Comments on: The Devil’s Own Education System http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/ A Blog About Teaching in Tough Schools in the UK Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:03:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Chris http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-776 Chris Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:37:50 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-776 This is staggering. It's years since I read "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" and I had no idea Lewis had written so effectively on this topic 50 years ago. One of my jobs is to advise students returning to education and preparing to go to university. For some, it's a wonderful opportunity and for others a shameful waste of their time and resources which they mostly undertake to avoid work and to please their parents. Why should 50% of the population study for a degree? Who decided such a high figure? It's not the result of research or careful tuning, but the whim of a politician. Trying to attain this goal is damaging to universities and to the students who don't belong there. This is staggering. It’s years since I read “Screwtape Proposes a Toast” and I had no idea Lewis had written so effectively on this topic 50 years ago.

One of my jobs is to advise students returning to education and preparing to go to university. For some, it’s a wonderful opportunity and for others a shameful waste of their time and resources which they mostly undertake to avoid work and to please their parents.

Why should 50% of the population study for a degree? Who decided such a high figure? It’s not the result of research or careful tuning, but the whim of a politician. Trying to attain this goal is damaging to universities and to the students who don’t belong there.

]]> By: Geoffrey http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-646 Geoffrey Thu, 18 Oct 2007 22:53:08 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-646 Despite state education being officially rubbish and all over the news Andrew has been too slack to write an article. I have, in his absence, written a list of rehashed theories in an attempt to explain why our schools are so pony. My report can be found at the above blog. I am an unqualified cover teacher so my opinions are, of course, totally worthless. Despite state education being officially rubbish and all over the news Andrew has been too slack to write an article. I have, in his absence, written a list of rehashed theories in an attempt to explain why our schools are so pony. My report can be found at the above blog. I am an unqualified cover teacher so my opinions are, of course, totally worthless.

]]> By: Geoffrey http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-645 Geoffrey Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:06:01 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-645 If Saatchi buys messy beds then surely mud pies are an equally valid medium of artistic expression. You're so modernist!!! And what did this old 1950s duffer "C.S. Lewis" ever contribute to the education of children??? Right I'm off to prepare a lesson on spitting for some year 10s. If Saatchi buys messy beds then surely mud pies are an equally valid medium of artistic expression. You’re so modernist!!! And what did this old 1950s duffer “C.S. Lewis” ever contribute to the education of children??? Right I’m off to prepare a lesson on spitting for some year 10s.

]]> By: Newsisgood http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-644 Newsisgood Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:13:40 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-644 <a href="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/mortarboard/2007/10/same_difference.html" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/mortarboard/2007/10/same_difference.html</a> "I turned to the party leaders' conference speeches for some clues on where the big differences might lie. David Cameron pretty much said there weren't any. He referred to a speech from the schools secretary, Ed Balls, which - as he put it - "I could have given myself about standards, about rigour, about discipline". Cameron likes: setting, stretch for the most able, city academies and phonics. That sounds just like Gordon Brown's wish list." Is 'stretch' the answer? http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/mortarboard/2007/10/same_difference.html

“I turned to the party leaders’ conference speeches for some clues on where the big differences might lie. David Cameron pretty much said there weren’t any. He referred to a speech from the schools secretary, Ed Balls, which - as he put it - “I could have given myself about standards, about rigour, about discipline”. Cameron likes: setting, stretch for the most able, city academies and phonics. That sounds just like Gordon Brown’s wish list.”

Is ’stretch’ the answer?

]]> By: Newsisgood http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-643 Newsisgood Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:34:08 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-643 To me, the main reason for bright students to learn nothing is that the assessment regime demands that students know only-this-and-not-anything-more in order that they may answer questions at the required level of detail (e.g. as close to precisely none as possible). I think that teachers are perfectly capable of teaching important and noble things, behaviour permitting, it is simply that to do so is to disregard the exam and to disregard the exam is to not teach. It's not about knowledge, it's about being prepared for the exam. This comes from the perspective of an A-Level teacher. To me, the main reason for bright students to learn nothing is that the assessment regime demands that students know only-this-and-not-anything-more in order that they may answer questions at the required level of detail (e.g. as close to precisely none as possible).

I think that teachers are perfectly capable of teaching important and noble things, behaviour permitting, it is simply that to do so is to disregard the exam and to disregard the exam is to not teach. It’s not about knowledge, it’s about being prepared for the exam.

This comes from the perspective of an A-Level teacher.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-642 oldandrew Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:39:56 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-642 I used to read Ted Wragg in the TES. He was always the first to argue that the education establishment was basically sound and the only problem was politicians and inspectors who had silly ideas about making sure the kids were actually learning. Like most teachers I have very little respect for how this is done. 99% of political initiatives and OFSTED inspections are a waste of time. However, they are a waste of time because they change nothing, not because change isn't needed. I used to read Ted Wragg in the TES. He was always the first to argue that the education establishment was basically sound and the only problem was politicians and inspectors who had silly ideas about making sure the kids were actually learning.

Like most teachers I have very little respect for how this is done. 99% of political initiatives and OFSTED inspections are a waste of time. However, they are a waste of time because they change nothing, not because change isn’t needed.

]]> By: Anonymouse http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-641 Anonymouse Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:54:05 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-641 I give you, in reply, the wonderful Ted Wragg <a href="http://www.ncsl.org.uk/onlinecommunities/extractedlearning/comms-extracted-wragg.cfm" rel="nofollow">http://www.ncsl.org.uk/onlinecommunities/extractedlearning/comms-extracted-wragg.cfm</a> Buy his book education education education: it helps shine a light even now ... I give you, in reply, the wonderful Ted Wragg

http://www.ncsl.org.uk/onlinecommunities/extractedlearning/comms-extracted-wragg.cfm

Buy his book education education education: it helps shine a light even now …

]]> By: lilyofthefield http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-640 lilyofthefield Sat, 13 Oct 2007 22:04:31 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/10/13/the-devils-own-education-system/#comment-640 How did I miss that one? It's depressingly priceless. How did I miss that one? It’s depressingly priceless.

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