Comments on: Being Supported by a Year Head http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head/ A Blog About Teaching in Tough Schools in the UK Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:05:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: techpirate http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head/#comment-462 techpirate Mon, 02 Apr 2007 18:07:49 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head-2/#comment-462 ASDAN is a coursework / vocational based group of qualifications. It involves the students organising & partaking in a wide range of activities, and then writing them up afterwards, cross-referencing to the standards they are required to meet, and short tests throughout the course. So, although there is no exam at the end, it is possible for students to gain a level 1 or 2 qualification (actually, I believe there are some level 3 qualifications available these days too). Unfortunately, students have the usual belief, as in all subjects, that they can spend as much time as they like doing bits & pieces, and consequently don't end up gaining anything from it. No, I'm not a teacher of the course, but I used to work with students following it when I was a TA. ASDAN is a coursework / vocational based group of qualifications. It involves the students organising & partaking in a wide range of activities, and then writing them up afterwards, cross-referencing to the standards they are required to meet, and short tests throughout the course. So, although there is no exam at the end, it is possible for students to gain a level 1 or 2 qualification (actually, I believe there are some level 3 qualifications available these days too).

Unfortunately, students have the usual belief, as in all subjects, that they can spend as much time as they like doing bits & pieces, and consequently don’t end up gaining anything from it.

No, I’m not a teacher of the course, but I used to work with students following it when I was a TA.

]]> By: lilyofthefield http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head/#comment-461 lilyofthefield Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:19:49 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head-2/#comment-461 We presently have two HOYs who are not and never have been teachers. They don't presume to think they could manage a difficult (i.e. usual) class any better than you, and they manage staff and organisational arrangements very well indeed. They do discipline pupils but because they have no teaching timetable other than supporting teachers with particularly challenging classes in their Year group, they don't carry with them the resentment that kids might already harbour about having to interrupt their social lives with a request for work. I like this arrangement but only because the two HOYs involved are sensible enough to not deliver counsels of perfection to the poor sods at the chalkface. I can see its potential to go spectacularly wrong. We presently have two HOYs who are not and never have been teachers. They don’t presume to think they could manage a difficult (i.e. usual) class any better than you, and they manage staff and organisational arrangements very well indeed. They do discipline pupils but because they have no teaching timetable other than supporting teachers with particularly challenging classes in their Year group, they don’t carry with them the resentment that kids might already harbour about having to interrupt their social lives with a request for work.

I like this arrangement but only because the two HOYs involved are sensible enough to not deliver counsels of perfection to the poor sods at the chalkface. I can see its potential to go spectacularly wrong.

]]> By: taster http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head/#comment-460 taster Sun, 25 Mar 2007 10:10:03 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head-2/#comment-460 I loved that diary entry- it completely exemplifies the HOY who gives advice they don't follow themselves. I also love the sort of HOY who tries to make it about how YOU speak to the children- but they won't tolerate what they expect *you* to put up with. I have excellent HOYs currently so I really am feeling the difference. I loved that diary entry- it completely exemplifies the HOY who gives advice they don’t follow themselves.
I also love the sort of HOY who tries to make it about how YOU speak to the children- but they won’t tolerate what they expect *you* to put up with.
I have excellent HOYs currently so I really am feeling the difference.

]]> By: lapinrose http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head/#comment-459 lapinrose Sun, 25 Mar 2007 09:02:05 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/03/25/being-supported-by-a-year-head-2/#comment-459 Sounds about the norm!!! Sounds about the norm!!!

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