Turning squaddies into teacher's

[bodie]

Sorry to post more stuff about schools.   I just heard that our government are
planning to use some of the 20 thousand soldiers being made redundant to
become teachers!

It is true that most schools lack male teacher's.  I think having more male
teacher's is a brilliant idea.   I don't think a soldier will automatically make
a good teacher, though.   The gov. are planning to fast track them through
university and be 'degree'd up' in six months!   Now that just takes the
piss out of all those who have studied for years to get a degree,  and my
opinion on teaching is that it is a vocation and not just a job!

A degree is a degree and can not be attained within six months.   Whatever
those soldier's walk away with after six months is surely not the same
degree that people have studied for years to get.  What is it then...a half
degree,  maybe a 'gree'  or a 'deg',  lol.

I accept that some military personnel might have certain qualities that are
lacking in schools.  But what about all the other elements required to make
a good teacher?

I also think those who are made redundant from the services should be offered
re training.  I wouldn't rule out teaching either, but they should not be fast tracked
through anything.   

I think it's a silly idea, and a knee jerk reaction to the recent riots.  They should
be encouraging men into the teaching profession, but it's wrong to simply
'fast track' a group of people simply because their own true vocation in life
(military) has come to an end.

Rant over.

["couldbecousin"]

 At first glance I thought this thread was about turning squiddies  into teachers! 



 Dippy off-topic diversion over. 

[bodie]

eh...that is not a bad idea!

['Butterflies']

I agree fully. They may, or may not have been good at killing people. This does not mean that they are automatically the best people to teach children.

Im not sure this is a response to the riots though. I first heard this idea ages ago.

[bodie]

Im not sure this is a response to the riots though. I first heard this idea ages ago.

I heard it too and thought it had been put aside.  I just wonder why it's reared it's ugly head
again now,  at the same time as Teresa May announces 'new measures' to deal with gangs.
I think they (government) are still reeling from the riots and are trying to show they are
dealing with things on a long term scale and taking law and order seriously.

[Al Swearegen]

NOt too put a fine point on it, but the idea is completely idotic.

[Calavera]

So every time the soldier teacher completes a sentence, the kids must say "Sir, yes, sir"? Or is this only in America?

[Queen Victoria]

I've not read anything about this, except on here, but I would assume that it's being offered rather than being forced on the soldiers.  So, you hopefully would get teachers who want to teach rather than just get a paycheck.  If they're in it for just a paycheck, they'll get out soon enough. 

That said, I agree that 6 months seems sparse.  However in the USA there is a similar program (using unemployed college graduates) who receive 1 year of training to become teachers. 

[Scrapheap]

The only problem I'd have with this is the time frame for the fast-track.

If they made it something closer to a year then it might be enough time for them to adjust from a military mentality to a civilian one.

It would also be enought time to weed out those who are unsuitable for teaching.

[Squidusa]

Ugh another idiotic scheme.

A friend of mine is studying to be a teacher , she has studied special needs and has built up loads of experience of working with kids , most of which she didn't need to do.

This just pisses all over what she has done and many others like her.

I also wonder what the government does for all the thousands of other people made redundant? , stick them on benefits?
There should be a general scheme for those made redundant , not just booted out soldiers. 

[Psychophant]

The only problem I'd have with this is the time frame for the fast-track.

If they made it something closer to a year then it might be enough time for them to adjust from a military mentality to a civilian one.

It would also be enought time to weed out those who are unsuitable for teaching.

Agreed. 

[bodie]

I don't have a problem with soldiers.  I was one myself.  Soldiers aren't stupid and
i'm sure a very few could make it.

I have a problem with the fastracking of degree's.

[bodie]

So every time the soldier teacher completes a sentence, the kids must say "Sir, yes, sir"? Or is this only in America?

kids here say  'yes sir,  no sir'  or rather  'yes miss'  as we are lacking male teachers.

[Callaway]

Sorry to post more stuff about schools.   I just heard that our government are
planning to use some of the 20 thousand soldiers being made redundant to
become teachers!

It is true that most schools lack male teacher's.  I think having more male
teacher's is a brilliant idea.   I don't think a soldier will automatically make
a good teacher, though.   The gov. are planning to fast track them through
university and be 'degree'd up' in six months!   Now that just takes the
piss out of all those who have studied for years to get a degree,  and my
opinion on teaching is that it is a vocation and not just a job!

A degree is a degree and can not be attained within six months.   Whatever
those soldier's walk away with after six months is surely not the same
degree that people have studied for years to get.  What is it then...a half
degree,  maybe a 'gree'  or a 'deg',  lol.

I accept that some military personnel might have certain qualities that are
lacking in schools.  But what about all the other elements required to make
a good teacher?

I also think those who are made redundant from the services should be offered
re training.  I wouldn't rule out teaching either, but they should not be fast tracked
through anything.   

I think it's a silly idea, and a knee jerk reaction to the recent riots.  They should
be encouraging men into the teaching profession, but it's wrong to simply
'fast track' a group of people simply because their own true vocation in life
(military) has come to an end.

Rant over.

I wonder if these soldiers already have college degrees?

If not, this is an absolutely insane idea.

If so, then maybe they could "fast track" and learn just the education courses they would need in just six months.  The soldiers who went to college with me were very dedicated students and they worked extremely hard to get good grades, so maybe it could work if the soldiers really want to become teachers.

My husband was a college professor, but if he wanted to be a teacher in a public school here, he would have to go back to college and take about a year of education courses so it's reasonable to think that those courses could be condensed to six months.

What I would be more concerned about would be that a large percentage of former soldiers have PTSD from their wartime experiences and that the military uses disciplinary methods that cannot be used in schools.  Their focus is to turn recruits into killing machines that follow orders blindly and do not think for themselves, while schools must focus on teaching children to think for themselves.

 

[Parts]

WTF This is a very bad idea probably thought up by someone who thinks teaching kids is nothing more than making sure they don't chew gum or talk in class.  Six months is insane they will end up with lots problems due to unsuitable people fast tracked through the system.  There is a University near here that has a fast track type program that takes I think a year but you have to have a bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA at the start and they screen people fairly thoroughly.  My wife did some of her student teaching with a couple of them at the same school she said they were awful and didn't think they would make it but finished hers before see got to see it they did.    I feel the whole idea cheapens the accomplishments of those who put the time and the effort into becoming teachers.  If they want to give them free education if they maintain certain standards in their studies and give them some credit for life experience that's fine but I feel fast tracking someone without a degree in less than two years would be a disservice to the kids and the other teachers