Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, February 21st, 2009 - 59 comments
Categories: education, uk politics -
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Last year we saw how unpopular National’s “national testing” policy was going to be. Now a major study in the UK is highly critical of what appears to be a similar policy. The Guardian says:
Children’s lives are being impoverished by the government’s insistence that schools focus on literacy and numeracy at the expense of creative teaching, the biggest review of the primary school curriculum in 40 years finds today.
Labour has failed to tackle decades of over-prescription in the curriculum and added to it with its own strategies in literacy and numeracy, which take up nearly half the school week, the Cambridge University review of the primary curriculum found.
Children are leaving school lacking knowledge about the arts and humanities having spent too many years “tied to a desk” learning times tables, the head of the review, Robin Alexander, said.
“Our argument is that their education, and to some degree their lives, are impoverished if they have received an education that is so fundamentally deficient,” he said.
The report says schools should be freed of Sats and league tables to allow them to make more decisions about what and how they teach.
The compulsory daily act of worship should be reviewed and a curriculum that values knowledge and understanding as well as basic skills should be brought in, it says.
Independent of the government and funded through charitable donations, the review is based on three years of academic research, 29 research papers and dozens of public meetings around the country. It marks 40 years since the last wholesale review of primary education and presents a blueprint for a curriculum that would give teachers control of 30% of their time to teach what they want.
Teaching unions, headteachers and major educational bodies all backed the plans, setting the government on a collision course with schools if it fails to consider the proposals.
The review finds:
• Children are losing out on a broad, balanced and rich curriculum with art, music, drama, history and geography the biggest casualties.
• The curriculum, and crucially English and maths, have been “politicised”.
• The focus on literacy and numeracy in the run-up to national tests has “squeezed out” other areas of learning.
• The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which sets the curriculum, have been excessively prescriptive, “micro-managing” schools.
The review accuses the government of attempting to control what happens in every classroom in England, leading to an excessive focus on literacy and numeracy in an “overt politicisation” of children’s lives. Despite this too many children still leave primary school having failed to master the 3Rs.
Sats have also narrowed the scope of what is taught in schools, it claims, concluding: “The problem of the curriculum is inseparable from the problem of assessment and testing.”
Christine Blower, acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said the proposals “have depth, credibility and, above all, respond to the realities of the primary classroom”.
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: “Rather than continue to tinker around the edges of primary education we would like the government to heed the proposals and reopen the debate about the purposes of primary education.”
The DCSF said the report would be considered by Sir Jim Rose, who has been commissioned to review the curriculum concentrating on “workable recommendations for change … in order to give teachers more freedom and flexibility”.
“Ed Balls [schools secretary] has made it clear that he wants it to be the most fundamental review of the primary curriculum for a decade,” the DCSF added. “Sir Jim will publish his findings later this year.”
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Scoopit!
We should have a nationwide scheme to test the skills of all car drivers. They all should be tested several times a year. This would ensure that the few who have poor skills will be picked up and identified. Drivers would welcome the use of huge amounts of tax-payers funds being thus diverted. Sadly the energy and cost of all the testing would mean remedial work wouldn’t happen. Pity because the bad drivers are already identified/known, and a fraction of the testing money could make a real difference if spent on remedial work. (oops. Sentencing/prisons?)
I believe this sums up much of what this post talks about:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
The problem is simple. Teachers are mostly humanists, socialists and atheists, but they are allowed to teach their ideological religion in our schools. Hey teacher stop brainwashing the majority. Hey teacher leave those kids alone!
Leaving aside the obvious question, that if children cannot read or write or do maths, how will they ever reach the stage where they can appreciate or enjoy “the arts’, there’s some important background to this. I read the article, and to me it just seemed like the same old bl*eding h*art liberal bull shit, and it seemed as if the people involved were the same old people that had been guiding education for a number of decades now and have reduced it to a politically correct unworkable farce that leaves too many children illiterate and ignorant. (I mean, you just have to read some of the comments here).
So I did some research, and my initial feelings were quite right. Its pretty factual that academia is infested with leftists. The debate therefore is dominated by the kind of ideas they think are important. Conservative ideas have to elbow their way in. This report is an example of one eyed academic leftism, and also coloured by the fact that its funders are concerned with promotion of “the arts’ and leftist social concerns.
The report was funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Quote- Key areas for the Foundation’s funding have included the arts, heritage, penal reform, and social justice. Unquote. Social Justice. There’s the first sign that the report will lack political objectivity.
The report was authored by Professor Robin Alexander, known for his work in education in Denmark and Finland and numerous other social paradises such as China and Cuba. Here’s a bit of dialogue from the Professor that shows clearly where he is coming from politically-
“It’s adults who, via the media and advertising, daily ram celebrity down children’s throats; it’s adult commercial values which create the junk food which contributes to obesity, and the alcohol ocean which fuels teenage binge drinking; it’s adults who vote into power governments whose policies exacerbate rather than reduce inequality; it’s adults who take nations into wars in which children are among the most prominent and tragic victims; and I guess – though I’ve not seen any analysis along these lines – that the carbon footprint of adults is far greater than that of children,’ he said.
Mostly buzz words devised to cloud the same old same old leftist distaste for private enterprise, private property, the family unit, adherence to the same old leftist propaganda offensive which always has to include a diatribe against defense forces and “inequality’, and finishing off with a sermon about the left’s greatest idea since the fraud of PAYE taxation, the politically motivated myth of climate change.
So here we have a bunch of the same old socialists pushing the same old bullshit about education, posing as a politically objective and authoritative body, and basically recommending more of the same kind of leftist shit that has made that component of society (education) a broken and destructive brake on civilisation.
Professor Robinson should shut the f*ck up. He’s the problem not the solution. This report is politically tainted.
——————————
What ever could be triggering moderation on this post for chrissakes?? C’mon, loosen up a bit teachers.
Redbaiter: What a strange person you are? Isn’t the left/right ideology a bit tired now?
Redbus: A brilliant presentation from Professor Robinson. Thanks for the tip. The trouble is that should people like redbaiter get to be in charge, the rush away from creativity will be increased. I think that many of our great successful business people are very creative people whose creativity would have been squashed by a diet of exclusive literacy and numeracy (though these things are important!)
“Redbaiter: What a strange person you are? Isn’t the left/right ideology a bit tired now?”
Ianmac: Do you always ask irrational questions? If I thought what you propose, I’d hardly be writing what I have,and what cave do you dwell in where you are apparently ignorant of the battle the left have historically waged to gain control of what they call education? I suggest if you desire to participate in meaningful debate, you hone up on your observation and comprehension skills.
The authors themselves introduce the left/ right paradigm in so many ways, not least when it says- “The curriculum, and crucially English and maths, have been “politicised”
The report is just another sop to leftist education objectives dressed up in the wordiness of academia.
BTW, I made an error in my last sentence. Its not Professor Robinson, its Professor Robin Alexander.
PS With respect, please do not respond to any more of my posts Ianmac, I don’t have the time to deal with such infantile stuff.
Much as it pains me to find agreement with Redbaiter, this point is inarguable:
…if children cannot read or write or do maths, how will they ever reach the stage where they can appreciate or enjoy “the arts’…
The ability to read, write and handle basic mathematics is what the rest of the educational world is built on. If the schools aren’t managing those, then yes the curriculum does need looking at – but the problem is hardly like to be resolved by reducing the focus on literacy and numeracy, is it?
I can agree with them re the crap effects of constant national assessment on the schools’ ability to get on with teaching the pupils, but the stuff about children’s lives being impoverished by a focus on literacy and numeracy at the expensive of creativity, and the need for “a curriculum that values knowledge and understanding” is just hippy bullshit.
The moment that the politicians use law and order, or literacy, or numeracy to score points, the issue becomes muddied. For example poor old Redbaiter seizes on the odious soundbites and furthers the fear. Apart from rubbishing the researchers, there is no-where where he/she addresses the issues.
Should the drive to expand literacy/numeracy be persued?
Should such a drive be at the expense of other intelligences?
Should the needs of the 20% who are failing, (and they have always been there) be used to clobber everyone with an overdose of literacy/numeracy?
Should the 20% who are said to be failing receive specific help and support?
Is creativity a valuable asset for businessmen, writers, parking wardens, or angry redbaiters?
OK Ianmac- that’s Friday detention for not following teacher’s orders. Please in future be sure to ignore my posts, or you just might be in line for six of the best. Talk about pearls before swine.
Psychotic Milt: “Much as it pains me to find agreement with Redbaiter,”
Don’t worry, whenever a leftist dickwad like you agrees with me, the pain is mutual.
“”a curriculum that values knowledge and understanding’ is just hippy bullshit.”
Oh gawd no- don’t tell me you’re coming over.
Psycho milt: No one is suggesting that literacy/numeracy be not taught in schools. But in Britain and the USA the focus has become huge with the result that such a large amount of time is thus spent, that things like art, dance, sport, PE are cut down or eliminated altogether. Thus the creative side is neglected.
And does this huge push actually improve matters? Much doubt as the way to measure is suspect. The excellent are still so. The ones who need the most help can be further disenchanted by being at school. Those who we would like to love maths and love reading/writing lose the glow. Unintended consequences.
BTW Ianmac ( a witty anagram of “maniac” right?) some lines for you.
Each of the following sentences must be written 500 times-
“Nowhere” does not have a hyphen.
“Persued” is not the correct spelling of pursued.
But don’t worry too much. Bet you thought ‘Police Academy 3′ was great art right?
“a curriculum that values knowledge and understanding’ is just hippy bullshit.’
Um.
Then it follows I suppose that a curriculum must not value knowledge and understanding ! Huh?
Will that apply to Universities?
How about those who blog or post on blogs? (“Must not value knowledge and understanding.” Mm that sounds like Redbaiter!)
Redbaiter: Still no sign of a point of view. Still no sign of answering the questions. Still nothing but a bit of shallow insulting.
Do you think creativity is a valuable asset to have?
I have no idea what “Police Academy” is but must have been important to you.
Then it follows I suppose that a curriculum must not value knowledge and understanding ! Huh?
Not at all. “…value knowledge and understanding” is simply a statement like “provide excellent customer service, ie it’s a banal statement of the obvious that tells you nothing about what you’re actually there to do. Yes, we do want the curriculum to put a high value on knowledge and understanding. Is there anyone who doesn’t want that? What matters is how you’re going to go about valuing knowledge and understanding: what are you going to teach? And how? Saying you want the curriculum to “value knowledge and understanding” is like giving an employee the performance objective “Do a good job” – it’s certainly an indisputable description of your desired outcome, but it gives them absolutely nothing they can use to set about achieving it.
Re literacy and numeracy, I know nothing of the UK situation, but in NZ I see hordes of intelligent students arriving at university with extremely poor reading and writing skills. So if the schools are spending too much time on teaching this, I can only conclude they’re really crap at it.
Psycho Milt:
)
I think that setting a goal “that values knowledge and understanding” is important and is followed by the means of achieving it. Therefore all your words are true and the intent to further develop the means is happening now.
You must know that in recent years of “bums on seats” has lead to a large increase of student numbers including those who would not have been seen at University before, thus getting the 2nd level learners rather than just the first class ones.
(For more than 2000 years older people have complained that the younger generation are not what they were “in my day”.
You know that 80% of children in NZ are amongst the highest rated in the Western World. It is the bottom 20% who need the literacy/numeracy help. Resources/money.
“You know that 80% of children in NZ are amongst the highest rated in the Western World.”
Are you talking about child abuse?
Herbert: You know what I meant. Hope you were not being funny about child abuse?
It is true that most kids in NZ learn to read and to a lesser degree handle maths. It is one of the flaws with teaching to tests (USA Brit) that by one means or another you can lift the results but loose the love of reading for pleasure or for info, and fail to see the function and the beauty of number. (Just read about the depth of prime numbers-fascinating.)
It is a need to deal with the bottom set of underachievers that worry me. They get lost in the political rhetoric.
Herbert/DJ4 always harps on about the abused children. Maybe that’s because they’re the only ones he knows?
Close to home, maybe?
Ianmac,
Silly me, Hi fugley didn’t know you were a Coaster? Anyway I’d swear the teachers at the local high school are teaching the kids tagging because everything is tagged, even my cat and pet turtle called Peter Perfect. Go away James Sleep.
Abused children? Didya read the item in Auck Herald about the team who visit schools with a drama/puppet show telling kids that it is not OK for kids to be abused and should be reported. CYPS I think. Been doing this for 5 years. Now however instead of the kids volunteering to “speak out” they often say “but if you speak out about being hit by Mum and Dad they will get sent to prison! That’s what the adults are saying!” -paraphrased.
“Herbert/DJ4 always harps on about the abused children.”
Coaster ; how did you know this family guy lives on Spooner Street?
Is there a case for increased academic streaming within schools, perhaps with the neotypical cirrcula advocated by progressive academics open to the top 66-75% – which also could be further streamed, and then a reading and writing focused cirricula for the 25-33% of those for who school is difficult.
I agree in some respects that 99.9% of all individuals should be taught to meet some minimum education standards, so that they can at least survive, if not thrive in the modern world. However, school – at any level – should never be a strict “one-fits-all” model, because different students have different needs, and need to be inspired in different ways.
Excessive focus on reading, writing at the expense of arts and humanities will erode the fabric of civil society, for example graduates of China’s education system are typified by a lack of creative thinking. Perhaps ironically, to conservatives, creative education often leads to enterpreneuship, the holy grail of the market economy – because enterpreneurs generally are not conservative in nature. Warren Buffet, Dick Hubbard, Bill Gates, Richard Branson are just a few of those that simply a “reading and writing” focused education would have left us without.
“Excessive focus on reading, writing at the expense of arts and humanities will erode the fabric of civil society.”
What a load of hogwash Peter D.
Hey Redbaiter
“academia is infested with leftists”
I would agree with that. It is funny but the left is full of intelligent thoughtful people and the only intelligent on the right wing are those that want to maximise their individual wealth and do not care about the repercussions. There are not many of them thankfully but this is why the right with overwhelming financial superiority finds that battles with the left are equal contests most of the time.
And there is no such thing as objectivity. There is an overwhelming majority view by academics and this is almost inevitably “left” and is correct. Sorry but suggesting there is a “middle way” not backed by academic analysis that is correct is disingenuous.
And this debate really irks because it is a classic example of what this Government is about. It is about soundbites and dog whistles and precious little else.
Just ask yourself, what will they do with the results of this extra testing?
Nothing.
They will not employ more teachers to help the advanced students reach their potential or allow those students who are struggling catch up.
The only result will be that a table of “winner” schools and “loser” schools will emerge and the middle class in some areas will desert their local schools so that they can give their children the “best” education. And the overall quality of education will decline.
Sorry Redbaiter and Herbert I will try and translate this into comic form so that you can understand …
No. They have to establish their own universities and think tanks because the evil liberals persecute them.
The number one reason that conservative ideas don’t get much show at university is that conservative ideas are often stupid and illogical. That’s not to say that stupid and illogical ideas don’t get aired at universities (see below), but that conservative ideas must be pretty awful to get such a feeble look in.
That said, we don’t educate people in New Zealand, we train them. Postmodernism and other garbage intellectual movements have removed most of what was valuable about the social sciences and humanities, so I don’t blame people for switching off.
To be honest, the curriculum could be improved by making Latin or some other difficult language a compulsory subject in high school. People don’t really understand the power of their own language until they study another in detail.
Well said Mickey.
It seems to me that the big ticket policies promoted by this government have
all been discredited by overseas studies.
Unfortunately soundbites and talkback opinions seem to be the
norm for formulating government policy.
To read some of the views on the Heralds & Trade Me’s message
boards are truly scary, these people are Nationals target audience.
“The number one reason that conservative ideas don’t get much show at university is that conservative ideas are often stupid and illogical.”
Just the fact that an ignorant buffoon like you would say such a thing is warning enough of the dangers of leftists controlling education. Name one such “idea”. Let readers see how intelligent and logical you are.
“To read some of the views on the Heralds & Trade Me’s message
boards are truly scary,”
Good. I’m glad you’re scared. You need to be. We’re coming after you control freaks. We’re going to get you out of the media, out of our schools, out of our public institutions, and finally out of our lives. We’re going to get your thieving hands out of our pockets and prevent you from interfering with the minds of our children. Take your suffocating and oppressive religion of Collectivism and shove it where the sun don’t shine. You’ve had it all your way for too long, and the tide is going to turn. Get used to it.
Public schools are by law secular. This means there should be no indoctrination, subtle or otherwise, in matters of faith such as Christianity, Islam, or more importantly, Socialism. Keep your sick religion away from our children.
RB: “Name one such “idea’”
umm, how about ‘conserving the status quo is the right thing to do because the status quo got to be the status quo because it works’.
Redbaiter
“Name one such “idea’. Let readers see how intelligent and logical you are.”
Ok Redbaiter how about these:
1. Increasing sentences and being tough on crime can get rid of crime.
2. Getting 5 and 6 year olds to spend huge amounts of time on doing tests will make them more intelligent.
3. There is no such thing as global warming caused by human activity
4. Humans are a result of “intelligent design” by a superior being and Darwin was totally wrong.
5. If we cut out all forms of state benefits then all of the unemployed will get jobs
There are many more but I thought that you could start with these.
umm, how about ‘conserving the status quo is the right thing to do because the status quo got to be the status quo because it works’.
“umm”
Good God, even allows his drooling gape jawed speech impediments to intrude upon his writing.
OK dumbfuck. What exactly is the “status quo”. At what point in time does it exist, and what is this point in time that Conservatives seek to freeze? Maybe if you think about the answer, you’ll understand the utter knuckle dragging dross of your query.
“Ok Redbaiter how about these”
Go away Mickey. I ban you from reading any Redbaiter posts on the grounds that 12 year olds generally just don’t have enough life experience or education to contribute to politics. As well, your comprehension is far too poorly developed given that you apparently cannot even distinguish the difference between one and five.
[lprent: The only people who can impose and enforce bans around here are the moderators and me. I'm jealous about the right. Please read about the BOFH and refleact that you are not even a PFY. ]
Sorry Redbaiter in the future I will try to stick to only one idea at a time so that you can catch up. No need to overload you …
Mickey, go away and watch The Wiggles or something will you. You have delivered assertions based on shallow ignorance, not Conservative ideas. Really, if you’re the the vanguard of debate at the Standard then I’m afraid I’ll have to leave it to you. Have a good day beating yourself up.
..and make sure you share your toys with your brothers and sisters..
You two. Settle down.
Beat me to it Sprout.
I also like the one where the way to deal with crime is ridiculously draconian sentences and stern lectures to criminals to “just behave!”
Or the comical and prejudiced attitudes towards homosexuals or women.
Or privatizing health care and education, which anyone who does economics 101 knows can be discredited by appealing to market failure.
Religious conservatism doesn’t go down well at university because universities demand more than faith as evidence.
Redbaiter doesn’t know this, because he never attended a university, and probably never finished high school.