Overzealous Teacher?

dizzie

Just wanted to get people's thoughts on this one. Yesterday, I received an email from Parentpay to say that there was a new item for payment on my account. For those who do not know, Parentpay is a system schools use for collection of money from pupils and it was set up at our school to provide a cashless catering system. The item is an EDCL course for my 15 year-old and I had to "Google" the term to find out what it was. It is a computer course at a cost of about £56.00 and on contacting school today, they confirm that the IT teacher has signed my son onto their after school EDCL course which they run for adult community education.

My son is academically very able in most areas but is hopeless at music and IT. He dropped music at GCSE options time, but IT is compulsory. He failed his Key Skills IT exam (quite badly) and the teacher was keen for him to retake this. He did not want to because his understanding is so poor that he did not think he could pass it. Therefore, he did not hand in the consent form/fee for the retake....but his teacher over-ruled his right to chose not to retake and entered him anyway, with instruction to make sure the money was handed into school. He failed the enforced retake as was expected and it seems that now the teacher has signed him up to a £56 after school course without parental consent, but expecting parental payment. He has his GCSE finals in the summer and is already feeling down about the fact that most of his friends seem to be computer-literate geniuses and he finds the subject really dificult to understand. I would rather see him concentrate on his GCSE subjects and allow him to address his IT weaknesses at a less stressful time.

I think the teacher is being overzealous but I know how persuasive school can be so before I prepare myself to stand my ground with them, do you think that such enforced chargeable tuition or retakes for that matter are acceptable without parental or child notification or consent?

newcook

I personally think its very bad of the teacher to sign your son up to something that he doesn’t want to do and expect you to pay for it!!

I would be approaching head of year and telling them that your son already has enough stress with upcoming exams and he shouldn’t be pressurized by anyone to take a course that he doesn’t want to do (and depending on what he wants to do later in life he may not need – carpenter/bricky etc).

I would also tell them they can whistle for the money for a course/exam that did not have the forms signed and returned by yourself

Doozergirl

I think IT skills are a necessity. An ECDL will be recognised on his CV in the future, I don't see the harm. Computer literacy will end up being more important than most subjects he will take.

I'dbe pleased that they were being proactive, not complaining when someone wants my child to succeed. I couldn't ever see myself annoyed at that.

moomoomama27

TBH for the sake of £56, a course that will benifit him, and can be added on to his CV, I don't see the problem. I think the teacher is acting in his best interests, and obviously wants to do the best for your son, and help him with his exams. I think you should encourage it, and be as suppoertive as possible of this course, it's a really fantastic course, and will really benefit hi, especially as he's lacking the skills.

brokenlily

Hi, I work with unemployed people, and the ECDL is valued in the workplace far more than the school based IT qualifications, so I'd say the teacher is probably right. ECDL is possibly easier as well for people who don't find it easy as it is aimed more at adult learners and he can start at pre-GCSE level and work up to the full level 2 (GCSE equivalent).

JimmyTheWig

Do I think it sounds worth £56 and a great opportunity for your son to learn some important skills? Yes.

Do I think the school should have done this without talking to you? Absolutely not.

I'd be furious with them.
But I also think that he should strongly consider taking the course.

LandyAndy

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think IT skills are a necessity. An ECDL will be recognised on his CV in the future, I don't see the harm. Computer literacy will end up being more important than most subjects he will take.

I'dbe pleased that they were being proactive, not complaining when someone wants my child to succeed. I couldn't ever see myself annoyed at that.

I certainly agree with that. I'm also pretty sure that ICT at GCSE is one of the worst organised and worst taught subjects on the syllabus based on what I've seen of my sons' experience over the last few years.

I'm not sure the ECDL is any better. It doesn't even deal with practical applications like word processing and spread sheets until the 'advanced' stage. I think MrsLA has done it.

To the OP. Your son's future will be severely affected without computer literacy. The school may have jumped the gun a bit but I think they are right to be concerned, as should you.

aliasojo

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Do I think it sounds worth £56 and a great opportunity for your son to learn some important skills? Yes.

Do I think the school should have done this without talking to you? Absolutely not.

Nutshell.

.....

dizzie

Doozergirl,

I accept your point but his IT knowledge is so poor that he would have to dedicate a lot of time between now and the summer to address it, which would detract from his other subjects. This is already a high pressure period for him and he wants to do well in his GCSEs. Moreover, I think that IT moves at such a pace that the skills you learn are often out of date before you need to use them. For example, I borrowed a computer and taught myself the O-level course when I was at school because our teacher left a few months into the course and no-one replaced him. I didn't want to be an O-level short so I used my own initiative and was one of only two pupils who was entered for the exam and passed. Yet, I never used my computer skills (e.g. progamming in BASIC) thereafter.

My son's exam is not a GCSE. He can use Microsoft Word but from what I can gather, the Key Skills expects skills in other areas e.g. being able to use spreadsheets and databases and create queries etc. He is unfortunate that he does not appear to have the brain that most kids (and certainly my eldest son) do....when IT is almost second nature to them. I have managed thus far without being too adept with database creation and manipulation and feel that well-motivated people can add these to their repertoire as and when the need or desire occurs. He is responsible enough to address such matters at a later stage as and when required.

doodoot

I would definitely be asking for an explanation for why he has been enrolled on this course without your consent, especially when you are expected to pay for it.

But saying that I would strongly suggest that you persuade your son to attempt it as it is a qualification that is appearing more and more on job specification forms.

Also, £56 is very cheap - if he decides to take it after finishing school he can triple that amount.

Lunar_Eclipse

dizzie wrote: »

Therefore, he did not hand in the consent form/fee for the retake....but his teacher over-ruled his right to chose not to retake and entered him anyway, with instruction to make sure the money was handed into school. He failed the enforced retake as was expected and it seems that now the teacher has signed him up to a £56 after school course without parental consent, but expecting parental payment.

Setting aside this teacher's potentially good intentions and the fact that this course might be in your son's best interests, I think the teacher has overstepped his/her authority and don't think the above actions, or perhaps the manner in which they were undertaken (lack of communication) are acceptable.

I also agree with your thinking regarding the GCSE's, but know others will feel differently. On the basis that we are talking about IT and not Maths or English, I would consider approaching the school to discuss a GCSE exemption. (This is an objective comment on the basis of society's perceived value of subjects, ie you need 5 GCSE passes including Maths & English to do anything.) It doesn't look good for the school or your son to have a fail grade. IT may be a compulsory subject, and very useful, but I'm surprised if it was mandatory to sit the exam. Also, if your son is not going to actually sit the exam, it is counter-productive for the school to enter him (and presumably wastes money.) So I would e-mail his tutor and ask who you should discuss this with: Head of Year or Head of KS4 would be my best guesses.