Comments on: Political Education Goes Down the Toilet http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet/ A Blog About Teaching in Tough Schools in the UK Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:10:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: lilyofthefield http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet/comment-page-1/#comment-609 lilyofthefield Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:41:03 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet-2/#comment-609 Simple. Sixth-form prefects were on a supervision rota at break and lunch; there were smoke detectors attached to a flashing light and bell in the corridor, and CCTV on all the areas except inside the actual cubicles. Ample soap, paper and towels are provided in most schools and are vandalised or stolen by the pupils themselves. No-one pisses on the floor, breaks the locks, blocks the toilets with a whole bog roll, smears shit on the walls, leaves parts of their lunch to block the sinks and smokes in there, apart from the pupils themselves. Prevent them from doing so and the toilets remain satisfactory. Simple. Sixth-form prefects were on a supervision rota at break and lunch; there were smoke detectors attached to a flashing light and bell in the corridor, and CCTV on all the areas except inside the actual cubicles.

Ample soap, paper and towels are provided in most schools and are vandalised or stolen by the pupils themselves. No-one pisses on the floor, breaks the locks, blocks the toilets with a whole bog roll, smears shit on the walls, leaves parts of their lunch to block the sinks and smokes in there, apart from the pupils themselves.

Prevent them from doing so and the toilets remain satisfactory.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet/comment-page-1/#comment-608 oldandrew Sun, 26 Aug 2007 23:12:48 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet-2/#comment-608 "since the toilets were satisfactory" Forget the clothes, explain how the toilets were sorted. You were clearly teaching in some sort of Utopia. “since the toilets were satisfactory”

Forget the clothes, explain how the toilets were sorted. You were clearly teaching in some sort of Utopia.

]]> By: lilyofthefield http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet/comment-page-1/#comment-607 lilyofthefield Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:49:37 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet-2/#comment-607 In a school I taught at for five under-happy years, the girls had to wear light grey trousers. The boys wore charcoal trousers. On the top of every school council agenda, since the toilets were satisfactory, was the wish of the girls to change the shade of the trousers from light to dark grey, on the grounds that even unfashionable trousers were hard to get in that shade and easy to find in charcoal, and were more flattering. I have NO IDEA why the HT and governors wouldn't bend on that one. They never offered an explanation. They always allowed it to be on the agenda but never completely sidelined it at council meetings. I always felt a valuable lesson about demoocracy had been learned. In a school I taught at for five under-happy years, the girls had to wear light grey trousers. The boys wore charcoal trousers. On the top of every school council agenda, since the toilets were satisfactory, was the wish of the girls to change the shade of the trousers from light to dark grey, on the grounds that even unfashionable trousers were hard to get in that shade and easy to find in charcoal, and were more flattering.

I have NO IDEA why the HT and governors wouldn’t bend on that one. They never offered an explanation. They always allowed it to be on the agenda but never completely sidelined it at council meetings.

I always felt a valuable lesson about demoocracy had been learned.

]]> By: Burnden http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet/comment-page-1/#comment-606 Burnden Sun, 26 Aug 2007 09:28:58 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet-2/#comment-606 I think one of the problems with school councils is that the kids realise that there are several things that are beyond discussion, mostly the things they actually care about (other than the toilets). Lesson length, uniform, when dinner time happens, how much time is spent on sports, school rules & sanctions, homework. Maybe if they could see their voice affecting these then they may be more motivated? Just a thought. I think one of the problems with school councils is that the kids realise that there are several things that are beyond discussion, mostly the things they actually care about (other than the toilets).
Lesson length, uniform, when dinner time happens, how much time is spent on sports, school rules & sanctions, homework.

Maybe if they could see their voice affecting these then they may be more motivated?

Just a thought.

]]> By: Eileen http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet/comment-page-1/#comment-605 Eileen Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:42:06 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/08/24/political-education-goes-down-the-toilet-2/#comment-605 I just found your great blog today, and have signed up for your RSS feed. I read your post on "Jordan" and then this one. You are marvelously descriptive of the kinds of problems we deal with in the classroom every day. The comments on that section were closed, which is why I'm commenting here. I think you are dealing with Jordan in a remarkably calm way! Eileen Dedicated Elementary Teacher Overseas (in the Middle East) elementaryteacher.wordpress.com I just found your great blog today, and have signed up for your RSS feed. I read your post on “Jordan” and then this one. You are marvelously descriptive of the kinds of problems we deal with in the classroom every day. The comments on that section were closed, which is why I’m commenting here. I think you are dealing with Jordan in a remarkably calm way!

Eileen
Dedicated Elementary Teacher Overseas (in the Middle East)

elementaryteacher.wordpress.com

]]>