It's very sad and worrying when politicians stand up and talk rubbish on television.
Ed Balls claims that discipline is improving.
If it is, it's because we have some brilliant teachers who are managing to make their lessons interesting in spite of the straitjacket of the National Curriculum, SATS and the 5 A-Cs GCSE testing.
For the most part the interference of the government in education over the last twenty years has lead to many problems.
A good teacher, supported by imaginative management can subvert to dictates of government and achieve quality education. However many teachers do not have the confidence to challenge the way they are being required to teach. Few schools have Heads who have the confidence to take on the Government thinking.
As a person that came into teaching at 53 I was able to teach the way I chose and thus achieve very good results. In a sink school where all the problem children in the borough were sent(Hainault Forest High,Redbridge, London) I was able to teach with few discipline problems. This is because children enjoyed their lessons. They liked being challenged with imaginative projects where they were encouraged to express themselves.
I was never given promotion by the management, but on the other hand because I was able to produce the results , I was left alone to teach the way I wanted.
What goes on in many lessons is training rather than education. The former kills off initiative and enthusiasm it leads to many disruptive pupils who feel they are failures and leave school hostile to 'the system'.
4 comments:
Are education and training not both required to develop skills?
How is an uneducated individual trained?
Is 'teacher training' , training uneducated individuals?
Are teachers therefore uneducated?
Thanks for this challenging set of questions.
I really enjoy being made to explain myself by someone else who is thinking and asking questions!
Education is extremely important to me. I see it as one of, if not the most important things in life. This is why I went to what I saw as the best college in England to be trained (that word again)at the age of 53 - Goldsmiths, London.
I use the word education to mean something very different to what most people call training.
Educated people are those that have set out at the helm on a voyage that will never end. They have been encouraged and equipped with an attitude to find things out for themselves and be proactive. They meet new situations and can cope and adjust.
Trained people have been taught a specific set of skills they are followers they are not in charge. At the worst they have been trained to be trained. They leave school/university without the ability to adapt to meet new challenges. They are fine as long as the situation they meet is one that they have been trained for. If not, they are sunk. They are not proactive.
In changing times we need educated people who can problem solve, take charge, adapt, find a solution.
Are teachers uneducated?
Apply the above reasoning and decide for yourself!
To my way of seeing things - a lot of the educed ones got out ten to five years ago because they were proactive. Others had the strength of character to stay with teaching and soldier on regardless of 'management' dictates. They probably gave up all thoughts of promotion but are very contented people, much to be admired.
Thank you for your reply. However you have not answered my questions!
You have told my your opinion of "the best college", you have told me of your maturity of age when aquiring new skills. You have told me of your interpretation of education and training.
You use of "proactive" is inappropiate, perhaps 'versatile'?
Pro-activity is not solely owned by "educated" individuals.
Your lack of respect of those whom you consider "uneducated" is apparent and strikingly condescending!
You state "In changing times we need educated people who can problem solve, take charge, adapt, find a solution", you appear to consider that you own these characteristics.
I have taken your advice and applied reasoning and have made my decision.
While I admire your tenacity and enthusiasm for making a differance, I will suggest that if you improved your people skills you would have more support.
"Educated people are those that have set out at the helm on a voyage that will never end. "
Is what I said!
I'm trying to say that education in this sense can come from anywhere. It is an attitude and does not necessarily come from schools.
You state:
"Your lack of respect of those whom you consider "uneducated" is apparent and strikingly condescending!"
How to you reach this conclusion?
I have a great admiration for people who have skills that come from training. Each person with their different abilities is equally important.
Versatile is also a good word!
As for my personality:
I am what I am.
Yes there is always a place for change - this comes through practice, not from inactivity!
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