during my 17 years 'at the coal-face'.
Yep. We can see the catastrophic effects of the liberal experiment on education. Between targets and do-gooders, the absence of consequence and the inability to grasp the nettle, education is failing. As a classroom teacher of twenty years, I would urge parents to home school.
Did you leave ‘explosively’ - as I did. See the last bit - Section five - ‘Why and How I left’.
And did you notice a massive worsening, of the left-liberal bias, post 2016? Both from fury over Brexit and the conveyor-belt of robotic woke grads?
I resigned my FT post in 2014, did some contract work, supply, and tuition, to keep the wolf from the door but I haven’t been in a classroom in five years. You couldn’t pay me enough to go back.
When I resigned, so did two of my departmental colleagues, all of us experienced and capable, and none of us had a job to go to, but no one thought to ask why. The school nosedived into special measures around 2016 and hadn’t really recovered.
Sounds so typical! I lived through us in Special Measures (2012-2014) and - insanely - it was enjoyable! But, like you, I'd never teach now. It's the other teachers!
Thank you for your observations. Your pupils were fortunate. In perhaps far too gentle a manner I offer an unpopular suggestion about the fundamental cause of these follies in https://www.hughwillbourn.com/book ..
Thanks Hugh, will take a look.
It's also on Amazon as audio book etc. And some of the points are made on my blog - although in a more politically forthright tone: https://www.hughwillbourn.com/blog-1
This was well worth the time reading, read 50% at work (in a Scottish state school) the rest at home. I would find it difficult to find anything contentious in what you’ve written - absolute clarity on the current state of our “comprehensive” education system.
I was enjoying reading, laughing along - then I got that nagging feeling I get when enjoying anything music , literary, or culture related: is the author of this a co(n)vid sceptic? You didn’t disappoint!
I’m sure I read your articles for the Daily Sceptic, an outlet i immersed myself in for hours, while attempting to make sense of the insanity that unfolded in Scottish Schools. I can safely say I only knew of three other genuine sceptics, who worked in eduction during that miserable period - neither of them worked in my school!
Scotlands illiberal teaching class must be up there, as the most easily manipulated group on the planet! Even before “covits” a friend described the entire SLT as having “the collective spinal fluid of a school of jellyfish” - this only spread to the lower orders once the arbitrary daily “briefings” from Scurgeon and co got into “advising” schools on the next perverse torture for Scottish children - which everyone appeared to see no problem with. Many of them more concerned about the new hobby they’d taken up in lockdown (#bananabread) or teaching “learners” being an inconvenience to their “new normal” not being able to walk their dog on the beach was one particularly distasteful example.
Co(n)vid scepticism is now my ultimate litmus test, for taking anyone serious, on any “current” issue post “the great panic” of 2020.
I will attempt to encourage other teachers to read this and will definitely forward it to the Scottish Union of Education.
Cheers,
Chris
Great to meet a rare fellow sceptic teacher (well, I'm now retired)! I agree about Covid - how it crystalized so much! Also good to hear you'll forward to whoever.
Good luck, Chris, if you're still at the 'coalface' - would love to hear of your current experiences, and publish them here! So feel free to send - use a pseudonym if you want (I'd understand).
Good luck!
Paul
CHINAMAN EATING A BOWL OF BAT SOUP CHRONIC PHOBIA
The toughest crossword clue ever?
ANSWER ..Lockdown the world
Yep - still no sign we've returned to sanity. But then 'progressives' loved lockdown - had hankered after it for years!
Corporate news ie BBC CNN etc are brainwashed into insanity SHEEPLES that argue weak propaganda given them by a horse faced news reader against solid evidence or a even more believable narrative ..
Horse faced news reader Barks conspiracy theory at a whistleblowers claim of corruption in govt etc .. sheeple instantly look the other way .. corruption and conspiracy runs rampant in govt thats my theory ..
Heroic whistleblower gets publicy attacked de banked destroyed often murdered… sheeple graze on BAA BAA
TELEVISION MINDSET IS THE NEW REALITY
Well I got there in the end and enjoyed your extremely honest account of your career history.
As your psychiatrist I hope you found it cathartic and know that it has made you into the sane, balanced and rounded human being that you now are.
So my work and your work is done here, my final invoice is in the post.
By the way Enoch Burke loved it too.
Thanks - it's an account I hope to get published, so not meant to be a quick read!