Britain is the envy of the world on many levels, punching so far above its weight in the arts, broadcasting and entertainment that it is a source of great puzzlement to us (and to the outside world) why there is not more recognition of this. The arts also make us well-rounded, questioning, lateral thinking people, so governments neglect arts education and funding at their peril. Read more
Lottie O’Conor gives advice on how to avoid that back to work feeling. She writes: ‘Perhaps this is just my inbuilt Peter Pan complex talking, but despite years outside the education system, to me September means one thing: the start of the new school year … the onset of autumn brings with it an inescapable urge to better yourself, step up – and of course buy new pens. Read more
Giving children tests on their times tables is creating ‘huge damage’, a leading educationalist says. Jo Boaler, professor of maths education at Stanford University, told a conference in London last week that: ‘It is not terrible to remember maths facts; what is terrible is sending kids away to memorise them and giving them tests on them which will set up this maths anxiety.’ Read more
Children are born learning. Adults teach children. Often adults teach children using the tools that are part of everyday life. Some tools can be dangerous and adults learn to teach children about how to use the tools safely. Books and pens are tools. Once they were technology. At some point they became so everyday that they ceased to be technology. Read more from Jim Knight on the technology debate.
On the 12th of December 2006, 11 year old Ben Vodden took his own life after being bullied on the dedicated school bus. Had it just been his peers he may well have withstood the bullying, but the bus driver decided to join in. His parents have researched and published a report into bullying on school buses. Read the report
Power point presentations are ubiquitous in learning contexts. But is it possible that Microsoft’s wildly successful ‘presentation’ program is not just inimical to, but destructive of, deep thought? Might it have been scientifically designed to put the most eager mind to sleep? Read more