C for crap, B for brilliant

Here we go again, ding-dong politics between ministers and shadow spokesman.

Labour announce idea of teacher's MOT and Conservatives hit back with raising qualifications of teachers before training.

Tory Schools Spokesperson Michael Gove wants Primary School teachers to have miimum of a B grade at GCSE level instead of a C grade. He will also stop funding graduate trainee teachers who have a 3rd class degree (Some 1,200 this year according to Laura Lark's article; "How Tories will raise the bar for teachers" Daily Mail, 3rd July 2009).

Bearing in mind an GCSE marker gets about £3 or 15 minutes to mark a paper. Bearing in mind the tolerances in any assessment marking. The difference between a "c" and a "B" grade is not going to make an iota of difference. Don't our children deserve an "A". Not funding the 3rd Class degree candidates just means you will recruit 1,200 less teachers.

If Vernon Coaker, Schools Minister, thinks the Teacher's MOT is a "serious" attempt at "raising the quality and status of teaching profession" he is equally naïve. There is already a professional watchdog (GTC).
It is the system, and the managers of it, that results in few bad teachers being sacked and good teachers not being allowed to improve.

When I was a manager in a university I tried sack an administrator who was not up to standard the within the trial period (3 months) and still did so after further 3 months, they insisted she kept her job.

Furthermore, teachers are already teaching so many hours a week that they spend their own time marking and preparing classes so they do not have time to spend on self improvement.

Perhaps what we really need is better quality politicians.