While completing my PGCE in the UK we’d been told about an initiative which could involve any potential interviews being supported by students. This week NASUWT, the major teaching union in the UK published its criticism of the campaign claiming it is “littered with examples of demeaning, embarrassing and humiliating practice”. The most extreme case is of a teacher labelled ‘Humpty Dumpty’ by the student selection panel and another, a teacher who got the job and would go on to teach two of his interviewers being told by one ‘If i’d known you were going to be like this I’d of never hired you’.

The opinions of the teachers and friends I have spoken to is unanimous. They don’t like it. And I agree. I like the concept but I don’t think it’ll ever work. If I had a chance to nominate a teacher I liked based on my first lesson in school I would never of had an education. My best teacher was the one I hated the most…..initially. Ms Ford was an Irish teacher who saw right through me. Before answering any question she would stop and remind me to engage my brains gear before starting to rev its engine. We would fight, she would win but I would learn. Had I an option of walking away or picking someone else I would have done it. But I wouldn’t have learnt anything and I fear this is what would happen if this process moved into the Irish system. Good teachers will miss out to the ones who to end a lesson with a mini mars bar for everyone. Students will gain a notion of power they haven’t earned.

Input, let’s get it. How? Students submit their set questions for all teachers which when answered is relayed back to the pupils for feedback.  Students in an interview room…forget it!