Comments on: Foucault and the proposed Code of Conduct for Teachers http://www.pontydysgu.org/2008/12/fouclaut-and-the-proposed-code-of-conduct-for-teachers/ Pontydysgu - Educational Research Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:43:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: jen hughes http://www.pontydysgu.org/2008/12/fouclaut-and-the-proposed-code-of-conduct-for-teachers/comment-page-1/#comment-13896 jen hughes Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:08:34 +0000 http://www.pontydysgu.org/?p=1099#comment-13896 Well said Ray! My response was posted on another thread on the same subject somewhere else on this site - before I read yours Well said Ray! My response was posted on another thread on the same subject somewhere else on this site – before I read yours

]]> By: George Roberts http://www.pontydysgu.org/2008/12/fouclaut-and-the-proposed-code-of-conduct-for-teachers/comment-page-1/#comment-13844 George Roberts Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:27:27 +0000 http://www.pontydysgu.org/?p=1099#comment-13844 I suspect there is a middle ground which has something to do with appropriateness. Ray, you make a big leap from establishing a dress code that everyone can recognise and obey (with which I agree) to the imposition of a particular "business uniform" (with which I do not). I would be very happy if school taught students to conform to the dress code of the creative industries (a hugely important industry in Britain) or forestry or indeed domestic care as much as that of petty bureaucrats. We don't all wear ties to work. For me a dress code in school serves several functions, not least trying to mitigate the impacts of a very costly fashion competition. Though heaven knows the art of subverting a school uniform has been an essential part of a teenagers tool kit since year dot. If the teacher in question's "normal responsibilities" were teaching PE, why on earth should he wear a suit for the journey to and from school? I suspect there is a middle ground which has something to do with appropriateness. Ray, you make a big leap from establishing a dress code that everyone can recognise and obey (with which I agree) to the imposition of a particular “business uniform” (with which I do not). I would be very happy if school taught students to conform to the dress code of the creative industries (a hugely important industry in Britain) or forestry or indeed domestic care as much as that of petty bureaucrats. We don’t all wear ties to work. For me a dress code in school serves several functions, not least trying to mitigate the impacts of a very costly fashion competition. Though heaven knows the art of subverting a school uniform has been an essential part of a teenagers tool kit since year dot. If the teacher in question’s “normal responsibilities” were teaching PE, why on earth should he wear a suit for the journey to and from school?

]]> By: Ray Tolley http://www.pontydysgu.org/2008/12/fouclaut-and-the-proposed-code-of-conduct-for-teachers/comment-page-1/#comment-13704 Ray Tolley Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:59:41 +0000 http://www.pontydysgu.org/?p=1099#comment-13704 One of the expectations of a teacher is that he/she IS a professional. Schools that have a strict uniform code are only reflecting a part of a much more thorough code of conduct for the whole of school life. Any teacher should understand that he/she is first and foremost a professional, and may be required to teach or supervise any class or group, attend any staff training session or attend to a visiting parent/govenor/dignitary at a moment's notice. The teacher in question should therefore consider himself firstly as an upholder of school policy. However, if that policy has been badly communicated or not properly supported by senior staff there may be some cause for an errosion of standards. If the teacher in question was in the habit of turning up late and not able to attend to his normal responsibilities before changing into his PE kit, I would question his professionality. However, from the information to hand, we do not know if the teacher had previously recieved informal/formal/written warnings. From my previous experience of supporting staff in such cases, I would doubt that this is a 'first instance' - otherwise the school would be on seriously dodgy ground. But, on Dress Code in general, I fear that some schools do their pupils a disservice by not establishing a code that everyone can recognise and obey. How can a school claim that it is preparing young people for the Business World or the World of Work if they have not learnt to be comfortable in an appropriate business uniform? When my students went into Work Experience situations I expected them to be comfortable wearing a tie, a business suit and prepared to change into protective clothing appropriate to their working environment when they got there unless told otherwise. Conversely, I have also come across young men, having left school, who cannot tie their tie or fasten shoe-laces! I fear that far too often schools fail to realise that it is *their* responsibility to introduce youngsters to these concepts before they get rejected at the formal interview. And this applies equally, whether the school is to be found on the Isle of Skye, the Lleyn Peninsula or the Isle of Dogs. One of the expectations of a teacher is that he/she IS a professional. Schools that have a strict uniform code are only reflecting a part of a much more thorough code of conduct for the whole of school life. Any teacher should understand that he/she is first and foremost a professional, and may be required to teach or supervise any class or group, attend any staff training session or attend to a visiting parent/govenor/dignitary at a moment’s notice.

The teacher in question should therefore consider himself firstly as an upholder of school policy. However, if that policy has been badly communicated or not properly supported by senior staff there may be some cause for an errosion of standards. If the teacher in question was in the habit of turning up late and not able to attend to his normal responsibilities before changing into his PE kit, I would question his professionality. However, from the information to hand, we do not know if the teacher had previously recieved informal/formal/written warnings. From my previous experience of supporting staff in such cases, I would doubt that this is a ‘first instance’ – otherwise the school would be on seriously dodgy ground.

But, on Dress Code in general, I fear that some schools do their pupils a disservice by not establishing a code that everyone can recognise and obey. How can a school claim that it is preparing young people for the Business World or the World of Work if they have not learnt to be comfortable in an appropriate business uniform? When my students went into Work Experience situations I expected them to be comfortable wearing a tie, a business suit and prepared to change into protective clothing appropriate to their working environment when they got there unless told otherwise. Conversely, I have also come across young men, having left school, who cannot tie their tie or fasten shoe-laces!

I fear that far too often schools fail to realise that it is *their* responsibility to introduce youngsters to these concepts before they get rejected at the formal interview. And this applies equally, whether the school is to be found on the Isle of Skye, the Lleyn Peninsula or the Isle of Dogs.

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