Pub Quiz Curriculum

The pub quiz curriculum has few friends in our house. The custodians of education, who decided the nature of what tortures our youth ought to spend an hour or so with my demented daughter who has now stopped reading for pleasure and spends her time memorising curricular facts and quotes that she will use just the once at the end of year 11.

The response to any challenge re validity would probably be ‘it’s good for your education,the more you put in the more you get out…’ what exactly do you get out though? A pile of certificates stating you are qualified? But in what.? With support roles in school I have started checking for basic literacy and numeracy even when people have GCSEs, often the candidates can’t write a simple paragraph or work out an average. So exams don’t necessarily indicate ability.

We have lost a lot from our education system due to cuts, but the main influencers have taken a whole lot more. Children need counsellors/people they can talk to. They need a system that inspires their learning and teaches them the skills of learning itself; Is creativity now a dirty word? It is certainly not often mentioned in dispatches and yet it is the main skill/ ability industry is crying out for.

The staff at my daughters school are relatable, friendly colleagues who want the best for the kids, but are caught in the trap of improving standards to above the average, or their jobs might cease to be. You can raise standards by teaching pupils how to rote learn, you can raise standards by developing systems to help children learn facts, but the uncertified things you lose are more valuable in life.

As a parent I wanted my children to leave school with a passion for learning and a desire to explore and be creative. I wanted them to be happy and ready to adapt, challenge and solve problems. The factory like system can’t offer that…. As a family we can facilitate the extras for our children, but what about those who are unable to offer the extra inputs for a rounded/ educated person? Long term the costs to society will increase. We will have to pick up the bills particularly with regards to mental health and related physical outcomes.

Staff are busting a gut to do well, but when we redefine what success entails as we currently do, there will be collateral damage. We need to wake up and remember that we are educating people (future citizens) as well as training for tests.

Normal? No, It’s Education By Numbers.

So there I was sat in the meeting:

‘Progress isn’t right in our local authority, attendance is 0.06 down compared to norms. Progress from foundation stage to key stage one doesn’t meet linear requirements compared to our statistical neighbours. We need to prepare children in foundation stage far better for key stage one because it’s not working….. we have many schools below the national average. Attendances are down 0.06 compared to national norms , British white working-class boys are the worst offenders and for some reason are not progressing according to profiled expectations. ‘

I looked around, heads nodded, worried looks on faces… bean counting in education… who will be the next to go…? This is what we have become.

Problem is, the system values what we measure; what we teach is defined by what we count and I can honestly say that the fact it doesn’t make sense to me does not mean I have lost the plot. I sit and watch pseudo intellectuals pontificate about dross and get a numb feeling as I participate in the next educational trend/plot.

I haven’t yet met a teacher that did not want the best for the children in their care….schools are however turning into process driven hot houses, what a surprise that only 50% of NQTs, last more than five years and more people than ever are retiring early or just packing in altogether!

As a parent and an as an old educator I think the one thing we are losing is the social dynamic. Many pupils lack role models for interaction and life itself. It is all very well having the vast majority of pupils gaining a wad of GCSEs , but if they lack social etiquette and a vision for happiness there is limited point to their endeavours.

I am not convinced of the appropriateness of our number crunching productivity model of education that currently prevails, as children and future adults become ever more unhappy, we can only predict the regret we might one day feel.

Full Circle Or New Start?

Every time I see an update from Ofsted, discuss curriculum (as it stands now) I am reminded of a Thomas Gradgrind quote:

“Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!” (Hard Times Charles Dickens 1854)

It would be sad if that after nearly 166 years, we had just come round in one huge circle to a starting point where children were seen as empty vessels. Sat ready to be filled up with what society deemed to be ‘important. ‘ There are most definitely certain facts that every UK citizen should know, but understanding and skills should never be sacrificed to the alter of a ‘Pub Quiz Curriculum.’

If children need one skill for the future it would be adaptability. Many of the jobs they might be doing have not been invented yet and most certainly future workers will need to be adaptable in a future where their jobs may change every 5 years.

Will there ever again be such a thing as a ‘job for life?’ Within that idea we need to continue to remind ourselves that creativity must never be underestimated.

I will never forget when the old QCA had its units of learning in the early years of this century . They suddenly realised they were missing creativity and so produced a unit of work to show children how to be creative. At the time Mick Waters it’s CEO stated that “if the curriculum were a child, it would have a very low self esteem”. I would argue that we are perhaps in that same place again.

With the focus yet again being on facts, will the powers that be, suddenly, once again realise that the skills they are advocating are a) not helpful and b) not useful for the future.

To say Thomas Gradgrind might be considered ‘educationally in vogue‘ in terms of current ethos, says an awful lot about our children’s current curriculum. I wonder if Labour get back into power, might they resurrect the Rose Curriculum? Often described as the best curriculum we never had....created by experts and teachers, all there and ready to go.

Deep Dive in Sharkland

Let’s face it, education is full of sharks; both in human and paper form. Sometimes it’s a case of survival of the fittest, so it’s important we learn to swim fast.

The only people who benefit from the current system are snake oil selling consultants and self spinning politicians. We need to focus on saving ourselves. I predict now, that the new Ofsted framework will have a very negative effect on teacher recruitment and retention. (I guess that’s pretty obvious!)

Deep dive, shallow paddle, Intent, Implementation are the ‘all new ‘ buzzing ideas that serve as a means of getting the best catch. That which cannot be assessed or measured, will be the ground bait that is thrown into the sea of education to get the shark party started.

Education has changed so much over last 10 years, cuts in funding , the gradual change towards a factory model of accountability, all very cloak and dagger. What if we reversed the same methodology of scrutiny with regards to our judge and jury?

Deep dive into Ofsted; every new format always takes victims whilst it beds in. The new framework reportedly provides a research rich structure that has been invested within an ambitious template, with the acclaimed aim of putting right the wrongs that a league table obsessed system created. Will it? I doubt it very much, in England’s education system the tail very much wags the dog.

Ironically some of the schools that achieved the crown of outstanding are now being ripped apart. Our deep dive analysis shows poorly matched preparation to meet the needs of the system, the materials created although ambitious are destroying the thing they are supposed to measure and are directing content and actions.(which they are not supposed to do) Staff have little faith in the leadership and where they blindly follow will more than likely sink. Although the sharks may not be as abundant as at first envisaged, the victim is bleeding, so frenzied attacks are more likely.

Deep dive into government, ‘Mr G’ leading the way; trite videos telling us how great we are pump out of the DFE sausage machine in Orwellian fashion. At the same time the system crumbles through lack of funding. This continues to mock the profession; self promoting videos announcing that all is well, and will be better. Do they have any idea of the damage that has been done? We can therefore conclude that the planned actions of senior leaders are having a negative impact on Staff wellbeing and morale. We have never truly known why there has always been (since the days of Gove) one consistent, perpetual flag bearer for a decaying system.

Our deep dive reveals that leaders do not know their audience and the materials for our learning are inappropriately matched to the needs of the profession. Intent is misguided and so no progress is evident …..Inadequate if ever there was one.

The light at the end of the tunnel is that the people who work in education; either fortunately or unfortunately have made a habit of making things work. The track record of teaching in general is to create good things out of lousy ideas.

So look out carefully for the shark-proof rafts that are out there. We are renowned for our survival techniques, we might be haemorrhaging and the sharks are keen, but there is still life in the system. We will survive the shark attack, hopefully with our limbs intact!

The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back…

The new inspection framework is based on a great deal of research. Its intentions are no doubt noble, but as details start to come forth a shudder of dread ripples throughout staffrooms in England. As has always been the case; if your scores are ok you are ok, after this it very much depends on which inspector you get and where your school is as @jpembroke pointed out:

This is the third time in my 30 years of teaching that the school system’s hierarchy has focused on the task of securing our future based on the best research they can find. (Seems to be largely based on a secondary model; guess it would be cheaper).

Consultation undoubtedly took place. Interpretation by LAs, consultants and Ofsted inspectors will serve to destroy reputations from both ends of the educational spectrum. The framework itself will end many careers. The only people taking satisfaction from the system will be those that offer instant cures and off the shelf answers.

Already colleagues have reported an increase in absence due to stress and anxiety. There has been a rise in requests for part-time work. Many teachers are now focused on that magic age of 55 when they can finally access their pensions. The term ‘work-life balance’ is at the moment a professional joke (now a requirement, but the least researched aspect of the new framework.) . I recently informed my staff of the expectations for subject leadership in primary, (to be developed over the next few years), there was virtual silence and the odd insane giggle (probably me!).

If the outcomes of inspections are so obvious; the result being a product of outcome and external opinion, why bother with inspections at all? The new framework for many is a bible for futility. My expectation is that it will be the final motivational push many staff will need to leave the profession. I wonder how long it will take for the government to realise the damage that has been done?

Requires Improvement…Lepper or Revelation?

The last time we were RI was 14 years ago, (Had every grade other than inadequate) our school has improved considerably since that point in time. ‘Why RI?’ People ask me; ‘Ofsted, linear, progress attainment,’ nope excuses are no use to anybody. I could point to our transient population, the fact that our population is 30-40% different by end of KS2. We are accountable for children that were with us for as long as 5 days. Apparently, it doesn’t work like that anymore… no point in moping about, you just have to move forward…

Experienced staff see it as a new set of rules/judgements, the ups and downs of an ever changing bean counting system. Younger staff personalise, blame themselves and some are more gutted than others. I have had quiet words with each and have told them how they are valued.

Nobody has died, but attitudes of people are saddened as the audited language of an Ofsted is not understood by a large percentage of its audience (especially in more deprived areas) The bland paragraphs that outline the best aspects of school leave a lot to the imagination. They are largely ignored as people naturally focus on the negative. People love the sensationalism, especially those that only seek the misery in life.

The good that that has come from our situation does however outstrip the negativity that an OFSTED brings. Numerous parents have knocked on the door offering to help, we now have a new set of volunteers and some new governors!

Heart felt anecdotes of how we have helped children have cheered up both myself and others. Many parents have made it clear that they simply wanted to express their support for school and the staff that work within. I am sure this is not what the lead inspector saw as an outcome, but it is good to hear positive things for a change, when usually our work tends to deal with the more negative aspects of people’s lives.

Goodwill is hard to achieve in a media obsessed society, the expressions of support; from people stepping forward and volunteering to be new governors to our fantastic parents consulting with MPs, collecting petitions and organising supportive events, is inspiring.

For myself, as an educationalist this means far more than and an accountability system that sometimes loses the human factor. Kids are not linear outputs of a spreadsheet and neither are parents.

Children leave our school numerate and literate, (even the stats say that) they are able to easily access the key stage three curriculum. Our most able do as well as any child in the country.

When you take time to account for what you truly achieve you realise that schools do an amazing job….we do an amazing job. Unfortunately as a school system we tend to value what we measure, we most definitely don’t measure what we value!

In the meantime we will move on, alter what we do in response to the current focus, the good bit is that we know that significant people (parents and pupils) like what we do.

When the chips are down, good people come out of the woodwork. They are better than the keyboard warriors of social media, because they are physically there. All I can say is ‘Thanks for the metaphorical hug’.

As for the school system: ‘Just tell us what you want and we’ll get on with it . Please however reflect on the fact that children aren’t widgets and the national vision for education is questionable…’

Lost Teachers

What started as a great idea ended up with both myself and colleagues questioning what is happening to some of our best teachers?

Having talked to numerous supply teachers that include ex headteacher colleagues who have lost their jobs, we decided to advertise and make our own bank of supply teachers. (Our current pool either got jobs or moved onto other things).

So we advertised. shortlisted down to 5 or so possibles and interviewed. Usually when you interview teachers there are always some that are most definitely not what they appear to be on paper. I was shocked at the quality and passion that all five hit me with. There are many reasons for not being in mainstream, but all five of our candidates were chiefly down to lifestyle choices.

One was an artist who had travelled the world was passionate about art, storytelling, music, drama, he exuded a passion for learning and was most definitely really interesting; but had chosen not to work on Tuesdays because on that day he did charity work helping homeless people.

Two mums who felt that they could not commit to full-time work because they wanted to be there for their own young children. They also oozed a love of teaching but were putting their own families first for at least a while.

The last two had been leaders, had worked in tough areas, loved working with children but had made a definitive lifestyle choice to go back to grass roots. They elaborated on ideas for projects that pupils would most definitely love.

Sometimes you just know that somebody is going to be fab in a classroom. Engagement, knowledge and passion is at the heart of being a good teacher.

We will use these people and they will be great. It does make me wonder however about the talent that is out there who seem to feel they do not belong in a modern day school. Pupils benefit from meeting interesting staff who have plenty to share.

A little bit of flexibility goes a long way and can benefit both people and schools.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness Oxford University have undertaken a lot of research with regards to this, with chief advocates being celebrities such as Ruby Wax who I believe has studied for a degree with them. She seems to have certainly found that it works for her! Check out her Youtube presentation (very human review of mental health). Mindfulness is all about the inner self and state of ‘Being.’ The argument goes that we spend the majority of our time ‘doing things’ but that we rarely exist in the current moment, the ‘now.’ Through focused meditation/ thought we can learn to live more in the current moment, we can also learn that we can’t change the past, and we can only influence the future…

Mindfulness is closely related to Buddhist teachings. It helps people process life and teaches them not to dwell on thoughts that can damage our health. It also teaches us that perception varies. It has been proven to make people healthier and most certainly happier. The very nature of it means it is hard to get the practices wrong.

It is a definite way of quantifying thinking and the issues thinking can create. ‘Neural plasticity’ means we can change at anytime, the meditations certainly make you feel calm. Our minds have the power to make us feel fantastic, or indeed awful. By understanding and drawing ourselves into the current moment we can change the way we think and feel.

Learn to pay attention to what exactly is happening!

 

 

Power of Now…

The Power Of Now (Eckhart Tolle) 
This was a specific book I read (Very deep!), the book itself was really heavy going (for an ordinary bloke like me!) it outlines the fundamental philosophy relating to Mindfulness. It is an interesting read, but is something you read a bit of,then  contemplate a lot ! I have heard of people hosting study groups using each chapter as a starting point. Not fantastically accessible, but there you go! To give you a flavour Eckhart Tolle can be heard via youtube. What is it like to truly be in the present moment? What matters most in life?

 

Eckhart Tolle

 

Feeling FAB

In the beginning:

2005
I stood in the porch way of the house that me and my wife had worked so hard to afford. It was a rainy day in April. Out of nowhere tears began to roll down my face. I couldn’t look at my children, who sat in our car keen to go swimming. A feeling of dread came over me that was all consuming. I couldn’t understand why. My wife walked the ten feet from the car to ask what was wrong….. She assured me that everything would be ok, I looked at my lovely family, Sam and Leah laughing through the window ‘what’s wrong with daddy?’ The rain hid my tears, but not my thoughts. There and then I knew I had to start thinking differently…….. we went swimming.
Intro – What’s it all about?
I have always enjoyed learning  new things; the journey from that rainy Sunday has allowed me to look at life in a different way. I was lucky in that I had the support of my family. Since that day  I have sought to do my upmost to be the happiest I can be;  watching and learning from and through the actions and teaching of others, whether they be associates, friends or leading authors. The beauty of our modern day is that learning is so accessible you just need time and a place. Once you start looking, every encounter both personal and professional becomes an episode of discovery.
Mental health is fast becoming a societal obsession, we all have huge concerns regarding how modern life is having negative impact on both our children and each other.  How often though do we stop for just a minute and look for solutions?
I have learned a great deal since that dreary day during Easter 2005. I believe strongly in fate and recognition of significant others; this submission in part helps me both listen and learn.  I see unintentional personal damage being created through an obsession with materialistic clap trap / the need for ‘stuff’ and societal obsession with market forces. When we ignore the value of people and human interaction/thought people get damaged. I have seen many colleagues suffer as society becomes aware of rights, but does not understand the attached responsibilities. Media both controlled and freelance fuels the fire and yet can offer so much; you could even (without much added imagination) say that things are a bit of a mess!
I have changed, and will keep doing so. With a huge desire to treasure life and fantastic moments, I want to be the best I can be. I want to offer my learning to those who are ready to listen. I would hope to save people the angst and torment that modern day life delivers and show a way out…… nothing new, just a different approach; collecting the best solutions humanity currently offers, served up in a palatable bite size manner. This blog offers a starting point for fellow travelers.
If one person alone benefits from what I have to offer I will be adding something positive to the world.
A life changing thing for me was when a group of colleagues aimed to support an associate, it was at that point I began to identify my own undirected learning journey and how (as some colleagues often state) I learned to alter and lead in a very different way, you could say I am now; ‘adapted and still surviving, but taking nothing for granted’
It is my intention to use this blog to rationalise my thoughts, spill my frustrations a little and share my own learning which has continued and will continue to evolve. You could say that this blog will be ‘a review in a nutshell of the best thinking regarding how we can all enjoy life more’ but without the superfluous adages that either cost big money or are simply not needed.
Please feel free to suggest other directions I might look in. Some of our answers will be thousands of years old, others will be a new wheel or indeed a wheel reinvented.
Let’s start!