Unreasonable pressure from my tutor at college. Help please!

flossy_splodge

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

But that depends on whether the course is internally or externally assessed.

If it is an NVQ or an NNEB there will be external assessors involved, and it isn't then as easy for the college to fudge the pass rate.
Sadly not true.
Also a lot of basic literacy and numeracy tests/exams are done on-line, which gives no room for discretion by the tutor, the student either attains the required pass rate, or doesn't pass.

I've been in a claasroom where the teacher was blatantly 'enabling' a student who would not otherwise have passed.

So it does depend what sort of certificate OP is studying for and OP hasn't told us that. But to some extent that is irrelevant - in THIS case the tutor has decided not to pass OP (for whatever reason) and she needs to work on attaining the level of competence required to pass, rather than relying on finding ways to challenge her tutor and supervisor (although I do agree that if she feels she is being unfairly treated she should use the college's appeals procedure, which would give her an opportunity to have her work looked at by someone impartial)

I heartily concur with your last paragraph.
This student sadly displays some of the modern day phenomenon of 'what me guv? Not down to me , guv'.

sw-nw

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

OP did you write the first paragraph of this reply?

I ask because the use of the English language and grammar in the first paragraph shows a much greater understanding and fluency than the next two paragraphs (and your earlier posts). If your essays show similar inconsistencies then this may explain your tutor's concern.

I don't know what qualification you are studying for but I think you said it is a two year course? This indicated that the course is a recognised qualification (NVQ or NNEB, perhaps?). If so being awarded the Certificate requires you to reach the required level of competence in all areas of the course. This is assessed (in part) on your performance in your practical placements, which I am presuming are in English speaking schools and establishments. These are external requirements of the course provider and/or examining board.

Your Tutor simply does not have the authority to change the course requirements because you intend to work with Chinese children as this is not the focus of the course or the Certificate.

I think that you would have a much better chance of passing the course if, instead of trying to persuade your Tutor and supervisor to change their minds, you cooperate with them to identify your areas of weakness and focus on addressing those concerns.

I speak as someone who has worked in a nursery school as a teacher's assistant, so I do understand something of the working environment and its demands. In particularly, it is vitally important, when working with young children who are learning to read and write, and to develop their vocabulary, that you are able to communicate clearly and accurately.

I suspect that may be part of the problem, and in my view your English Language skills should have been assessed BEFORE you commenced this course, to ensure that you had the relevant skills, instead of leaving it until this late stage to address these issues.

I suggest that you go back to your tutor and try to agree exactly where the problem areas are, so that you can work on improving these areas.

Sorry for the long post.

Daisy

It's all my own words. I just learned from placement.

ceridwen

Sighs heavily - wishes people would accept personal responsibility for something/anything just once in a while.....:cool:

I'm outa here...I can't be bothered with "Can't hear, won't hear" any longer...

SueC_2

ceridwen wrote: »

Sighs heavily - wishes people would accept personal responsibility for something/anything just once in a while.....:cool:

I'm outa here...I can't be bothered with "Can't hear, won't hear" any longer...

I read the following recently, allegedly delivered in a speech to high school kids, by Bill Gates. I somehow doubt that bit is true, but oh, how true the rest of it is...!


Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault , so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now... They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

sw-nw

ceridwen wrote: »

This is the thing - re your tutor wanting you to write an essay in front of them. It may well be the case that it's not so much the content of the essay that concerns them - but it could be the case that your written English is a higher standard than your spoken English and there is the obvious concern that your written English has been "helped".

When you are actually out on placement - then it is your spoken English that is being judged too.

This is also a matter of concern - and you could have got help in phrasing the posts you put on MSE for all we aware from the other end of a computer screen.

I am afraid I am getting the impression that you are trying to find a way to get through the course and receive the qualification at the end of it - whether you are the appropriate standard to do so or no.

Help we can - and are - giving. You do, however, have to rightfully merit any qualification at the end of the course - and it is not fair on potential employers if someone they took on hadn't passed their course "fair and square" in the proper way (they would lose face in front of parents for having taken on an unsuitable person to be in charge of their children).

Passing a course is NOT a case of "How do I fiddle things/arrange things/who do I see about it? - there is a way through and I just have to find it". Passing a course is about doing all the work on time and correctly and to a high enough standard and (in your case) being able to speak good enough English to work with young children (of any nationality).

I have to say that if I were your tutor I wouldn't believe you when you said you only wanted to work with Chinese children. I would think "Either she doesn't realise that the chances to work with only Chinese children are low to non-existent OR there may be a few chances to do so and she might get one of them for a bit of experience and she is then likely to try and say she is qualified to work with other nationalities in the future".

Either way - your tutor would be "putting herself on the line" if she said that you are more capable than you are and would lose face in front of others for having done so.

It's pulic forums, you were quite right to presume whatever you thought.

It's all about for me to state things clearly and understoodly, and to get advices and opinions accordingly. Thus it's no points to pretend.

I will do my best to go throught it. On the other hand, I had a degree already, it's enought for me to achieve what I want.

All the best.

slummymummyof3

OP, what course is it you are actually on?

sw-nw

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

OP, what course is it you are actually on?

Early Learning Education, to be qualified for nursery nurse I believe.

anamenottaken

sw-nw wrote: »

Early Learning Education, to be qualified for nursery nurse I believe.

That might be the subject but what is the qualification?

Do you want to be a nursery nurse?
If you do, find out exactly what qualifications you would require.

sw-nw

I hope it can put an end on my thread now.

After meeting with my tutor and course leader, it's clearly other teachers didn't feel any difficultities of my English language both writing and speaking. The course leader also supposed that I shouldn't have any communication's problems after all the theory studies. It's down to misunderstanding. For example, at placement, I've been asked to use some words on my task. I found out they were not suitable and decided not to use them. She didn't ask and I didn't explained neither. My supervisor was thinking I didn't understand. Anyway, in the end we had agreement that I should have English support making my language better.

I would thank for whom spent time to reply, read and keep this thread running. To the parents who gave me their honest opinions, I would like to remind that teaching is a complicated task, apart from language, there are more to be concerned.

Finally, I wish it shouldn't have happened because of all these pressure, pain and time.

slummymummyof3

Yes but the language is a huge part and as a parent I would have concerns over your level of the English language. I hope the additional support you are to receive will improve your language.