Comments on: My Dream School: Part 1 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/ A Blog About Teaching in Tough Schools in the UK Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:33:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tracy W http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-1029 Tracy W Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:29:57 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-1029 <i> You don’t need a degree to fit a car tyre or tap a dent and I still don’t get the point of trying to get a prospective plumber or electrician to critically analyse Sylvia Plath or speak German. </i> Just come across this. Why does this commentator think the only purpose of education is to equip someone for a job? While I am not prepared to defend Sylvia Plath or German specifically, I work in the field of electricity, where literary analytical skills are not necessary, but in my spare time I enjoy a variety of things, including reading and plays and travel, and find literary analysis useful there. The more you know about the world, the more interesting it is. You don’t need a degree to fit a car tyre or tap a dent and I still don’t get the point of trying to get a prospective plumber or electrician to critically analyse Sylvia Plath or speak German.

Just come across this. Why does this commentator think the only purpose of education is to equip someone for a job?

While I am not prepared to defend Sylvia Plath or German specifically, I work in the field of electricity, where literary analytical skills are not necessary, but in my spare time I enjoy a variety of things, including reading and plays and travel, and find literary analysis useful there. The more you know about the world, the more interesting it is.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-783 oldandrew Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:52:09 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-783 The teaching world is full of people who would love to teach challenging kids in tiny classes with TA support. In fact it's what appeasers want to do most of the time. Teachers often talk about how much they enjoyed working in PRUs, as long as they are competently run. The teaching world is full of people who would love to teach challenging kids in tiny classes with TA support. In fact it’s what appeasers want to do most of the time. Teachers often talk about how much they enjoyed working in PRUs, as long as they are competently run.

]]> By: Duncan http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-779 Duncan Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:46:38 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-779 I assume you would prefer not to teach at one of these 'separate providers'? Who would you propose does? Which member of staff's time would be best spent running the internal exclusions? I assume you would prefer not to teach at one of these ’separate providers’? Who would you propose does? Which member of staff’s time would be best spent running the internal exclusions?

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-782 oldandrew Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:46:33 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-782 I envisage separate provision for those who disrupt the learning of others. The unsupportive parents don't come into it, I think it is time to stop relying on parents for discipline. Far from being a waste of staff it is the most effective way to employ staff, as the worst behaved students monopolise staff time as it is. The success gallery is about building aspirations. At the moment kids are allowed to think that education isn't important. Having areas that are not for students is not about keeping staff and students separate. It's about establishing who is in charge. At bad schools kids feel that they own the place. I envisage separate provision for those who disrupt the learning of others. The unsupportive parents don’t come into it, I think it is time to stop relying on parents for discipline. Far from being a waste of staff it is the most effective way to employ staff, as the worst behaved students monopolise staff time as it is.

The success gallery is about building aspirations. At the moment kids are allowed to think that education isn’t important.

Having areas that are not for students is not about keeping staff and students separate. It’s about establishing who is in charge. At bad schools kids feel that they own the place.

]]> By: Duncan http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-778 Duncan Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:33:58 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-778 Do you envisage a kind of shadow academy, where all pupils with unsupportive parents and all the pupils who have been permanently excluded go? After all, their education is compulsory and they have to be taught somewhere. I really don't like the internal exclusion idea. I hear it's used more and more locally. Somebody of course has to manage it (to ensure those internally excluded are working and not doing less constructive things). A waste of staff. Dare I say it's paying good money to compensate for poor teaching? What do people learn from your 'success gallery'? And why keep students and staff seperate; after all we're only there for them. Do you envisage a kind of shadow academy, where all pupils with unsupportive parents and all the pupils who have been permanently excluded go? After all, their education is compulsory and they have to be taught somewhere.

I really don’t like the internal exclusion idea. I hear it’s used more and more locally. Somebody of course has to manage it (to ensure those internally excluded are working and not doing less constructive things). A waste of staff. Dare I say it’s paying good money to compensate for poor teaching?

What do people learn from your ’success gallery’? And why keep students and staff seperate; after all we’re only there for them.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-780 oldandrew Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:48:14 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-780 1) Unsupportive parents can be asked to change schools or put up with it. 2) Smaller incidents can be enforced on a warning basis, so only repeated offences are punished. 3) Detentions should involve sitting in silence. Internal exclusion should involve doing work, just not in an environment where students can speak to each other, including during lunch and break. 1) Unsupportive parents can be asked to change schools or put up with it.
2) Smaller incidents can be enforced on a warning basis, so only repeated offences are punished.
3) Detentions should involve sitting in silence. Internal exclusion should involve doing work, just not in an environment where students can speak to each other, including during lunch and break.

]]> By: Sam http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-777 Sam Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:32:56 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-777 2 questions for you: 1) How would you handle unsupportive parents who defend their kids over and above teachers? 2) What consequences would you impose for differing breaches of school policy? .... e.g. Low level issues - uniform etc. and high end issues? 3) What would take place in a 45 min DT or whole day internal exclusion? I like your ideas... 2 questions for you:

1) How would you handle unsupportive parents who defend their kids over and above teachers?
2) What consequences would you impose for differing breaches of school policy? …. e.g. Low level issues - uniform etc. and high end issues?
3) What would take place in a 45 min DT or whole day internal exclusion?

I like your ideas…

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-688 oldandrew Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:49:08 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-688 "He's saying that the assertion that the rich aren't lining up their kids to get into skilled working class jobs has the same level of validity as the claim that middle class people are retraining into plumbing, and dismissing one statement should dismiss the other." Well given that I haven't dismissed either statement then I'm left wondering what he's on about. “He’s saying that the assertion that the rich aren’t lining up their kids to get into skilled working class jobs has the same level of validity as the claim that middle class people are retraining into plumbing, and dismissing one statement should dismiss the other.”

Well given that I haven’t dismissed either statement then I’m left wondering what he’s on about.

]]> By: JKF http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-687 JKF Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:09:06 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-687 He's saying that the assertion that the rich aren't lining up their kids to get into skilled working class jobs has the same level of validity as the claim that middle class people are retraining into plumbing, and dismissing one statement should dismiss the other. Its really not that important to the topic you were discussing really though. He’s saying that the assertion that the rich aren’t lining up their kids to get into skilled working class jobs has the same level of validity as the claim that middle class people are retraining into plumbing, and dismissing one statement should dismiss the other.

Its really not that important to the topic you were discussing really though.

]]> By: oldandrew http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1/#comment-686 oldandrew Thu, 22 Nov 2007 13:12:29 +0000 http://oldandrew.edublogs.org/2007/11/18/my-dream-school-part-1-2/#comment-686 "So it's true when you make the unsubstantiated assertion, but false when someone else does?" What? You appear to be reading a different discussion to me. “So it’s true when you make the unsubstantiated assertion, but false when someone else does?”

What?

You appear to be reading a different discussion to me.

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