Patrick Mooney

Posted on | March 2, 2007 | 12 Comments

Â© TESS.

It was a pleasant surprise to come across a little piece in this week’s Times Educational Supplement (Scotland) about my cousin, Patrick Mooney. Patrick is in the final phases of the Chartered Teacher Programme in Scotland – and he is a little downbeat about the level of acknowledgement from the education system for the wider potential gains to teaching and learning offered by the programme. The original, and wholly forward-thinking, rationale for the CT Programme – a key component of the so-called McCrone deal in 2001 (its correct title: A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century) – was to offer a career progression that would allow high quality classroom teachers to stay in the classroom if that was their preference, to do what they did best (teach!), and to receive a salary commensurate with their professional status. The aim was to curb the drift of good teachers onto that other ‘ladder’ where their teaching skills might be lost to administration and management.

As Patrick says, however, and despite his own sanguine view of the benefits that the programme has had for his own professionalism: “In the wider sense, the school is not benefiting at all. My studies for CT and the skills/knowledge I have gained are not being acknowledged in any way, although I am more than willing to share these.”

If that is a widespread phenomenon – and my guess would be that it is – that is a shame, and a shame that Scottish education should be doing everything in its power to reverse.

Technorati Tags: patrick mooney, chartered teacher programme, mccrone, a teaching profession for the 21st century

Category: education, leadership, personal, scotland

Comments

12 Responses to “Patrick Mooney”

Hilery
March 3rd, 2007 @ 5:44 pm

Just this week we have set up a blog (http://exc-el.org.uk/blogs/elchat) for Chartered Teachers in East Lothian to help address those very issues that Patrick highlights; as well as to raise debate about how to maintain professionalism and excitement once we reach the dizzy heights of CT status.
We welcome contributions.
John Connell
March 4th, 2007 @ 1:36 am

Isn’t it a pity, Hilery, that Scottish education nationally is unable to retain the courage of its convictions and serve the real needs of education in the way that East Lothian is able to – we end up pandering to the worst anti-intellectual and LCD instincts that so many in education in this country so often seem to sink into.

[and, by the way, LCD does not stand for Liquid Crystal Display!]
Don
March 4th, 2007 @ 2:36 pm

Hilery beat me to it!

I can vouch for the impact that our CTs are making in East Lothian.

My only point would be to try to challenge the notion that if you go into management that you are in some way no longer interested in classroom practice – nor should we think that just because someone is a CT that they might not wish to eventually move into management.

We need to break down these artifical and unhelpful bariers.
Don
March 4th, 2007 @ 2:37 pm

LCD??
Hilery
March 4th, 2007 @ 4:01 pm

The cumulative shudder that went round the group (gathered to discuss the CT programme in EL) at the thought of entering management is a testament to how far we have to go in breaking down barriers and developing a more positive view of promoted posts.

LCD – Lingering Cumulative Disaffection?!
John Connell
March 4th, 2007 @ 10:30 pm

Lowest Common Denominator!!
gail dyer
March 5th, 2007 @ 12:48 am

This is a wondeful initiative by LTS and it is such a shame that those who have graduated feel this way. My ICT co-ord at Belmore Sth would give his eye teeth to able to upgrade in this way as he does not want the other ladder. It is at the grass roots we have to start and it appears that too many in the classroom are there because they like to be in control and the centre of attention, how wrong they have got it. It is really hard to get them to let go . . . it seems to hit right at the core of their values which are so important to them and probably contribute to their “raison d’etre” (is that right phrase?) who cares it sounds good. If it makes anyone feel any better he would meet the same reaction over here. Maybe it will happen with a generational shift . . . in the meantime we have to just keep on keeping on and believe that the direction in which we are going is the right one . . . how do I know? I see the kids in the classes of exceptional practitioners who seamlessly integrate ICT, the kids are switched on, understanding what learning is, thinking about learning, sharing and you know what even their (bloody) Basic Skills Test results are outstanding!!
Hilery
March 5th, 2007 @ 9:43 am

Gail
Just a quick correction – while I have nothing but praise for LTS, the CT blog is the responsibility of practitioners in East Lothian. We did it all by ourselves!
And not all teachers in the last decade of their careers are didactic atention seekers!
Lynne Lewis
March 5th, 2007 @ 12:29 pm

In response to Gails comment on class teachers preferring the classroom so that they can be ‘in control’. I am surprised by this viewpoint I would argue that is why most teacher’s go into managerial role and it is this very ‘controlling’ nature that puts off class teachers moving into promoted posts. I believe Chartered teachers will only find a role when Headteachers pursue such qualifications themselves. They will then recognise what valuable knowledge and skills these teachers have to offer within their schools.
Elchat » CT Remit
March 5th, 2007 @ 4:49 pm

[...] I’ve been wondering how present or potential CT’s are using their skills in their schools or establishments over and above the work they do anyway.Â Â There is a debate on these issues on John Connel’s blog. Let’s start one here! [...]
Don
March 5th, 2007 @ 7:28 pm

Lynne

So I am the “fat controller” after all!
Gael Gillan
March 14th, 2007 @ 7:35 pm

To describe CT’s as ‘using their skills in their schools…….over and above the work they do anyway’ is not a constructive way to look at the way in which a CT can benefit their establishments. Surely taking on CT is extending and embelishing one’s own skills in the classroom thereby improving the Learning and Teaching for the children and in turn improving upon the ethos and success of the school as a whole.