Why?

A new site for Ulverston - http://www.visitulverston.com

2010-10-10T19:32:00.002+01:00

Now completely independently of the council a private individual is producing a web site for tourists that is something that is already special and will get better as more and more is added to it and others chip in to help. Let's hope it makes a real impact next season.

Have a look at www.visitulverston.com

If you like it, refer to it on your web site or blog so that it sails to the top of a Google search for "Ulverston" where you may think it deserves to be.

The more references to it, the higher it will rise in the Google ratings.

Why don't we have more articles like this?

2008-10-23T08:19:00.002+01:00

And why doesn't the thinking take off.

First find out all about broccoli brains!

Why does Ken Robinson's talk keep cropping up whenever you look for creativity?

Come on now, surely other people are thinking and actually doing something about this!

Do I detect a rustle and a stirring in the disused corners of our education establishment?

Let's have some reports of some dangerous thinking and risk taking in our classrooms!

Could there be a renewed interest in creativity with Flash where the children got all fired up with the fun of teaching each other?

Can you find something fascinating in this hotchpotch of links to kids having fun with Flash?

Any takers?

I shall try to teach you, wherever you are in the world, if you are!

Join us in being creative on our Flash blog!

Can Money ever be this important?

2008-10-11T21:53:00.007+01:00

Give me a Thrush any day!

What is most important to us?

Other humans.

Other living things.

A roof over our head

Food to eat.

A flashy car.

The latest 'must have'.

What order do you put them in when times are hard ?

Why are we accepting money without questioning?

2008-10-10T08:57:00.003+01:00

There are several very dubious actions going on here and our reputation abroad is suffering so that we and our compatriots abroad can no longer hold our heads up high.

A similar issue was raised below regarding ignoring the court's ruling on BAE payments to Saudis

From a British Person in Bangkok

"The only real problem I have I think is that there is a lot of anti-British feeling as the UK appears to be offering Thaksin a safe haven where he can live a good life on money stolen from Thailand - there have been demonstrations outside the British Embassy as people want him (and the money) returned and for him to face trial. His wife was sentenced to 3 years in prison recently, but she has escaped to England too."

Why don't people ask why?

2008-09-05T08:31:00.002+01:00

Do we stop and think less these days?

Having thought, do we have the strength of our convictions to 'do'?

Are we morally weak?

Do we value length of life too much?

Are people who risk their lives for their beliefs a little deranged?

Why do I feel uneasy about adulation

2008-08-16T21:53:00.003+01:00

I suspect this is because this often comes from people who give it because they themselves are not proactive.

They miss out on having a feeling of high self-esteem .

They indulge in Celebrity worship and wish to attach themselves to the coat tails of others because they don't value themselves highly.

This is touched on in Erich From's book "To have or to be"

Most people these days live their lives because of their need 'to have' and very few enjoy just 'being'.

I need to have another look at this ground-breaking book myself!

I believe our world is destroying itself because of its need to have.

And here as well!

Why Knives?

2008-07-07T06:39:00.006+01:00

The source of this problem amongst young people, and its solution is reached, I believe, by following a series of simple steps of logic.

Why do youngsters carry knives? It’s part of their gang culture, it makes them feel good.

Why is this? Aggressive gang culture has always been part of growing up – Romeo and Juliet. Young people find identity as they move from children to adults. Eventually one hopes they grow into free thinking adults with their own different personalities. Few of us get there.

Feeling good comes from activities that boost self-esteem..

The opportunities for children that don’t identify with ‘the system’ to gain this, come from the regard given them by their mates.

Schools and Families provide the culture, for many, of dissatisfaction with the system.

In Schools rather than encourage the fascinating voyage of discovery of how the world ticks, children are taught what they need to know. The teacher is at the helm when it could be the pupil. We all gain far more self-esteem if we make a discovery than if we are told. The emotional impact is vastly different.

Some Families harbour much anger and little contact with society as a whole - resentment abounds - it's always someone else's fault. The feeling of disadvantage is prominent – unaffordable housing, a rule bound and often corrupt society that ignores the views of the less articulate. A high level of depression and wish to escape through drugs - coffee, cigarettes, alcohol .. .. .. heroin

In Schools, education is at present back-to-front. The learner could be in charge of choosing the direction of the education voyage. We start life asking “Why?” but this is discouraged in most of teaching.

“Be quiet, and listen” , is the order of the day.

"You have SATS to pass" - Standard Assessment Tests at 10, 14 and at 16 -the dreaded 5 A-Cs at GCSE

With this environment those that remain curious and don’t choose to listen but want their own answers fail to get recognition by the exam system and fail to gain self-esteem. They abscond from 'the system' and truant where they find self-esteem on the street corner.

Here they seek it through status in peer groups. High status comes from being ‘hard’. To be hard – carry a knife.

Problem solution – Change the education system. A.S.Neill had the answer and founded Summerhill. The result is free thinking adults with self-esteem from finding out for themselves.

Emotionally damaged youths carry knives. Sadly, SATS encourage a back to front philosophy. Sadly,governments of the Thatcher and Blair era, try to regulate by passing laws rather than come alongside society and changing attitudes by mutual respect. Sadly, emotionally damaged kids become inadequate parents who avoid responsibility for the children they get as a result of their self-centred behaviour founded on poor self esteem.

Why do we pride ourselves on Democracy ?

2008-06-15T07:44:00.006+01:00

Some of us struggle to hang on to our democracy

while others

. . . try to export it (to Afghanistan) ?

The way Gordon Brown won his 42 day vote is despicable. Accusations of wholesale bribery are rife.

How can we be proud of our political system ?

Thankfully some, like Diane Abbott (personal web site)are still principled and speaking out.

Why don't people realise that the more draconian our law enforcement the greater the anger of our minorities?

When is the plight of the Palestinians going to be redressed ?

(Where can I find the videos being filmed of Israelis beating up the Arabs on their border ?)

Here in Ulverston the politicians running the Neighbourhood Forum are equally despicable by refusing to put Affordable Housing on the agenda.

We'll be saying "Aha" to that very shortly as Affordable Housing Action springs into existence in the town.

Why is Gordon Brown doing this?

2008-06-12T07:43:00.004+01:00

photo from the Independent

I find it incredible that Brown has gone through with the 42 days retention bill.

Now I look for a credible alternative to Labour.

The sad thing is that at the moment I don't find one.

I really feel shattered.

This, following on after Brown's refusal to implement the High Court opinion on the BAE bribe scandal referred to below.

Thankfully I have some sane friends around me that reassure me that there are many in Britain who haven't lost their principles and respect for human beings.

Affordable Housing

2008-06-12T07:28:00.003+01:00

Why are we making such a fuss when house prices are dropping?

Few complained when house prices were rising at a ridiculous rate!

Time for the 'underclasses' to stand up and be heard?

At least it is quite clear where the media and the government stand - with the 'haves'!

We're here to live until we die . . . ?

2008-05-05T07:41:00.001+01:00

Taken in Paris

2008-05-03T07:12:00.001+01:00

The picture says it all . . for me!

Why do we need wisdom when we have knowledge?

2008-04-21T14:57:00.002+01:00

We live in an era when there is much knowledge but wisdom is rare.

Wisdom comes from analysis.

However more important than analysis is the need for criteria that form the basis for analysis.

As we pay so little attention to philosophy we rarely have a clear idea of what criteria are important to us and take the lazy view that if it's new knowledge it is desirable.

Are we too afraid to talk to one another?

2008-04-15T09:58:00.003+01:00

communication between people degenerating?

our fear of other humans increasing?

eyeball to eyeball contact too threatening?

even the sound of another's voice too threatening?

We seem to live in an increasingly upside world. People write and read remotely across the world but do not talk or even look directly at the 'man in the street'.

When we do talk to a stranger we discover there is a warm friendly person there!

Repeatedly I'm finding that people who will email me avoid contact by phone.

Go on plunge in at the deep end - 01229 480347 (UK)

Note: My brain is not so hot between 22:00 and 08:00 GMT-

I may reply "Please try later" but it will be me and not a recording!

Geoff

Is there an opportunity to avoid the chaos in education?

2008-04-14T21:20:00.004+01:00

One idea I'm exploring is the time before 'schools' of any kind.

Inspired by floor 3 of the Baltic art gallery, Newcastle - a children's floor!

Is there a space in time where we can just call it 'growing up'?

Starting with birth for perhaps four years when groups of people get together in loose communities for mutual support and enjoyment.

People who are free and would enjoy meeting come together to 'do and talk' and maybe eat.

No one gets paid. Charges only to cover costs.

People are those who have time. Could be :

Youngsters

Parents

Retired

Not working

Those on holiday.

Suggest some loose activity - making pottery when people can chat, drink tea, watch the kids, kids watch the others, oldies give 'wisdom' and gain lively activities!

Anyone come across anything like this?

Probably common place in none western societies!

Is ICTOPUS actually damaging for your health?

2008-04-14T14:39:00.002+01:00

I've just returned from a break away when for some of the time I sat and relaxed and reflected.

A thought struck me that perhaps having an organisation that has a magazine that claims to "Share Good Practice" is counter-productive.

I am reminded of Doctor Spock's reflections on his book - "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" to help young American Mums as they sought to bring up their children.

He came to realise that Mexican families who had not seen or ignored the book were doing a much better job than the followers of his book.

This hinged on their feelings of self confidence. Mexicans confident - Americans lacking confidence and feeling they always needed to consult his book to check that they were doing it 'right'.

There are possibly parallels with an organisation like ICTOPUS that tries to help Primary School Teachers.

True?

I shall be exploring this further!

A very welcome ruling from the High Court

2008-04-11T14:12:00.003+01:00

Sanity in my opinion has returned in the form the views being expressed by Lord Justice Moses and Lord Justice Sullivan.

They have ruled that the action of the Blair Government was contemptible regarding the BAE payments to the Saudis. They were giving in to blackmail.

Too often now the Government acts in a way that I find repulsive.

It is more important to me to be able to hold my head up high than live.

If I am killed by terrorists,

If I have to live in a hovel,

So be it.

There are many actions taken that I want something done about.

This is one.

Another is our support and involvement with Guantanamo Bay.

Prison without trial, is another, 24 hours should be the maximum.

If politicians want my support - they must take a stand on these issues.

Why take risks?

2008-04-09T21:53:00.004+01:00

I have come to the present conclusion (always on the move) that the most valuable learning takes place when we take the highest risk that we believe we can take.

Based on the result we re-assess ourselves, if we succeed our self-esteem goes up.

When we take great risks for us and we succeed then our self-esteem goes ski high.

Take a very 'safe' risk and it goes up very little.

Take no risk (do as we're told/watch tele) and it can go down and we become depressed and try to console ourselves that we are OK - Go out and buy something - eat something special, drink. (Is this why we're a consumer society, obese, drug dominated, sex crazed ?)

I'm beginning to understand why I hated the thought of safe social networking sites/clubs. They can present such a small challenge - we can play it safe with relationships that we can ditch if things go slightly unpleasant. Reading an educational magazine gives a warm feeling but unless we take the risk of trying, of standing up to a boss, teach a difficult lesson and win the students over, put into practice what we read, then we lose out and esteem goes down - our own and the people around us.

I realise I had a mother that had faith in me to go into risky situations - cross London on the tube at age 11 with one parent in Paris and the other in B'ham - no one I knew within 100 miles.

No wonder I've been a risk taker all my life.

What we really need are parents and teachers that know us well and are close enough to be able to set us challenges that match are present abilities. Rather the time spent cooking the parents a meal than spending an hour on a social networking site.

At present I'm all for supporting parents and encouraging them to take the well thought out risks their parents didn't allow them to take!

Risk facing up to their children and encouraging them to take real risks - that of a meal they prepared being a flop! (and being praised by their parents for daring to try)!

Why does an ICTOPUS blog need Policing?

2008-04-05T21:30:00.006+01:00

From Heather Govier, secretary of ICTOPUS - (Who are they)?

- A newly revived organisation to support Teachers at the Primary Level.

"Hi Geoff,
Just to let you know – we no longer have a blog and we have decided not to do so on the grounds that we have not the manpower to police it. There are plenty of educational blogs and wikis out there for those who want to exchange ideas. That was never our central role – we provide a different service.
However we do publish a range of articles in our magazine and if you wish to submit one I will readily consider it for publication.
Heather"

I am sad that this promising organisation has the need to police its membership as they discuss articles that are written in its magazine.

I had hoped that the blog could become even more important than the magazine itself after all ICTOPUS promotes the use of Web 2.0.

The Magazine provides articles to promote teaching practice.

A blog could discuss the merits of this practice with supporting and cautionary comments. it would encourage teachers to think for themselves and apply what was being promoted in their own way.

Too long have teachers been treated as children that need to be trained and educated themselves and not as mature thinking adults.

Whilst I was at University (learning to practice my first career as a Chemical Engineer), people attended the Teacher Training College down the road.

The two organisations were run totally differently. At University the students were expected to behave responsibly - the result was that most of us gradually grew from irresponsible children from school into adults taking on responsibilities.

We attended lectures and Halls of Residence by choice with no monitoring of attendance or where we slept. If we failed our exams we were out.

Training College on the other hand had strict rules of attendance. One felt that their students could not be trusted to behave like responsible adults.

Many teachers moved straight from these colleges into teaching jobs where again they were managed and monitored in a way not found in industry.

This lack of being treated like mature adults makes it difficult for many of the teaching profession to have self confidence because many are not given the opportunity to think for themselves. This shows itself particularly when an OFSTED inspection takes place when excellent teachers turn into jelly and run around like headless chickens to put on a 'show'.

This is so sad to watch when often they could be educating their inspectors on how to teach. This was certainly the way I felt as a teacher- the inspectors had the opportunity to learn from me. But then I had the self assurance of having worked successfully in industry (Glaxo and Shell) and self employed as a Hotelier. The result was that my students excelled and I am being asked to write a book on how I taught.

ICTOPUS is perpetuating this lack of confidence and encouraging this ethos of dependency of children on Big Brother. I wonder how many of the team have experience of the world outside education where they have to be totally self reliant . . .

The earlier education Usenet groups never had moderators - we supported and kept each other in place in our discussions. Ian Lynch was a regular sparring partner of mine!

I look forward to ICTOPUS developing a more mature attitude.

All comments welcome here! None will be policed.

What a load of Rubbish !

2008-04-05T08:58:00.003+01:00

And they say that we shouldn't allow our kids to access Youtube!

Why are we so polite to each other?

2008-03-30T22:17:00.007+01:00

I am surprised to find that I am accused by 'polite' people (who run others down behind their backs) of being abusive.

Even when asking them straight-forward questions like:

"Why haven't you done what you promised ?"

Personally , I find abrasive people like Jeremy Paxman, a relief and very refreshing.

There aren't many of them.

When I meet one, which is rare, I am immediately attracted to them!

Why is this?

Why are people so (bloody fucking) polite?

The result is that when someone says "I like you", we wonder what they really mean.

The Bird and the Bee "Polite Dance Song"

"Our future. It's in our hands."

2008-03-26T21:51:00.005Z

The story behind that talking hands advert

See this on You tube!

Here

Why do people delight in making beautiful things

2008-03-25T22:53:00.003Z

Hopi pottery

Emmanuel Peccatte - photo Geoff Dellow ! at Potfest in the Pens 2007

Some of mine

Annabella

Pictures I will never see with the naked eye!

2008-03-25T22:45:00.002Z

Another site with fabulous photos - new one every day.

Why do people continue to take such expressive photos

2008-03-25T22:37:00.001Z

Reuters - they change daily.

I find them very evocative.

Thank you!

Why does this bring tears to my eyes?

2008-03-23T11:44:00.002Z

Australia says sorry.

Will our government in the future say sorry to our young people for their policies on housing and education?

This video gives me hope that it will.

Why? - Ask the Philosophers your question

2008-03-22T21:57:00.004Z

Recently asked questions!

I'm thinking of one!

Fabulous photographs from Reuters

2008-03-22T21:37:00.011Z

Editor's choice
- changes every 24 hours

The New York Times multimedia presentation

2008-03-22T21:22:00.003Z

View the video on the exhibition on Van Gogh

Why aren't there more people like this guy?

2008-03-16T10:55:00.003Z

Jonathan Powell

Speaking a lot of sense on Andrew Marr's show. Hopefully this will appear here!

Is this what teaching is all about?

2008-03-13T16:31:00.004Z

Teacher and student communicating as equals.

Watch this!

Who knows what talent we have in front of us when we teach.

Is it not possible that we can bring out our students inner capabilities?

Do we really 'listen' to the abilities that kids demonstrate?

Can we not encourage them to be experts in a small area and so that some start to blossom?

Can we listen to what they have to say and try to understand when they often don't have the skills to express what is in their heads.

It's like communicating with a child before they learn to speak. What are they trying to say?

Will we ever find out.

Can a good Flash project be so multifaceted that a whole range of talents can shine.

See my Flash Blog !

Why don't we have bridges like this in Britain?

2008-03-12T14:14:00.003Z

Why do we need inspiration?

2008-03-12T08:35:00.003Z

I certainly do.

It refuels my positive energy.

I am ever thankful to people who live their lives with passion.

! ! PASSION ! !

Here is someone - forget what it's all about - enjoy empathising with this wonderful human being!

Listen and watch Anne Sophia von Otter

Thank you Utube

See also the same story told differently!

What's it all about? (Does it matter?)

The Erl King see wikipedia

"Goethe's poem begins with a young boy being brought to his home by his father. The meaning is somewhat ambiguous, as the word "Hof" has the rather generic meaning of "yard" or "place." ("Platz" is a synonym.) In this case it could mean a "courtyard" or "farmyard" (though "der Bauernhof" is the literal word for a farmyard). The ambiguity about the father's social rank is quite acceptable because any father would have similar feelings about a son (or daughter) so ill and in pain.

The poem begins by giving the impression that the child is simply dying from a vague, unspecified ailment and sees death as a figment of his imagination. As it proceeds, the poem takes an ever darker twist, and ends with the child's death.
One story has it that Goethe was visiting a friend when, late one night, a dark figure carrying a bundle in its arms was seen riding past the gate at high speed. The next day Goethe and his friend were told that they had seen a farmer taking his sick son to the doctor. This incident (along with the legend) is said to have been the main inspiration for the poem."

Thank you Christine Atkinson for discovering this for me!

Geothe and Schubert and Berlioz (orchestration) too!

We now have Otter's Recording on CD!

Archbishop Rowan William's Speech

2008-02-10T16:10:00.000Z

Click title to access this.

Thank you for bravely raising this issue.

Though neither a Christian nor Muslim, I do value people who speak up, and abhor people who ridicule this attempt to raise an issue especially newpapers like the Guardian who make fun with their cartoons.

Concerns about Ictopus

2008-02-07T07:52:00.000Z

I have just posted the following on the Ictopus blog:

I await their reaction.

* * * * * * * *

Reassurance needed.

Could I please have clarification of the policy of the Ictopus team regarding the posting of comments on this blog?

Note: I shall be publicising your response outside this site at http://inquisitivity.blogspot.com and beyond. If you remove this comment, I shall say so.

It would appear that it is the Ictopus policy not to allow the posting of any comment that is critical of articles in SGP or of the Ictopus policy itself.

I cannot believe that this is possible.

If it is, then this is a serious matter as the membership are prevented from hearing of the concerns of some of its members.

This would suggest that Ictopus could be regarded as an organisation with fascist tendencies which surely is not their intention.

Note:
fascism noun an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. • (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.

The term Fascism was first used of the totalitarian right-wing nationalist regime of Mussolini in Italy (1922–43), and the regimes of the Nazis in Germany and Franco in Spain were also fascist. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group, a contempt for democracy, an insistence on obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong demagogic approach.

How Independent is "Independent Research on SuperClubsPlus ?

2008-02-04T21:24:00.000Z

Download the report written by Dr Karen Pine and you'll find that SuperClubsPlus occurs prominently twice on the cover. Is this report really unbiased.

So far I can't find a single criticism of the Club's activity which I find strange in an independent report - there's usually something . .

Why?

The deletion of comments from the Ictopus blog

2008-02-02T05:48:00.000Z

I find it very difficult to describe how depressed I feel about Ictopus. (see below)

This is why I am removing myself from contact with people that I cannot trust.

I am so thankful that I have real people around me who share my values and who too are shocked my Ictopus's behavior.

I'm fortunate to have other very worthwhile activities to immerse my energies in.

I am therefore able to remove myself from such a negative environment of what I see as dishonesty and lack of respect for other people shown by your deletion of what they took the trouble to write for the Blog which has been reinstated here.

The thought that there is a society of thinking people that sincerely believes that encouraging children to get involved with Robert Hart's clubs is desirable, shocks me.

The contrast of Emily Saunders and the musicians from The Manchester Camerata that played at the Ulverston Hall last night is mind bending. On the one hand a sad withdrawn child with nothing better to do than sit at a computer chatting mundanely with 'friends' for two hours every day throughout the year - little contact with parents and neighbours. On the other people that are brimming with self esteem coming from struggling hard for years to master an instrument so that they play it without thinking about what their fingers are doing and hence concentrate on the emotions of the music. The result that not only were they thrilled with what they had achieved but so was the audience who will still have strong emotions of what they experienced both today and for months to come.

When I contrast what Emily is doing with what she would so love doing with Flash if she had the chance, I weep. Is Robert Hart interested - No (Even though I've offered to feature as an expert).

I'm sincerely thankful that there are teachers like Maggie in Thailand who have the guts and vision to pursue exciting new projects, combining art and music using Flash after seeing the reaction from both pupils and teachers in the school to what was done before Christmas.

This is where my future lies, together with Philosophy with People I respect in Ulverston and the chance to bring a terraced house up to top quality so that someone can enjoy living in a short street where people all know each other.

The need for precise reachable challenges B2

2008-01-26T22:18:00.000Z

I’m learning a lot about education as I train a friend’s dog.

As long as he thinks he’s going to do something he wants, he will do whatever you ask. Sometimes I just wait until he does as required – no scolding just wait – five minutes if necessarily – just look round and enjoy the scenery.

Here is the time to be very strict and precise in one’s commands and reward regularly that he’s doing what you want. There is never an occasion when you have to be negative but some waiting is necessary.

Secondly avoid situations with more freedom than they can cope with unless this is the next stage in the learning process when easier challenges have been mastered.

I found children enjoyed very precise challenges.

I chose to teach Design Technology in a ‘difficult school’ because I love making things with my hands particularly things that require you to be precise and I liked the Head!

I used the labels, described in last week’s blog, to reward desirable behaviour - in the same way I give tasty chews to the dog.

I had the kids line up outside the workshop and would wait and wait until they were as I required. Eventually some of the children would get frustrated with just waiting and get the unruly ones to conform. You the teacher did nothing to show annoyance, or shout, you had all the time in the world and looked disinterested.

On a few occasions with older children (Year 9) I remember just leaving them outside to stew somewhere where they didn’t disturb others (this could take a bit of planning) and went into my workshop and closed the door on them with the statement come in and tell me when you’re ready. After less than five minutes they were ready. If they came in and were noisy they were out again until I got what I wanted. I never shouted (well rarely) but left them to decide.

Normally they were keen. So they where all lined up (for the most part) – it was a mistake to be a perfectionist. I would let them in with my stickers (Abel Labels) at the ready and without saying anything go round to those who where ready in their allocated place with their school diary, pencil and ruler placed neatly in front of them, arms folded mouths closed and looking at me. Immediately they got a sticker No comment, and I was striding around the room giving out stickers to the first ten and half stickers to the next ten. This way the whole class was ready and quiet within 90 seconds. It was a big game and they loved it!

Next take your homework out for collection – not made part of the original presentation as if they hadn’t done homework, I didn’t want them to miss out on a sticker at the beginning of the lesson. Now no stickers but once collected (no comment to those without) then give out last weeks homework. Here stickers given out again as already described last weeks blog entry B1.

I inevitably skipped taking the register as I could tell already those that weren’t presented and they knew it was just a ploy to get them to conform. Straight into the lesson.

“Right ( I love “right” – it has a certain ring!) “I want you to stand round my demonstration bench exactly one metre from you stomach to the edge of the table” (another game to play and I was very demanding on the metre which I already had to hand). Those who got it right got a . . . . . you’ve guessed . . a sticker – often only 3 in 22. This ruse/game would only be played once – I had them for half a term.

With older children – Year 9, the crucial thing is to come up with a project they really want to do – in Design Technology: Design their bedroom using the Argos catalogue, make an accurate Wind Vane using the Lathe, soldering etc – ICT use Flash for a Talking Heads project.

Next time the concept of the kit so that everyone succeeds - even the least able!

Applying 'inquisitivity' in the classroom - 1 - Homework

2008-01-21T07:29:00.000Z

Each week for a while on this blog I shall recount how I taught in what some regarded as a 'sink' school.

Hainault High was thought of as a good school to send your child if he/she had problems.

John Westbury, the Head for many years attracted a very caring staff to his school.(It was his personality that had made me want to go to his school on qualifying with a PGCE from Goldsmiths, London at the age of 53).

We worked hard at helping children with problems, to fit in and achieve. Many times we succeeded!

I think our A-C pass rate was about 25%.

My form achieved 50% after five years with me !

My attitude was to always try to encourage and not be negative.

I took the view that if children didn't do their homework, this was my problem not there's.I hadn't made them feel that the work would be challenging or special or interesting - there were lots of ways of gaining their approval. One was to put up examples of previous children's work on the display board - with the prospect that theirs could be added..

I tried not to put children on the spot. Very occasionally I would keep them behind after school for some one-to-one tuition. Some came from families were doing homework was very difficult.

Every piece of homework received a sticker - labels I bought from Able Label that cost next to nothing but looked impressive. (I see they still got some of the designs I used. When children got a given number of stickers in their school diary they got a certificate that I printed up to look special!

It was Sylvie our head of upper school who got me going with this idea. She did an assembly when she gave our small plain orange cards to random choice of pupils in the hall. Everyone wanted one. They had no idea what they were for. But just being given a small piece of card that very few others had was special. This was the point that Sylvie (Mrs Springall) was making. We like to be made to feel special - even I wanted one!

So you got a sticker for just producing something that attempted to look like Homework .
You got 1 1/2 stickers (I used to cut them in half!) for a good attempt (no matter what the standard achieved) and 2 stickers for a really good try of which there would be about 25 %.

I never dwelt on the people who hadn't done the work but made a big fuss over those that tried well and I sometimes did get something exceptional.

Once a lad who liked to study and research at home produced a six page treatise on something like house design which his mother told me he'd worked at all weekend. That was special.

Caution Care and Computers

2008-01-20T21:37:00.000Z

As an educator in America I would like to add my humble opinion for your consideration. While there are benefits of social networking there are also pitfalls. We now have to address the issues of Cyberbullying-where students can pretend that they are someone else and post unflattering and hurtful comments. Many of the issues with MySpace are very well known. We must acknowledge that this is reality. One of the most important aspects of using any tool should be teaching how to use it properly!

I use both blogs and wiki's in my teaching-however they are used with caution. If I post an assignment on the blog the responses are first sent to my email account where I decide if it will be posted or not. The students blog accounts do have students names nor pictures on them. They are used for educational discussions on topics I am teaching. I do not allow access to personal email accounts,instant messaging, and I have social networking sites blocked. When the students are in the computer lab I have educationally based activities planned for them according to their learning styles, content they are covering, and follow up activies that do not do involve screen time.

On my website I encourage parents to monitor their children if they allow them to take part in social networking sites where student can add friends and friends of friends. I also have posted instructions on how parents can remove underage myspace accounts. Parents are after all responsible for their childrens actions and b ehvior as they are underage.

Technology is a wonderful tool-but kids also need to get outside and play, kick a ball around, and interact with others face to face. It is up to parents and educators to make sure that kids do not get over do computer time.

Ictopus and SGP 15

2008-01-19T21:15:00.001Z

The ten founders of ictopus are: Geoff Davies, Rhona Dick, Doug Dickinson, Bob Fox, Heather Govier, Roger Keeling, Mike Matson, Alan Rodgers, Janice Staines and Angella Streluk. And you can find out more about the organization from the First issue of Sharing Good Practice SGP 0.

I have been very impressed with all of the articles except that in SGP 15, which you can download below.

In my view the publishing of the article by Robert Hart in its present form was a mistake as it comes across as a piece of deceptive salesmanship.

At no point does Robert Hart, Director of Intuitive Media, identify his connection with the two clubs that he is reviewing as a result of his research on them He is in fact the promoter of both SuperClubsPlus and GoldStarCafe. The article is written as though it gives an independent report on these clubs. Belatedly the editor points this out in the footnotes but one would not realize this by reading the information.

Many organizations clearly believe that Intuitive Media provide a valuable service in providing a safe environment for children to go on line and chat to children through out the UK. So do I – if this was done for say one to two hours in the week. But the norm is presented as being in the region of at least 15 hours per week i.e. two hours a day.

It is here that I cannot agree that this is “Good Practice” as I explain below.

Initially Ictopus used their blog to encourage a discussion of this article but now all trace of it have been removed so I have reproduced it below with postings that came through me in the first place.

Here then is an opportunity to continue the discussion.

I do not understand the actions of the Ictopus team in either publishing the article as written or in removing comments from the Blog. They do however have a close ‘relationship’ with Roger Hart and Intuitive Media in that he provided them a presence at BETT 2008 on his stand.

Please feel free to express your views – there are many issues that come out of this article which I hope will have a good airing here. As you see there are some for things in the article and several against!

Why Emily scares me stiff. (Click to download the article)

2008-01-19T18:56:00.000Z

It’s a long time since I was so shocked by an issue

The last time, before reading the Robert Hart article (see below) in ICTOPUS SGP 15, I was so upset by news, was when I watched dead cows being lifted with a JCB onto trucks already piled with carcasses on TV.

This article has been a wake-up call for me to switch my energies from working from WITHIN education to working from the OUTSIDE and those that control where education is going – My MP, my local radio and television and influential newspapers.

I believe we must slow down and reverse a trend that is/has happened since I was young.

The image of a ten year old Emily Saunders coming in from school and working on her computer for a full two hours every day of the week frightens me. Even if this time were spent doing high level thinking activity it would deeply concern me as Emily is depicted as representing one of 120,000 children doing the same in the UK, from one in three Primary Schools. Furthermore her activities are not that demanding – she is chatting to other children by typing on her keyboard and spending some time designing her web site and possibility investigating various topics.

That parents, the school, the Department of Education, BECTa (the government department responsible for IT education) and now ICTOPUS may feel that this is a desirable activity concerns me greatly.

Children already spend the hours between 9 am and 3:30 pm in an artificial environment with other children and a few adults in the institution we call ‘school’. Many parents think that this is a good thing : here they will be trained to become responsible adults that can look after themselves. When the parents come home many have been glad in the past that their children sit quietly watching TV or in more recent years playing computer games – now it is chatting on line.

In my view the most important attribute of the adults we employ as teachers is that they inspire the children to investigate, to be active, to continue the characteristics they had when they first went to school. I like to call this inquisitivity. Why? Why? How? How? Can I? Can I? . . .

Thesekind of teachers are to be found in really good schools of which there are many. But there are many were children go because they have to. They go to be controlled and taught what they’re not interested in.

Those that do not thrive in this environment are seen as failures.

Are these the children that grow into gang members on the edge of society? Youths that feel alienated. Where criminal activity challenges them to use their wits to get the better of 'them'.

When I was young I spent a fair bit of time in activities outside my house when I returned from school. Running errands, shopping, going swimming, playing in the park. I was fixed up with a job at the local grocers in the school holiday – I might have done a paper round nowadays.

At eleven my parents rightly judged that I could cope with the journey from Paris to Birningham – train/boat/train/tube/tube/train. My mother sent me off, my father collected me. It was for me the trip of a lifetime. On the boat the Captain took me under his wing. I had dared to venture up the stairs marked PRIVATE to the control deck to ask questions. Instead of booting me out , as would have happened if I had been older, I was allowed to stay and watch messages being sent down to the engine room – "Full speed ahead" – "Left had down a bit". I was even persuaded that we were having a race with another boat and allowed to use the binoculars to check on its position. I was then told that I could go down to the engine room with the noise of the machinery driving the propeller and the steam leaking out and the smell of hot oil – walking on expanded metal walkways and stairs,shining bright silver, to tell the engineer how we were doing in our ‘race’. Everyone was so friendly and treated me as an important member of the team – errand boy / lookout . Up and down I scampered. To the bridge for the binoculars and down to the hot stinking noisy 'hell hole'. “We’re catching them up” "We’re ahead ” We've won" as we came into Newhaven - and the engineer beamed.

Can you imagine experiences like this being available now? We don’t let our children down to the park because “they will come to harm”. People are not used to trusting strangers. We have become alienated. Children won’t give me eye contact, they did up to the age when they ‘didn’t know better’.

Instead of children being encouraged to go on adventures they are protected from danger. It will take some time for them to find that 99% of adults are reliable and helpful to those they have got to know – people who live down the street, old retired people with stories to tell and old gadgets from their early life.

What a bland life we are encouraging our children to live in, with our protected chatrooms. Surely life is far better than that.

It could be that as a result of my early life, I went to America to work for eight years, I came back and ditched my training as a Chemical Engineer and bought farm buildings, converted then into a Holiday Self-catering business, cooked meals commercially, won awards. The when a divorce shattered that, I came into the town centre and converted a disused building into a restaurant/coffee shop that provided live entertainment four nights a week.

When this failed I collapsed in a heap. Then after a year I was off to train at Goldsmiths at 53 to be a teacher of Design Technology and now at 72 a proponent of Flash 4 in ICT.

Robert Hart’s clubs and the attitude of ICTOPUS in promoting them as ‘Good Practice’ scare me stiff. I have this image of a young girl, lacking in confidence heading for a third-best way of life, resembling a beautiful cow hoisted up on a sacrificial JCB for the cause of ‘foot and mouth disease” protection. No wonder the farmers wept. So will the girl's parents perhaps.

Now perhaps you understand why I feel so strongly!

Society is heading for a fall.

Beware what's happening in the name of Education

2008-01-18T12:49:00.002Z

My concerns have been raised by an article by Robert Hart which appeared on the on-line magazine for the organisation called ICTOPUS on January 5th 2008
Now ICTOPUS have removed from their blog site all the comments, many of which were critical, referring to this article. At present I have received no explanation.
The article in question can be seen by enrolling with ICTOPUS, which is free, or I can send you a copy - email me at gd at tygh.co.uk
As I received copies of most of the contributions made to the Ictopus Blog, I am reproducing these here. Some, also, were never published.

My main criticism was that Robert Hart did not declare his connection with the clubs that he was reviewing. The article gives the impression that it presents the results of some research he has carried out as Director of Intuitive Media. He is in fact the promoter of the two clubs Superclubsplus and Goldstarcafe that his research is based on.

My concerns are

The close connection that ICTOPUS have with Intuitive Media and their reluctance to allow debate.
The climate of fear of predators that this organisation promotes.
The encouragement of children age 8 to 12 to spend so much time (two hours every evening of the week) chatting to other children.
The suggestion that this is a good thing for the child's education.
The potential for activity in the absence parents, neighbours and people of the wider community with the only adult involvement coming from teachers or 'mediators'.

Internet – tool or way of life based on fear?

2008-01-12T11:48:00.000Z

As a result of reading an article which purported to be Good Teaching Practice in the on-line magazine of ICTOPUS I have become very concerned with the creation of clubs that provide a 'safe environment' as though as these are desirable. Furthermore I believe they have provide children with a very second rate learning environment. My worry is compounded by the discovery that many reputable people and organisations are supporting this approach. Even the Governments of Canada and Australia are apparently supporting this approach. Here is the text of my posting on the ICTOPUS blog

You can read Robert Hart's article, SGP 15,by registering with ICTOPUS - a new organisation that supports and is run for the benefit of Primary School Teachers in the UK

I was deeply disturbed by Robert Hart’s article, the attitude of the ICTOPUS team to it and to the readership of Sharing Good Practice for not raising questions . There that puts everyone in there place!

Bob’s approach is one I would strongly recommend to every teacher to shun. In fact this article has encouraged me to take up an offer I have to talk regularly on Radio Cumbria in a two minute slot at the unearthly hour of seven thirty a.m. If Government and prominent people are backing this approach there is something drastically wrong with society and it needs to be countered from outside of education. My first piece will be to dissuade listeners and schools in my area from getting involved with the activities of Intuitive Media.

Why the ICTOPUS team : for their lack of judgement in allowing this article to run as though it is “Good Practice” – one of two things should have been done either the word ADVERTISEMENT should have been pasted prominently at the top of the page or Bob should have been asked to remove all the deceptive spin that he has used in presenting his information.

As for you, dear reader, how come you too weren’t disturbed by the message being transmitted? Has Bob managed to brainwash everyone with his skillful publicity?

As I wrote on this blog within 30 minutes of reading the article the opening phrase put me on high alert.:

“The human species is evolving rapidly”

We have become highly tuned to spot a sales pitch and here was one coming up. People who make exaggerated statements have usually got something to sell. This was true. Heather failed to reassure me that this was just “a metaphorical stylistic device”.

On reading on, the word “Research” is used frequently. We normally associate this with an independent person who is reporting on something they have investigated – good research always provides the data upon which statements are made so that graduates, as most of us are, trained to analyse information, can check the reliability of the information given. No original data is provided.

Far from being objective, the article turns out to be written by the person who is promoting the product. We can therefore expect it to be biased.

I asked a colleague of mine, Christine Atkinson, experienced teacher and the author of several Maths text books, to look at the article. She found the presentation confusing I did and is writing to ICTOPUS separately.

We have spin by the bucketful – We have a photo of a happy carefree confident yound girl depicted but this is not Emily or the person whose activities are being described. She may in fact be a very depressed, worried, withdrawn young woman who rarely goes out of her house except to school. Why the use of a surname 'Sanderson' if Emily is just made up. I get the feeling that every trick in the book is being used by this highly successful team of people behind Intuitive Media to convince us that what they are doing is desirable. The clubs described are ‘protected environments’ from ‘predators’. Where are the parents? - the children’s natural guardians. Are the children really being encouraged to grow up by their parents and teachers? To be able to deal with strange situations, to be able to discern potentially dangerous of misleading statements. This surely is how teachers and parents can help children.

The POS syndrome mentioned in the Panorama by Jeremy Vine is specially worrying. Children writing in their chat rooms that they have a Parent looking Over their Shoulder indicates a lack of trust between parent and child and this is the issue that needs tackling. Why aren’t the parents having fun, working alongside their children dealling with any ‘predator’. I can imagine my child calling out to me “Dad, I’ve hooked a Perv. Come and join me as we string him along and find out who he/she is.” “Then we can get the police on their trail.” Word in the chat rooms would soon get around for ‘Mister Nasty Predator’ to be on the look out, as there were ‘Equally Devious Protectors’ who were out to ensnare them, posing as children and with Blue Uniforms round the corner.

I feel that I've written enough for now - I have a lot more to cover but will do this another time. This surely will give Bob something to reply to!

I decry the puerile concept that children can teach themselves. Do we put our toddlers together and leave them to it to learn a language? Children and young people need as much contact as possible with adults that will inspire them and then help them to attain their dreams. This is in my view the prime purpose of being a teacher - to be so enthusiastic about what we have found out for ourselves that students want to strive in their turn for their own goals. For me Bob Hart's clubs are a very poor second best.

Learning is not gained casually. Emotions are very powerful. They are contageous - hence the Lynch Mob and the powerful Orator.

Hilary Clinton almost sheds a tear and a whole state swings behind her. Wow. We can all benefit from others who stimulate us emotionally and go on to support and encourage us as we pursue our goals. This high level of stimulation will not, I believe, come about from shutting up our children with a few 'mediators' who are there to help us interact socially and a few experts who aren't their to help us on a regular basis in the way a parent, neighbour, retired craftsman/hobbuist, or even teacher can. Long live the 'real world' where you get scratched by brambles and the sun shines as you take the dog for a walk or smell and enjoy the texture of vegetables as you cook your hard working parents their dinner (as I did). What I would love to encourage is, far from putting the kids in touch with each other, is for the parents to get together with teachers in and out of the classroom and provide stimulation and leadership for their kids. Children at present have got far too much power. Feels like 'Lord of the Flies' to me.

So how did you fare with this load of emotion from me - with some reason thrown in for added flavour. Have I provoked you into action? Look forward to hearing from you.
Doc Geoff

THIS'ARTICLE' RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS FROM THOSE THAT RECEIVED IT

In the pursuit of communication and logical thinking

2008-01-11T22:16:00.000Z

The internet has opened up wonderful opportunities of talking to others like this forum.

We can share information and many people use it mainly for this, but for me the most valuable is the sharing of ideas.

I use clear ideas and reason to guide my energies that come from my emotions. We get 'fired up' when we see a goal we want to achieve, then we sort out how we are going to get there.

Sometimes we expend a lot of energy with little result because we haven't sorted our ideas and worked out where we are trying to go!

The very act act of setting an idea or concept down in words (or speech) helps us formulate what we think because we can then examine what is said. We attempt to be clear and consistant. To develop an idea by building : one idea is coupled with another and a logical outcome becomes apparent.

Often the act of setting ideas down leads to 'solutions' - this was found to be true in The Scottish branch of Samaritans,some time ago. Clients would normally go to or phone a branch of Samaritans but in the far-flung parts of Scotand phone calls could be expensive or unavailable and physical visits near impossible. People with personal problems thus took to letter writing and the Branches started to report a certain unusual type of letter - it often ended with a statement of the kind - "Thanks for 'listening'. No need to reply because I've sorted my problem out just through writing this letter"

How many letters never got sent?

Second if we can be precise in expressing our ideas, others can understand them and can offer their thoughts in return. A logic of building ideas takes place. This can help the originator to re-evaluate thinking. With a group of people all interested in pursuing ideas: all seeing the ideas differently and very exciting progression of thinking takes place.

This is the practice inherent in what we call Philosophy. It requires very precise and logical thought sequences. Some think that it is very sad that Philosophy is not valued as a discipline in schools from an early age and are introducing it with very beneficial results to children age seven up and not leaving it to an option in Sixth form at 17 years old. The benefits are that youngsters start to be able to see subjects/people/information from different points of view - they become less 'narrow thinking' more accommodating of other people's points of view - more 'mature'.

When discussions take place, we may be quite clear what we are saying but the terms we use are understood differently by others

All very basic stuff, you'll agree.

What I find frustrating is when people start using 'buzz' words that are 'in' without stopping to ask what they mean. Often all they mean is something that has been around for fifty years under another name!

It could be said that Socrates started off (continued) 'personalised learning' - A.S.Neil more recently.

How can we have it when the government lays down what is to be learnt? And the public are confused about what is to be learnt.

Social Networking - do we first need to define the desired 'society' and to what end do we network?

Carbon footprint who's carbon - Chinese goods - their carbon or ours.

All very vague and hardly worth talking about until we define terms!

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Do any of mine make sense?

Less information - more communication - about ideas in clearly defined terms!

Life , Politics and Kids and OLPC

2008-01-05T13:31:00.000Z

I am constantly amazed by how adults can at times act like children. I am also amazed by how common sense can be abanded in the name of profits. There is a wonderful program launched by MIT called One Laptop Per Child. The idea is to create a kid friendly, lowcost laptop that can be used in developing countries. The philosophy: Give a man a fish and he eats for a day , teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.

Unfortunately the folks at Intel have been fighting with the folks at MIT and the results is-the kids lose. I was so hopeful when INTEL signed on, got a seat on the board and joined the OLPC project in July. Then last week the adults proved they could act like children and Intel pulled out right before the Las Vegas Tech show.

MIT launced a unique program in Novemeber called Buy One Give. For 400 dollars you could get you hands on one of these cool little machines and the second was donated to a child overseas. Check out the video below to see what can be accomplished with 200 dollars. The water proof, dust proof and drop proff case is just right for active kids! According to the New York Times the folks at Intel and MIT had differences over educational philosophy. The article goes on to point out that MIT wanted the INTEL folks to stop promoting another laptop Intel had developed called classmate.

The question for 2008..Isn't the sandbox big enough so that all the kids can play??

Wisdom and Knowledge

2008-01-01T14:15:00.000Z

Below, I mention the differeence I perceive between education where we think and training where we learn.

When I was at school, I remember puzzling over how people became Wise. Was this the same as being clever and the same as knowing a lot?

I realised that wisdom was different to the other two and now I might even be able to distinguish beween the latter.

Wisdom requires time. Time to reason and arrive at general conclusions.

I was fortuneate to have loads of time. Before, during and after school. From an early age, three, I loved puzzles. I got so good at mine that i did them upside down using the hints given by the grain of the plywood. Latter I loved my rubber mini bricks - now featured in the Museum of Childhood at Bethnal green, London http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/search/index.html?cx=014791250815825511638%3Asqtf5bs22vw&cof=FORID%3A11&q=mini+bricks&go=go#147

Lunch - to be continued!

Inquisitivity - what is it?

2007-12-28T11:39:00.000Z

Recently I was asked to look at a science project for primary children. In it, photos of animal faces were provided so that questions could be asked about why ear, nose, ears, horns were the way they were.

To my way of thinking the lesson plan was to provide answers which the teacher could encourage the children to ‘find’. A bank of suitable photos were provided with answers.

"We've got a background with a Kenyan person and a fire in the front"

In theory my approach to teaching is not to provide answers.

One of the main reasons that I went into teaching was because I enjoyed trying to get inside the head of young minds (well any minds) to find out what sense they were making of the world around them.

To do this one has to suspend what one believes and try to understand what they are 'seeing'. I do this by asking genuine questions to understand what they see and the sense they make of it all.

This is the way they learnt language, I assume, - without being taught - not a teacher in sight!

Youngsters presumably have this tremendous ability of making sense of the world when to they come to school. But who do they meet there but people who 'know' the answers and in many cases from then on the children's ability to figure things out for themselves becomes secondary to listening carefully to what they are being 'taught'.

And I would label this way of teaching as being taught not to think for yourself. Learn to accept that teachers and parents 'know' the answers. Here teachers and parents are promoting 'training'.

Training is valuable perhaps, education as I would want to define it is far more so. The latter one develops an ability to question, analyse, make predictions - get them wrong,change them again, - have a view of one's own - thinking, reasoning, using logic, is far, far more valuable to both the individual and to the society around that individual. Too often society can't cope with this being who wants to continuously question. "For God's sake lets get the three times table learnt" - "come on now, what is three times eight ? " . . .

I would not want to present information on a plate ie banks of photos as this very choice assumes that the photos chosen are the appropriate ones to look at. I prefer to encourage children to look out on the world of pictures through Google and Youtube and try to make sense of what they find. The role of the teacher would then be to encourage questioning and logic to derive conclusions. These could be radically different to the commonly held views of scientists who may never have really examined their beliefs but just regurgitating what they in turn 'learnt'.

I love lessons where the whole time is used by asking questions and preferably where the teacher doesn't manipulate/guide the exploration but has the confidence to follow the logic of the exploration. Yes and help to maintain logic and clear thinking - assisting the process , not the end . . . .

I would hope that children leave school at the end of the day with loads of unanswered questions and preferably some that 'teacher' doesn't know the answers to! What pride to be able to return next day with your answer - amazing the things you can find out with Google - but then was this true . . . . .?

"Is it easy? Quite easy, we do struggle a lot though. It's not worth the struggle - well it's worth it when it's all finished but when we're not finished, I don't think it is."

To convey what is generally accepted as 'knowledge' is to my mind training.

To encourage questions with many unanswered is what I call education. It leads to a totally different motivation towards learning - one where children and adults are emotionally motivated to finding things out - something that can stay with us all our lives.

I cannot reconcile this approach with lessons that are too structured, neither am I happy with ICT that uses software that is in any way restrictive - where activities are done FOR the student without the opportunity for them to take charge themselves and not do it the way that is presented but rather to change the way something is done so as to arrive at a completely different result that may be different to what everyone else in the class has done.

True, very few children may do this - could it be because inquisitivity has been drummed out of them with "Listen carefully children. Do this, then that, then the other and you will have done it 'right'."

If you are a person who is also exploring similar issues or knows anybody who likes exploring this type of issue, I'd love to make contact with you/them - I would greatly benefit from having others with whom to explore these thoughts and see where they lead and what the limitations are.

My email is gd at tygh.co.uk

Geoff

A treat for Doc Geoff

2007-12-26T07:32:00.001Z

It's boxing day 2007and I've had a lovely non-christmas and thought I'd give myself this treat of creating a blog where people have 'enlightening thoughts'

It's early so I'm off back to bed with my sore throat whilst thinking very optimistic thoughts of what will take place on this blog.

I'll share with you what I have in mind in my next posting!

Geoff