Chat Ed : Hello everyone and welcome to this evening’s Dispatches: Undercover Teacher webchat. Undercover Teacher follows former science teacher Alex Dolan, as she uses a hidden camera to reveals the depressing conditions at three of the country's most troubled secondary schools in Leeds and London. Alex is here with us now to answer your questions on her findings…
Alex Dolan : Good evening everyone, happy to take any questions you may have about the film...
michelle : what are your motives for doing this alex
Sarah : What made you do the programme in the first place?
Alex Dolan : I left teaching in 2001 and in the period that followed I did a lot of supply teaching in inner-city schools in London and I was extremely concerned with what I saw which was a lot of kids not learning much because of a huge amount of disruption. The government were telling us that the school standards were improving, as were GCSE results and yet, from what I saw, it just didn't add up. It was in complete contrast to what I was seeing.
scarlett : ok i really like your courage to go and do the programme
Rob : Do you feel that the schools/lessons you saw are representative of schools as a whole? The programme's editors clearly wanted to give that impression...
Alex Dolan : In the six month investigation I visited 16 secondary schools in London and Leeds, the ones that are featured in the programme were representative of the problems I saw.
Andy Peel : Very enlightening Alex, did you find the schools shown the exception rather than the rule?
Alex Dolan : No Andy. I find it very worrying that out of the 16 schools I went to, 14 had problems that were disrupting the learning of the kids.
michael7 : has the government seen the video
Alex Dolan : I don't know, Michael. Presumably they may have seen the film tonight, but they hadn't seen it prior to this, no.
gemma : Why did u only show the bad points of intake, you could have shown good points like the performing arts, i love my school and i really don’t want it to be shut down.
Alex Dolan : In the time that I spent at intake what is featured in the programme is a fair representation of what I saw. As I was mainly there to cover science I didn't get a chance to see the performing arts.
Martin Mac : Do you think your program could stop people becoming secondary school teachers ?
Keith : Should i forget my idea to do some Teacher training??!!
Alex Dolan : I very much hope that it won't stop people becoming teachers. It can be a fantastic job and there were moments during my investigation when I held the attention of the class and it reminded me of why I became a teacher in the first place. I think teachers are under enormous pressures and their job is made very difficult by these pressures and I hope by making this programme that it will open the debate about the problems in teaching and how these problems can be addressed to ensure that every pupil receives the standard of education that they deserve.
Miss A : Alex did you find that any approaches worked with your most difficult classes? What about when senior managers came in - was it any different for them and why?
pat : Alex i think you are one brave woman. Well done!!
Alex Dolan : I noticed that when senior management came in things would improve, but as soon as they left the whole thing would deteriorate again. I felt reassured that the problems I was experiencing at Highbury Grove were not simply results of the fact that I was a supply teacher. The extremely destructive class (the one with the fire extinguisher) rioted for their regular teacher, who happened to be a senior teacher. I noticed that when I had support in the lessons from classroom assistants challenging behaviour was much easier to manage.
Abo : What can be done for the kids that are willing to learn?
Alex Dolan : Abo that's such a hard question because those are the ones that I really felt for and those are the kids that made me want to make this film. I think there needs to be a lot more support for schools with a high proportion of kids with behavioural problems so that teachers can effectively manage this bad behaviour so that it doesn't disrupt the learning of others.
michelle : Do you think it is the teachers who are to blame? For some teachers it will be terrible to go to school tomorrow after saying the things they have said to you in trust
Alex Dolan : In many cases the answer is no, teachers are not to blame. They are often put in impossible situations where they simply don't have the resources to manage bad behaviour.
hemelboy : How did you feel about betraying the confidence of all the colleagues who helped you?
Alex Dolan : I feel that many of the kids I met were being betrayed by the education system that they are in. Everyday kids told me they could not learn and that is my justification for what I've done.
bewilderedbythisprop : why do you think this situation exists alex?
Beyoyock : Alex, so if the teachers aren't to blame, who is?
Lottie : Well if it isn’t the teachers, what can be done to improve the students?
Andy2005xxx : Yeh who is to blame?
Alex Dolan : I think this situation exists because targets have become more important than teaching.
ross1 : is it govt?
Alex Dolan : Many of the most needy schools are not given the resources to tackle their problems.
Derek : I certainly concur with that comment alex
b8runner : this government is obsessed with targets and league tables
sp1 : true
Alex Dolan : I don't think it's for me to apportion blame.
Jay : what could be done?
JDB : What resources in particular are needed?
Alex Dolan : There are many things that could be done to improve the lives of teachers and pupils: more classroom assistants, greater support for schools forced to take excluded pupils and higher salaries for teachers to attract more people into the profession.
Derek : a real way of instilling discipline would be good...
mike70 : the zero tolerance school although harsh seemed to work?
Alex Dolan : I certainly got a real buzz out of the fact that I could properly teach in that school, but, I was completely horrified that I witnessed staff swearing at pupils and calling them “scum”. I really was.
bryher : I think pupils should be encouraged to learn, through looking to the future
Lydia : surely - it's all about having more excellent teachers
Jason-Halifax : I think the kids need a right hiding!!!!, when I was at school we got the slipper and the cane!!!, zero tolerance is the way forward
smart_kid_ : No ,that’s not right
Spacedguy333 : where did u hide the camera???
Joe Deeks : Were you ever worried a teacher or student may find a hidden camera?
Alex Dolan : I had two cameras, that's all you need to know ;)
Martin Mac : Did you ever worry that someone might find you talking to your bag and think you were mad !! LOL
Catherine : wow, impressive!
Alex Dolan : Occasionally but, the technology is so good that I often forgot I had cameras on me and was able to get on with my job as a teacher. Some people have criticised me and said how on earth could I teach and film at the same time but I was able to forget the cameras were there and focus entirely on my job. It may sound hard to believe but it really was the case. Many teachers, during my six months undercover, praised my teaching and wanted me to stay and work at their schools.
CSA : i think you did a great job alex and it's about time the population in general knew what happens in schools on a daily basis
hellsbells : Alex, I thought your programme was a true representation of my daily experiences as a science teacher
Anni : But don’t you think that because you were a supply and so to be gone that was the reason children and staff treated you this way?
Alex Dolan : Anni, I always accepted that my job was going to be tougher because of the fact that I was a supply teacher and many kids see the supply teacher as an opponent, however, during my investigation I was able to support a number of other teachers and time and again found they were having similar problems to me.
bryher : do you feel this film will inhibit you, re-entering teaching?
mathsteacher : Congratulations, Alex, I thought on the whole you did a good job. Are you worried about your employment prospects now?
lovely_Laura : bonjour alex, so wots up next 4 u, another teaching job?
Alex Dolan : bryher, I hope not because one day I intend to return to teaching. Things would have to really change for me to want to be back in the profession however.
Joe : Come to Scotland! We have better schools up here!
Alex Dolan : At the moment there are easier ways of earning a living.
alex from hg : im going to question every supply teacher and not trust them :)
Dee : If you could change ONE thing tomorrow what would it be?
Alex Dolan : Abolish league tables!
james B : Why can't we have schools where only pupils who actually want to learn something can go ?
james B : Would CCTV in classrooms help ?
arcamides : Do you think the current problems are due to the policies of inclusion of disruptive children in schools
Ace : Do you think the government trying to minimise exclusions makes this worse ?
Alex Dolan : Very difficult question, unfortunately there will always be pupils in schools that don't want to learn and as teachers we have to put resources in place to cope with that. The current policy of inclusion of disruptive pupils definitely makes things more difficult for teachers, however, I think it's a step in the right direction, but, from what I saw in six months, schools need much greater resources to cope with these pupils who otherwise would have been excluded from schools.
Chat Ed : Our time with Alex is almost up, so last few questions now...
stuart : do u like children now
Alex Dolan laughs
Alex Dolan : Children are great and I have always enjoyed working with young people. During my investigation I met some fantastic kids and when the system appeared to be failing them I felt very strongly that they were getting a rough deal and I hope that, by making this film, it will raise the debate about education and improve standards for all.
bryher : what's next for you miss dolan? :)
Alex Dolan : I hope to continue a career in journalism, but would not rule out the possibility of returning to teaching one day.
Chat Ed : That's it! Thanks for coming and talking to us Alex.
Andy2005xxx : Good luck Alex and well done!!
Bod : thank you for your time alex
wrenster : Well done Alex
DavidB : Goo luck and thanks
Catherine : thankyou alex
Alex Dolan : Thanks for your brilliant support and all the best, Alex.
Joe : :- )
Alex Dolan leaves the room
