ATL

That's not the way to do it

A standing ovation was the response from members to ATL general secretary Mary Bousted's closing speech at ATL's 2009 Annual Conference calling for an end to the control 'freakery' taking over education

"What's missing from the government's concept of the 21st-century school is a vision of the 21st-century teacher," began Dr Mary Bousted to a packed conference hall in Liverpool, having acknowledged the progress government has made in building a vision for schools as centres of excellence in the future.

Delighting delegates with an impassioned address, Dr Bousted asked: "Is there any profession more watched over, more regulated and more directed than teaching? The teaching profession is flea-ridden - bitten by armies of advisers and inspectors who are firm adherents of what I call the 'that's-the-way-to-do-it' approach."

Dr Bousted called on Conference to remember "the first incarnation of the literacy strategy in which there was no speaking and listening strand because Chris 'Wood Head' - that great education guru - said children didn't need to be taught how to speak and how to listen... For those children who spend their lives at home cocooned in front of the television, interacting with no one, this loss will be incalculable."

The control 'freakery' of the 'that's-the-way-to-do-it' approach means that teaching has become a performance, Dr Bousted asserted, one that has to follow a common pattern where all lessons must have a start, a middle section and a plenary; lesson plans must show evidence of differentiation; pupils must spend part of the lesson engaged in interactive learning. "And all teachers must do handstands at the start of the lesson and cartwheels at the end of it to model a healthy approach to physical fitness and well-being," she added wryly, to appreciative laughter from delegates.

"This level of control robs them of choice, denies them control of what they should be in control of - the content, pace and focus of lessons. Why can't teachers introduce an element of surprise? Why must our pupils be bored rigid by the repetition of the same lesson structure again and again?"

The problem, Dr Bousted continued, goes to the heart of the curriculum. English, for example, has been replaced by literacy, where children often get to read only extracts of books, cannot choose what they wish to write about and cannot develop their own voice as speakers, listeners and writers: "Conference, where has the concept of pleasure gone?" she asked.

Continuing to lampoon the government's 'that's-the-way-to-do-it' approach, Dr Bousted said to loud applause in the auditorium: "It's this mentality that is behind the daft idea that teachers can be trained in six months... and the even more daft Tory idea that teachers can be trained in six weeks. How does such a training course fit with the government's other professed desire to make teaching a masters-level profession?"

But, Dr Bousted promised, "ATL will continue to campaign for a change of heart and a change of approach so that teachers can let their professional skills and knowledge flourish for the benefit of all our students."

Moving on to support staff, Dr Bousted congratulated the government on setting up the new national negotiating body for support staff and bemoaned the results of a recent ATL survey showing that cover supervisors are being required to cover long-term absence because they are cheaper than a supply teacher, that support staff are working excessive hours and the perennial issue of term-time-only contracts.

Mentioning the opening time-limited pay offer of 0.5% for 2009/2010 from the Local Government Employers, she said: "Colleagues, this is not the way to treat local government employees and no way to treat support staff in schools."

Turning her attention to the post-16 sector, Dr Bousted highlighted the freeze on capital spending by the Learning and Skills Council (the "biggest fiasco to hit the sector"), the tension between schools and colleges in delivering diplomas and the "mess" of letting sixth-form staff choose between registering with the General Teaching Council or the Institute for Learning (IfL).

She said: "It is predictable and avoidable that a national set of reforms rolled out on an uneven playing field will not result in fairness or quality of provision for young people. And we know who will be held accountable: the education staff trying yet again to provide the best possible education in a turbulent sector. We are working with Lifelong Learning UK to professionalise education workers in the sector. We are working with the IfL to open up continuing professional development opportunities. But we are also putting the case for harmonised pay scales and parity of teaching qualifications with the consequent pay and conditions."

But, Dr Bousted concluded, in the midst of all these challenges: "We feel strong as ATL. I return to London tired, yes, but invigorated in my determination to speak and act for you. And I hope you will return renewed in your determination to bring ATL members together for mutual support."

See the ATL Conference 2009 section of this website for full details of this speech and all the motions heard at Conference.

Photo by Duncan Robertson