.As teachers call for revamp of profession By Adesina Wahab & Elizabeth Uwandu The Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Otunba Adedoyin Adesina, has called for adequate motivation and protection of teachers to make them always put in their best while discharging their duties. He stated this in Lagos during the celebration of this year’s Teachers’ Day at the Sports Complex of the University of Lagos, UNILAG. Adesina, who noted that a lot of people were looking down on teachers because of their poor welfare package, … [Read more...] about Lagos NUT boss canvasses motivation, protection of teachers
For teachers and students
‘I am called a bad teacher and my students overturn desks and chairs’
Monday Melissa floats around the English department at 3.50pm, not wanting to go home. She lives between her alcoholic mother – who spits at and abuses her – and her nan, who also looks after her five younger siblings and never speaks to her. I give her a novelty cow pencil, which delights her, and she goes on her way. I load my bag full of two sets of year 8 books and go home to mark them, finishing at around 9pm. Tuesday My alarm goes off at 5.45am. I quickly catch up on the news and get ready for my heaviest day teaching – five lessons on the bounce, most of them with year 9 students. Despite my decades of experience, the new head, after a 20-minute lesson observation, decided to absolve me of my leadership responsibilities; my timetable is now year 9-heavy. They are the trickiest year group by far and the majority of my classes have behavioural and/or learning difficulties with no money for in-class support. So I go it alone. I feel enormously for the small group … [Read more...] about ‘I am called a bad teacher and my students overturn desks and chairs’
Texas Schools to Drug Test Students in 7th Grade: ‘Great Kids Make Bad Decisions Every Day’
Students of a Texas school district must drug tests before they are allowed to take part in certain extracurricular activities—including football, choir and chess. In a letter to parents, Bushland Independent School District's Board of Trustees said the decision had been made to approve the policy for students in grades 7 to 12. Screening will also be needed before students can receive a parking permit for school grounds. The scheme will launch in the upcoming school year, KVII-TV reported. The district has said it will help to create a place "free from illegal substance abuse and conducive to learning." The policy, which asks for consent from students and parents, includes random drug testing. Samples of the students' saliva or urine will be used to hunt for substances including alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines and opiates. Testing is required before kids can participate in a slew of activities, including football, theater, cheerleading, cross country, … [Read more...] about Texas Schools to Drug Test Students in 7th Grade: ‘Great Kids Make Bad Decisions Every Day’
Hanoi int’l kindergarten teachers fired for locking child in closet
On August 5 one of two assistant teachers in a class, identified only as Thu, manhandled and threatened students before pushing the boy into a wooden cabinet and shutting the door. Her acts were caught on the school’s CCTV. Another child in the class told her mother, Le Mai Linh, about this, and she informed the boy’s family and the school. The head teacher and her two assistants apologized to the family. But they were fired by the school. Linh's daughter had told her she was "constantly pushed, pulled, and punished [in class] perhaps [because] she cries a lot since she just got out of hospital." Do Minh Dan, the boy’s father, said he "was deeply shocked when he saw the video and furious with both the teacher and her employer." He blamed what happened on the kindergarten for hiring incompetent staff. The boy reportedly shows no ill-effects or trauma and soon returned to school. Thu was a contract teacher who had started working a month and a half earlier. On … [Read more...] about Hanoi int’l kindergarten teachers fired for locking child in closet
Delhi Police Shuts All JNU Gates To Stop Students’ March
New Delhi: With barricadings set up and security forces deployed on every gate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the students' planned march to the President's house has been contained in the varsity. The students are though trying to convince the security forces to let them go ahead with the march. A march from JNU to President's house was called by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) after their month long protest failed to bear fruits as the administration rejected their demand of complete rollback of proposed hike in hostel charges. The JNUSU has though emailed a letter of their demands to the President. In the letter, the students have demanded complete rollback of proposed fee hike, resignation of the Vice-Chancellor, withdrawal of police cases on the agitating students. Earlier in the day, the Delhi police along with other security forces sealed all gates of the varsity which could have been used by students to march to the President's house to … [Read more...] about Delhi Police Shuts All JNU Gates To Stop Students’ March