John can
deliver training
or offer consultancy in your school either in the UK or overseas at competitive prices.
Why send a teacher on a course when the trainer can come to you?
John
can source INSET trainers and consultants for your school at very competitive
prices. Get in touch: jmedlicott@hotmail.com
I feel this debate
is a political red herring. This whole
potato picking comment from Gove smacks of desperation from a man who can see
his political successes starting to fade, but still wants to make a big noise
so we don’t forget he exists. There is little empirical evidence that the
number of teaching hours has a significant effect on achievement and pupil
progress.
We have poured more
money into school buildings, school systems, we hear so much about reduced
class sizes and new examinations and curricula, but these are not the answer. The
answer lies elsewhere – it lies in the person who gently closes the classroom
door and performs the teaching act –the person who puts into place the end
effects of so many policies, who interprets these policies, and who is alone with
students during their 15,000 (or so) hours of schooling. Look at my blog on the Hattie research and the
evidence should be clear even for Mr Gove to see, the debate we should be
having is one over pedagogy not headline winning / state teacher bashing
statements.
Mr Gove and the MEP
Daniel Hannan have never been teachers and do not seem to know education. I work
in education; I teach currently in the independent system and train teachers in
both sectors and have worked in international schools. All teachers work hard and
well beyond the beginning and end of the school day, just read the comments to
Mr Hannan’s article for evidence:
“After 4 solid hours
teaching science I am utterly exhausted and mentally drained. The students I
teach in the afternoon get a second rate education because by that time I am
completely spent. If 20 hours per week does not sound a lot then you have
clearly not tried teaching as a profession lately”.
Mr Gove is proposing
an extension to his glorified baby-sitting service. Mr Hannan cites his private school experience of longer
school days- they also have longer breaks, lunches, afternoons set aside for
Games etc; the state school day is more compact, but equally productive. Private
schools have shorter terms so how come they often perform much better in the
league tables if hours at the chalk face is all that matter? The comparison
shows little knowledge of the sectors compared. What about international
schools? True they often start earlier, but also finish earlier due to lack on
air conditioning in many hot climes and most have longer holidays whether state
run or independent.
Let’s shift this argument
back to what really matters- quality of teaching as described by OFSTED and all
that comes with it. Hattie describes the differences in practice between novice
and experienced teachers and their notable effects. True professional
development, mentoring and coaching is what our teachers need both state and
independent.