Talk:Dave Elmer

Yeah Mr Elmer was a great teacher. I think it's pathetic how someone can come into a job and just change things around in order to make their mark on the school at the expense of someones livelihood and kids learning. League tables don't matter for shit. I know I'm not the only one that thinks it's a crime how he was pushed. I also don't think that Systems and Control Electronics is an 'out of date' subject considering most of industry relies on electronics and BRGS is meant to be a technology college. I can name a technology teacher that has no purpose at that school, one that lost my GCSE coursework in 2000. If it wasn't for his extra curricular activities I'm sure he'd have gone too. Attitudes needed to be changed, the idea that Electronics was a 'doss' did Mr Elmer no favours. I hope the new headteacher feels good that he put someone on the dole for the sake of his own image. Too often quick-fix solutions get in the way of what's important. The kids loved Mr Elmer and those that did care, did well. It's not often you find a teacher that can connect with the kids the way Mr Elmer did. I've been in jobs where a new boss would come along and change things just to make their mark and all it does it cause friction and resentment. Something needed to be done about poor performance but I think it was handled badly. Somebody's personal opinion shouldn't affect their decisions. Mr Elmer never minced his words and I personally think that's an admirable quality, but it seems that a certain someone didn't like that in him.

I've said my bit now.

Chris Stansfield.

I was never taught by Mr Elmer, but there are teachers who you know from being taught by them and there are others that have reputations that preceed them, and for me Mr Elmer fell into the latter category.

From what I gathered Elmer taught those who showed an interest - after all students are there to learn. Giving the subject the title of a "doss" is a reflection on the students and the school's motivation of said students as a whole. Because Elmer's methods were deemed unorthodox why should they also be condemned? For me it's the teachers who plod along an average trail that possibly fail the most. Risk takers are essentially the ones who make a difference. Perhaps when you're younger you let words of advice pass you by, but if someone says to you "Do the work and you'll get the grades" you do the work and you get the grades. If, as a student, you're going to extort that freedom and a respect of your (hopeful) maturity then you're gonna get what's coming to you.

I wish him well.

Dave Lancaster

A good teacher and inspiration

Well, I think that Chris has already expressed my views on this very well, so I'm not going to repeat what he has said.

Mr Elmer taught electronics to me through my Tech A-Level and extra electronics AS-Level. His dedication to the subject and to his students is pretty much un-paralleled by other teachers that I had at the time, and I think contributed greatly to my degree choice and love of the subject.

It seems a shame that a willingness to retain standards and speak ones view is frowned upon and punished in a world where those qualities are needed more than ever. Is it better to teach students that high grades can be achieved through slacking off and no hard work? Mr Elmer did not suffer fools gladly, he did not hand high grades out for nothing. If you wanted to design something and you went to him with an idea he would stay behind after school until the stars came out to help you make it work.

With the demise of teachers like Mr Elmer the world is headed for a nightmare of administrators and non-descript paper pushers, there will be no specialists, innovators or inventors.

James Stansfield