Career as Teacher

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not the "HOD guy" - but thought I'd chime in. The thing is, while I can easily imagine individual ROs being affected by personal bias, I find it hard to imagine that an entire ranking panel, comprising all the KP (maybe just HODs for some schools) and SLs, will all decide to get in on it and choose to randomly give bad grades to someone who absolutely doesn't deserve it. Keeping in mind that the grades will need to be cleared by the superintendent, who will likely ask for justification for the lowest scorers.

(Perhaps more likely if P is the one with personal bias 😂 but even then, I can't imagine it getting through if the officer is totally blameless.)

Whatever the case, agree with overall sentiment that if you feel you are consistently being wronged in your current school, you should probably consider moving on… whether there's really any personal bias involved or not, it's clear that something isn't working right in your current environment. If you genuinely feel you deserve better, go out and seek greener pastures!

In all fairness, people who gets the C- are unlikely to be the hottest person in the staff room. However, that being said, it is very real that people do get picked on over maybe one random remark that isn't even wildly offensive or morally wrong. Some people they may be more grouchy when very tired, so they may grumble during a camp, this can be taken against the person as being not cooperative with the organisation. A whole year of good work, even work that is done above the substantive grade will still be gone and a C- is awarded. Some people are set up to fail and have to work harder for a C than some hot stuff who worked for a B. Ultimately, if there is someone to get C-, who do you think would get the C-?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

2 years… no easy way around it

6 months - 3 years, depending on many factors. If you have been a coordinator of that portfolio before covering, you may be called for interview between 6 months and a year. Some schools may ask you to cover 1.5 years or 2 years before a confirmation interview. I have seen people covering for 3 years before being called. But those SHs are typically not performing up to the benchmark.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

2 years… no easy way around it

Rubbish. Internal appointment isn't even a pre-requisite for confirmed appointment. Get good, or get a different principal.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Im a hod with 13 years in service and 6 as a hod. I have never seen a D given in those 6 years. C- yes but all had strong reasons and the officers were warned well in advance. There's no such thing as suddenly getting a C- when you have been performing well all along. We don't just dish out C- out of spite.

There are >200 schools in Singapore and all kinds of heads and ROs. Even P can go to jail and minister gets charged in court for corruption.

Why rank teachers when you dun even want to rank students?
s://papneesoon.sg/2021/02/27/performance-appraisal-system-for-teachers/

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Rubbish. Internal appointment isn't even a pre-requisite for confirmed appointment. Get good, or get a different principal.

Honestly, I never came across internal appointment until 7 years ago. SLs and HODs were dreaming up inflated titles to make coordinator feel good about their job. These internal appointments (internal SHs) are different from covering or acting SH. Covering/Acting SH would have a chance to go for an interview. But these internal appointments are ridiculous. If you are asked to assume an internal SH, ask why you can’t be acting and covering instead.

To me, these titles create bad vibes in the school. A sign that you should leave.

Tbh, I read the posts. I realised everyone was just telling their stories. Their stories are always the most authentic. Anyone who dares to contradict is wrong (I am not sure it’s a troll or they are real teachers). I have been two schools. One was toxic and the other not. My colleague who taught well was given a C-. She claimed she did everything but marking was done half-heartedly. No comment and just a mark. She was in charge of a performance band but she only opened doors and shut doors. She asked HOD CCA to provide template for her admin work. She came to school minutes before her lessons and left right after lessons. She was told she would get C- since August. It’s the protocol to inform and to counsel. Even in a toxic school, they had to follow the people development model. For those who got C-/D, feedback should have given to you in June but you might not have heard the hints given to you.

Current school: a GEO 5 was paired with a KP. The KP was doing non-IP portfolio. When they taught the same subject, we could see the GEO 5 officers coming up with innovative lesson plans, while the KP was running old materials. G5 officer kept complaining she was carrying the weight. Excited, we went to G5 officer’s lesson for support. It was quite creative, with many follow-ups that she could work on. The students’ learning was bare minimal but we were ok. We encouraged her to run. The KP who was not carrying the weight went with old materials - not the best but it was adequate.

Long storg short - G5 officer invented 6-7 interesting lessons that could have been developed into national workshops. But rather than developing these ideas, she just kept coming up with new lessons. Learning was bare minimal. Students preferred the KP teaching via anonymous survey though they found him boring.

Ranking started. KP was given a much higher rank because he did well in his portfolio, generating buzz and partnerships for learning opportunities. G5 was ranked normally because the T&L was not up to the benchmark besides the feedback.

When PB came out, G5 complained she was given so many responsibilities etc. But we looked at the impact, there was little. If u know the EPMS, you will know why she wouldn’t get good grades. Another teacher was innovative too. She developed one unit and took feedback and presented the unit at AST.

Sometimes we may complain but the quality and the impact matter. It’s not what you claim but students, KPs and peers would see and know. Even in the toxic school, C- was given after much deliberation. SLs do ask. Most will get Cs.

If you get a C- air D, ask for feedback and work on AFIs. Don’t demonise the KPs. Really reflect on your actions. If you do some reflections, you will realise it takes two to tango. You are not innocent either. They might have been doing the bare minimum as an I/C.

(bracing for angry responses)

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Tbh, I read the posts. I realised everyone was just telling their stories. Their stories are always the most authentic. Anyone who dares to contradict is wrong (I am not sure it’s a troll or they are real teachers). I have been two schools. One was toxic and the other not. My colleague who taught well was given a C-. She claimed she did everything but marking was done half-heartedly. No comment and just a mark. She was in charge of a performance band but she only opened doors and shut doors. She asked HOD CCA to provide template for her admin work. She came to school minutes before her lessons and left right after lessons. She was told she would get C- since August. It’s the protocol to inform and to counsel. Even in a toxic school, they had to follow the people development model. For those who got C-/D, feedback should have given to you in June but you might not have heard the hints given to you.

Current school: a GEO 5 was paired with a KP. The KP was doing non-IP portfolio. When they taught the same subject, we could see the GEO 5 officers coming up with innovative lesson plans, while the KP was running old materials. G5 officer kept complaining she was carrying the weight. Excited, we went to G5 officer’s lesson for support. It was quite creative, with many follow-ups that she could work on. The students’ learning was bare minimal but we were ok. We encouraged her to run. The KP who was not carrying the weight went with old materials - not the best but it was adequate.

Long storg short - G5 officer invented 6-7 interesting lessons that could have been developed into national workshops. But rather than developing these ideas, she just kept coming up with new lessons. Learning was bare minimal. Students preferred the KP teaching via anonymous survey though they found him boring.

Ranking started. KP was given a much higher rank because he did well in his portfolio, generating buzz and partnerships for learning opportunities. G5 was ranked normally because the T&L was not up to the benchmark besides the feedback.

When PB came out, G5 complained she was given so many responsibilities etc. But we looked at the impact, there was little. If u know the EPMS, you will know why she wouldn’t get good grades. Another teacher was innovative too. She developed one unit and took feedback and presented the unit at AST.

Sometimes we may complain but the quality and the impact matter. It’s not what you claim but students, KPs and peers would see and know. Even in the toxic school, C- was given after much deliberation. SLs do ask. Most will get Cs.

If you get a C- air D, ask for feedback and work on AFIs. Don’t demonise the KPs. Really reflect on your actions. If you do some reflections, you will realise it takes two to tango. You are not innocent either. They might have been doing the bare minimum as an I/C.

(bracing for angry responses)

I fully agree. Their stories are always told to their own advantage, from their own POV.
Some people can’t see their own faults, btw.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I fully agree. Their stories are always told to their own advantage, from their own POV.
Some people can’t see their own faults, btw.

do these ppl who can’t see their own faults also KPs? Or are KPs faultless? in my 15 years of teaching i have found abt half to be of slimy character

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Honestly, I never came across internal appointment until 7 years ago. SLs and HODs were dreaming up inflated titles to make coordinator feel good about their job. These internal appointments (internal SHs) are different from covering or acting SH. Covering/Acting SH would have a chance to go for an interview. But these internal appointments are ridiculous. If you are asked to assume an internal SH, ask why you can’t be acting and covering instead.

To me, these titles create bad vibes in the school. A sign that you should leave.

it’s a blardy SCAM

Eh which bloody idiot said that the increment from geo5 to seo1 is 2k??? I just checked mine and only 600+ la… idiot…