TES Forums. Did I lose it?

[Dos_Box]

I hope this didn't get to ranty towards the end?

 

network manager... what exactly do they do? - ICT - TES Connect

[localzuk]

Seems very well rounded.

[pete]

Well-rounded and threads like that are why I don't visit TES, that thread would push far too many buttons.

[SteveT]

"I used to BE a network manager. Yes, there are some who ruin it for the rest of us. I get very annoyed when I see network managers doing it poorly. The 3 i have in this school are totally un-cooperative when you ask for anything and tell me "it can't be done", then i sit and explain how to make a GPO in active directory and how to push packages etc."

 

3 Network Managers in the school???!!!

[Soulfish]

I think that was an excellent post. Most people don't appreciate just how dependent they are on IT these days

[elsiegee40]

Having taken the time to read the entirre thread... and someone raked up a 2 year old thread to restart the argument.. my answer is "You echo my thoughts exactly"

[witch]

Mine too - but would spellcheck be a good idea? Don't want to give the teachers more reasons to diss techies!

[Dos_Box]

Did you see the post immediately after?

[Vegas]

Good post Dos_Box.

Here's a thought for you all - Are we any better with all the teacher bashing that goes on here?

[witch]

Good post Dos_Box.

Here's a thought for you all - Are we any better with all the teacher bashing that goes on here?

 

 

Actually, I think we are - we would never allow the sheer nastiness that goes on there - and *most* of us wouldn't even think it, either.

[elsiegee40]

Good post Dos_Box.

Here's a thought for you all - Are we any better with all the teacher bashing that goes on here?

 

 

A point that's actually raised on that thread (2 years ago)...

 

 

I think 'the cultural divide' is likely to be explored robustly on any forums, including ours... tolerance is to be encouraged, but occasional outbursts are inevitable, hence "Behind the Red Door"

 

On here, the frustration is shared amongst people who, largely, all have an IT Tech/NM background and the teachers are few and far between.

 

On TES, perhaps posters need to be more aware that the mix of occupations is much wider and teachers are far from being the only education staff posting!

[Jake]

Must admit I havent been on the TES forums since Bisley98. To be honest, if I were to read the TES forums and again see the kind of venom, near hatred and disdain the teachers on there have for my career and my work, I would probably resign completely and never work in education again.

 

I've often wondered why so many teachers look upon my career as something nasty stuck to the bottom of their shoe. Thankfully I am in a school with IT specialism and the staff here are not only all very friendly but are all quite clued up on IT... nevertheless the attitudes of teaching staff on a wider scope towards my job is frankly astonishing at times. Sometimes I think it would be hilarious if Techs all over the country just walked out for a month, see how the teachers do then. Sadly though this would impact the kids learning, which at the end of the day is what we are all, teaching staff and support staff alike, here for.

 

Besides which.... techbabes > teacherbabes

Edited June 3, 2009 by Jake

[markwatkins]

Neither dos box or grumbledook went OTT however at least one of the more persistent posters clearly believes that teachers are slightly above any higher power... obviously his school still uses chalk! at least that is the impression given by him.

 

I find it sad that so often what should be a sensible discussion invariably ends up as everyone else v teachers.

 

I am married to a senior teacher her view of life is that you appoint someone to do a particular job and if the decision making process is a good one the appointed person does it... not exactly rocket science!

[Diello]

Perfectly pitched responses I think. I tried not to reply... and failed... makes me so angry!

[alan-d]

Jake - get back in the cage - you know what happened the last time you mentioned the 'B' name!I still twitch when I see that name

[apoth0r]

Disenchanted by the very few idiots in the profession, extremist views, overconfidence in their own ability, defensive nature created by unions and a general lack of forum etiquette.

[TechMonkey]

Much more reasoned and calmer than I would have been. so full marks.

 

Besides which.... techbabes > teacherbabes

 

This, I feel, deserves more research, just to confirm...

[apoth0r]

I don't even get angry about those kinds of posts anymore, my girlfriend is a primary school teacher and I have the upmost respect for her profession and what she does. I think it's a shame that some people have to be outspoken and look for fights with other members of staff who just wish to bring their skills to the table. I don't think I have ever really met anyone like that idiot in all the schools I have worked at, which is a significant number having consulted in Nottingham for a couple of years.

Let us all pat him on the back, say "chin up and all the best" while we strive for I.T perfection

[GrumbleDook]

Seriously folks ... it is a vampire thread! The fact that the lazarus capabilities of certain threads on TES Forums didn't break when TES moved it to their new, funky interface amazes me. I thought that we would end up with threads that got locked if not responded to after 30 minutes!

 

There are some good folk over there but I wouldn't get to bothered about it all. The same people that feel that you are not a professional unless you are a teacher are also the group that look down at nurses because they aren't doctors, look down at aerospace engineers because they are not astronauts and look down at little pussy cats because they are not big, menacing tigers! (ok ... might have made that last bit up).

 

All you can do is educate them, get your policies and procedures right and then hit them where it hurts ... by delivering a good service day in, day out ... people like that hate nothing more than someone doing a good job that they cannot pick fault with.

 

Smile a lot ... document your work ... share good practice with other schools ... and remember that they are the minority and usually not worth stressing out over.

 

Work with those teachers in your school who *do* value you and your work ... and then let those teachers defend you.

 

You are never going to win everyone over ... I know PE staff that look down at Art / Drama / Music staff just because they think they are not physically fit ... until a drama/dance teacher ran a training session for them and beasted them into the ground!

 

Smile ... if nothing else, because you are more likely to be the independent learner that they are trying to get students to be, because you are flexible and adaptable and what they are trying to get students to be, you have a decent work ethic which is what they want students to have, and you are part of a helpful community that shares good practice in ways that is sometimes hard to find in the teaching profession.

 

But try not to gloat about how good you are too much ... it is a tad unbecoming!

[AngryTechnician]

Some might find this odd given my usual nature, but these sorts of threads don't annoy me.

 

Why? Because there are morons in every walk of life, and teaching is no exception (nor is IT for that matter). After accepting that, the important thing is that the morons are not near me.

 

Personally I would only worry about all this rubbish if it was the attitude in the school I worked in. I couldn't give a rat's behind what someone in another school thinks of my profession, or how important I am to the school.

[beeswax]

Smile ... if nothing else, because you are more likely to be the independent learner that they are trying to get students to be, because you are flexible and adaptable and what they are trying to get students to be, you have a decent work ethic which is what they want students to have, and you are part of a helpful community that shares good practice in ways that is sometimes hard to find in the teaching profession.

 

Have to smile at that last bit GD, as from next September our new intake of Year 7's are going to be inducted into independent learning, learning to learn (given the skills to find out for themselves) and I was asked to put some of the material on the VLE/intranet for staff to get their heads round. I pointed out to the member of SLT that his IT techies were already doing this, communities of practice (Edugeek and others) that flexibility and adaptability are our watchwords. He's a good bloke but I get the feeling that all this is a little alien to him, as it will be to some of the other teachers, but we've a couple of years at least to knock them into shape before the BSF bulldozer comes along.

I sincerely believe that most teachers work very hard, but the very fact of their careers and CPD being laid out for them in the way it is (and for very good reason) they don't need to scan the horizon for future developments in the way they will soon be teaching their pupils to do. It should be an interesting experiment.

[westleya]

I read this TES thread with growing disbelief...

 

The notion that a support member of staff should not be part of the SLT/SMT is nonsense. The poster in question really needs to learn about how most organisations work. A factory may make rubber ducks, but it's IT Director will still be on the board and expect to be part of the decision making process, regardless of how much he knows about rubber ducks. Ducks aren't the only things discussed, and alternative viewpoints are valuable. You wouldn't have a board of just manufactoring directors, would you ?

 

My school has ICT as one of its 'specialims' and our team of five get a lot of respect from all staff, including teachers. So too do our science technicians, admin staff and site management people. Our business manager is certainly part of the SMT and rightly so.

 

All schools have the odd bad egg, though. I remember a few years ago when we were told in a staff briefing that the school would be employing a human resources manager and one particular teacher (and not a senior one, either) actually said that he couldn't understand why the HR Manager was being paid more than he was.

 

But I'm lucky. I like my school and (nearly) all the people that work in it.

 

And Dos_Box, you gave a measured and calm response that does all of us credit. Ta.

Edited June 3, 2009 by westleya

[powdarrmonkey]

Besides which.... techbabes > teacherbabes

 

you have stock?

[DrPerceptron]

A person with industry experience is a valuable asset - said person should be able to bring the know-how and experience of running a mission critical network 24/7 ( most schools would be happy with 8 - 5 / 5) which I would've thought would be brilliant.

 

Just a shame I'm too lazy to register...

 

evidently Grumbledook, you are the voice of reason if it was to be personified.... I'd say johnbrown is TES' resident vampire...

[GrumbleDook]

@beeswax

The funny thing is that there are also groups of teachers out there in groups like this one ... starting of as a minority and trying to influence change in small bits, being innovative, trying new things out and experimenting ...

MirandaNet

EdTechRoundUp

Microsoft's Innovative Teachers' Network

Promethean's teachers' forum

Toshiba's excellence group (if it is still called that)

Apple Distinguished Eduactors

TeachMeet attendees ...

SSAT's Innovation Unit

 

And these groups often hit the same brick walls we do, with poor tech staff, some with stuck-in-their-way teachers, some with recalcitrant senior manglement ... it is a fact of life.

 

If some of the moaning folks on TES (A minority admittedly) got out a bit more ... mix with others ... then perhaps it would be better. Instead they spend their life on a computer, ranting on forums, using pseudonyms, have avatars rather than show their real face ... erm ...