I Have Resigned!
No, nothing to do with the BTG. I have resigned from my position as a drama tutor with a local authority’s Adult and Community Learning section. It’s all because of paper.
I was observed this week and comments made on my teaching. I am running a Drama course for adults with profound learning difficulties and, although it is very demanding, I am enjoying it and feel as though my group are making great progress. Their carers agree, and both the group and the carers tell me they are enjoying the course.
The observer was enthusiastic about the lesson she saw, the enjoyment of the group, the progress being made and the comments of the carers, but then slammed me for the quality of my paperwork. My lesson plans and Scheme of Work were not detailed enough and I did not make full use of the ILPs (Individual Learning Plans).
My lesson plans simply outlined what I was going to do in the lesson: I should have included aims and objectives, how much time I will devote to each part of the lesson, how I would assess progress, and so on But I know why I am doing each activity and the amount of time devoted to them depends upon the response of the group. Why do I need to write this down when I know what I am doing? What is the point of the lesson plans except to guide me during the lesson? Nobody wants to see them unless an observer is looking at the lesson.
The Scheme of Work should be detailed, saying what I am going to do in every lesson - all 20 of them! - (together with aims and objectives, of course) but in a different format from the lesson plans. I point out that my SoW covers everything that is needed (what I am trying to achieve, methodology and so on) - but ah, it isn’t in the correct format.
As for the ILPs, they have to be filled in through discussion with the “learner”. But only two of these learners can communicate verbally anyway, and only one of them can come close to understanding the questions I am supposed to ask. And I am completing the tutor’s comments section, only on a separate sheet. Ah, but it has to be done in the correct format: I can only go onto a separate sheet if there is insufficient space on the form.
So I’m doing a great job in my actual teaching, but I can’t be described as a good teacher because my paperwork isn’t right.
So I have resigned. I’ll finish this course, naturally, because it will disappoint the group if I don’t, but I won’t work for ACL again. If creating reams of managerial tick boxes is as important as the actual teaching, I don’t want to know any more.