It’s been a fantastic year for Secret Teacher – we’ve covered a whole range of issues from Ofsted and school leadership to fatherhood and personality disorders.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to or pitched for the series this year, we’ve loved every minute. So without further ado, here are our top 10 Secret Teachers from 2015. If you have got a favourite, share it with us in the comments or via Twitter (@GuardianTeach) and Facebook.
I am the new generation and I’m here to stay
Easily one of the most inspiring Secret Teachers we have ever run. After being diagnosed with cervical cancer, this blogger wanted a life change so she jacked in her marketing job to become a teacher. Six months into her PGCE, the cancer returned. But she beat it and, like a true fighter, she’s equally determined that she won’t let the trials and tribulations of teaching get her down, despite all the pessimism she’s faced from more experienced colleagues.
My favourite line? “Let me be clear, I am not walking into this blindly. Teaching is hard. It’s mentally and physically gruelling – but it’s just another battle I will not lose.”
If you need a dose of inspiration before the onslaught of 2016, this blog is for you.
I’ve no choice but to resign after disappointing GCSE results
This blog is on the other end of the optimism spectrum. We hear much about the target-driven culture in schools and how devastating it can be for teachers. It’s particularly stark in this Secret Teacher: our blogger had decided to resign after their department missed its GCSE target this summer. They had seen colleagues go through this before and knew what it would mean for their work-life balance. So, on the first inset day this September, they handed in their notice – and another fabulous teacher was lost.
Private school students are great – it’s their parents I worry about
When talking about teaching in private schools, many mention the allure of great facilities, autonomy in the classroom, and a semblance of work-life balance. The downside? Pushy parents. That is according to this Secret Teacher, who has many a hilarious tale to tell.
They write: “After one parents’ evening, I returned to my darkened classroom and found a mother frantically opening the desk drawers in search of my elusive mark book, such was her desire to measure her child’s worth against that of other five-year-olds.”
More terrifying stories are included.
Dear Ofsted, please can you send me a copy of the real rules?
The big O – nemesis of school leaders and teachers alike. This is a letter to an Ofsted inspector from an experienced school leader, who gained the distinct impression that the inspector who came to their school had made their judgement half-way through (or even before) the visit. “We didn’t realise that you had only brought half of your boxes with you and that you weren’t even willing to listen to the evidence to tick the rest,” they write. They want to know the real rules for engagement.
I can’t help but judge on parents’ evening
Parents feature again in our roundup – and this blog is a must-read. The Secret Teacher is allowed one treat on parents’ evening: to judge. It totally captivates them because so much of what they see explains their students’ behaviour. And they end with one pithy piece of advice: “Don’t be like the the dad who shamelessly asked me out in front of his child. And his wife.”
If you want more hilarious tales involving parents, Secret Teacher: I’m astonished by what some parents complain about will elicit many wry smiles and eye rolls.
I dare not tell anyone about my personality disorder
Some of our favourite Secret Teachers discuss mental health problems – the cloak of anonymity allows people to be very candid about the realities of their condition. This Secret Teacher has borderline personality disorder (BPD) and, rather than be open and suffer the stigma associated with the condition, they just say they’re “stressed” – something everyone can empathise with. The annoying thing is that BPD actually makes them a great teacher, but it’s getting harder to hide and they think their days in the profession are numbered.
I am all for inclusion in principle, but it doesn’t always work
This is a brave and brilliant blog about how in the drive for inclusion many students with special educational needs (SEN) and their classmates are being short-changed. Pupils with SEN don’t get the support they need and their classmates suffer huge disruption to their education. Inclusion is fine, but not at any cost.
Embrace your blunders, we all need something to smile about
Easily the funniest Secret Teacher of the year, this blog reveals all the embarrassing blunders from a decade in the classroom. From split trousers during a vigorous exposition of the significance of Richard III to chastising a student about the selfishness of littering, only to discover that the miscreant had discarded a leaf – there’s plenty to keep you laughing. And the lesson? Embrace the hilarity, it gives the profession much to smile about.
Why do some parents expect us to toilet train their children?
This insightful blog is about the growing number of young children who aren’t school-ready when they start. They aren’t necessarily too young, they just lack the basic life skills to survive a day in the classroom and engage in their learning. Secret Teacher reveals how they’re toilet training some students and teaching others how to eat properly. They even have some children arriving in pushchairs. It’s a real eye-opener.
If you’re a primary school teacher, we’d love to hear your experience about school-readiness. You can take part in our short survey here.
I want to be like Yoda, but I feel more like a stormtrooper
Our 2015 roundup would not be complete without a sprinkle of Star Wars. This Secret Teacher is struggling to find inspiration – results are down and management is introducing yet more draconian measures to improve the school. It’s an admirable goal, they say, but the way they’re doing it is sucking the fun out of teaching.
They write: “I want to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, finally training Jedis again. I want to be Luke Skywalker, finding a way to put everything right. I want to be Leia, standing up to the regime. I want to be the spark of inspiration again – that proton torpedo that sets up a chain of events that will ultimately change the universe.”
