[Ohiogift] A UK Teacher's Letter to The Economist

[Gifted and Talented in Ohio Discussion List]

The Economist
February 28th, 2015
Letters

A Teacher’s Charter

I read your advice about “how to turn teaching into a job that attracts high-flyers” (“Those who can” February 14th). I am a teacher with a first-class degree in modern languages from Oxford and a PhD from Cambridge who has worked in a state comprehensive school for 20 years. I did not need to be “lured” into the job by a training programme that flattered my “stellar academic record...leadership, resilience and motivation to help the poor” (“High-fliers in the classroom”). I was attracted by the prospect of a well paid, secure career with a sound pension, and the knowledge that I would help others. 

There are many problems in Britain’s state schools, not least the fact that the workload has increased to a point where many young teachers leave because they have no private life. I work up to 60 hours a week during term time and 20 days during my holidays. Many teachers do more than that. So in order of importance I would like to share my wish list with you:

The freedom to visit the bathroom whenever I need to, in order to avoid the constipation that has now become chronic during term time.
On the same theme, a reliable supply of toilet paper in the staff lavatory.
An intelligent and perceptive inspectorate (admittedly perhaps an unrealistic dream).
A fair and properly run examination system.
A review of the prescriptive directives that are slowly turning creative professionals into automatons.

You would be very welcome to see how things work at my school and to meet my excellent and hard-working colleagues, but remember to bring your own toilet paper.

Frances Horgan
Head of German and Latin
Bishop’s Stortford High School
Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osu.edu/pipermail/ohiogift/attachments/20150304/068d1ddd/attachment.html>