Martin Stephen’s controversial article [
We don’t need education reform – we need a whole new system]
in today’s Daily Telegraph (a paper suited for people with low blood
pressure) raises some interesting points, but is based on numerous
fallacious assumptions that must not go unchallenged.
First, Ofsted (not to be confused with the Spanish
Inquisition, a comparison that could only cross my own mind) most
probably and Michael Gove most certainly are not infallible judges when
it comes to judging schools.
I have never been quite sure how one can
improve the weight of a cow by constantly measuring it, especially when
the scales are constantly being tampered with by experts who delight in
exerting arbitrary power without responsibility! Why can teachers not be
trusted to do the job they have been trained to do?
I also note that Stephen laments ‘the [academic?]
failure of so many of our schools’. But who is to be blamed? ‘The fact
that half of our schools send no pupils on to study medicine is a
damning indictment of their teachers and of their culture.’ What is
meant by ‘their culture’? I have no idea! What ridiculous nonsense! If
true, then 50% are still doing rather well, culturally speaking! Can
teachers provide brains? What’s wrong with children who are less gifted?
They might not be able to pursue a medical career, but could become
teachers, instead!
As to the ‘sympathy syndrome’, some children do have
it hard (including those who are well-off in material terms, but with
little or no parental affection, which is a non-punishable form of child
abuse), yet may succeed against all the odds! But who is responsible
for the destruction of old-fashioned traditional family values? We live
in an increasingly ego-logical society, where selfish pleasure is cool,
but being geeky is not. Teachers tend to get blamed for almost anything,
and may even face the sack, if they dare to counter our new British
values, as yet still undefined!
Stephen wants a new system, but no new reforms. Jain
(German for Yes-No)! More teachers, smaller class sizes, a slimmed-down
curriculum, greater enrichment opportunities, less homework, to start
with. And money, too! Children who underachieve, due to laziness and /
or bad behaviour, could be taught on Saturdays or repeat a year!
And then one final piece of advice, which is common
sense, though we know it is not common. Parents must make sure that
their children get enough sleep! Seven days make one weak! I know it
works, with me, too! Stephen’s article has caused me a degree of
annoyance. That’s because I am tired, after another long day at school!
We can all be good when we are not tired! The children as well as the
teacher! Could we please dish out some sleeping pills to the kids?!
After school, that is!
Another unsolicited email has reached me. It's made my day! I have decided to out myself! No point in keeping it all to myself! The whole world might as well be told, including my cyber-friends, how proud I am of myself! My real friends know better, but never mind that! Now that I have friends in high places ... I could do with my ego being massaged! It's all official now. Let there be no misunderstanding! Yours truly has been endorsed by none other than the government, though I have not pledged my support to any political party! Who says the age of miracles is over? Think of it! Without me, the UK would be worse off! Time to update my CV! My country needs me - and my money! Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, to quote auntie Maggie! 
