PrimaryOdds'n'Ends

Three to think about!

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:36:11 +0000

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Complex Instructions

admin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 07:07:47 +0000

Came across this, this morning on the superb nrich site. Looks fascinating.

Sytematically creating a groupwork environment.

There’s a whole page of suggested reading here.

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The shape of things to come.

admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 05:40:17 +0000

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education from The National College on Vimeo.

Read the speech here

Key Stage 2 SATS will continue to give a robust and consistent source of information for parents at a crucial transition point for their child as they move on to secondary school. Hmm Sounds just like Mr Balls. No change there then.

What will the new curriculum look like?
We intend to restore the National Curriculum to its original purpose – a minimum national entitlement for all our young people organised around subject disciplines. ???

Curriculum page link at the Department for Education

Teaching is a craft? Yes, but it is also many other things. Not least is the intellectual aspect to it, and the artistry. That’s not to say a craft hasn’t an intellectual side but we don’t just want to copy ‘the master’ and who’s going to decide what represents ‘The mistress’ of teaching. I’m sure we want to pinch ideas from everywhere, be able to make mistakes, celebrate our successes, disagree with the master’, extend their ideas and know it’s not a final sum game. It’s a journey we want you to understand we are taking not for you to serve us (really?). We want you to understand and support us in our attempts to create quality opportunities for our children to develop their potentials. And especially to do away with the bullying culture of the last 10 years or so.

Sadly, we seem to be being demoted to a 1950s version of teaching.
But perhaps I just shouldn’t do it. Adversus solem ne loquitor.

Wonderful thing the internet, one can find an appropriate Latin quote in the blink of a finger press.

When you compare this to the ten Primary Priorities from the Cambridge Primary Review you can see immediately which is more inspiring and relevant. (Where next for Primary Education?- Robin Alexander – Guardian 27/04/10)

These Priorities are explained in more detail here.

A SUMMARY OF THE CAMBRIDGE REVIEW CAN BE FOUND HERE.

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Never to be seen again!

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:13:53 +0000

It’s interesting how electronic information can be rewritten so easily.

Just take it down.

And in the blink of an eye 11 years of work and discussion has gone.

I wonder if there are any paper copies.

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It’s not happening

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:59:33 +0000

Vast swathes of the Children, Schools and Families Bill didn’t make it through parliament before dissolution.

What’s that? - The New Primary Curriculum was in that bill and it isn’t happening.

Ed Balls forced to drop key reforms

Sex education plans sacrificed to get education bill through parliament before it is dissolved

Jessica Shepherd – Guardian 07.04.10

After all the heartache of the last 15 years we now have to live with the spectre of this?

Gove unveils Tory plan for return to ‘traditional’ school lessons

Alice Thomson & Rachel Sylvester – The Times 06/03/10

New conservative (sorry, crossout and replace with labour) were bad enough but to go back to Conservative. My heart weeps!

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Well worth a few moments

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:50:47 +0000

Luke Abbott’s Keynote from the Waikato Conference, New Zealand

Luke gives the background to the development of mantle of the expert since 2002 as a powerful curriculum approach and his view of the future of education created, not by the establishment, but by teachers innovating from the ‘underground’.

Having been lucky enough to go on course this weekend and witness him work, I would say give the keynote a few moments.

The website below contains lots more information.

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Jamie Oliver on food

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:57:55 +0000

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Needles and haystacks?

Mr Ball — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:40:59 +0000

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Aardman animation

Mr Ball — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:52:28 +0000

Tate and Aardman tap children’s ideas for Wallace & Gromit-style movie
Tate teams up with Nick Park’s Aardman to give children chance to create characters, stories and drawings for animated film

Charlotte Higgins – Guardian 19/10/2009

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What is it about Britain?

Mr Ball — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:31:25 +0000

Devastating criticism of primary education dismissed by ministers
• Doing nothing would be weak, say headteachers
• Schools department calls report out of date

Polly Curtis – Guardian 16/10/2009

Two quotes from this piece in yesterday’s Guardian seem to sum it up

“There are recommendations in this report that could transform the Primary ethos and turn pessimism into hope.” Cambridge Review

“We completely refute the claim that primary standards have not risen across the board.” Vernon Croaker – School’s Minister.

One edgy, open to new possibilities, the other like the veritable prison door slamming shut behind you.

No discourse, no attempt to understand a blanket NO!

These lines are just too important to ignore.

But today’s report found growing concern about the international evidence that finds that some children are put off school if they feel they have failed formal lessons in the 3Rs at an early age.

The idea that children can learn things in anything other than a formal environment is anathema to the other lot too.

However, we do not agree … that politicians should end school for four to six-year-olds.” Nick Gibb – Shadow Schools Minister. But they only said that children should not start formal lessons until the age of six!

Start school at six, key schools report recommends
• Education ‘narrower than in Victorian era’
• Labour accused of ‘Stalinist’ approach
• Scrap Sats and league tables says biggest study

Polly Curtis – Guardian 16/10/2009

Still the best thing is to actually read the report.

The Cambridge Primary Review

In Brief

Background and Key Conclusions

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