It's Your Time You're Wasting by Frank Chalk

[LitNetIsGreat]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Time-Yo...pr_product_top

I'm not usually one for reading accurate and depressing material in regards to the state of the lower end of the British schooling system (as I want escape from that, not to be reminded of it) however, I started reading this today and it is unbelievably spot on.

In this book "Frank Chalk" writes of his own personal experiences in a low end state school which is completely representative of many failing schools across the country (of which there are many). He writes of his intention:

I started out as a nice liberal bloke who thought the best of everyone. I changed, over time. This book is dedicated to the good kids - there are plenty of them, but they're being slowly crushed by the bad - and several hundred thousand hard-working teachers, who do their best against the impossible odds created by our mad, politically-correct nightmare of an education system. It's a funny book - I hope - with a serious message; the time for talking is over. We need to sort our schools out now, before it really is too late.

It is a funny book there's no getting away from that. I passed this over to Mrs Neely to read a small section (the part where it takes a class of Y7s 40 minutes to stick a name tag in their books) and she was as cracked up as I was reading it. There are some highly amusing moments like this scattered throughout. Let's see, here's a small part of that episode:

"What? Yes, both names."
Several groans.
"OK, OK, your surname is fine. Just put your initial...WHAT THE...What are you doing?"
Dale had just ripped up his label.
"Look," I say in an icy voice, "it doesn't matter if you've put your initial first, your surname first, your first name first or even somebody else's name first. Whatever you have written is fine."
I am approaching the end of my tether and the pile of remaining labels is getting very low now.
We manage to get past "Teacher" with only two putting their form teacher by mistake, Chesney copying the word "Teacher" and Dale writing in the name of his favourite teacher. (That wasn't my name I can assure you.)
Now the final hurdle: "OK, Only one more to do now."
Glance at the watch again.
Christ, there's only ten minutes of the lesson left!

Previous to this Frank had fallen into the rookie error of writing "YOUR NAME" on the board of which several students had of course done just that, and proceeded to write "YOUR NAME" on the front of their labels, complete rookie error, but always amusing. So there is plenty of humour in this book. (Also his depiction of the unholy grey land of the staffroom, with its heaps of dirty cups, out of date notices and piles of books is just so scarily descriptive).

It is also of course deeply depressing and somewhat tragic that vast sways of children are being crushed by the modern educational system, as Frank pulls no punches in expressing, with his non-politically correct diatribes which have no doubt upset many of the 1 star reviewers on Amazon. It is however, in my opinion, a very accurate and honest depiction of the troubles currently inherent within lower end state schools. He is a obvious annoyance that I highlighted earlier:

Teachers (against their will and better judgment, in the majority of cases) spend half their lessons dealing with kids with Special Needs and the kids who can't behave, while having to ignore the pleasant, well-behaved ones, who actually want to learn but who sit there quietly being ignored, with their hands up, as their life-chances slowly ebb away.

(My bold)

OK, so this sort of thing is "nothing new" this idea has been done before and well, but it is nevertheless, in my view, essential reading for those who dare take a peep into what honestly goes off in the lower end of British, and perhaps even American, school system.

It's Your Time You're Wasting: A Teacher's Tales of Classroom Hell by Frank Chalk.

5 gold stars and a peer assessed green tick.

[Paulclem]

Sounds familiar - and I was a Primary school teacher.

Interestingly, my daughter has just come back from Japan after a school trip there. We consder our education system to be inferior to theirs, but the Head - who accompanied them on the trip - was surprised at just how much lesson time is wasted there with the kids learning little in each lesson, but making up for it by staying a school - compulsorily at clubs - till 7pm!!

She said it was chalk and talk for virtually the whole lesson, and sounds like the stuff we were forced to sit through 30 years ago and more.

Good review by the way, although I'm not entirely sure which side of the fence you're on....

[LitNetIsGreat]

Ha yes, I try to keep a biased opinion at all times...

It's really a great book. It has you laughing at sighing at the same time, I could share reams and reams of good stuff, if I had the time (I might post some tomorrow or the next day).

That's an interesting thought about Japan and 7pm has me shaking with fear. I would like to put some money down that our inferior schools are more inferior than there's though...

[Emil Miller]

'I started out as a nice liberal bloke who thought the best of everyone.'


With that attitude he was on a hiding to nothing.

[LitNetIsGreat]

'I started out as a nice liberal bloke who thought the best of everyone.'


With that attitude he was on a hiding to nothing.

He was, but he sure makes up for it believe me, the boot is well on the other foot now. Something tells me that you would very much agree with Mr Chalk.

[cafolini]

Children in school until 7 PM? That's insane. What for? Obviously they are learning the insanity over and over. They might turn out to be good kamikaze.

[Emil Miller]

He was, but he sure makes up for it believe me, the boot is well on the other foot now. Something tells me that you would very much agree with Mr Chalk.

I have checked out several quotes from the book on the Google books site and he certainly lays it on the line. In saying that, there is nothing to surprise me about what he has to say, you've read my book and may recall the character of the teacher who tried the liberal path and learned the hard way.
{edit}
You’ve let them in boys – you’ve allowed them to exploit democracy in the area where it is most vulnerable – its tolerance.

[Vonny]

That's really well said, Emil.

{edit}

I was told somewhat sarcastically a couple of weeks ago, something like, "You know, you're the youngest senior citizen I've ever seen."

[Emil Miller]

That's really well said, Emil.

{edit}

I was told somewhat sarcastically a couple of weeks ago, something like, "You know, you're the youngest senior citizen I've ever seen."

That could mean you have a wise head on young shoulders.

[LitNetIsGreat]

This book really just gets better and better, I have even found where my own somewhat pessimistic (realistic?) attitude comes from (though I didn't need a book to tell me that).

Teachers only work in schools like ours for two reasons:

1 They can't get a job anywhere else.

2 They believe that they can improve the chances of the kids.

I always think the latter kind of teachers are very noble. After a bit, though, they usually go mad, or quit with stress, or become deeply cynical about everything.

Hmmm, that does sound familiar.

I just can't recommend this enough.

[Emil Miller]

This book really just gets better and better, I have even found where my own somewhat pessimistic (realistic?) attitude comes from (though I didn't need a book to tell me that).



Hmmm, that does sound familiar.

I just can't recommend this enough.

This particular quote from the book might surprise some readers but it's no less than I would have expected:

It’s a red letter day, too: the new set of science textbooks has
finally arrived.
This may not seem much to you but I feel like bringing in
champagne to celebrate or asking the Head for a half day’s holiday.
In the past, we have shared one dirty, dog-eared textbook between
two or even three children and it’s a book which doesn’t even cover
the right topics for our syllabus.
These new ones are written by the people who set the exam, so
they must cover the relevant stuff.
The Head of Department arrives carrying the books and hands
them out to the kids, handling them with great reverence.
‘These books are brand new,’ he intones solemnly, placing one
neatly on my desk. ‘They must be treated with great respect and care
so that others may use them in the future.”
As he drones on, I examine one of the books. It has that pleasant
smell of newly-printed paper and, like all modern textbooks, is a
masterpiece of political correctness. It is chock-full of bright
pictures of children from ethnic minority backgrounds doing science
experiments and photographs of every kind of phenomena. Even the
teachers are in wheelchairs. Any wrongdoing is illustrated by a white
boy; here is one, foolishly sticking his fork into an electrical socket
and being electrocuted. Here’s another, drinking from a test tube.
What I cannot find, to my mounting horror as I flip through the
book, are any questions.
Oh, bloody hell!Why are all modern textbooks in every subject full of
photographs but devoid of questions?
I also notice that, actually, it doesn’t quite seem to cover the
syllabus to which we have recently changed after the head of
department assured us that it was ‘the easiest one yet’.”

[qimissung]

Sounds like an interesting book! It actually sounds a great deal like the school I teach at, which is an inner city school.

I'm not sure I understand the references to his supposed liberality, though. I work with teachers, some of whom are conservative and some of whom are liberal. I have always considered myself somewhat liberal. What am I supposed to be learning about myself or my environment that would change my viewpoint?

I usually encounter principals who like their teachers to have a certain personality profile, like that of a general on the field of battle. I set boundaries, but I strive to help my students become actual readers and writers. It works, but there is not really a lot of support for that outlook, even when they think they do support it.

[Emil Miller]

Sounds like an interesting book! It actually sounds a great deal like the school I teach at, which is an inner city school.

I'm not sure I understand the references to his supposed liberality, though. I work with teachers, some of whom are conservative and some of whom are liberal. I have always considered myself somewhat liberal. What am I supposed to be learning about myself or my environment that would change my viewpoint?

Perhaps you should read the book.

[Vonny]

Qimi, I think the confusion is that what you and I call Liberal and Conservative is different from what they call liberal and conservative. All the time I fall into this, where I am conservative, however I'm not Conservative. I'm also not Liberal.

In our country everything is so controlled by the C & L that many aren't able to think outside the box anymore.

I usually encounter principals who like their teachers to have a certain personality profile, like that of a general on the field of battle. I set boundaries, but I strive to help my students become actual readers and writers. It works, but there is not really a lot of support for that outlook, even when they think they do support it.

I think I know what you're talking about but it's hard to describe. Everyone has to stay within certain social norms. The norms aren't what they used to be, the boot is on the other foot now, but they are just as strong as they used to be. We're supposed to be so free to be individuals, but we must conform. For instance, it's good to say that women should become doctors, but try saying that motherhood is a really good calling. I don't want to be a mother myself, in this world, but I wonder why if a woman wants to be more traditional, she's almost ridiculed in this world. There's many other examples, I don't know why I've just been rather focused on this one lately.

It's also admirable for kids to chew gum in school and blow a big bubble in your face and stick the gum everywhere, but try saying that perhaps kids shouldn't be allowed to chew gum in school and you're ostracized.

It's fine to say that women are better communicators than men, etc., etc., etc., but try saying that there's anything a man can do better than a woman.

Try saying that maybe the adults know more than the kids and see how far you get in your career! Try teaching kids not to be smart alecs!

[Lokasenna]

Sounds interesting! My mum would like that as well - that could well be a Christmas present this year.

It reminds me a bit of the Teacher's Diary that was published in Private Eye. It's a very controversial issue, and you'll have strident views on both sides of the fence...